SPEAKING IN TONGUES IS A GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – AND NOT OF MEN
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from Afrikaans: OM IN TALE TE PRAAT IS ‘N GAWE VAN DIE HEILIGE GEES – EN NIE VAN MENSE NIE
Someone wrote to me with a few questions and I immediately realize that the person has dealt with, spiritually speaking, very dangerous people and I really hope that if you have dealt with people who preach to you that you must speak in a tongue to prove that you have received the Holy Spirit, or something like:
“Let me teach you to speak in a language”
And then usually add:
“Just follow me.”
That you, please withdraw yourself from such people and look for another congregation where the true gospel of Jesus Christ is preached.
Here then is my reply to the person who wrote to me:
I would like to start your questions’ answers with the following:
The reason in the first place why you do not speak in tongues is because our Lord does not want you to receive that gift at this moment in time – but there is also another reason why you do not speak in a man-made language and it is because you are one of those Christians (and they are also becoming fewer) who, because you are sincere in your worship, and living out your Christianity, do not want to speak falsely in a language, or to let certain circumstances intimidate you to be an imitator of the Holy Spirit and falsely proclaim that you have received a gift from the Holy Spirit, which you have not received.
I said that your type of Christian is also becoming a smaller amount, but this is also only part of a fulfillment of what Jesus made us understand what will happen before His coming:
LUKE 18:7-8
7And will not [our just] God defend and avenge His elect [His chosen ones] who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay [in providing justice] on their behalf? 8“I tell you that He will defend and avenge them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [this kind of persistent] faith on the earth?”
I believe in the last part of verse 8 that you have just read, it is specifically meant for, among other things, people who let themselves be intimidated by people who are abused by satan to make our Lord’s gospel actually a mockery in the eyes of the world.
You also ask me:
“Can a pastor or minister teach his congregation how to speak in tongues?
And if so, how do you teach someone to speak in tongues (in the spirit)?”
No, absolutely no.
Any reverend or pastor/teacher, or whoever, who preaches such a thing is preaching a lie from hell.
To speak in a language is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which the Holy Spirit, and only the Holy Spirit, distributes in the congregation, with a view to what is useful, or to put it this way – what is of help in the congregation – and He does it as He, the Holy Spirit and He the Holy Spirit alone, wants it.
1 COR 12:4-12 The Use Of Spiritual Gifts
1Now about the spiritual gifts [the special endowments given by the Holy Spirit], brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2You know that when you were pagans, you were led off after speechless idols; however you were led off [whether by impulse or habit]. 3Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the [power and influence of the] Spirit of God can say, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is [my] Lord,” except by [the power and influence of] the Holy Spirit.
4Now there are [distinctive] varieties of spiritual gifts [special abilities given by the grace and extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit operating in believers], but it is the same Spirit [who grants them and empowers believers]. 5And there are [distinctive] varieties of ministries and service, but it is the same Lord [who is served]. 6And there are [distinctive] ways of working [to accomplish things], but it is the same God who produces all things in all believers [inspiring, energizing, and empowering them]. 7But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit [the spiritual illumination and the enabling of the Holy Spirit] for the common good. 8To one is given through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] the message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] the word of knowledge and understanding according to the same Spirit; 9to another [wonder-working] faith [is given] by the same [Holy] Spirit, and to another the [extraordinary] gifts of healings by the one Spirit; 10and to another the working of miracles, and to another prophecy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], and to another discernment of spirits [the ability to distinguish sound, godly doctrine from the deceptive doctrine of man-made religions and cults], to another various kinds of [unknown] tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues. 11All these things [the gifts, the achievements, the abilities, the empowering] are brought about by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, distributing to each one individually just as He chooses.
12For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts, though many, form [only] one body, so it is with Christ.
Are there people who preach that you can teach someone to speak in a language, which in other words, distributes the gifts of the Holy Spirit as he/she wants?
Yes, for sure there are people who preach this and in the eyes of many people also do it, but then we read in the Word:
14And no wonder, since Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15So it is no great surprise if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, but their end will correspond with their deeds.
You also ask me:
“Why can’t I speak in tongues?”
Someone else asks:
Why don’t people get well when I pray for them, even though I really do it in my heart with full sincerity?
The answer regarding the distribution of the gifts of our Lord to His children is ultimately very simple:
Our Lord does through His holy Spirit what He want to do in His almighty omniscience:
1 COR 12:11 11All these things [the gifts, the achievements, the abilities, the empowering] are brought about by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, distributing to each one individually just as He chooses.
I preach, and will always preach against those who harp on speaking in tongues, that there are gifts of the Holy Spirit which are more useful than speaking in a language, and when I do that, I also preach only what my great hero Paul also preached and while I preach it like him, I also remember that our Lord entrusted him – that is Paul – to write most of the New Testament:
1 COR 14:18-20
18I thank God that I speak in [unknown] tongues more than all of you; 19nevertheless, in public worship I would rather say five understandable words in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue [which others cannot understand].
Instruction for the Church
20Brothers and sisters, do not be children [immature, childlike] in your thinking; be infants in [matters of] evil [completely innocent and inexperienced], but in your minds be mature [adults]. (In what is spiritually useful for your brother and sister in the congregation)
I then summarize everything that I have shared with you up to now and conclude with the following passage from our Lord’s precious Word:
PHIL 4:8 8Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].
Live out in the congregation and in your life what you have just read and you will achieve the goal in your life and in the congregation that our Lord want you to achieve.
Don’t be intimidated into doing this or that.
Jesus has already done everything that needs to be done for you to spend eternity with Him.
What you need to do as a person is as simple as this:
ACTS 2:37-39 The Ingathering
37Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart [with remorse and anxiety], and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what are we to do?”38And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39“For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is for you and your children and for all who are far away [including the Gentiles], as many as the Lord our God calls to Himself.”
Do this in all sincerity in your heart and as the Word says, you will receive the Holy Spirit and you are on your way to heaven.
Just keep your spiritual eyes on Jesus all the time:
HEB 12:2-3 Jesus, The Example
2[looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].
3Just consider and meditate on Him who endured from sinners such bitter hostility against Himself [consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Also – Believe me that your path to the afterlife will not be a path of moonlight and roses (without difficulties) and that is why the Word also tell us in the following verse what you have just read in the letter to the Hebrews:
HEB 12:4 You have not yet struggled to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;
And part of that resistance is precisely resistance against these false preachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Also remember our Lord Jesus’ words to us, so that you do not lend your ears to satan’s kind of angels of light:
MAT 7:15-16 A Tree and Its Fruit
15“Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16By their fruit you will recognize them [that is, by their contrived doctrine and self-focus]. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?
You do not preach something that is not found in the Word of our Lord.
MAT 7:17-20
17Even so, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the unhealthy tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Therefore, by their fruit you will recognize them [as false prophets].
If you do not understand something in the Word, or do not know what is written in this regard, pray about it – and then talk to someone of integrity regarding the gospel of Jesus Christ.
MAT 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.
More ‘ Thoughts from the Word ‘ regarding this matter are available on order from me by e-mail, or can be read on the Website. Their names are:
- Speaking in Tongues
- He who speaks in a language edifies himself
- (Afrikaans) Daar is gawes wat nuttiger is as om in tale te praat
- (Afrikaans) Is die Heilige Gees inwonend in my alhoewel ek nie in tale praat nie?
Sakkie
Email: bediening@sakkieparsons.co.za
Website: www.sakkieparsons.co.za
Cell: 083 457 6669
Jude 1:24-25 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy, to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
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