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*SPEAKING IN TONGUES*
As we celebrate Pentecost Sunday today, let me remind us of some abuses on the person of the Holy Spirit that has become almost normal amongst us Christians.
Friends, speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift that is given and not a language or a skill to be learnt.
You don’t go to school to learn how to speak in tongues, it is not Spanish or French. No! It is the Holy Spirit that is supposed to speak through you.
Any preacher that tells you to open your mouth while praying and consciously make gibberish and senseless words as speaking in tongues is invariably asking you to make jest of the Holy Spirit.
When we gather to pray, we are not gathering to make jokes or mockery or to mimic the Holy Spirit’s gifts. We are not gathering to prove to anyone that the Holy Spirit is in us. Such attitude is sinful. Desist from it!
If you think you must speak in tongues because you read mark 16:17-18 which says:
“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
Remember to balance it with 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 which I will quote in parts:
“4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.”
Note the words: He distributes them to each one, JUST AS HE DETERMINES
Again, a lot of what we do in the name of prayers are for shows. Often our prayers are more of competition to show who knows how to shout or use many words or quote many biblical passages. It is often an avenue to show who is more anointed, who is falling down, who is screaming more.
The bible warns against this in Matthew 6:7, “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.”
How can you build your church in the neighborhood, put speakers outside the church, host vigils upon vigils shouting and disturbing the peace of others and still think it is the Holy Spirit that is leading you?
How can you wake up in the midnight and start singing and shouting when you have neighbours living around you or some people sleeping in the same house with you, and you think the Holy Spirit is living in you?
You disturb everyone’s sleep to the extent that no one is even bold enough to tell you how much pains and sleepless nights you cause them because you will brand them as devils.
The same Christ that you are following, whenever he wants to pray all through the night, will often go to a lonely place where no one will even hear him (Luke 5:16). Can’t you see that the Holy Spirit can never lead you to disturb the peace of another child of God?
What did Matthew 6:6 say again? “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Finally friends, if the Holy Spirit did not speak to you, it is a sin to stand on the altar and say “the Holy Spirit told me that so and so will die or that so and so will marry this year.” You don’t drag the Holy Spirit into whatever your head is making up. The Holy Spirit is not your playmate.
Let us make every effort not to sin against the Holy Spirit, the Bible talked about it as a sin that cannot be forgiven.
The Lord be with you.
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