How to See a Holy Ghost Breakout

One afternoon I was in a church service in a regional area.

During the service the congregation sang about revival; there was a special number, the theme of which was revival; they prayed for revival; and they preached about revival.

Then they were about to close the service.

But before they did, they invited me to take a moment to speak. (I guess it wasn't every day they saw a visitor from afar.)

So I stood and greeted the congregation, and said:

"Today we've sung about revival; we've heard a special number about revival; we've prayed for revival; and we've had a sermon about revival. Now, would you like to 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 a revival?"

They looked at me quizzically.

"God has heard your prayers for revival," I continued, "and He's probably thinking, 'Okay, I'm ready to give you the revival.' But then we were about to close the service - yet we haven't actually allowed Him time to give us the answer to our prayers, to give us the revival.

How about we stay another 20 minutes," I proposed, "and give time to the Holy Spirit to do anything else He wants".

(I knew that once they started tasting the power of the Holy Spirit, they wouldn't mind if it went longer.)

Everyone happily agreed - although many probably didn't quite know what to expect.

"We'll sing one song," I suggested, "then we'll sing no more - we'll just give the time to the Lord".

So we sang just one song, and then we prayed a prayer simply inviting the Holy Spirit to have the time.

(We didn't sing more than that; the musicians didn't keep playing - otherwise it would have gotten in the way of what the Lord was about to do.)

Nearly straightaway a number of people started shaking, sitting in their seats.

A wave quickly swept across the congregation.

It wasnt a quiet moment. They were crying, getting filled with the Spirit, and filled with joy.

All were receiving spontaneously, without an altar call nor laying on of hands, just sitting or standing at their seats.

20 minutes soon went by, still nobody wanted to go home.

They were finally receiving what they'd been earnestly desiring so long.

If we desire to see a Holy Ghost breakout, often the key is practical: be intentional about making room for Him, in the meeting.

Often, even when we sense the touch of God come, we do something else, instead of just letting it take over.

Like, we close the meeting; or we move on with the next item on the program; or here's a big one: the band keeps playing, which inevitably puts parameters on other expressions of the Spirit; or we express the Spirit only in ways we're already familiar with, like prophesying, perhaps, or opening up a prayer line. Those things are all okay, in the right time too.

But when you desire a congregation-wide Holy Ghost breakout - a move of God - when you sense the touch of God come, abandon the proceedings at that point, hand it over, really let the Holy Spirit hold the floor and have the room.

Don't let any other activities, words or even songs compete for the congregation's focus at that moment.

Just really let it roll.

After everyone's been touched and filled, the next level is: some might begin to spontaneously express what they've received. Like, some might share visions they've seen; or prophesy; or address the congregation in an unknown tongue, and interpret it

Or, a wave of deliverance might sweep into the room.

Or, a wave of repentance and forgiveness.

Tears. Then everyone's mouths might be filled with laughter.

Someone might spontaneously sing a brand new song.

It might be surprising who God uses - youth, or even children.

After it's all been allowed to take its course: that might be the time the people will really want to sing and praise God in the meeting again.

In many meetings, I've sensed again and again that we came right to the brink of seeing that type of a Holy Ghost breakout, but something else so often competed for the meeting's focus - even though we weren’t short on desire for it, nor short of good intentions.

It's like: you can't sing or talk, and drink a glass of water at the same time. Similarly, we've hoped for a Holy Ghost breakout, but carried on doing other things at the same time. Often, it's really just that simple and practical.

Give it a go. Relinquish time in the meeting, to the Lord.

I’m not talking about silence. Quite the opposite. I’m talking about the sight and sound of the outpouring of the Spirit being the thing.

If nothing happens, of course do something else.

But I think you'll find, the touch of God will spread across the floor, there'll come an expression.

𝐈 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟓:𝟏𝟗
𝟏𝟗 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭.

𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝟒:𝟑𝟏
𝟑𝟏 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬.

𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝟏𝟑:𝟓𝟐
𝟓𝟐 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐣𝐨𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭.

Having a Heightened Awareness of the Spirit

When I was a young teenager, a new Christian, my peers and I were more interested in reading about revivals than we were in playing sport or watching TV.

(As more and more of our school mates started getting saved, they stopped playing soccer at lunch time, and spent the lunch hour witnessing instead. The school chess club also had to close down, for the same reason.)

We hungered rather to see the type of meetings we were reading about in past revivals, the same type of move of God.

As we read, I looked eagerly for the keys to how revivals started.

When I was in my late 20s, we saw revival, we witnessed a move of the Spirit of God. All my desire came true before my eyes, and more.

Every revival also includes better things than expected.

𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐀𝐇 𝟔𝟒:𝟏-𝟓
𝟏 𝐎𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞,
𝟐 𝐀𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐡, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐢𝐥, 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞!
𝟑 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇 𝐖𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑, 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.
𝟒 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐧𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐲𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧, 𝐎 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐦.
𝟓 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬:

This passage reminisces about God having done astounding things 'which we looked not for' - and expresses a longing for God to visit with His presence and captivate us again.

Paul quoted that passage, and applied it to the work of the Spirit in the church (see I Corinthians 2).

One feature of revivals, I think, is a heightened awareness of the Spirit.

In revival, there is a profound sense of the Holy Spirit being present in a felt way, in meetings.

There's a clear awareness of, and reverence for what the Spirit is wanting to do. Not only in people's personal walk with the Lord, but also in the way meetings are conducted.

Everyone - leaders and congregation alike, plus visitors - seem completely caught up with what God is doing and what He wants to do in the meetings - intentionally so, gladly so: even though it means leaving programs aside.

It's almost like seeing the way a couple in love mutually interact. The sensitivity to the Spirit; the way the proceedings of the meetings flow with Him. It's all just so authentic.

If someone stands up in such a meeting and happens to slip back into saying or doing something 'ordinary', the people can feel the difference straight away. Church as it used to be just doesn't quite cut it anymore - it's just not the same as staying with the newfound flow of the Spirit - and everyone seems to be able to instinctively feel it, during revival.

Dr Rodney Howard-Browne said, You'll have to pinch yourself, because you'll think you've died and gone to heaven.

It's so wonderful!

But not every church sustained the revival. I therefore became just as keenly interested in why revivals stopped as I had been in how they started.

In reading about revivals that came to a stop, I think you'll find that it usually wasn't God who stopped - rather, somewhere, at some time, there likely was a man who made some decision to stop in some way.

With the result that almost straightaway the meetings fall back into a pattern of just doing what they do, week after week, without the same enthralled sense of anticipation for whatever the Spirit might do.

Like someone whose beloved has gone away, routinely carrying on with many of the same things they did as a couple together, yet without the same real time interaction.

Like they're waiting for something to come back, in the church.

Some believers seem satisfied enough with that, while others hunger for more.

I said to a pastor once, if we want 'revival' to come, instead of waiting for it, figure out why the last one stopped, and then just start doing that, again.

(According to Revelation 2:5, the cure for having left one's first love, is to repent and do the first works.)

No need to pray about it, talk about it, sing about it, or wait for it: just renew your awareness of the Spirit like before.

Over the years I've often felt that what we call 'revival' really should be normal. Revival is just church the way it's meant to be.

Having a heartfelt awareness of the Holy Spirit can be normal, not just seasonal.

'Revival' is actually how the New Testament church was. It's just Bible.

Perhaps you can refrain from using the word 'revival' - if that helps to think of it as just doing the Bible.

'...𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯, 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯..." II Timothy 4:2 says.

Regardless of the 'season', just do it.

We can just decide this moment to heighten our awareness of the Spirit once again, and always.

Then just flow with whatever He does.

In order to heighten our awareness of the Spirit therefore, let's remind ourselves briefly of what the New Testament has to say about the Spirit and what He wills to do in meetings.

𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟏𝟐:𝟒-𝟕
𝟒 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐒, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭.
𝟓 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐃𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝.
𝟔 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥.
𝟕 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐥.

There are 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴, 𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 and 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 of the Spirit, it says. There are things the Spirit wants to give; things He wants done; things He wants to do, in the church.

It says the 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵, the 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 all these, in everybody. He works it. That means He wants to be the active one in our midst, working in everyone and through everyone, manifestly so, in our meetings.

The Spirit gives the 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 (the demonstration, exhibition, expression, full supply) of the Spirit, to everyone, for the benefit of everyone in the meeting. It's a manifestation, not just an internal working, of the Spirit. And He gives it.

The passage goes on to mention nine ways the Spirit is manifested in meetings: ("...the 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮; the 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦; 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩; the 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨; the 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴; 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘺; 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘴; 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴 and the 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴" - verses 8-10).

Notice it says the Spirit works all these and distributes them to each person "...𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭" (verse 11).

As He will. The Spirit has a will for meetings - He wants to work, He wants to be manifested, and decides through whom.

The church at Antioch modeled this co-operative relationship with the Holy Spirit nicely.

Let's quickly notice a couple of things there:

𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝟏𝟑:𝟏-𝟒
𝟏 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬; 𝐚𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐲𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐞𝐧, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐮𝐥.
𝟐 𝐀𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.
𝟑 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲.
𝟒 𝐒𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲, 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭, 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐚; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐲𝐩𝐫𝐮𝐬.

The Spirit said, "𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝙢𝙚 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘢𝘶𝘭..." (verse 2).

Me - the Spirit was exercising His ownership of the church.

"...𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝙄 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮".

𝘐 have called them, He said.

The Spirit had a will. He spoke. They were just responding.

It's not so surprising that the Spirit was able to be expressed in that way in that meeting. They'd approached the meeting in the first place not with an agenda of their own, only they "...𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥".

So the Spirit immediately matched their willingness.

A new international ministry was birthed that day - all because of the special relationship they had with the Holy Spirit in the meeting.

God will visit us with His presence and do wonderful things which we couldn't even have imagined - when we let Him own the room and hold the floor, as this ministry team did at Antioch.

The Spirit wants to do things, but we have a role in it too.

Paul commended the Corinthians for desiring the things of the Spirit and for not coming behind in any gift.

Paul also said not to 'despise' or 'forbid' certain manifestations of the Spirit.

It is possible to get in the way of what the Spirit may want to do in a meeting.

He told someone to 'stir up the gift that is in thee'.

Sometimes we just need to stir up the things of the Spirit again.

"Quench not the Spirit," he also said.

I think one of the most important attitudes to cultivate if we want to see the Holy Spirit move, is unity - recognizing one another - making room for one another, esteeming others better than ourselves.

Where the brethren dwell together in unity, there the Lord commands a blessing - it's like the anointing oil which ran down Aaron's beard.

(To illustrate this attitude:

Reverend Daniel Jones, of Moriah Chapel in Loughor Wales, and the deacons, sensing Evan Roberts' tenderness and earnestness allowed Evan’s request to speak to the youth after the regular service, which sparked the Great Revival of 1904-05. Evan just hosted the Holy Spirit.

Pastor John Arnott of Toronto Airport Vineyard Church invited Randy Clark to stay in Toronto for an initial few days in January 1994, then as the 'Toronto Blessing' revival shone forth, Randy was warmly welcomed to stay far beyond the original plan, to continue leading meetings, along with others. The revival had no sole leader, and because of that people came from all over the world to see what the Holy Spirit could do where He was truly hosted. It was something any could do, therefore it went around the globe.

Pastor John Kilpatrick of Brownsville Assembly of God invited evangelist Steve Hill to preach. God moved, and Kilpatrik had Steve Hill continue to lead the historic Pensacola Revival through 1995.)

As someone said, something like, "It's amazing what can be accomplished if you don't care who gets the credit".

