THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Gift of Prophecy, The Gift of Tongues, and The Gift of Interpretation
Dr. Russell K. Tardo
I. The Gift of Prophecy
The gift of prophecy is the most predominate of the Gifts of the Spirit in that it is the gift manifested most often. In Acts 2, Peter says that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in tongues is not the result of too much wine, but is fulfillment of the prophecy of the prophet Joel (Joel 2), a sign of the end times.
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. [Joel 2:17-18]
This is significant because in the Old Testament only the priests and prophets prophesied. But not so in the New Testament. Sons, daughters, women, men from all walks of life are prophesying and speaking in tongues.
For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. [1 Cor. 14:31]
Here we have Paul’s words on the subject, but caution must also be exercised. Because the gift of prophecy is the one most used, it is also the gift most misused. Paul does, however, go on to say that believers should covet to prophesy. It ministers to the entire church.
A. What is Prophecy?
Prophecy is divinely inspired utterance concerning past, present or future events in a known language to the church or to people, or even to places or things. God told Ezekiel to prophesy to the mountains.
The gift of prophecy is exercised when God anoints a believer to be His vessel. He speaks through your vocal chords but it comes by divine inspiration. This gift is one of the most misunderstood and misused gifts.
B. The Most Predominate Misunderstandings Concerning the Gift of Prophecy.
1. Many confuse the gift of prophecy with the ministry office of prophet.
And he gave some apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers. [Eph. 4:11]
The gift of prophecy does not make one a prophet. There are certain characteristics (Numbers, chapter 12) which will distinguish the ministry office of a prophet which will not characterize one who has the gift of prophecy.
The Lord Himself will appear to the person and will set him in that ministry office. It can be an actual appearance of the Lord or it can be through dream or vision. Now just because the Lord appears to you doesn’t make you a prophet. If a person is a prophet, he will know it and we will know it.
2. The prophet will have other gifts of the Spirit operating in his ministry as well. The revelation gifts will also operate, i.e., the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, discerning of spirits. A prophet was called a seer in the Old Testament because they saw into the Spirit realm. That’s not necessarily the case in the person who simply has the gift of prophecy.
3. The gifts of healing, the working of miracles and the gift of faith will accompany the prophet’s ministry. Old Testament examples are those of Elijah and Elisha, while a modern day example would be William Branham. Such is not always the case however, for John the Baptist was a prophet. Jesus said a greater prophet never lived than John, yet you don’t find recorded in Scripture that John the Baptist worked a miracle. We must always say there are exceptions for God cannot be placed in a box. God will do what He chooses to do. Bear in mind also that prophets were not always popular people.
4. There is a uniqueness that accompanies the deliverance of the prophet’s message. While the gift of prophecy is generally spoken, it can be sung and that’s Bible. After all, prophecy is divinely inspired utterance and the psalms are songs and they are all prophecy.
...who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals . . . . [1 Chron. 25:1]
Here prophecy came through the playing of musical instruments. It can also come through vision, dream or it can even be written. The New Testament book of Revelation is a prophecy. In fact, the entire Bible is prophecy because it’s divinely inspired utterance. All these characterize the gift of prophecy as well as the office of prophet.
The prophet’s message is delivered in a way that is totally unique. In the Old Testament the prophet not only spoke the prophecy, but also acted out his message. For example, in Jeremiah, chapter 27, Hosea acted out the prophecy God gave him in that he married a harlot as a sign to Israel concerning God’s judgment. See also Ezekiel, chapter 4, where God told Ezekiel that a siege was going to be laid against the city, food would be rationed and the people would finally resort to eating their children. God told Ezekiel to act it out telling him that the people would eat human excrement. God gave Ezekiel a dispensation in verse 15, telling him to eat cow’s dung instead. Anyone still want to be a prophet? This acting out the message is not necessarily the case with the gift of prophecy.
The same was the case in the New Testament. Philip, the evangelist, had four daughters who had the gift of prophecy.
