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GWEA Monthly Messages
All About Speaking in Tongues
REVEREND GORDON WILLIAMS, MARCH 2023
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The one question that I'm most frequently asked is, “Did Jesus speak in tongues?”
The answer is "Yes!" Matter of fact, Jesus is the ultimate multi-linguist, and He speaks in all 7,1021 languages that are spoken in the world today, including those languages that were also spoken in the past. People can talk to Jesus in any language, and He understands.
”There are at least 7,102 known languages alive in the world today. Twenty-three of these languages are a mother tongue for more than 50 million people. The 23 languages make up the native tongue of 4.1 billion people.1"
God's Communication System.
God uses a two way communication system that utilizes the "gift of languages," which are referred to as "tongues." Many people think of "tongues" as a strange, non-language that has little significance today in their lives and in the church. This is untrue, and needs more clarification.
The confusion comes from the King James Bible (KJV), where the word "language" and "languages" were translated to “tongue” (singular) and “tongues" (plural). This poor translation has hindered many from receiving "tongues." The Apostle Paul said, "I would like every one of you to speak in tongues... (1 Cor. 14:5)" which means "tongues" is for everyone.
Holy Spirit given languages are how God talks to us on the inside and out. They are the evidence that the Holy Spirit has been given to a person like those who received on the first "Day of Pentecost." On the Day of Pentecost, three thousand people received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues:
"All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages (tongues) as the Spirit enabled them." (Acts 2:4)
A more accurate translation would be “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them to speak out.” These languages were given by the Holy Spirit as He came upon them with "tongues of fire," and they were all filled (with the Holy Spirit), and spoke out loud in languages they never learned.
"And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?" (Acts 2:6-7)
Apostle Paul goes on to tell us that tongues are a "Gift of the Holy Spirit" and represent “other national languages” (1 Cor. 12:10). The "Gift of Interpretation" (translation of tongues), allows a person to interpret a spoken message and reveal to the church what the Holy Spirit says (Rev 3:13-19). These messages are given for the guidance of individuals, or as encouragement for the whole church. These messages can also be interpreted by people who have actually learned the language from birth (Acts 2:7-8).
Using the Gift of National Languages.
Once I was invited to Florida to preach in two churches that shared the same building, where one was English, and the other was Portuguese. When I preached at the Portuguese church, the whole church including men, women and children responded to my invitation and came to the alter for prayer.
People received Salvation, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, healing, casting out of demons and many other needs were met. After the meeting was finished, the Pastor who was my interpreter, told me that when I prayed in the morning service, my tongues language was actually Portuguese! The message was for him and his wife to phone everyone in his church, “Tonight I am going to pour out the Holy Spirit upon the whole church!” And so He did! Amen!
This "Gift of other National Languages" is intended to be used every time we pray. First we pray in our own native language or mother tongue, and then in the Holy Spirit given language we received. Paul instructs us, “Pray at all times in the Spirit (languages) with all prayer and supplication” (Eph. 6:18).
The Importance of Speaking in Tongues.
Paul also advises us, “He who speaks in a language, edifies himself” (1 Cor. 14: 4). This means that when we are sick (2 Cor 12:7), as Paul was in Corinth, we need to pray in the Holy Spirit to receive healing (1 Cor. 14:4). I personally followed Paul’s advice, and was healed from two heart attacks! Thank you Jesus! I continue to pray in "tongues" daily, just as I did back then.
Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit is our appointed “Counsellor” (Jn. 14:15, 25; 16:7–15), whom we are to consult everyday for personal advice. We need to hear his voice for direction and guidance. Again we do this first by first praying in our native tongues language (ie. English), and then with our Holy Spirit given language. When we do this, prayer no longer becomes a guessing game! We can be confident that when we pray in our tongues language, we will hear from the Holy Spirit about our lives.
We can know Jesus’ plan for our lives and for our church. In Revelations, He gave the same commandment to each of the 7 Churches: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says...” (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22).
When Pastors and their churches learn to accept and exercise the 15 Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12:6 – 8; 1 Cor. 12:8 –10), then we shall see “signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit...” (Heb. 2:4).
Speaking in Tongues is the Sign of a True Believer.
Jesus said “these signs will follow those who believe... they will speak with new tongues...” (Mk. 16:17–18). In Greek, "signs" means distinguishing marks of genuineness and authenticity - the signs of a true Christian believer.
"And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mk. 16:17-19)
These 5 "signs" are also necessary for ministry until the time when “the perfect end comes." To claim that it has happened already is false. (1 Cor. 13:8–10)
"Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. (1 Cor. 15:24)
The Holy Spirit’s equipping with the "signs" and "15 Gifts of the Holy Spirit" are necessary to witness and to have successful ministry. Jesus said, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe" (Jn 4:48). These are our necessary "weapons of warfare" (2 Cor. 10:4) and are to be used to "reap the harvest" for the Kingdom of God.
If you would like to receive Salvation, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the "Gift of Languages" (tongues), please come to one of our meetings and/or contact me.
Yours in Jesus Christ,
 1. The World of Languages (http://www.lucasinfografia.com/Mother-tongues)
Copyright © 2018. The Gordon Williams Evangelistic Association. All rights reserved
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"...thou hast poured over me fresh oil" (Psalm 92:1-15).
What a wonderful experience of worship! Look at how this psalm progresses: "It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to Thy Name, O Most High; to declare Thy steadfast love in the morning, and Thy faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp..." We all need to learn to worship God this way. When we do, we can see clearly what God is doing to expose the fools, the wicked and the workers of iniquity. He causes them to grow just like in the parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:36-43). He lets them grow until the harvest so that the wheat, His people, will not be destroyed. Weeds always grow faster than the wheat; so like the wicked, it doesn`t take long until they expose themselves to everyone. The exciting thing about worshiping God "in Spirit and in truth" is that we are anointed with His fresh oil and are "filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18) in the midst of worship. We are treated like kings, prophets and priests (they were the only ones that God anointed with oil) because that's who we are in Jesus Christ. The new oil of the Holy Spirit refreshes and renews us so we can flourish and bear fruit. Each of us can then declare that Jesus "is my rock." When Jesus first sent the Holy Spirit to us, the phenomenon was likened to the coming of a "rushing mighty wind" and "there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them" (Acts 2:2-3).
In John 3:8 He said, "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." With increased manifestations of the supernatural in our society, there is tremendous spiritual confusion. People are asking, "Can the Holy spirit do something new that is not in the Bible?" No! Absolutely not! Never! One of the most important reasons God gave the Bible to us was to give us a "covenant" or "contract' describing the kind of things that He will and will not do. Paul warns, "Do not go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over against another" (1 Corinthians 4:6). Spiritual pride is running rampant today throughout groups claiming "deeper revelations" and "new things." The dangers are critical at a time when even the elect are vulnerable to deception (Matthew 24:24). "For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect" (Matthew 24:24). Christians must be firm in their understanding of the ways of the Holy Spirit as outlined by Scripture. 
"LIKE A MIGHTY RUSHING WIND" is practical and important Christian teaching highlighting the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the 15 Gifts of the Holy Spirit as outlined in the Book of Corinthians. A book with solid answers to the deepest spiritual questions, and one of the most comprehensive works on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. It's a practical guide to finding the ultimate fulfillment in the Christian life.
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