The message that Jesus Preached (Part 1)

 

The message that Jesus Preached (Part 1)

 

If we look at the life of Jesus as recorded in the bible, His message and his ministry was not focused on “thou shall not sin.” It had elements of that, but the primary message that Jesus came to give us was to tell us the truth about how this world is setup. His primary message was telling us the truth of how this world works, and who are the players in it.

 

Let me explain what I mean, in life as we grow, through our experiences, we develop a map of how this world functions. Some are experiential, such as gravity, from young we know that if we jump, we are not going to fly off, because gravity is pulling on us. Others are not experiential, but more theoretical, ie that on the moon, gravity is about 1/6 of Earth pull. We have no way of experiencing that, but we take it for granted that scientists who tells us this, and has done the math, and what they tell us is most probably true, yet even them have no “experienced” this. And its theoretical. (not that the moons gravity has much impact on our everyday life.) So from our childhood, we have learned that the world has certain rules and certain laws that govern it, and it creates a mental map of how this world works. Apart from the physical laws, we also have a map in our mind as to how this rules and laws works socially.  Ie If you kill someone you go to jail. These mental maps is actually “belief systems” which we built, and we navigate ourselves in this world via our understanding of such construct and hence constraints.

 

Like in today, back in the days of Jesus, the majority of the social rules are defined by people, you kill someone and you go to jail, This is a rule set by people. back then and in some places in the world today it is still an eye for an eye, and whilst as a global society, there are places where these rules has drastically improved, there are still places where these rules are set that benefits some and abuses others. But in general, if you are the common people, the same struggles that the people in Jesus days was under, we are still under, and we are dealing with the same kind of issues. We still need to eat, a lack of heath still deliberates us, death is still inevitable, work still gets you rewards, the influential has the power to abuse and uplift others, hope, greed, love, fear and justice are all fabrics of our society.

 

So what did Jesus came to do?
He was showing us the reality of a different part of our world. This part of the world people rarely experiences as it’s a different dimension to the physical world that we currently experiences. But in order to access this part of the world, we need to change our belief system so that “our map” in our mind can be updated to perceive the existence of this dimension, and ultimately understands that as we choose to operate in this dimension, we can trumps and over shadows the current set of rules that we are living in. What Jesus is saying is not a different and separated world, but it is one and the same world. The only difference is, people don’t know it exists, and don’t know how to access it, because we do not understand the rules.

 

God is our Father

So the basics of understanding how this world works is. We need to understand that this world has not always been here, it was created. Jesus didn’t specifically say this, because the Israeli had already an understanding that God existed prior, and God created this place, because in history passed, there has been people that interacted with God, whilst they are few and far in between, those interaction happened. But the true relationship between God and man, was not understood. And the very first and biggest revelation that Jesus came to show us was. “God is your father”. This is so revolutionary, as people related to God as the “Great I am”, but he is a far and distant figure that doesn’t have much to do with people. he is just God who created things, and has set some rules, but he is out there and we are down here. And there is as much relationship between an ant and a human.

 

But Jesus came to tell us, He is our father!

 

Think of this, the relationship between man and the creator of the universe is one of son and father.  You may think that’s not true!? I have a father and mother, and my father is no God! Yes this is what we have experienced in the physical, and we are born in the biological, by biological parents, but in the spirit, GOD is our father! DWELL ON THIS A LITTLE! the creator of the universe is your father. The understanding of this changes everything. God is our father, he loves us, and takes care of us! Secondly, he is our father, which means we inherited his image, and as such, his character, his abilities, and his dominion. This is so far from our current experience that we totally discount this as even remotely possible or true. But the bible says that Jesus is the first born of many brothers and sisters. (Romans 8:29). This is what Jesus came to show us. The position as sons of God, and the relationship of men as sons of God to the father.