(Like in the church at Antioch, there were five prophets and teachers all working together. And when the Holy Spirit singled out Barnabas and Saul (Paul) to do a special work, they all accommodated it.)

We aren't all meant to do the same things. But we can all make room for one another.

It says there are 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 of gifts, and 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 in the ways the Spirit operates and works (I Corinthians 12:4-6).

It is God Himself who makes one person to differ from another:

"𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳? 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦? 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵, 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵?" (I Corinthians 4:7).

Even in the Book of Acts, not every meeting, not every ministry, was the same.

(It might be that the Spirit is willing for the music and preaching to stop, and for the whole congregation to be filled with the Spirit, and with joy; to speak with tongues, to see visions, and to prophesy, even the children.

And there might come a moment to preach, or to teach, or to sing.

And the Spirit might point out who He wants to do what.

Some meeting might be for congregation-wide infilling with the Spirit; another might be for some to function in the Spirit.

It mightn't always be the same, but what can always be consistent is our awareness of Him and His will.)

At the table, John leaned on Jesus breast, and he is called the disciple whom Jesus loved. But there is no rebuke of others who didn't lean on Jesus' breast. Had another wanted to, I’m sure they too would have got their turn.

Maybe there's scope to think that the Lord might similarly be happy to work with us each according to our unique desires for meetings.

Just so what is intended for our freedom, doesn't get made a bondage.

Nonetheless:

"Ask anything in my name, and I will do it," Jesus said.

You can have whatever you desire. The Spirit has a will—but He also lets us each host Him in our own way, in the unique ways He has given us.

The Song of Solomon chapter 5 and following, illustrates beautifully this seeking after the manifest presence of God, this mutual relationship with the Lord. His will, and our desires, both. His initiative, our responsiveness, and then mutual responsiveness.

In verse 2, the Shulamite said:

"I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.”

𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦: 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵

But she thought within herself:

"I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?" (verse 3)

𝘐𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯

"My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him" (verse 4).

𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨

"I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.

𝘏𝘢𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥?

I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer" (verses 5 & 6).

𝘐𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘺𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, [her awareness of ] 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 [manifest] 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘯

"The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me (verse 7).

𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦.

"I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love," she said (verse 8

𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦

"What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?" (verse 9)

𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦!

"My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.

His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.

His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.

His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.

His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.

His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem" (verses 10-16).

𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦.

"Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee" (6:1).

𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳!

"My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies" (verses 2 & 3).

𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 [the awareness of] 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦.

"Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners" (verse 4).

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘴, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴

From verse 5 on:

𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴

𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘰-𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦

𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨.

𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘏𝘪𝘮

𝘐𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 - 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯

𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴

So let it be, between the church, and the Spirit of the Lord.

There shall be revival.

𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟏𝟓:𝟑𝟎
𝟑𝟎 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐧, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐉𝐄𝐒𝐔𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓'𝐒 𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞;

There is 'the love of the Spirit'.

It is for Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that he draws us to renew our awareness of the Spirit.

"Draw me, we will run after thee" (Song 1:4).

Just my Saturday night thought.

The Place Given to the Manifestation of the Spirit in New Testament Church Gatherings

Seeing it's Sunday today, let's have a little think about the place given to the MANIFESTATION OF THE SPIRIT in New Testament church gatherings:

𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟑:𝟓
𝟓 𝐇𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐎 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐰, 𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡?

Amongst the 'churches of Galatia' (1:2) there were those who 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 (Strongs 'fully supplied', 'contributed') 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵.

I like the thought of that already - ministering, fully supplying, contributing, the Spirit!

𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟐:𝟒
𝟒 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫:

There was a demonstration! Paul's preaching was accompanied by the 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 of the Spirit and of power.

"𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳," he said (I Corinthians 14:20).

𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟏𝟐:𝟕
𝟕 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐥.

The Spirit was 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 (Strongs 'exhibited', 'expressed') among them.

And it wasn't only for apostles - notice it says the manifestation of the Spirit was given to every man.

