Back in January of this year (I believe it was either the 29th or the 30th), I received the ability to speak in other tongues from God. I’ve tried to keep in practice, praying in the spirit and getting closer to God. It hadn’t gotten nearly as good as I would have hoped since then, but I strive further nonetheless.
Can you clarify? Do you mean speaking gibberish? I don’t want to sound like I’m getting on a moral high horse; I mean, back when I was a little wild I used to think I was “possessed” during music events, so don’t think I’m coming to this from some kind of purity angle. The speaking in tongues thing has always weirded me out though because I knew some kids whose parents tried to force them to do it, and watching it was one of the freakiest things I’ve seen in my life. Then in a somewhat recent born again phase I thought of it as witchcraft or demonic possession or whatever. I’m curious if we’re talking the same thing though, because the “speaking in tongues” that I saw was genuinely disturbing and is burned into my head to this very day.
Speaking in other tongues, referring to the same sort of thing that happened to the believers in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. You know, when all of them had tongues of fire sitting over their heads as they were spiritually baptized in the Holy Ghost and they all began to speak in languages that they knew not? Remember that super important piece of Biblical history?
(Read the first two chapters of Acts.)
Yes, I have read Acts at least a dozen times, and I do remember that. If you remember the super important piece of apostolic writing that is 1 Corinthians 14 it borderline condemned speaking in tongues; it definitely encouraged weariness relating to the subject and referred to it as one of the least of gifts. The tongues thing was also portrayed throughout Acts as primarily a means of communicating with people across language barriers.
I don’t think there was flame hovering over me, but it happened, and it was really cool and weird experience. I can just speak through the spirit whenever I want now.
That’s my question, what happened? I mean what happened in detail. I’m not sure if you’re practicing speaking in tongues the way I think of it.
I’m really not sure if I know what it is you’re talking about. Could you clarify on what you mean by “I knew some kids whose parents tried to force them to do it…”?
Yes, they made him speak in tongues so he faked it, which I guess kept them satisfied. The family was involved in some kind of Charismatic Church that strongly emphasized glossolalia. The image of their babbling was burned into my mind.