It all started in the upper room on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and they were baptized with the Holy Ghost, like Jesus Christ had promised them before. They were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit let them talk. And I think that God made the apostles speak other tongues that very day so that the people around them get a clear and convincing evidence that it was the Holy Ghost or the Spirit of God that came upon the disciples of Christ rather than any demon spirit. And that day believers from many other countries heard the disciples of Christ talk by the Spirit of God about the great works of God in their native languages of the representatives of those nationalities who came to Jerusalem for the feast. In other words, God received thousands of witnesses that the Spirit received by the disciples of Christ was the Holy Spirit of God.
Acts 2:1-11
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
God gave Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven, a sign that His Spirit did come and the disciples of Christ were fulfilled with His Spirit rather than any other demon spirit. The hundreds of witnesses heard the Spirit glorifying God and speaking by the disciples about the great works of God. And it happened to fulfill a prophecy.
Isaiah 28:10-12
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
Just as the apostle Paul confirms that other tongues exactly fulfill the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah that people, though they hear other tongues, still won’t believe in God's teaching.
1Corinthians 14:21-22
21 In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not;
Some people believe that the gift of other tongues was needed in the early years of the church to spread the Gospel, but in the Bible there are no examples of the fact that the Gospel was spread with the gift of other tongues. Even on the day of Pentecost, the Spirit did not proclaim the Gospel of Salvation through faith in Christ, but spoke of great works of God or glorified God through the mouth of the disciples, but the Gospel was proclaimed there by the Apostle Peter in the native language of the Jews.
Acts 2:1-11
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
God gave Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven, a sign that His Spirit did come and the disciples of Christ were fulfilled with His Spirit rather than any other demon spirit. The hundreds of witnesses heard the Spirit glorifying God and speaking by the disciples about the great works of God. And it happened to fulfill a prophecy.
Isaiah 28:10-12
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
Just as the apostle Paul confirms that other tongues exactly fulfill the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah that people, though they hear other tongues, still won’t believe in God's teaching.
1Corinthians 14:21-22
21 In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not;
Some people believe that the gift of other tongues was needed in the early years of the church to spread the Gospel, but in the Bible there are no examples of the fact that the Gospel was spread with the gift of other tongues. Even on the day of Pentecost, the Spirit did not proclaim the Gospel of Salvation through faith in Christ, but spoke of great works of God or glorified God through the mouth of the disciples, but the Gospel was proclaimed there by the Apostle Peter in the native language of the Jews.
The Book of Acts makes it clear that the Gospel was spread mainly through the Jewish synagogues located outside Israel, so the Jews living in those countries knew their native language and they having already believed passed the gospel in the countries of their living. The apostle Paul who spoke the Greek the common language of that time was sent to the Gentiles.
Here are the scriptures confirming it:
Acts 13:14 and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. (in Antioch)
Acts 14:1 And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke, (in Iconium)
Acts 17:10 where they arrived, went to the synagogue of the Jews. (in Berea)
Acts 17:1 where was a synagogue of the Jews (in Thessalonica)
Acts 17:17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons. (in Athens)
Acts 18.4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath. (in Corinth)
Acts 18:26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. (in Ephesus)
Acts 18:19 but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. (in Ephesus)
Acts 19:8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, (in Ephesus)
Acts 16:13 where prayer was wont to be made; (in Philippi)
Acts 18:7 whose house joined hard to the synagogue. (in Corinth)
Acts 18:8 And Crispus the chief of the synagogue, he believed in the Lord with all his house, and many of the Corinthians, believing, believing and being baptized.
In the Letter of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians, we read that he that speaks in other tongues speaks the language that men cannot understand, but he speaks unto God, and speaks secrets and this is what Isaiah 28:10 prophesied about and this is a sign from God.
The Holy Spirit has the right to manifest Himself through the believer in different ways depending on the situation. The Spirit can speak known and unknown languages, it all depends on what the Spirit wants to do through the person. In one case He shows that He is from God and speaks directly to a person in a language he understands. In another case He intercedes and tells secrets which nobody but God is allowed to know about.
1 Corinthians 14:2 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.
The fundamental truth given in the Scripture is that the Holy Spirit is in us in born again Christians, and we are His temple, we are the temple of God.
1 Corinthians 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
1Corintians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1 Corinthians 6:19 your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,
2 Cor 6:16 for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said.
We know from the Scripture that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit are produced by the Holy Spirit and He shares these gifts as the He wants between believers united with the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:8-11
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
The Holy Spirit heals, the Holy Spirit gives the word of wisdom, the Holy Spirit speaks other tongues and He Himself produces other gifts through the believer because He lives in his heart.
In the Scripture the Holy Spirit has been called the Intercessor, since He was sent by the Father to intercede for His children.
Rom. 8.26 but the Spirit Itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8.27 because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Some Christian believe that the Holy Spirit intercedes by Himself apart from the believers, but the Bible refutes it.