It was given to every man to manifest (exhibit, express), demonstrate, and minister (fully supply, contribute) the Spirit in some way, for everyone to profit.

The Spirit grants the manifestation of Himself "as He wills", Paul said. That means the Spirit has a will. There are things the Spirit wants to give and do, in our gatherings. Have you ever sensed that the Spirit was wanting to do something in a meeting?

Paul went on to mention nine manifestations of the Spirit which the Spirit Himself is willing to give to be expressed in the church for everyone's good:

𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟏𝟐:𝟖-𝟏𝟎
𝟖 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐃𝐎𝐌 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭;
𝟗 𝐓𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭; 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭;
𝟏𝟎 𝐓𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐋𝐄𝐒; 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐂𝐘; 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐒; 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒; 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒:

Writing to the ‘church of God at Corinth’, Paul said they could 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴 for their gatherings (I Corinthians 12:31); they could 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴 to be in manifestation (14:1); they could be 𝘻𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴 (verse 12); they could even 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵 in particular (verse 13); and he said to 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 the expression of a particular gift during their meetings (verse 39). He commended the church in that city, saying "...𝘺𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵..." (1:7).

I like being in meetings too of which it can be said that there is no coming behind - no lack - in the move of the Holy Spirit. That’s the kind of churches we want everywhere!

I've learned this, by experience, and by the Word: we can ask God specifically for whatever we desire to see happen in a meeting - and He'll do it.

But He also waits for us to receive it and activate it. Very often I've found this: that the key to seeing the Holy Spirit move in a meeting is to make room for it deliberately.

Just like we are deliberate about allocating time for singing, and for preaching - we can also be deliberate about giving time for the manifestation of the Spirit, in our meetings. On purpose.

Speaking of the outpouring of the Spirit in the upper room, Peter said: "𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵, 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘚𝘌𝘌 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘌𝘈𝘙" (Acts 2:33).

See and hear. The outpouring of the Spirit upon a meeting, and its expression, resulted in something both seen and heard.

In order for the manifestation of the Spirit to be the focal sight and sound in a meeting, we may have to stop other sights and sounds from dominating during that part of the meeting.

Like, music. While ever music is being played from a stage or through the speakers, it competes for the congregation's focus, and often dominates. Music is good to help get us there - but once we're there, go all in with what God's doing. Then afterwards, once the Spirit has had His way upon and in and through everyone, the people will really have something to sing about! That's the time to strike the music up again.

Another thing that can get in the way, I've observed, is prayer. Prayer, like music, can help get us there - but if the Holy Spirit is already willing to do something, don't pray about it - don't even sing about it - just let Him do it! Unless of course praying is the thing He's leading the congregation to do at that moment. But often there are other things He wants to do, things we mightn't even have imagined.

Another thing that can get in the way of the move and manifestation of the Spirit, with some people, is the spiritual gift they're already familiar with. For example, someone may be used to prophesying - but if God wants to just fill a congregation with joy instead, then his or her insistence on prophesying would get in the way.

We might need to resist the urge to always be giving too much unnecessary leadership, too much other input, in the meeting, for the moment - and instead let the waves roll.

On the day of Pentecost they were all with one accord in one place, it says, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

He didn't only fill the people - but the whole house, the place, was also filled. There was an overflowing. It resulted in something seen and heard.

"Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together," it says.

When what was noised abroad - the sound of a band? No, the day of Pentecost - the upper room - was not a music event. The sound of praying? No, they'd been praying for ten days - but not now. It was the sight and sound of 120 people getting filled with the Spirit and speaking with tongues all at once! The move of God on a congregation! That's what the multitide saw and heard. That’s what got their attention.

Only after that had taken its course, did someone (Peter) stand up and hold the floor, and preach. When he did, it was necessary and good and very effective! And Paul did later write to churches telling them to spend time singing together. There's a time for everything. But when the Holy Spirit wanted to do something else, they let Him have His way first. They let the congregation get taken up in that first.

