Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Speaking in Tongues, and Casting Demons.

The NT Church has a lot of references to these manifestations of the power of God. Are these manifestations for the Church today too, or did they cease.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, what is it and is it for the Church?

Explain your position scripturally.

Next to … Tamu Kama fisi…

Never was, is not, never will be. Hekaya za Abunuwasi that are poorly crafted.

There is a lot of misconception about this issue:

First, when people spoke in tongues, it was not some unintelligible gibberish but just a foreign language.

Secondly, this language/tongue was understood by ALL the rest.

This is the proof:

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.
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.

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I beg to differ…

The unintelligible was the norm, pentecost was the only exception. And notice that the disciples spoke in tongues… The miracle was that the congregation understood

Let’s look at 1 Cor 14
1.
Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

2
For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.

3
But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.

4
He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

5
I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.

6
Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?

7
Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes?

8
Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?

9
So it is with you. [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.

10
Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.

11
If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me.

12
So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

13
[COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says.

14
For if I pray in a tongue, [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

15
So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.

16
If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]since he does not know what you are saying?

17
You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.

18
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

19
But in the church I would rather speak [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

20
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.

21
In the Law it is written: “Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me,” says the Lord.

22
Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.

23
[COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?

24
But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all,

25
and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

26
What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.

27
[COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]If anyone speaks in a tongue, two–or at the most three–should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.

28
If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.

29
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.

30
And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop.

31
For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.

32
The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.

33
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints,

34
women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says.

35
If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

36
Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?

37
If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.

38
If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored.

39
Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

40
But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

So you see, speaking in unintelligible tongues was the norm…

They are for today too, Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever and He is the head of the church. .i speak in tongues and i have received the Holyspirit. I have also witnessed some of the gifts of the holyspirit in operation in my local church, like the word of knowledge, gift of prophecy . Also divine healing . People fail to realize that there is diversity in tongues, the scriptures are there to explain
Some of them are

  1. tongues of angels
  2. unkown tongues( you cannot interpret this , you need the gift of interpretation)
  3. know tongues( speaking in another person’s dialect)

Amen…

I too am baptized of the Holy Spirit. I just find it interesting that most churches nowadays choose to if ignore this core doctrine while focusing on irrelevants like what holidays to observe, foods to eat… etc

Anyone who believes in the heaven and hell bullshit does not deserve a a brain

Speaking in tongues has nothing to do with the babbling that occurs in today’s evangelical churches. The tongues spoken must be understood by some people in the congregation.

Actually @ChifuMbitika, I think Paul is clear that unless it’s interpreted, no one understands.

The unintelligible was the norm, pentecost was the only exception. And notice that the disciples spoke in tongues… The miracle was that the congregation understood

Let’s look at 1 Cor 14
1.
Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

2
For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.

3
But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.

4
He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

5
I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.

6
Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?

7
Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes?

8
Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?

9
So it is with you. [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.

10
Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.

11
If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me.

12
So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

13
[COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says.

14
For if I pray in a tongue, [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

15
So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.

16
If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]since he does not know what you are saying?

17
You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.

18
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

19
But in the church I would rather speak [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

20
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.

21
In the Law it is written: “Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me,” says the Lord.

22
Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.

23
[COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?

24
But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all,

25
and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

26
What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.

27
[COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]If anyone speaks in a tongue, two–or at the most three–should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.

28
If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.

29
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.

30
And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop.

31
For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.

32
The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.

33
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints,

34
women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says.

35
If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

36
Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?

37
If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.

38
If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored.

39
Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

40
But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

So you see, speaking in unintelligible tongues was the norm…

I believe tongues should edify the speaker and they are not necessarily foreign language rather the language of angels or supernatural language. Other gifts such as healing and casting out of demons are still there. I have experienced or encountered both so to me its a normal part of Christianity.

If 4 words could sum it all up, these would do. A normal part of Christianity… AMEN!!!