And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. [Acts 21:9]
Agabus, on the other hand, operated in the ministry of prophet.
... there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. [Acts 21:10-11]
5. There is the element of prediction in the office of prophet. Just as we saw in Jeremiah the yokes of bondage, Ezekiel laying siege against the city on a piece of tile, Agabus prophesying that Paul would be bound and tied and delivered to the Gentiles. All these depict the element of prediction.
Some think that prophecy has to be prediction, but such is not the case. For prophecy is rarely predictive, and with the gift of prophecy, it’s not predictive at all. But here again, God can do what He wants and there can be exceptions. It is quite rare however, because the predictive element of prophecy is normally delegated to the prophet’s ministry. The prophet would be the one who predicts but again, prediction plays a small part of his message. If the individual is a true prophet, what he says will come to pass.
Don’t judge a prophet too hastily unless he sets a time on a prophecy. For we know that in the Bible, it sometimes took long periods for prophecy to come to pass. Jeremiah said it would be 70 years before Israel would come out of captivity. Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the birth of Messiah took 700 years and then some parts of Isaiah and Zechariah have yet to come to pass.
C. The Purpose and Usage of the Gift of Prophecy.
But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
[1 Cor. 14:3]
The gift of prophecy is a message to the church and is sent to edify (to build up); to exhort (a calling near); and, to comfort (to bring consolation, especially during time of trial or distress, to cheer up).
Prophecy can also be used in learning.
For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. [1 Cor. 14:31]
Prophecy can also be instrumental in bringing an unbeliever to conviction.
But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. [1 Cor. 14:24-25]
D. Abuses of the Gift of Prophecy; What the Gift is Not.
1. The gift of prophecy is not to be used for personal prophecy to others -- NEVER! This is the area where the gift is probably abused most often. We’re not saying that those who practice this are under the influence of a deceiving spirit. It’s most probably just flesh.
2. The gift of prophecy is not to give direction or settle arguments.
3. The gift of prophecy is not to teach or introduce doctrine to the church.
4. The gift of prophecy is not to rebuke the body. It is not to bring correction. The Word is supposed to do that. When the Lord corrects or rebukes the body, it’s generally through the Word and through the pastor. So don’t rebuke the body through prophecy out of zeal unless you’re 100 percent certain it’s "thus saith the Lord." Don’t ever say, "thus saith the Lord" unless you’re certain it is the Lord because we will be judged for that.
5. The gift of prophecy is not to predict the future.
There can, of course, be exceptions to all of the above. God is always in control of every situation and can use anyone in any way that He sees fit.
E. The Believer’s Attitude toward this Gift.
1. Covet the gift. Sincerely desire that God will use you. This gift can be freely exercised by women as well as men.
... and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy . . . . [Acts 2:17]
When women do prophesy however, it should be with their head covered (Reference: 1 Corinthians 11).
2. Be anointed when you prophesy. The anointing brings a compulsion to speak; an anointing of power within you. You’ll know if you’re anointed and so will we. Generally you won’t know all that you’re going to say when you step out in prophecy. It’s a step of faith! Certainly you’ll have a few words and an idea of the general direction God is leading when you step out to prophesy, but it will be a step of faith.
Here again, God can and has made exceptions. Sometimes God has given someone a prophecy to write down which they have later brought to church and read. You say, "Can they do that?" Yes, if they’re anointed to deliver it. I would have to say however, that such is the exception and not the rule.
There is to be order in the giving of prophecy. God is not the author of confusion and the spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet. Therefore there should be no interruptions during teaching, etc. A proper time for the manifestation of the gifts should be given in each service.