 

How did Jesus demonstrate how we are to be as sons God, He showed the disciples of who God is by practical examples. He taught on how the father thinks, that if we as children asks for bread, he is not going to give us stones, ask for fish he is not going to give us snakes. He then taught on how the father rules, it is not one where he Lords over one another, but one where he serves and give himself for his people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to fight Goliath

 

How to fight Goliath

When we look at the life of David, and his triumph over Goliath, we see him believing in God, and God bought him the victory. This in a nutshell is true, but for us to get the same results that David got, we need to if you examine how David actually won, because not knowing this detail will leave us in limbo, when facing an enemy. As we do not know how to apply the principles, and take the victory.

 

Imagine you are David, your dad, who doesn’t think you are war worthy, because you are a kid, tells you to bring some bread to your 3 elder brothers who are at the war. You are the youngest of the 8. As you walk towards the camp, you hear from the distance Goliath challenging the Israelites, you walk closer, and you see thousands of man in your camp in fear, not responding to the enemy on the other side. The mockery continues to get louder, you get closer to the field, and you see this tiny guy, and a huge guy, across the field, and you are thinking something is wrong with your eyes, for surely that guy can’t be that big!?

 

So you go to your elder brothers, and they are talking amongst the older people, King soul has promised big bucks to the man who kills Goliath, and you get to marry into royalty and wait there is more! You score big points with all the relos, because your father’s family won’t be needing to pay any taxes!

 

Your brothers tells you to shut up, because you are causing a commotion, and you might get yourself killed if you speak any louder. You continue to ask, is this true? no taxes for the rest of your life? The way you carry yourself, you are the only one in the camp that actually looks to have any hope, because everyone is scared, there is not even one person that looks like they will have the courage to step up. The thought that no one actually volunteered, surprises you. In your mind you are thinking, don’t you guys know we have a covenant with the God who created this world? Like how the people feared Abraham, they should be fearing us, why is this riff raff paying our God disrespect, and no one is going out to shut him up? Did they not hear “you don’t have to pay taxes!” The situation is so dire, that Saul the king, actually sent someone to see who David is. Knowing you are in the presence of someone who can actually call some shots, you tell the king, “Your majesty, something is wrong with this picture, no one should be afraid of this guy, I will take him out.”

 

Like any king, who has some sense, in all sincerity tells what he thinks is a naive young kid, “no, how could you fight him? you’re a kid, this Goliath guy has been a soldier all his life!”

 

Pause! Lets take a moment, and think if you were little David. What is going on in your mind. I mean literally, you are seeing this huge war monger looking giant on the other side of the field. Your side of the army with grown men, in armor is scared stiff. No one is even trying to make a noise, incase someone picks them out to fight. What goes on in your mind ?(your mind, not david’s mind). Surely you would think even David will have some carnality in what he is thinking based on what he sees. (or he doesn’t and if he doesn’t, why?).

 

I am about to share something profound. The reason he is not fazed by this, is NOT because he beliefs God is for him, and hence who can be against him.

The reason he is not fazed is because he beliefs God is for him, and has given him superior fire power, hence who can be against him?

 

This is profound, because we would generally think “well yes, David had experience fighting the lion and the bear, hence he has confidence about killing another enemy.” This is true, but the “experience” here is more than an “experience of happen stance”, where David happened to kill 2 types of fierce animal. And think as I was able to do that, I will probably do it again. There was no “probably” here. It was a confidence that he had 100% the means to kill a lion or a bear, and is 100% confident that if another bear or a lion was to appear, the result will be the same. Just think, if you were locked in a cage with a lion, what goes on in your mind? Do you have the same confidence that David has? No? Why not? May I suggest the reason we are not confident, is because of a lack of fire power.

 

Imagine, If you had an automatic, and you had a force field around you. Will you see the same scenario differently? The reason David was not scared, was not just because theoretically God was with him, and he knows that in his mind. It is because experientially, he has seen the fire power of the supernatural, he has experienced the confidence that comes from the holy spirit, the dunamis power, and the equipping for him in these fights. He had operated with the sling shot with precision. And if he was to miss he knows that he has dunamis to pull the lion by the beard.