To make sure that the Holy Spirit intercedes through a person, let's look at the entire context of the eighth chapter of Romans.
Rom 8: 9 ... the Spirit of God dwell in you
Rom 8:10 ... Christ be in you
Romans 8:11 ... the Spirit of Him … dwell in you
Rome 8:14 .. led by the Spirit of God
Rom 8:23 ... ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit
Rom 8:26 ... the Spirit Itself maketh intercession
Later on, there is fuller text of Roman chapter 8 for you to be convinced that the information given is correct:
Rom 8:9-27
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.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
......................
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
.............................
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
......................................................
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
It is clear from the context that the Spirit is in us and the Spirit intercedes through us, using our mouths.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
In the verse above, we can see the following:
we have the Spirit (as we know we’re His temple and He is in us) and further it says "we are groaning within ourselves", the word “στεναζω” means to groan, sign, complain.
And further as the text goes there is a verse about the intercession of the Spirit for us:
Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Στεναγμος can be translated groaning, moaning, sighing.
Αλαλητος can be translated unuttered, inexpressible, unrenderable.
The meaning of these words does not show at all that groaning, moaning, sighing, with the help of which the Holy Spirit intercedes, are not heard by men.
An Unuttered, inexpressible, unrenderable language is the one that cannot be produced by the will of men. It is not man made, but it is from the Holy Spirit and coming through a man.
In Corinthians, Paul also teaches about the intercession or prayer of the Holy Spirit through the believer.
1 Corinthians 14:13-15
13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
From the context we can see that these expressions
1.That speaketh in an unknown tongue
2.I pray in an unknown tongue
3.My spirit prayeth
4. Pray with the spirit
are one and the same gift, the gift of tongues given by the Holy Spirit
It is the confirmation from the Word of God that other tongues are given for a prayer as well.
Looking through the Bible, one can see that God uses the gift of tongues from case to case in various ways.
1. As a sign for unbelievers (1 Corinthians 14.22.
Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe)
2. As a secret prayer to God that no one understands (1 Cor. 14.2 for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries;) and here comes the intercession of the Holy Spirit for the believer or through the believer for something.
3. In the congregation of a church, when someone interprets other tongues, people are edified or taught. (1Cor 14:5 that the church may receive edifying.)
Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
God gave us the gift of other tongues in order to provide us with the perfect prayer that is 100% agrees with the will of God both in content and in the way of acting.
God knows best what a person needs, because He is omniscient, that’s why it is logical to trust God in the question of prayer and use this gift of God's grace, the gift of other tongues following the example of the apostle Paul who spoke and prayed with tongues more than anybody else.
I would like to emphasize the idea that the Holy Spirit can use not only existing or existed among peoples of the Earth languages for intercession but also the so-called languages of angels or sighing.
The apostle Paul mentions that there are such languages in heaven.
2 Corinthians 12:3-4
3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
And in first Corinthians the apostle mentions the tongues of angels
1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels
The Holy Spirit can use the tongues of angels in His intercession in other words the languages from the spiritual world. There is a simple explanation for it.
It is logical to assume that the Holy Spirit intercedes not only for earthly things but also for what happens in the spiritual world and there are just no suitable words that would give exact definitions to the phenomena of the spiritual world in terrestrial languages.
To explain this, I will give a simple example.
Nowadays, there are many things that did not exist in the 18th century, for example TV, computer, laptop, etc. I think there are thousands of such words. And in the spiritual world as well there are a lot of things that do not exist on Earth, so they don’t even have words in the terrestrial languages.
The Holy Spirit is the perfect Intercessor who can pray for you and through you perfectly and 100% pleasing God and in His prayer He uses the perfect language that ideally transmits all the information.
It is a pity that some people neglect the spiritual gift the magnificent pearl of God's grace given by God for your edification, filling with the Spirit, and for a perfect prayer to the Father.
1 Corinthians 12:3-4
3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
Here are the scriptures confirming it:
Acts 13:14 and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. (in Antioch)
Acts 14:1 And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke, (in Iconium)
Acts 17:10 where they arrived, went to the synagogue of the Jews. (in Berea)
Acts 17:1 where was a synagogue of the Jews (in Thessalonica)
Acts 17:17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons. (in Athens)
Acts 18.4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath. (in Corinth)
Acts 18:26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. (in Ephesus)
Acts 18:19 but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. (in Ephesus)
Acts 19:8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, (in Ephesus)
Acts 16:13 where prayer was wont to be made; (in Philippi)
Acts 18:7 whose house joined hard to the synagogue. (in Corinth)
Acts 18:8 And Crispus the chief of the synagogue, he believed in the Lord with all his house, and many of the Corinthians, believing, believing and being baptized.
In the Letter of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians, we read that he that speaks in other tongues speaks the language that men cannot understand, but he speaks unto God, and speaks secrets and this is what Isaiah 28:10 prophesied about and this is a sign from God.