3. Be attentive to the prophecy and pay attention for God is speaking to you.
4. Don’t develop a critical attitude toward prophecy in the body. We know if someone’s prophecy has a little flesh mixed in with it, but that’s not for you or anyone else to sit around and criticize the prophecy of the one delivering it. Be careful. We are all earthen vessels. Don’t consider the prophecy infallible. You will know when it’s the Lord and when it’s not. If it’s flesh, then pray. If it’s a spirit of deception or error, then the pastor will deal with it personally from the pulpit. If it’s flesh, well . . . we’re all learning. If it’s zeal without knowledge, we’ll just say, "Praise God! They’re believing to step out in the gift of prophecy." If it’s an injection of deception or error, let the pastor deal with it. Have a reverent attitude toward prophecies. Sometimes even pastors get into the flesh.
II. The Gift of Tongues
It is extremely difficult to find accurate teaching in books on the subject of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. There seems to be some error in all that I have reviewed to date.
The gift of tongues is another utterance gift. As discussed previously, the utterance gifts are the most predominate and since they are, they are the most frequently manifested of the gifts.
The gift of tongues and the gift of interpretation of tongues are unique in that they are exclusively New Testament gifts. Every other gift, without exception, is found in the Old Testament. The reason that these two gifts are unique is that the Holy Spirit was not poured out onto all flesh until after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. Jesus said that speaking in tongues would be the sign of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring. It is the scriptural evidence that a person has received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Now this is not a popular thing to say anymore even among some charismatics and Pentecostals. Now we don’t say that it’s the only evidence, but it is the initial evidence that one has received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. (Scripture reference: Acts 2, 10 and 19.) Additional evidence will be that the fruits of the Spirit will be manifested in that person’s life.
In His infinite wisdom and knowledge, God chose the sign of speaking in tongues as evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit because He didn’t want us to base the assurance that we were filled with the Holy Spirit on our feelings. Feelings vary too much; feelings are fickle. He didn’t want us to base our assurance on feelings because different people experience different religious experiences upon receiving the baptism. Some have very dramatic experiences while others are much more reserved. This way, we don’t have to ask, "Did you feel something? How do you feel?" We know when they received the baptism because we hear them speaking in tongues.
A. The Supernatural Sign.
In His wisdom, God chose speaking in tongues as the supernatural sign. Why?
1. Because it shows outward evidence. It is immediate evidence. One can see right away whether or not a person has received the baptism.
2. Because it shows uniform evidence. Everyone who receives the baptism will speak in tongues.
3. Because it shows universal evidence. Wherever people are prayed for to receive the baptism, it comes in the same way whether in the USA or Madagascar.
The gift of speaking in tongues is supernatural. It is not something one learns, not words one practices or a language one knows. Once the baptism in the Holy Spirit is received, one speaks in tongues by faith.
B. The Definition / Meaning of the Gift of Tongues.
Tongues mean languages. The definition of the gift of tongues is:
Speaking supernaturally in a language never learned by the speaker and not understood by the mind of the speaker and nearly always unknown to the hearers as well.
The gift of speaking in tongues is the speaking of a true language, not gibberish or fragmented sentences, etc. It is however, a language that is not understood by the person speaking. (Scripture reference: 1 Corinthians 14.) The word unknown is not in the Greek manuscripts. When the individual speaks in tongues, he edifies himself. Now prophecy, Paul says, edifies the church. But Paul is not saying not to speak in tongues. There are times when the individual needs to be edified and only speaking in tongues can fill that need. Rest assured that when God gave the gift of tongues, He gave it for a reason. The reason being that the church needs these gifts. When tongues are followed by the gift of interpretation, it becomes prophecy and edifies the church.
Paul further says that one is not doing the church much good (though one is getting edified), if all assemble to speak in tongues unless there is interpretation following. Now Paul is not rebuking the Corinthians, he’s just saying there needs to be order in the presentation of the gifts. If you have the gift of tongues, ask God for the gift of interpretation as well.