I’m not talking about sitting in silence—I’m talking about allowing the move and expression of the Spirit to gain momentum visibly and audibly, congregation wide, and to be the thing. I’m talking about a visitation.

“Let go—and let God!”

When we really give the Holy Spirit the room - let Him hold the floor - it's next level.

HAPPY SUNDAY!

There’s a common misconception about the BIBLICAL FUNCTION of TONGUES that has hidden a REAL GEM from many

 

 

There’s a common misconception about the BIBLICAL FUNCTION of TONGUES that has hidden a REAL GEM from many.

Let’s uncover it:

𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟏𝟒:𝟐
𝟐 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐧, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐝: 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐦; 𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬.

This verse was about a person speaking in tongues, in Bible times.

Notice:

1. His tongue was 𝘶𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯, not known.

It simply wasn't the case that in Bible times tongues were always known by the hearers.

Therefore:

2. He was speaking 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥 not to men.

In other words, 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 - he was praying in tongues.

"...𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘮..." it says.

Tongues weren't only for the purpose of directly preaching the gospel to unbelievers.

Even in Bible times, a tongue might be 𝘶𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯; and 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 in that 𝘶𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 tongue was an entirely valid function of the gift of tongues.

3. He was speaking mysteries in the spirit.

As Paul said:

"𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦, 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙩𝙝, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭.

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯? 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰" (𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴 14,15).

(And Acts 2:4 says they spake with other tongues 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦.)

When we speak in an unknown tongue, our spirit is praying, even though we don't understand it. In the spirit we are speaking mysteries.

"𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘮𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘐 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭," Paul said, talking about praying privately in tongues (verse 18).

"𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴," he said (verse 5).

Speaking, praying, singing, giving thanks, blessing and praising in an unknown tongue is Biblical, it’s New Testament, authentic, effective and edifying.

𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴!

It's a great way to be "𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵" (Ephesians 6:18)!

Apostles

The word 'apostle' means someone who is 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵.

When we think of apostleship, we usually think (and rightly so) of where they're sent 𝘵𝘰, and what they're sent to do - but the word itself also includes the meaning of being sent 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮.

(The Greek word ἀπόστολος pronounced apóstolos was composed of the prefix apó which meant 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮, and the verb stéllō 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥.)

There is a sending 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮, as well as the sending 𝘵𝘰.

There is a 𝘴𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, unto.

"𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘭, 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦, 𝙨𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 (𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴 1:1).

There was a letting go, as well as the going.

We see this in how Paul and Barnabas became apostles.

𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝟏𝟑:𝟏-𝟒
𝟏 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬; 𝐚𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐲𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐞𝐧, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐮𝐥.
𝟐 𝐀𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.
𝟑 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲.
𝟒 𝐒𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲, 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭, 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐚; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐲𝐩𝐫𝐮𝐬.

Barnabas and Saul (Paul) were at first 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘴 and/or 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 in the church that was at Antioch. They were never yet described as apostles.

Then the Holy Ghost said, "𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them".

So the church 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺.

They were 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 by the Holy Ghost.

And they 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥.

There was a letting go, as well as the going.

The rest of chapter 13 goes on to describe Barnabas and Paul departing to Seleucia, and from there sailing to Cyprus, preaching at Salamis, going through the island to Paphos, being loosed from Paphos and coming to Perga, departing from there and coming to a city in Pisidia, and having to leave there and arriving in Iconium.

It's only by the time we get to 14:14 - after all that traveling and new ministry, having been let go from the church at Antioch - that Barnabas and Saul (Paul) were for the first time in Acts now referred to as 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴.

𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝟏𝟒:𝟒,𝟏𝟒
𝟒 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝: 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐞𝐰𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒.

𝟏𝟒 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒, 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐀𝐔𝐋, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭,

Had Barnabas and Paul stayed in Antioch and held onto their roles in the church there, they couldn't have fulfilled the work to which the Holy Ghost had called them. Only after there was a letting go, and their going, were they called apostles.