 

The point to note is this: David did what he did, is an example for us today. The reason he had the confidence, but also the means to do so, came from the following points:

1)    God equipped him with a weapon. He was not expecting lightling to strike dead Goliath.

2)    He was trained in an effective use of the weapon. This was not his first rodeo. He has been doing this for a while. Although he is a kid.

3)    The weapon was superior, and the weapon worked. It was a range weapon, Goliath didn’t even came close to the fight, we imagined Goliath came at David, and David dodged and jumped and then he shot a rock into his head. No it wasn’t as dramatic, it was David picked up a few rocks, and then shot him. he was knocked out. And David cut Goliath’s head off as the fatal kill.

 

Question: with the Giants that we have in our life, what weapon has God equipped us with?

 

 ⁴ (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) ⁵ Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; ⁶ And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 

2 Cor 10:4-6

God has given us the weapon that kills giants in our arena. This is not talking about physical warfare, but it is an effective and mighty tool to take down our true enemy. The enemy in our carnal mind. It is dealing with imaginations, anxieties, depressions, lies that come against us. And how do we know which thoughts are the enemy? Anything that is contrary to what we know of who God is, and what he does. We use the weapon by bringing those imaginations and thoughts captive. This is a proactive activity that we need to do, it is not done by happenstance, it is done with intention, and it is done with discipline. We are to bring those thoughts under the rule of God, that we rebuke and dissipate the lie, by replacing it with the word of God. And by doing so, and renewing our mind to what the creator of the universe has said. It shall be done. So the key is, you change the external by fighting in the internal. The physical world follows the spiritual. When you win the picture within, you revenge the external disobedience that acts against the word of God. The word of God said we are the head and not the tail, we are blessed and not cursed, and we have the power to create wealth, heal the sick, raise the dead. Anything that is contrary to these saying. They are not of God. and must be revenged. (forced to align with the word of God).  

¹² For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing as under of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

Hebrews 4:12

The word of God informs us which are God’s thoughts and which are Carnal thoughts, we are to distinguish them, and extinguish those by bringing those lies, to the truth of what God has said. This is the weapon God has given us to win over Goliath. Be active and capture the lies.

We are to dispel them by the truth of God’s word. The Sword of the spirit.

Aren’t all Sin forigiven? Whats so special about Sexual immorality?

 

Aren’t all Sin forigiven? Whats so special about Sexual immorality?

I think to understand this, we want to look at what is the bigger context in the salvation picture.

 

"Jesus took all our sins away, and gave us his righteousness."

 

This was the message that Paul preached. And not understanding the complete implications, people responded in romans 6:1, 6:15. shall we sin? because we are not under the law?

The same logic is applied in 1 Cor 6:12.

 

Paul was addressing these people and correcting them because they have a misunderstanding of what forgiveness of sin does, thinking that since sins were forgiven, hence there is no more sin consequences.

 

There is a partial truth to this, in front of God, sin was removed from us (Hebrews 8:12) he remembers them no more, not because God was forgetful, or he pretended not to remember. He remembered them no more because Jesus paid the price of death, and fulfilled the requirement of the law for sin. this all takes place in our spirit. And as God is spirit, he relates to us in spirit. So form the fathers perspective Jesus has paid the consequences of sins.

 

However we see in the bible that also says.

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness? Romans 6:16

 

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Gal 6:7-8

 

Whilst our spirit has been made righteous, and hence can only reap the fruit of righteous because of Jesus. On earth where we have dominion still in the body, what we yield ourselves to, will reap those results, sin unto death, or obedience unto rightouesness.

 

12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 1 Cor 6:12

 

So whilst we can choose what we want to do because we have the power to choose, different choices leads to different outcomes.

 

18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 1 Cor 6:18

 

We see that there are different type of sins, one that sins outside the body, and ones that sins against his body. So in the same way, as lying is a sin, vs murder is a sin, both are sins, but they have different consequences. Sinning against your own body, will reap the results of that sin.

 

So do not commit fornication, because you are putting the consequence of sin unto death to your body. Your body is not your own, it is Gods ,because he redeemed it.