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. [1 Cor. 14:15]
Singing in the Spirit is singing in tongues. We’re to pray in tongues and with understanding also. Paul says that we all have something to share and the gifts are to be used for the edifying of the body. He is not imposing a slavish rule on the church so that if more than two prophecies are given, the service is shut down. He’s giving guidelines so that the whole service is not taken up with the gifts monopolizing the entire service. But remember, God can do whatever He wants. If He wants to use an entire service in the operation of the gifts, He can do it! Paul gives these regulations not to bind the church but so that the church doesn’t turn into chaos.
C. The Most Misunderstood, the Most Ridiculed of the Gifts.
We said previously that the gift of tongues is supernatural. It is a miraculous manifestation, yet it is the most despised, the most ridiculed, the most misunderstood by many of the denominations, and probably the most abused of the gifts.
D. The Difference between the Sign and the Gift of Tongues.
Much of the confusion and misunderstanding is the result of people not understanding the difference between the gift of tongues and the sign of tongues. In 1 Corinthians, chapter 12, we are told that speaking in tongues is a gift, but in Mark, chapter 16, we are told that speaking in tongues is a sign as well. It is a sign following all believers, a sign that every Christian will manifest. Not every Christian will however, manifest the gift.
Non-charismatics fail to recognize the distinction between the two. The sign will follow every baptized believer. Even Pentecostals are confused because they don’t think one can speak in tongues any time he wants to. They think one only speaks in tongues when he’s in church or under the anointing. If you tell them you can pray in tongues any time you want to, they will tell you it’s of the devil. They have simply failed to recognize the distinction. Everyone baptized in the Holy Spirit will speak in tongues. You can pray in the sign of tongues for this is the supernatural language that God gave you to communicate with Him anytime you want to. Praying in the sign of tongues edifies you, it’s unto the Lord, it’s praying beyond the limits of your own understanding. It’s prayer of intercession, it builds up one’s faith. (Scripture references: Ephesians 6:18, Jude 20 and 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5.)
Each one of us should speak in tongues. The sign of tongues is the individual believer’s own language of prayer which God gave him when he received the baptism in the Holy Spirit so that the individual could talk to God. And the believer can talk to God all day, every day, whenever he wants to. One doesn’t have to be anointed to pray in tongues. It’s not necessary to feel something anymore than when one prays with his own understanding.
Remember!! The gift of tongues -- not all Christians have this. It’s a ministry gift to be used in the church and to be interpreted.
...to another divers kinds of tongues.... [1 Cor. 12:10]
Notice here that the ministry gift of diverse kinds of tongues of many different languages. The person who has the gift will speak in many different languages whereas the person who has the sign of tongues will speak in only one language. If one is speaking in tongues and suddenly changes languages, and he will know when he changes languages, then he is displaying the gift of tongues.
Where the gift is abused is when a person with only the sign of tongues (their personal prayer language) will speak out in church. If this happens, don’t get perturbed by it. The person is being edified. Maybe they’re believing for the gift. If you happen to have the gift, then ask God for the gift of interpretation as well.
Note that tongues are languages (Scriptural reference: Acts, chapter 2). Sometimes the Lord will have us speak in a tongue that someone will recognize thereby ministering to that person. So as always, we must allow God to be God and if He wants someone to speak in tongues in the church without an interpretation following, then don’t get upset by it.
A story that bears this out is one told about old Dad Humbard. He was an untrained speaker, not an educated man. In the early years just after he had surrendered to preach, he was in Southern Louisiana with a group at a revival. Shortly before the service, it was determined that tonight Dad Humbard would preach for the first time. He got up to preach and about midway in the message he spoke in tongues for about 10 to 15 minutes. No interpretation followed. Then he resumed speaking in English. When the altar call was given, people flocked to the front, repentant and prayerful. The other ministers were astounded. What could account for this? This had been Humbard’s first message and apparently there was nothing outstanding about it. They didn’t understand it until someone told them that during the time Humbard had lapsed into speaking in tongues; he was speaking perfect Cajun French, the language of the Acadian people there in South Louisiana.
A word of caution . . . before you step out and exercise this gift, be sure that you have it. You will know just as you know when you’re anointed to prophesy. Everything is to be done in order and not to cause confusion in the church.
