Interactions with God #27
I have been able to speak in tongues since 1982. I didn't add that day as an interaction with God, even though it was. It just wasn't all that interesting when it happened. The guy who told me about Jesus also told me about the gift of speaking in tongues. He actually made a big deal about it. He said it was something I should ask for. So I did. It was just a simple prayer to ask God for the ability to speak in a foreign language that I would not understand. After we prayed, nothing happened. I didn't feel any different. Stephen, the guy who told me about Jesus, then said “go ahead and do it”. I looked at him like he had two heads. “Do what?” He said, just speak it. He said to start out with a syllable like “AAAAA” and see what happens. Sure enough, I said “AAAAAA” and then off I went into a bunch of other syllables and sounds. It did sound like a language to me, but I had no idea what language it was and what was being said. That is the gift of tongues.
It really isn't weird and you definitely don't go into any trance like state. In fact, I do it all the time, in the car, in the shower, while I am doing dishes. Because it is prayer done by God's Spirit within you, it is generally a private thing and should be so as commanded by the Apostle Paul in the book of 1 Corinthians. So yes, those on TV are not doing what they should be doing. That doesn't mean you can't do it publicly, but it would be wise to only do so around those who understand and will not be weird-ed out.
Is it real? Do you really think I didn't check? Of course I did, and yes, it is real. I once spoke it in front of four non-christian men who were from Lebanon. They knew five languages so I figured that just maybe one of them might be the language I was speaking. Turns out, it was, well somewhat anyway. I did this years ago while I was at UT in Austin. The guys I did this in front of said they heard some Arabic words that must be in an old dialect, particularly the words, School and Church. Well, at the time, I wasn't doing well at School and I wasn't going to Church. I can only imagine what the Holy Spirit was saying the rest of the time. Probably something like, “Get this dummy to Church and he will do better in school”. But I can only guess.
Martha heard someone speak in Spanish once. Someone who she knew did not know any Spanish. That event was what convinced her that Speaking in Tongues was real and not bogus. Yes, it is an odd thing. Many things that God does can be odd. He once talked to a rebellious prophet through a donkey. Does he do things like that often, I hope not. It would be really strange to go to a church just to hear a donkey speak... and I am sure it has been tried too.
There are other Spiritual Gifts, words of knowledge, prophecy, healing..etc... There are also a number of really strange things God does by his Spirit to alter our lives either by proving his power or changing us internally. Some of these are the so-called slain in the Spirit, laughing, groaning, visions and such. I realize many have not heard of some of these and many more have seen them faked or abused at a church or on TV. Look, God does weird things, but no where in scripture does he want us to act weird to those we are trying to reach with the truth. You just don't go around doing these things in a way that will make the unsaved look with less favor on the message we are trying to share. That is just plain wrong. Yet, these “interactions” do exist and they do have a purpose. It is just not to make us look weird in the world's eyes.
While in Houston, living at the House, everyone was gathered together for a bible study and time of prayer. We had been in prayer both silent and spoken for at least 20 minutes or so, when all of a sudden I started laughing. Not a little chuckle or snort, this was a hearty laugh like I had just heard the funniest joke. Yet, I heard no joke. In fact, my mind was not thinking of anything funny and though I continued to laugh away, I still was not thinking of anything funny. It was a really fun experience. Of course, it kind of interrupted the prayer time, it is hard to maintain a focus of prayer toward God when the person next to you is running a hearty belly laugh. The kind that makes them fall on the floor. The response? Everyone else was starting to laugh as well. Although they were laughing because I was...laughing can be infectious.
I was asked by Trina, “what are you laughing about?” I squeaked out “I don't know!” This laughing thing only lasted a few minutes, but I have to say it was quite enjoyable. My mind was completely un-engaged much like it is when I pray in tongues. Yet, there was an internal feeling of healing or re-freshening that I could not explain better if I tried. Ray, though, thought something was wrong with it. None of us had ever experienced the like before nor had we ever heard of anything like that. Ray's first thought was that it was not of God. My response was simple, “Why would the devil do something like that?” I felt great because of it.
It didn't draw me away from God. As a whole it really didn't interfere with our efforts to seek God. It did raise a bunch of questions, the kind you have to go to God and his word to answer. Again I say the same thing...Why would the devil want to do that? He wouldn't.
If anyone knows church history, they would be familiar with the events on 1906 at the Azuza Street Mission in Los Angeles. There was an outpouring of God's Spirit, as they call it. Odd things happened. The proverbial slain in the Spirit (basically God's presence becomes so overwhelming that your legs don't work and you end up on the ground), the laughing thing , and many other oddities took place. I do believe that at first it was God doing something cool. But as with most things, when God stops, man rebels and does what he can to make the “events” continue, this is when the devil takes over and it becomes a nightmare. That is pretty much what happened.
Events like that have happened a few times since then. In our old church family, called The Vineyard, one of their churches had something like this happen in the mid 1990s. It pretty much went the same way. Awesome at first, and ugly later. Sadly, I think this is why God doesn't do this kind of thing often...because man is, well...man.
At the time of this particular interaction, I was not familiar with Azuza Street or anything like it. I have had it happen since, twice more over the years. It is an odd but wonderful experience. Personally, I would like it to happen at least once a day. I think it would improve my attitude greatly...but then if God really wanted it to, he would. So, for the time being, my attitude needs to be something I work on with the strength he has given me for today. That is not a bad thing either. Because His strength is, after all,...sufficient.