 

 

Do all Christians have the holy spirit inside of them?

Do all Christians have the holy spirit inside of them?

If they do, why do we see in Acts 19:2-6 that Paul asks if the believers have received the holy spirit?

he said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. Acts 19:2-6 King James Version (KJV)

 

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Romans 8:9 — King James Version

 

We see Rom 8:9 , that if you belong to Christ, the holy spirit is in you. So how do we reconcile Romans 8:9 and Acts 19:2?

 

In order to understand this, I think we need to have things line up in its proper context. Like a sentence with words, if we do not put the words in its proper order, the message becomes incomprehensible.

 

So lets look at the two verses, and ask which verse has a more global application? It would be

Romans 8:9 As it says If “ANY” man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. So how do we read Acts 19? Because it looks like Paul is speaking of two possible scenarios, concerning people who has believed,

1)     One that has received the holy spirit

2)     One that has not received the holy spirit (where this is for instance)

 

so the question is how can that be the case in light of Romans 8:9. Where believers has to have the Holy spirit inside of them.

 

It is a “believe” issue, which is based on a “knowledge” or lack of knowledge issue. When you believe in Christ what are you actually believing? The people in Acts 19, didn’t even know there was the holy spirit (some context, the new testimony letters were not even written back then, they can’t google this), So they believed in the “message/knowledge” of what John the Baptist preached. That Jesus is the savior. but they didn’t know there was the holy spirit given to man. And once they knew, they were able to receive.

 

Were they save? Another Good question, what defines being saved? If they are believing Jesus is Lord, and confessed with their mouth, as per romans 10:9, According to God’s word, they are. And if we apply Romans 8:9 to this, as they are saved, then they have the Spirit of Christ in them.

So now we go back to the problem of Acts 19. How can they have the spirit of christ in them, but yet have not received the Holy Spirit? I think that might be the answer! Which is the spirit of Christ is in them, but they have not “received” it.

 

Are there a difference?

 

Lets think of the apostles. Between the time that Jesus has been raised, and Pentecost. Were they saved? You would think yes? did they have the holy spirit inside of them yet? No, as they have not been filled with the holy Spirit yet.  

 

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. Luke 24:29

 

So is there a difference of just having the spirit of Christ, and receiving the holy spirit? I think the defining factor is in the manifestation of the Holy Spirits supernatural Power. “until ye be endued with power from on high” and “the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied”

 

When we received Jesus, his spirit is in us. But until we believe, and receive that the spirit gives us supernatural powers Luke 24:29. We don’t operate in it. Its like the believers in Acts 19, they believe in the Lord, but they don’t know there is the Holy Spirit, and hence they could not walk in its power. Its like when we believed in Jesus, We got the Holy Spirit credit card, we can swipe all we want with it. But if we don’t know what this little piece of plastic does, we won’t use it, and we can’t be effective with it.

 

By supernatural powers, I mean it is not a carnal thing, that we do out of our natural self. It is supernatural, in that, we can hear the voice of God, we have visions, and we have dreams, God tells us the future, we have the power to caste out demons, manifest healing, miracles, speak in new tongues..

 

Why does it have to be supernatural powers? Are we focusing on the wrong thing? I don’t think we are, because in John 14:17, we see that the apostles knows the Holy spirit. And you may ask how do they know? What are the “markers” or “distinction” of when the Holy Spirit was on them?  According to the word, The world can’t see him (it was not directly possible to observer him with our 5 senses) The Holy Spirit like the wind, is observable by its manifestation, and that is one of supernatural power. ie healing the sick, knowing things supernaturally.

 

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you.

John 14:17

 

So does all Christians have the holy spirit in them? According to Romans 8:9 yes. Do we all manifest the Holy Spirit? No, at least not always, because we don’t “receive” him, by don’t receive him, I mean we don’t allow him to manifest / work via us. And you may ask why don’t we allow him to work through us? Like the people in Acts 19, it might be a knowledge issue, we don’t know how he works, and don’t know how to work with him. or in some cases it might be an unbelief issue, ie we know what the bible says, but we just can’t believe it? We don’t trust he is going to pull through. Ie when we lay hands on the sick. We just don’t believe by doing that the sick person will recover.