Scripture references dealing with the gift of speaking in tongues can be found in 1 Corinthians, in detail in chapters 12 and 14; Ephesians 6:18; Jude 20; 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5; and, the entire book of Acts.
III. The Gift of Interpretation of Tongues
A. Some Arguments against Any or All of the Gifts.
In way of review, we will look at some of the arguments against any or all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as voiced by those who deny the validity of the gifts. The major argument is the one we’ve all heard: "The gifts are not for today."
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. [Rom. 11:29]
This is an excellent scripture to use when refuting that statement. God does not take His gifts back.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever. [Heb. 13:8]
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. [1 Cor. 12:28]
These verses are also useful in that they say that God has set the gifts in the church so as long as the church continues, the gifts will continue.
And yes, we are aware of the verse in 1 Corinthians, chapter 13 which those objectors use to refute the validity of the gifts, i.e., the one that says that prophecies will cease and tongues will fail. Yes, they will cease, but only when we’re with Jesus face-to-face, when we’re in the kingdom with Him because then we won’t need the gifts anymore.
Objectors will grasp at any ridiculous argument. For example, a group who did some research on Japanese who speak in tongues and on a group of Germans who also speak in tongues noted as a nationality, the Japanese seem to have difficulty in pronouncing "r" sounds while the Germans have difficulty with the "w" sounds. This group of researchers observed that when speaking in tongues, the Japanese still had difficulty with the "r" sounds and the Germans with the "w’s". Their conclusion was that tongues were therefore not a heavenly language since the "r’s" and "w’s" were not always pronounced correctly.
God uses earthen vessels. A man, who speaks with an accent, say a hillbilly accent, will speak with that accent in tongues. God uses us as we are. We don’t have to be perfect. Some of us are more eloquent than others.
Take, for example, the New Testament letters written by Luke and the apostle Peter. Now Luke wrote in very scholarly Greek, very poetic and grammatically correct. On the other hand, fisherman Peter did not write so eloquently. In the Old Testament we have the same thing when you compare the writings of Isaiah who had a brilliant mind, to the prophet Amos who was a simple herdsman. Certainly both are inspired writings, but God used the earthen vessel.
It is also known to be true that many times a person who prophesies speaks much clearer than when in normal speech. For example, Howard Carter had a speech impediment and was unable to pronounce "r" in normal speech. Yet when he prayed in tongues or prophesied, the "r" sound came out sounding perfect.
And these signs shall follow them that believe... they shall speak with new tongues. [Mk. 16:17]
This scripture is the basis of another argument. The opponents of tongues maintain this means that because one believes, he won’t lie, curse, and blaspheme, etc. as formerly. Consequently, God will give him a new tongue so that he will no longer be participant in such things. Now certainly the believer will no longer lie, curse or blaspheme, but he will also speak in a supernatural language given by God.
Our personal observations have been that people who continue to deny this baptism of the Holy Spirit are caught up in churches where the people have no victory, no joy, and little depth or understanding. It’s a fact that cannot be denied that believers only shortly baptized in the Holy Spirit have more insight and understanding spiritually than those who have been in churches for years where the baptism in the Holy Spirit is denied. Yet the ministers in these churches are the ones who preach against the baptism in the Holy Spirit, all the while watching their churches dry up and die.
B. Extremes to be Avoided.
There are two extremes concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit which believers will want to avoid.
1. The extreme which makes the gifts of the Holy Spirit everything. In other words, when one has the gifts, he has arrived, there’s nothing more. That’s all there is. This is the extreme which goes no further than Pentecost, never realizing that God wants to take believers on into a deeper life in the Spirit that the whole purpose of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is to bring us into perfection, into maturity in Christ and not to cause us to live by emotions and feelings. We are rather to live by faith, teaching believers what genuine faith is all about, what the life of faith really is.
