Tongues Pt. 3 Series

Prayer Language & Scripture

A The spiritual gift of a private prayer language is the elephant in the room.

1 Since the Pentecostal awakening at Azusa Street in Los Angeles, the rebirth of Pentecostalism in the church, and the return of tongues, people have reacted with heated arguments and division.

a “Tongues” come from the greek word glossa.

aa Glassa means “language.”

bb According to the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, the term glossa had to do with the manner of speech and/or it could refer to a people with their own language.

cc laleo means “to speak.”

dd Glossalaleo means to speak in another language.

b Most people equate “speaking in tongues” with glossalalia.

aa In the New Testament this term could be used to describe for three kinds of languages.

bb Known languages, Foreign languages and Angelic languages.

cc 1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Cor 13:1 (NASB)

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues , as the Spirit was giving them utterance . 5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.6 And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. Acts 2:4-6 (NASB)

2 Glossalalia, according to Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, “The phenomenon of glossalalia is spiritually effected speaking (1 Cor. 14.2) not to men but to God (1 Cor. 14.28)

2 For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands , but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. 1 Cor 14:2 (NASB)

28 but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. 1 Cor 14:28 (NASB)

a “This phenomenon sometimes comes in the form of praise, thanksgiving, and possibly song; in this inspired utterance the mind (nous in Greek) is swallowed up so that mysterious word is obscure to both speakers and hearers . . .”

b Satan does counterfeit this phenomenon.

aa In Greek religion the Cybele cults & the Delphus Phrygia had similar experiences.

bb If there is a Satanic counterfeit then there must be a Godly authentic gift.

B There are some evidences of ecstatic tongues in the Old Testament.

1 1 Sam. 19.20, On occasion the prophets were overcome by the Holy Spirit.

20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; and they also prophesied.1 Sam 19:20 (NASB)

a The prophets who came to anoint Jehu in place of Jezebel were thought to be babbling madmen (2 Kings 9.11).

11 Now Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, "Is all well? Why did this mad fellow come to you?" And he said to them, "You know very well the man and his talk." 2 Kings 9:11 (NASB)

b The Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge; “It is probable there was something peculiar in the young prophet’s manner and address, similar to the vehement actions sometimes used by the prophets when under the Divine influence, which caused the bystanders to use this contemptuous language.”

aa When the Holy Spirit fell on prophets, sometimes they acted weird, unpredictable, odd.

bb When the Holy Spirit comes on the people of God/ Man of God they respond/react in a way that may appear crazy to others.

2 Isaiah prophesied that God would speak in ecstatic tongues to Israel (Is. 28.10-11).

10 "For He says, 'Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there.' " 11 Indeed, He will speak to this people Through stammering lips and a foreign tongue, Isaiah 28:10-11 (NASB)

a Paul would later cite this passage in 1 Cor. 14.21.

21 In the Law it is written, "By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people , and even so they will not listen to Me," says the Lord. 1 Cor 14:21 (NASB)

b Hannah is thought to be in a ecstatic state when she was praying for a son (1 Sam. 1.12-15)

12 Now it came about, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth.13 As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk.14 Then Eli said to her, "How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you."15 But Hannah replied, "No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord. 1 Sam 1:12-15 (NASB)