Who God is for you

 

I am writing this in January, it’s the start of the year, and seasonally this time of the year is where things slow, just coming out of Christmas, and then preparing for Chinese new year. At these slow downs cash flow is most stretched and the emotions and the mind wonders how this new year is going to perform. When I have had a great run last year, my mind had defaults to “Is this year going to be as good? Is the economy going to be tougher, the lingering issues in life, are they going to explode, or will they stay status quo? So many a times, I default to the negative, because life in the fallen world is like this, things can just go wrong, and often times they do, or do they?

 

A reflection on this shows two main observations.

1) What we focus on becomes big in our eyes, and

2) our memories are selective.

Trying to take an objective rear view. Life in the past few years has been great, its greater than the previous few years, and those years are good! So if one was to do a trajectory, This year is going to be greater that the previous years combined.

However, our mind defaults to remembering there were things that is happened that did not go very smoothly, and with our selective memory, we project those into the future.

 

It is a flawed and unrealistic projection at best, but it is evil in disguised. Why are we believing for the worst, when we should be believing for the best? It is the classic unbelief that the bible mentions, and it comes from an unrenewed mind. Its like the interaction of Elijah and jezebel. After a tremendous display of the power of God, where Elijah was the hero of the story, He got afraid of some teethless threat of Jezebel, he just burned a wet cow by commanding fire from the sky, so at the very least, he could have replied, before the end of today, the earth will eat you up alive Jezebel. An eye for an eye! Who are you to threaten THE man of God!! (not saying that is the Godly attitude. But if he was to just look at his recent events, you would think Elijah can responded differently)

 

The unrenewed mind is an unrenewed mind to truth. The word of God is truth. We are still on old and bad programing which was corrupted by Adam’s sin. And we default to the curse of Adam, and not default to the blessing of Jesus. We do not value or esteem the word of God in the way that it is worth, and I say this not condemningly, but if we understand the power and the reality of God’s word. We would spend more time on meditating on it, and we won’t be struggling with the issues of life in the way that we do. There is power in the word of God, it is life with a different blueprint, but we do not take enough time to study it to see how to build life that God has designed it for us to live. When I say we don’t esteem it like its worth, truly no one can give it enough time to study it. And ultimately its is not just about studying the word of God for the blueprint, it is studying the word of God to find out who God is, and specifically who God is for you. The word of God is like a ginormous nugget of pure gold, that is seating in our front yard, and we just think it is just any lump of rock.

 

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

 John 6:63

We think God is not actively wanting us good, we think he is indifferent, distant, but this is all wrong belief. We have made God to be like an enemy in our own mind. Where in reality he is our loving father. Jesus’ life and mission was to show us the truth that “GOD IS YOUR FATHER” and he showed us that when we recognize that, we walk in the reality that Jesus walks in. because he knows who his father is.

 

And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

Col 1:21

We alienated ourselves from God, because we think God is not for us, we think God doesn’t wants the best for us, the reason we are experiencing life in a crap way is because we have removed ourselves from the source OURSELVES! It is all available via the reconciliation that Jesus made, we can experience life in the same way as pre fall Adam, We can walk in power and providence like Jesus. God is not the problem as to why we are not walking in the blessing, we choose the path of poverty and sickness because in our own mind we alienated ourself from the providence, which tells us, Jesus became poor so you can be rich, by his stripes you were healed. Embrace God. Jesus has redeemed us, translated us, the work is finished. Walk like Jesus, not just Jesus in the carnal, but as he is now, so are we in this world.

 

2023, This is the year where I esteem the word of life. I am blessed, I have full health, and am fully healed, I am prosperous, I am protected, I am saved, I am translated, I am at peace, I have the power to create wealth, God is for me, he is my father, and he is God. I speak towards any sickness in my body, and I speak creative ideas, and power to create wealth, I command those to appear, because God has sanctioned it. It is this and no other.