Those belonging to this extreme are the sign-seekers. They don’t want to hear the message of faith, the message of dying to self, taking up the cross, etc. They just want to go from one emotional high to another. Now we say, "Praise God for the gifts!" but there’s more. That’s not all God has for us. The purpose of the gifts is to bring us closer to Christ and make us more Christlike, with each gift glorifying Christ.
2. The other extreme is most often found in the charismatic Pentecostal community who have experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, operated in the gifts, and have now turned full circle, preaching that speaking in tongues, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, feelings, etc. are for spiritual babes, that we are to go beyond that, leaving it all behind, and go on into fullness. They actually get to the point that they scoff at those who prophesy, those who speak in tongues or pray for the sick to be healed. They now say that all this is for the immature, that we have to grow up and leave all that behind. Actually, in these churches the supernatural is frowned upon. It’s an attitude of super-spirituality where they feel they have grown beyond the need for the supernatural. What they have done is go right back to the denominations who deny the supernatural or the need for it. They’ve come full circle. Theirs is basically the same argument as the dead denominations promote. If what they say is true, and of course, we know it is not, then the apostle Paul was nothing but a big baby. And did Jesus say it was a sign that would follow babes? No! He said it was a sign that would follow believers!
C. The Definition / Meaning of the Gift of Interpretation of Tongues.
As previously stated, this gift is unique to the New Testament as is the gift of speaking in tongues. And beyond that, the gift of interpretation of tongues is unique in itself in that it is totally dependent upon another gift in order to be manifested. If the gift of tongues does not operate, then naturally, the gift of interpretation of tongues cannot.
The definition of the gift of interpretation of tongues can be best stated:
Interpretation is the supernatural showing forth by the Spirit the meaning of an utterance in tongues.
Like all the other gifts, the gift of interpretation of tongues is supernatural. There are some, denying the supernatural, who try to make it some kind of gift of exposition, an understanding of the Bible, expounding the Bible, learning how to interpret the Bible correctly. This is not the case however, for it is a supernatural revelation to one’s mind, thoughts, and speech apparatus.
In order to help clarify what the gift of tongues is we will use an example found in the Old Testament book of Daniel, chapter 5. Even though it is not an example of the gift of tongues, it does provide a good example of how the gift of interpretation works.
Most here are familiar with the account and will recall that when the writing appeared on the wall, only Daniel was able to interpret it, even though the king’s wise men were all consulted. First, Daniel gave the literal reading or translation . . . numbered, numbered, weighed, divided. Then Daniel proceeded to give the interpretation. To further clarify the interpretation of tongues, it is well to note that interpretation is not the same as a translation. A translation is word-for-word, precise, and exact. This is not the case with interpretation which is to tell the meaning of, to explain, and to expound the meaning. An interpretation clarifies something. You will note in hearing the gifts of tongues and the interpretation in tongues that often one or the other of the vocal utterances is longer or shorter than the other. That does not mean there is an inaccuracy, that is simply due to the fact that what is spoken is then interpreted, not given as a literal word-for-word translation. So don’t get upset if an utterance in tongues takes two minutes and the interpretation only 30 seconds, or vice-versa. Note that in the example just examined, the translation was only four words, yet Daniel’s interpretation was considerably longer. The interpretation is a supernatural revelation of the meaning of what the Holy Spirit gives.
D. The Purpose of the Gift of Interpretation of Tongues.
Scripture reference: 1 Corinthians 14:1-13, 26.
The purpose for this gift is for the edification of the entire church. Remember that tongues do not edify others, only the one giving the utterance. Tongues must be accompanied by an interpretation to equal prophecy where the whole body is then edified. Only with the gift of interpretation is the meaning of the message spoken in tongues unveiled so that the entire assembly can be edified.
