W e ' r e m o r e t h a n j u s t a C h u r c h . . . W e ' r e a F A M I L Y !
Pastor Carter addresses Questions on
SPEAKING IN TONGUES
Can you briefly address the Gift of Tongues?
There are three manifestations of the Gift of Tongues...
Firstly, tongues is the evidence of the infilling of the Holy Spirit in your life. While it's not the ultimate sign or evidence of the Spirit's indwelling, it is your first initial sign that you've been filled.
Secondly, there's a devotional tongue that is a means by which you edify (or build up, strengthen and refresh) your spirit man. You pray in tongues, sing in tongues, praise in tongues. It is your supernatural communication to God that bypasses the limits of your mental reasoning and lets the real you - your spirit - talk to God in a language unhindered by then enemy! Praise the Lord! Intercessory prayer is birthed out of this manifestation of tongues.
Thirdly is the ministry gift of tongues. The other manifestations of tongues edify and build up the individual. But the ministry Gift of Tongues is the manifestation that edifies and builds up the Church. It is a public utterance in tongues, which, when accompanied by the Gift of Interpretation of Tongues, provides a beautiful and complete manifestation of a spiritual gift through which the Holy Spirit speaks out a verbal message of edification and encouragement to the entire Church body. This manifestation of tongues should not go without an accompanying interpretation of the same, as it's initial expression is intended to edify the Church. If it is left uninterpreted, it edifies no one but the person who spoke the message in tongues. This manifestation of tongues and interpretation also serves as a sign to the unbeliever.
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I was always taught that in order to speak in tongues, it has to be like He has to come down and knock you on the head and make you speak in tongues. Can you address that?
The Holy Spirit is a gentleman. He will not violate the free will God gave us that uniquely separates and distinguishes us from all other creation. This is true in receiving salvation, baptism in the Holy Ghost, all speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, etc, etc.
According to Acts 2, the Holy Spirit does the filling, but it is we who do the speaking as He gives us the ability to do so. The teachings of the Apostle Paul on tongues also clearly point out that utterance in tongues is dependent on our will to speak it out as He enables us.
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What should be done when a "child of God" repeatedly gives out messages and interpretations that are not Biblically sound and thus the Spirit of God within you doesn't agree?
A spiritual authority over them in the Lord, preferably their Pastor or local church authority, should lovingly correct them. False tongues and interpretations should not be permitted to continue.
Contact FHC with your questions and Pastor Carter will answer them here.
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Copyright © Pastor Chad Carter • Family Harvest Church Global Ministries
FAMILY HARVEST CHURCH
PASTOR CHAD CARTER
P.O. Box 512
Salem, IN 47167
812-883-2523
www.ChadCarter.org
info@ChadCarter.org