 

 

 

 

The Attitude of Peace

 

The attitude of Peace

A lot of people defines peace as an absence of trouble. Because the absence of trouble is peaceful. However the attitude of peace, is a state of mind that is at peace in the midst of troubles. It is not based on the environment, which is an external factor. “If things are going well, I have peace, if things are not doing well, I don’t have peace.”

The attitude of peace is based on the true reality, that all providence has already been provided for by God. it is an internal source of supply, it is spiritual. It is an understanding that whatever challenges HOWEVER BIG, we have, the limitless supply of God inside us can satisfy, handle and provide a path to the challenges that is in front of us. It is an understanding that God is God, and because of the finished works of Jesus. We are now operating out of a different system, a different kingdom of which we have providence.

 

Be Careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Isaiah 26:3

 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1 Peter 5:7

 

“Careful for nothing”, is not saying we don’t care about the outcome of the things that is in our awareness, because if that was the case, then there is no need to pray the pray of supplication following the instructions of the subsequent passage. It is about absolutely “caring” for the matter, and the best solutions we have for those matters, are based on the “always available always on” supply of God. and as such we cast our concerns absolutely on God. And by doing so, having absolute trust, not taking the responsibility to produce the outcome, as they are not in our capacity to produce it. It is about renewing and controlling our mind to focus on God’s supply and his ability to bring forth results, and not relying on our own toils which only has limited effects.

A seed grows because inside of it, is the “miraculous power” to grow, its not even about the watering process, Its about understanding the laws which God has setup. Do we water? Of course we do, but the power of the growth doesn’t come from the watering, it comes from the miracle inside the seed, which draws the water and nutrients from the earth. As we trust God, we enable God to manifest his designed results to appear, The root is based in the spiritual realm. As such we listen to the Holy Spirit to take the small actions that is needed. Knowing that our action does matter, but it is not the main factor which makes the changes, it is only a factor which allows what God has setup to manifest. Our action is like a faucet that releases the supply that God has already prepared. Our action don’t cause the power, Our action only releases the power that God has already have for us, inside of us. And this power is designed to work for righteousness, for good. 

 

So when facing a concern, a challenge, a need, What does the bible teaches us to do? We are not to “worry” about it. Which is thinking in lack, thinking why it won’t work, and how big the problems are. But instead, think in terms of supply, why it can work, how big our God is. We are to present these circumstances and challenges to God, praying and believing for his Godly outcome, and trusting he is the author and finisher of our faith, and manifesting the providence, which is at our disposal. The bible tells us this providence is right in front of us, but just not able to be seen in the physical. It is substance and evidence which are in the spiritual realm, more solid than gold.

The Gifts of Tongues. What is it?

 

Speaking in tongues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 

There are a lot of confusion in the gift of speaking in tongues. Lets go through the bible and see what the bible says about it. Speaking in tongues is a New testament gift, meaning prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus, the gift of tongues has never before been given. Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Samuel, John the Baptist did not speak in tongues. Even in the ministry of the disciples, they were given the authority and power to heal, and caste out demons but tongues was not available then until the resurrected Jesus told them to wait in the upper room, and then at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came on man, that was when tongues were available to man.

 

Biblical world view

We will address some of the questions that we have today about the gifts of the holy spirit, and part of the manifested gift is the gift of tongues. I would also suggest that the reason there are so many confusions on tongues is due to how people read the bible. As we are living in the physical world, a lot of us has interpreted the bible based on the experiences they have had, and making judgement on the meaning of the bible’s word, based on their experiences in the world. This is profound. We do this far more often than we think. Image when God said we shall raise the dead, caste out demons. Most of us who has not raised the dead (me included) have a hard time seeing that we have the ability to raise EVERY dead person presented to us. I say “Every” to strike an awareness of what we might be beliefing. In our mind we might think we might raise some, but that maybe dependent on God, his Will, dependent on the condition, or that might be dependent on our faith? See we have a whole list or reasons why it won’t work. And where does these ideas and concepts come from? It comes from our lack of experience in seeing people do that, and we based our theology in what we see. Because in our mind “seeing is truth”. Whereas according to the bible. The word of God is truth. 