The Holy Spirit has the right to manifest Himself through the believer in different ways depending on the situation. The Spirit can speak known and unknown languages, it all depends on what the Spirit wants to do through the person. In one case He shows that He is from God and speaks directly to a person in a language he understands. In another case He intercedes and tells secrets which nobody but God is allowed to know about.
1 Corinthians 14:2 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.
The fundamental truth given in the Scripture is that the Holy Spirit is in us in born again Christians, and we are His temple, we are the temple of God.
1 Corinthians 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
1Corintians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1 Corinthians 6:19 your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,
2 Cor 6:16 for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said.
We know from the Scripture that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit are produced by the Holy Spirit and He shares these gifts as the He wants between believers united with the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:8-11
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
The Holy Spirit heals, the Holy Spirit gives the word of wisdom, the Holy Spirit speaks other tongues and He Himself produces other gifts through the believer because He lives in his heart.
In the Scripture the Holy Spirit has been called the Intercessor, since He was sent by the Father to intercede for His children.
Rom. 8.26 but the Spirit Itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8.27 because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Some Christian believe that the Holy Spirit intercedes by Himself apart from the believers, but the Bible refutes it.
To make sure that the Holy Spirit intercedes through a person, let's look at the entire context of the eighth chapter of Romans.
Rom 8: 9 ... the Spirit of God dwell in you
Rom 8:10 ... Christ be in you
Romans 8:11 ... the Spirit of Him … dwell in you
Rome 8:14 .. led by the Spirit of God
Rom 8:23 ... ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit
Rom 8:26 ... the Spirit Itself maketh intercession
Later on, there is fuller text of Roman chapter 8 for you to be convinced that the information given is correct:
Rom 8:9-27
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.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
......................
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
.............................
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
......................................................
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
It is clear from the context that the Spirit is in us and the Spirit intercedes through us, using our mouths.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
In the verse above, we can see the following:
we have the Spirit (as we know we’re His temple and He is in us) and further it says "we are groaning within ourselves", the word “στεναζω” means to groan, sign, complain.
And further as the text goes there is a verse about the intercession of the Spirit for us:
Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Στεναγμος can be translated groaning, moaning, sighing.
Αλαλητος can be translated unuttered, inexpressible, unrenderable.
The meaning of these words does not show at all that groaning, moaning, sighing, with the help of which the Holy Spirit intercedes, are not heard by men.
An Unuttered, inexpressible, unrenderable language is the one that cannot be produced by the will of men. It is not man made, but it is from the Holy Spirit and coming through a man.
In Corinthians, Paul also teaches about the intercession or prayer of the Holy Spirit through the believer.
1 Corinthians 14:13-15
13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
From the context we can see that these expressions
1.That speaketh in an unknown tongue
2.I pray in an unknown tongue
3.My spirit prayeth
4. Pray with the spirit
are one and the same gift, the gift of tongues given by the Holy Spirit
It is the confirmation from the Word of God that other tongues are given for a prayer as well.
Looking through the Bible, one can see that God uses the gift of tongues from case to case in various ways.
1. As a sign for unbelievers (1 Corinthians 14.22.
Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe)
2. As a secret prayer to God that no one understands (1 Cor. 14.2 for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries;) and here comes the intercession of the Holy Spirit for the believer or through the believer for something.
3. In the congregation of a church, when someone interprets other tongues, people are edified or taught. (1Cor 14:5 that the church may receive edifying.)
Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
God gave us the gift of other tongues in order to provide us with the perfect prayer that is 100% agrees with the will of God both in content and in the way of acting.
God knows best what a person needs, because He is omniscient, that’s why it is logical to trust God in the question of prayer and use this gift of God's grace, the gift of other tongues following the example of the apostle Paul who spoke and prayed with tongues more than anybody else.
I would like to emphasize the idea that the Holy Spirit can use not only existing or existed among peoples of the Earth languages for intercession but also the so-called languages of angels or sighing.
The apostle Paul mentions that there are such languages in heaven.
2 Corinthians 12:3-4
3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
And in first Corinthians the apostle mentions the tongues of angels
1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels
The Holy Spirit can use the tongues of angels in His intercession in other words the languages from the spiritual world. There is a simple explanation for it.
It is logical to assume that the Holy Spirit intercedes not only for earthly things but also for what happens in the spiritual world and there are just no suitable words that would give exact definitions to the phenomena of the spiritual world in terrestrial languages.
To explain this, I will give a simple example.
Nowadays, there are many things that did not exist in the 18th century, for example TV, computer, laptop, etc. I think there are thousands of such words. And in the spiritual world as well there are a lot of things that do not exist on Earth, so they don’t even have words in the terrestrial languages.
The Holy Spirit is the perfect Intercessor who can pray for you and through you perfectly and 100% pleasing God and in His prayer He uses the perfect language that ideally transmits all the information.
It is a pity that some people neglect the spiritual gift the magnificent pearl of God's grace given by God for your edification, filling with the Spirit, and for a perfect prayer to the Father.
1 Corinthians 12:3-4
3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
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