E. Believers Who Operate in the Gift of Interpretation of Tongues.
Just who has the gift of interpretation of tongues? The Bible reveals that not everyone does. In examining the 12th chapter of 1 Corinthians, we see that not all believers have all gifts. God gives to ones as He chooses. As previously encouraged, if you have the gift of tongues, ask God for the gift of interpretation. In all likelihood, you already have it and just may not yet be aware of it. It would be the exception for someone to have the gift of tongues and not have the gift of interpretation. However, with God, all things are possible.
F. The Operation of the Gift of Interpretation of Tongues.
Whenever the gift of tongues operates in the church, an interpretation should be given. One cannot be dogmatic about it, but I believe those functioning in the ministry offices should have these gifts of the Spirit (tongues and interpretation).
How does this gift operate? First, it takes faith because the utterance doesn’t come from one’s mind or intellect. It means stepping out in faith, not knowing what you’re going to say until you’ve said it. Secondly, it takes an anointing and if you’re not anointed, don’t try to manifest the gifts.
Concerning all the utterance gifts, one can interpret without the gift of interpretation of tongues if anointed, just as one can prophesy without the gift of prophecy, if anointed. God can anoint a believer to speak in tongues, to interpret or to prophesy without the gifts. One does not have to have the gifts operating in his life or ministry all the time in order to move in the gifts. God can always give a special anointing, but don’t try to move in the gifts without the anointing. And when you have the anointing, you’ll know it. How? Well, there is an inner compulsion to speak as you hear say, the gift of tongues in operation. As you respond in faith, God gives you the interpretation. It’s not a matter of sitting down and determining what you’re going to say. If you get your mind into it, you’ll quench the Spirit. It works the same with the gift of prophecy.
1. The gift of interpretation comes in two ways:
a. By inspiration.
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. [2 Pe. 1:20]
In the Greek move literally means to carry along. People speak as they are stirred inside or carried along by the Holy Spirit. That’s how you know if you have the gift. It’s inspiration when you have the compulsion to speak and don’t know what you’re going to say. Now the Lord may give you a few words, a sentence and that’s generally how it is . . . one sentence at a time, line-by-line.
b. Revelation.
When God shows you something in a vision, you will be able to see it. Also, God may elect to speak to you by audible voice in your ear.
The important thing to remember is that God can manifest the gifts in any way He wants.
2. What happens if an utterance in tongues is not interpreted? Well, this could happen on occasion for one of several reasons. It should not be the routine, but if it does, consider the following:
a. Not all tongues are meant to be interpreted. For example, when we all pray in tongues, that’s not meant to be interpreted. That’s the believer’s individual prayer language, the "sign" of tongues that is to follow every believer.
b. Perhaps a person is not really anointed. It could be that he doesn’t have the gift or an anointing; he just speaks out in tongues anyway.
c. A person with the gift of interpretation might not be present at the services. This is hardly likely however.
d. The person with the gift is not in the Spirit at the time. It could be that he is not prayed up and has quenched the Spirit. That happens quite often.
e. God didn’t intend for the tongues to be interpreted. That was the case in Dad Humbard’s experience related in the last message.
3. What should you do if you have the gifts?
a. The person who desires them, desperately wants them, covets them is the one God will give gifts to. It is then the person’s responsibility to stir up the gifts prior to each service, asking God to use him. Pray in the Holy Spirit to stir up those gifts.
b. Pray that if you have the gift of tongues that God will give you the gift of interpretation as well. Also, if you are in the ministry offices, ask God for both these gifts.
c. Pray that you’ll be anointed to speak.
d. Believe God for the faith to step out and exercise the gift.
Now the assembly will know whether or not you have the gifts. It doesn’t have to be some super-spiritual complex utterance, but we will know by the depth of the spiritual content. And this does not mean that we are sitting around criticizing or judging those operating in the gifts. We believe that God can use all of us as vessels for the exercising of the gifts.
Who then should give the interpretation? Whoever is anointed with the interpretation, whether it’s the person who gave the utterance in tongues or another. And in the unlikely situation where two people are given the interpretation, the first to speak is the one to give the interpretation. The key is to let all things be done unto edifying.