 

John 17:17

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

 

2 Tim 2:15

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

 

The word is truth, means what it is saying is the reality. What is said is the true of how things are and should be. So in order to have a correct worldview, and a correct belief system, we need to base our belief on what the word of God has said.

“And view the world via the word of God, and not view the word of God through the world.”

 

If we have this as a foundation, we will be able to see clearly behind the smoke and mirrors that the devil has pulled over us and understand the power of that is available to us, in Christ Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

So lets talk about tongues, and address some of the confusion that we have based on some misconceptions that is out there.

 

What is the gift of tongues?

1 Cor 14:2, 4

2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries….. 4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

 

We need to understand what Tongues actually is. Lets draw some truth from the above scripture. The gift of Tongues COULD NOT be understood by man, including the person who spoke it. It is spoken to God. It is not gibberish, but it has meaning in the spiritual and those meaning are unknown to man, as they are mysteries in the spiritual, spoken to God. These mysterious words is spoken for the “edification” or building up of the person himself. So whilst the content is mysterious, the effects are spoken for the edification of the person who spoke it.

 

Who can speak in tongues?

Mark 16:17-18

And these sings 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 if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.

 

According to the truth that Jesus depicts to us, if you are a believer you can speak in tongues. (you can do much more!) But you may say, I believe in Jesus but I don’t speak in tongues! Well then Jesus must be wrong, and you are correct? If you think I don’t think that! Well the reason you are not speaking in tongues, is technically you are not a believer, in the sense that you belief Jesus died for you, but you don’t believe that when he says you have the ability to speak in tongues, you can, and because you do not believe, your action follows your belief system. And you therefore do not pursuit in speaking in tongues. Because in your believe system, its not for everyone and more specific its not for you. This is contrary to the word of God. as you read on, you may have a wrong understanding of tongues and hopefully the explanation given here will be able to help you understand and receive.

 

But doesn’t the Holy Spirit give gifts according to his own will? Do all speak in tongues? Which means we may not all speak in tongues? I will address the passage in 1 Cor 12:30 in the following article.

 

Who controls the speaking of tongues? Me or the Holy spirit?

In the above passages if you can understand this clearly. Tongues is spoken by the PERSON. Meaning the person has absolute control over the speaking of the tongues, he can start, he can stop, and he can continue to speak in tongues if he so desires. It is a one time and perpetual gift, it is an ability. Like you riding a bike, once you have it, you don’t lose it. You don’t suddenly know how to ride a bike, and then next minute you lose the gift of riding the bike. Once you have it you have it.

Some people misunderstands, out of ignorance and incorrect teaching, that the Holy Spirit takes over your mouth and speaks in tongues. This is incorrect. As seen from the bible, “THEY spoke”.  In that, it is not a supernatural taking over by the holy spirit and that he takes control of your tongues and forces or compels you to speak out words.

 

Acts 2:4

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 

If you read all the above scriptures in context, the speaking in tongues is an ability. And the person has control over it. Like you speaking normally in your native language. You need to decide to speak out the words, and you control if you want to speak or your don’t want to speak. When you say “ how are you?” or when you say “Thank you” this doesn’t come out automatically, but you made a conscious decision to express those words. In the same way, the gift of tongues operates in the same way. You need to make a conscious decision to speak in tongues. You speak it. YOU.

