C1605-B The Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Speaking in Tongues - Session 2
C1605-B Baptism in the Holy Spirit and the Speaking in Tongues
We are doing a series on the "Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Speaking in Tongues". The theme Scripture we have been using is Acts 2:1-4. It says,
"When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4, NKJV)
Our Experience does not have to be dramatic. It must be real.
In our previous session I shared the testimony of my uncle, who had a very dramatic experience when he was baptized in the Holy Spirit. Though such dramatic experiences are awesome, not all of us have such a dramatic encounter.
We should not let the lack of a dramatic experience make us feel that our own encounter is not valid. It does not need to be dramatic. All it needs to be is real.
It’s like Reinhard Bonnke says, God has not called us to “signs and sensations”, but to “signs and wonders”.
Your experience does not need to be dramatic. It needs to be real.
They began to speak in tongues.
It says, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:4, NKJV)
From this verse we learn some tremendous truths. One of them is that those who were filled with the Spirit actively spoke in tongues. This means that it was not the Holy Spirit who was speaking, but the believers themselves had to do the speaking.
Those who wish to be filled with the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues shouldn’t expect that we will somehow faint, roll on the floor, and when we come by hear someone tell us that we spoke in tongues without us even knowing it. Though this extreme illustration may certainly happen (for God can do all things in any way He chooses), we must remember that we must do the speaking.
We must begin to speak
How do we speak in tongues? Well, it says “They began to speak…” To speak in tongues, we must actively “begin” to speak. By beginning to speak by faith, the rest of the words and the tongues will come.
Don’t let fear or pride be a blockage
Fear and pride can hinder us from receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues.
Pride wonders what people will think of us.
Pride refuses to relinquish control to the Holy Spirit, so that we can still be in charge.
Fear says that maybe this tongue is of myself and not of God. But we must let go of this pride and fear, for it says,
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” (Luke 11:13, NKJV)
If God says that He will give us the Holy Spirit when we ask Him, we must let go of the fear that what we are about to receive is not of God.
(Note: Remember phrases such as “receiving the Holy Spirit” and being “filled with the Spirit” must be understood in the context in which it is written. For example, when we accept Jesus Christ, His Spirit comes to dwell within us. We are therefore “filled with the Spirit” already. But when the Bible speaks of this additional experience (which Pentecostal theologians call a “second work of grace,”) the “receiving” or infilling of the Spirit refers to the baptism in the Holy Spirit after our salvation).
Does not have to be a known language
One of the hindrances to receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues is our question whether or not the language should be a “known language”, i.e. a language that is spoken by people around the world. In another session we will discuss this specifically, but the answer is that the tongue that God will give you does not have to be a known language
Don’t let the words, “God will do it in His time” be a hindrance
We often use this phrase to push something into the unforeseen future. Though it is true that God does things in His own time, it should not become a lame excuse that paralyses us from actively pursuing what He has for us! Such excuses become a lame way to exempt ourselves from our responsibility to pursue the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion:
Take a moment today to actively pursue the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and speak in tongues.