This post will make any Pentecostals in my circle unhappy. But, I would rather follow the leading of great prayer, research, history, and discussion with my husband, and my own conscience than give in to the pressures of one denomination I am not even a part of anymore.
Yes, I have decided to no longer speak in tongues.
I listened to two lectures by Catholic priests (one a leading exorcist) on YouTube and they both brought up key points that really stuck with me. I felt strongly that I needed to discuss this with my husband. He had not received the gift of tongues in our Assembly of God church, but was pressured to. We only talked on it a little in the past. Of course, I had fallen into the idea that he just didn't want it enough or wasn't willing to give up control (Lord, forgive me). He explained to me that he did not feel comfortable at all with the pressure to perform.
Anyhow, the 3 key points I shared with hubby are as follows:
1. Not everyone receives every gift. The gift of tongues is not universal.
Yes, I have decided to no longer speak in tongues.
I listened to two lectures by Catholic priests (one a leading exorcist) on YouTube and they both brought up key points that really stuck with me. I felt strongly that I needed to discuss this with my husband. He had not received the gift of tongues in our Assembly of God church, but was pressured to. We only talked on it a little in the past. Of course, I had fallen into the idea that he just didn't want it enough or wasn't willing to give up control (Lord, forgive me). He explained to me that he did not feel comfortable at all with the pressure to perform.
Anyhow, the 3 key points I shared with hubby are as follows:
1. Not everyone receives every gift. The gift of tongues is not universal.
Fr. Ripperger stated that Pentecostals do not have the correct understanding of graces and gifts. They aren't universally given. Pentecostals believe that speaking in tongues is the one gift that every Christian can receive. It then becomes a frustration to Pentecostals who do not receive any tongues manifestation. There are testimonies of people who said they were pushed so hard they faked it just to get left alone.
2. If you don't know what you are saying, you do not have the gift of tongues.
Even when I fully believed in speaking in tongues and practiced it, it really bothered me that I never knew what I was saying. I wasn't speaking any known language. I was just making sounds, mostly repeating sounds. I was told this was a baby-version of the heavenly language. That just sounded like baloney to me even then. It makes no sense to me that tongues needs interpretation as stated in the Bible (1 Cor. 14) yes, I myself knew not what I was saying!
3. When you allow yourself to lose that control and open yourself up to receiving a spirit and speak in strange utterances you could lose your ability to discern that which is of the Lord from that which is diabolical.
This one was the clincher for me. Perhaps my biggest struggle right now is not knowing whether I am walking my own path, or walking on God's path. I am struggling with discernment to the point where I trust not myself very much at all and seek counsel.
Therefore, I sought the counsel of my husband on this matter, and when I explained what I heard in the lectures, giving the 3 points I did above, my husband was nodding his head by the time I finished. He gave his piece on the matter and we decided that speaking in tongues was not going to be sought or practiced by us any longer.
We also decided that the push of the Assemblies of God church to get people to speak in tongues, especially children by well-meaning teachers, was not a positive thing and just too invasive.
I actually feel a weight lifted from me.
2. If you don't know what you are saying, you do not have the gift of tongues.
Even when I fully believed in speaking in tongues and practiced it, it really bothered me that I never knew what I was saying. I wasn't speaking any known language. I was just making sounds, mostly repeating sounds. I was told this was a baby-version of the heavenly language. That just sounded like baloney to me even then. It makes no sense to me that tongues needs interpretation as stated in the Bible (1 Cor. 14) yes, I myself knew not what I was saying!
3. When you allow yourself to lose that control and open yourself up to receiving a spirit and speak in strange utterances you could lose your ability to discern that which is of the Lord from that which is diabolical.
This one was the clincher for me. Perhaps my biggest struggle right now is not knowing whether I am walking my own path, or walking on God's path. I am struggling with discernment to the point where I trust not myself very much at all and seek counsel.
Therefore, I sought the counsel of my husband on this matter, and when I explained what I heard in the lectures, giving the 3 points I did above, my husband was nodding his head by the time I finished. He gave his piece on the matter and we decided that speaking in tongues was not going to be sought or practiced by us any longer.
We also decided that the push of the Assemblies of God church to get people to speak in tongues, especially children by well-meaning teachers, was not a positive thing and just too invasive.
I actually feel a weight lifted from me.
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