Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Speakers Outline
I. Introduction.
A. We all have been prayed with for baptism in the Spirit. Having asked and received, the
Holy Spirit is at work in us in a new way.
1. Part of the Spirit's work is implanting a desire in our hearts to have more and more of God,
to continue to experience Him more intimately.
2. One powerful experience some lack is speaking in tongues.
B. In the Bible, we first encounter speaking in tongues in the book of Acts, on the day of
Pentecost.
1. It was something totally new, appearing only at this time.
We have encountered the other spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:8 10) in the Old Testament
and the gospels (Note: an example of interpretation is Daniel figuring out the handwriting on
the wall). But the gift of tongues is new.
2. The gift of tongues is also unique. It is a prominent feature in the church established at
Pentecost.
C. Speaking in tongues is for all of us. "Now I should like all of you to speak in tongues" (1
Corinthians 14:5).
II. What is the gift of tongues?
A. A definition: Speaking in tongues is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit where one speaks
an unintelligible utterance or a language which he does not know, and which he does not
understand.
1. It is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
a. Acts 2:4, 10:45 46, 19:6.
b. It is directly connected with the outpouring of the Spirit on people.
2. It could very well be an actual language.
a. There are many different languages in the world (1 Corinthians 14:10). In fact, there are
over 6,000 languages and dialects. Some of them sound like gibberish. Some are merely
grunts.
b. Actual sentences can sound like baby talk. A Filipino example: A conversation between an
elevator operator man and a passenger. "Bababa ba?" (Is this going down?). "Bababa." (Yes,
it is going down).
B. Speaking in tongues is speaking to God. 1 Corinthians 14:2.
b. It may be "la, la, la" or "ba, ba, ba" or "alleluia" or any other syllable or sound. God will
shape these sounds into a language of prayer and praise.
2. We focus on Christ and not on the words.
"My Spirit is at prayer but my mind is unproductive" (1 Corinthians 14:14).
VII. Obstacles to receiving the gift of tongues.
A. Fear
1. Fear of looking foolish (1 Corinthians 14:23), of being taken over and losing control, of the
unknown.
2. Antidote: Trust in God. God will not do anything to us that will not be beneficial for us.
B. Doubt.
1. Doubt regarding the desirability and usefulness of the gift.
2. Antidote: In faith, accept that any gift from God is good and desirable.
C. Feeling of unworthiness.
1. Being a sinner, or just being a baby in Christ, we may think that the gift is reserved for
those more worthy.
2. Antidote: Know that the gift is not based on one's worth or on good works. Rather, it is a
free gift of God for every Christian who desires and asks for it.
D. Pride
1. Thinking that we do not need this gift, that we are already doing well in our Christian life
without it.
2. Antidote: Humble yourself, realizing how far you still are from the righteousness and
holiness of God, and how utterly dependent you are on His grace and His gifts.
E. Wrong expectations or attitudes.
1. An attitude of waiting on God for something to happen without doing our part. One may
even just sit there with mouth closed and arms crossed, saying that if God wants to give the
gift, then He will.
Reality: God does not force us. We need to cooperate. Open your mouth and speak out.
2. Expecting to have a very dramatic and emotional experience (e.g., trembling, distorting
of mouth, etc.).
Reality: While you may have an emotional experience, it is not necessarily to be expected.
There may be no extraordinary experiences or emotions at all.
3. Trying to psych oneself up.
Proper attitude: Just relax. This way the gift will flow more easily.
4. Unwillingness to experience the unknown, or something totally new, or something
illogical.
Proper attitude: Know that while there are things we believe in because we understand, in
our life of faith there are things we have to believe in even before we can understand.
VIII. Conclusion
A. God loves us so much that He wants to pour upon us His bountiful grace and gifts.
B. One important gift is the gift of speaking in tongues. This gift is important for personal
edification, for building up our community in CFC-SFC, and for opening us up for greater
empowerment for our mission.
C. God wants to give you the gift of tongues. Desire it as well and accept His gift.