1 Corinthians 14:13-18 For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 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. 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, since he does not know what you are saying? You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
We see in the above focus that Paul prays in tongues. In fact, he is pleased that he uses his prayer language often, but within the church, a place for edification and instruction, he will not speak in tongues loud enough for others to hear, unless there is an interpretation of what he is saying. Without interpretation, the tongues will be disruptive, for others will not know what he is saying. He tells us he prays in tongues for his own personal edification. He does not claim that his mind understands what his lips are saying, but he knows his spirit is praying. He says, I will pray with my spirit; I will sing with my spirit. He is giving thanks to God, glorifying and exalting his name. He is praising God from his heart, not just his mind. In praying with his mind, he is expressing ideas and thoughts through language. He prays cognitively with understandable words, phrases, and sentences. Praying with the mind allows others in the body of believers to understand what he is saying because they hear a language that they use to communicate ideas and thoughts. Paul encourages the church to use a common language when everyone gathers for worship. Believers should speak in tongues only when there is an interpreter present as we will see a little later in this chapter. He clearly says, "In the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue." Tongues in the church can be a distraction to orderliness if spoken so loudly others can hear the person speaking. Tongues are important to any body of believers as they build up individuals in their faith, but the gift of tongues should be used wisely. The Holy Spirit builds up the spiritual strength of men and women of faith with tongues; however, unrestrained speaking in tongues during a church service causes a distraction to the entire body that has gathered for worship, instruction, ans direction. This is why Paul told the Corinthians: Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church. (1 Corinthians 14:12)
Since Paul spent so much time on tongues, we might ask why is the subject so important, and why do we need the gift of tongues? Why is this phenomenon described in Acts so vital to believers? When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4) In this supernatural act, we see the fulfillment of Jesus' promise to the church: Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:4-5) We understand water baptism, but what does it mean to be baptized or immersed in the Holy Spirit? The immersion in the Holy Spirit empowers us as witnesses for Christ, strengthening us to do his work on earth. "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Without the Spirit of God, the disciples would have gone about recounting the works of God through this man Jesus Christ, but after their immersion in the Holy Spirit, they came in power and authority, to heal, to instruct, bringing Christ's life, his peace, his joy, all that He is. With the infilling of the Holy Spirit, we no longer present our best intentions, but we reveal the works of God. The Spirit makes us alive: And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (Romans 8:11) On the day of Pentecost, some people speaking in tongues spoke real languages that the visitors from other countries who were in town to celebrate Pentecost could understand. It must have shocked these pilgrims when they heard these mostly unlearned people praising God in foreign languages. How could these people be speaking the visitors' languages, and how could so many be speaking at once in different languages? The commotion was so great that some thought the people of tongues were drunk, but it was only nine o'clock in the morning. Tongues, languages spoken that day, were a sign to the church and to the world that the Spirit of God had come to dwell in all people who take Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Although the Acts experience brought excitement to the church, they undoubtedly possessed an elementary understanding of what happened on that day. Could the disciples answer all the questions? What does this baptism in the Spirit mean? Will the Spirit of God remain with us or will He come on special occasions as in the Old Testament? The commotion of speaking in different tongues and the teaching of the disciples that Jesus Christ is Lord resulted in Peter and John's arrest. After a night in jail, they came before the Sanhedrin to explain their teaching and all the commotion. Afterward, Peter and John went to a house to pray with believers. Again the Spirit fell on all of them. After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Acts 4:31) The church began to understand the Spirit was with them at all times. The story of Ananias and Sapphira further reinforced their understanding of the ever-present Spirit. These two not only lied to the church about their gift, but most seriously, they lied to the Holy Spirit. How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? (Acts 5:9) Their deaths brought great fear upon the church, for the Christians realized they were accountable to the Holy Spirit, not just to each other. Of course, through the centuries, many have lied to the Spirit without facing instantaneous death. But this account confirmed the presence of the Spirit of God within the nascent church. As the church grew, the disciples learned that even the despised Samaritans could receive the abiding Holy Spirit. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:17) Even more impressive to the church than the Samaritan experience was God's acceptance of the Gentiles into his family of believers. When Peter saw Cornelius and his family and friends receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, he fully understood the Holy Spirit was not a respecter of persons. As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. (Acts 11:15) We see in Ephesus, some disciples of John who were teaching the baptism of repentance receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all. (Acts 19:6-7) Regardless of who they were, the Spirit of God came upon BELIEVERS who put their trust in Jesus. This evidence of tongues revealed God's work in the world and made the church understand that God was present with them at all times in all places. In our day, we must allow God to do what He wants in our lives. When Paul says I speak in tongues more than you all, he implies, I need God's revelatory presence in my life, so I speak in tongues: I will pray with my spirit. Do not discount this as something not for you. Ask God to promote this activity in your spirit. HE IS IN YOU! PRAISE GOD FOREVER.
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