 

1 Cor 14:27-28

27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

 

The context here is Paul is addressing the church in Corinth, as during their congregation meeting, people are speaking in tongues a loud, from one corner to another, and there is disorder in the meeting. Paul is addressing this, and telling the people if you are going to speak in tongues, let it be done one at a time, and lets keep it to 2 or 3 people. Just image in your church today the pastor is addressing the crowd, then some guy stands up and speaks in tongues, you wait for him to finish his interruption, and then another person down the back starts to speaks. And this goes on for more than a few times during the meeting. This is what Paul was addressing. The reason I am bringing the spotlight on this passage is. The Holy Spirit is NOT interrupting the meeting by bringing disorder, if you belief the idea that the Holy spirit takes control of your mouth and speak in tongues, then Paul will be wrong to try and correct the people of the Corinth church, because if tongues are controlled by the Holy Spirit, then Paul is saying Holy Spirit don’t disrupt my meeting! The reason that Paul is addressing the people at the Corinth church, is because the people are in control of speak in tongues. It is an ability, “a gift”. A gift like a person that has a photographic memory, it is a gift in that it is an ability. And it is an ability that can be used at the wrong place, at the wrong time, and for the wrong reasons.

(you will see Paul addressing speaking in  tongues and in comparison to prophesying in the context of a congregation meeting).

 

Is this all gibberish?

1 Cor 14:2

2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for NO  man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries

1 Cor 14:14

14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

As Paul explains it in 1 cor 14. The gift of tongues cannot be understood by man, (without the gift of interpretation), it means that the MIND of MEN does not comprehend what is being said, including the person who spoke it. It is like a man who only speaks English going over to China, and the people speak to him in Chinese, even with the best of intentions he is not ABLE to understand what they are saying. Tongues It is not a man’s language, it is spoken to God. So in context the gift of tongues, is like that man who only speaks English, goes back to England, and God has given him the supernatural ability to speak Chinese, the people in England does not understand a word he is saying, and he himself doesn’t understand it either. Tongues is the language spoken to God, and when spoken it is speaking mysteries that activate God’s power in our life, that builds us up. You may ask how do you know that this is true? This goes back to our belief system. Do you interpret the bible through the lens of the world, or do you interpret the world through the lens of the bible? Where do you base your foundation of truth? This is what the bible says.

 

How do you speak in tongues?

In order to speak in tongues, which is a manifestation of THE GIFT, the holy Spirit, you first must receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit. One cannot receive from God without believing on God that he is giving. The truth is he has given, we just need to ask in order to receive it.

 

Luke 11:13

13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

 

James 1:6-8

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

 

So when you ask, believe that God gives, and because he has given when you have asked, you therefore have it. In faith, believe you have received it. Now because the Holy Spirit is given to you, and the bible says believers shall speak in new tongues, then as an act of obedience and an act of faith, open your mouth, and speak out by faith and in faith, that what you are speaking out is the mysteries of God which the Bible has spoken about. Read this paragraph carefully, because to the carnal mind this may sound like this is all made up in your own mind. But read carefully the scripture passages. Speaking in tongues, is spoken out in faith and by faith. You will find that the other manifestation of the gift of the holy spirit is activated and operated in the same way.

 

Can I learn tongues?

Lets clarify this, because to learn something can be understood in a few ways. you CANNOT acquire tongues by learning it. It’s a gift. By definition a gift is given, and not earned by efforts. Ie when you receive a “money gift”, it is given to you, not because of your efforts, but because the giver wants to give it to you, the money acquired via effort is called a “wage”. So you can’t earn a gift by efforts. But what you can do is, learn to be more effective with the gift that you already have. It is like the muscles that we have, every person has the same muscles that Arnold Schwarzenegger has, its just that we have not developed them to the extent that Arnie has, because of his frequency of use. The more you use your gift, the more proficient you are with that gift. This goes with all the gifts of the spirit. The frequency of use, allows us to perceive the reality of God and his power that works in us. In practice it is not so much learning how to belief in the word of God, it is how to remove your unbelief regarding the word of God.

Tongues is one of the most powerful manifested gifts of the holy spirit, it is not a lesser gift, but it is a very practical one, as speaking in tongues edifies yourself. Paul speaks in tongues more often the others.

1 Cor 14:18

18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all.

The devil fights hard with lies about speaking in tongues, as its one of the most practical ways to uplift and edify oneself. It is the swiss army knife of our victory walk, and it is the standard issue for the army of God.