It was also only in the leaving and the going that Paul started to be referred to in Acts by his name Paul and no more Saul. He was stepping into what he was separated from his mother’s womb to do.

It mightn't have been easy for the Antioch church to let go of Barnabas and Paul. And it mightn't have been easy for Barnabas and Paul to go and not stay. The church at Antioch was a happening place!

But letting go of places, people, churches and ministries - as well as embracing new ventures, places, people churches and ministries - and doing so on repeat - was all part of what it meant to be an apostle.

The offices of elders, bishop, the presbytery, and deacons in the New Testament tended to be appointments to serve local churches - whereas apostles were 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵.

In time Paul and Barnabas did come home to their church again, and reported all that God had done.

"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘤𝘩, 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥" (Acts 14:26).

They went back to their home church from which they'd been 'recommended' (Strongs surrendered, yielded up, entrusted, transmitted) to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.

They stayed for a while, then they embarked again.

The Holy Ghost calls some at times to be let go, to be sent, to depart, to go, and not stay.

"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘚𝘖𝘔𝘌, 𝘈𝘗𝘖𝘚𝘛𝘓𝘌𝘚; 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘴; 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴; 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴" (Ephesians 4:11).

Such a calling is "...𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦𝘯, 𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘯, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 (Galatians 1:1).

Have you got the 𝘨𝘰 in you?

You might need to be okay with letting go, as well as with the going.

I don't know which would be easier and which might be more difficult: the letting go, or the going.

As Paul said, speaking of the hardships apostles face:

"𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩: 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘭𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘯" (I Corinthians 4:9).

But Jesus Christ doesn't only call, He also gives grace.

"𝘉𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦" (Romans 1:5).

It will be His grace doing the work in you, not of yourself.

"𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘢𝘮: 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘯; 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘭: 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘐, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦" (I Corinthians 15:10).

You "...𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘩..." you (Philippians 4:13).

Is Snake-Handling in Church Biblical?

MARK 16:17,18

𝟏𝟕 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞; 𝐈𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐬; they shall speak with new tongues; 

𝟏𝟖 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦; 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫.

 

When I was a child an older relative took us out into the bush one day, showing us how to find snakes and how to pick them up. After that when my brother and I used to go out on our bicycles, I'd find snakes and pick them up - just because I could! I grew out of it though, fortunately.

 

On that part of Mark, I think that it was 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 not 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦. It didn't mean the apostles should deliberately handle snakes in public to show they could not be harmed, as a 'sign' (as some churches in the Appalachian Mountains and southeastern US have done) - it simply meant that as they would go out preaching the gospel and inadvertently pick up snakes or unknowingly drink poison, they wouldn't be harmed, as a sign.

 

There's actually an example of this happening, in the Book of Acts. When Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Malita (modernday Malta), and had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, a viper came out of the heat and fastened on his hand. When the natives saw the venomous reptile hang on his hand, they said among themselves, "No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live." But Paul just shook off the snake into the fire, and he felt no harm. Meanwhile the locals kept looking at him expecting to see him swell up, or drop dead suddenly: but after observing him a long while, and seeing no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

 

The island chief's father also happened to be lying down sick with a fever and diarrhoea. Paul went in and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. So after this others also who had diseases on the island came, and were healed. And they honoured Paul and his companions with many honours - and when they left they gave them all they needed.

 

Two of the signs mentioned in Mark left their impression with a whole island of people! And I've seen the sign of healing similarly impact a whole village. When I was 19 we visited a village in northern Thailand. The people were animist. The chief had such bad arthritis in his knees, he could scarcely bend his legs. My pastor at the time was with us. After prayer and the laying on of hands, the chief squatted up and down. A big smile came on his face. About a year later my pastor at the time traveled to Thailand and visited the village again. My pastor told me that as a result of that healing the whole village had converted from animism to Christ! 

 

I think it could also have been symbolic of the power of the enemy.

 

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you," Jesus said (Luke 10:19).

 

In Acts we find examples of the apostles casting out demons and yet being unharmed, while others who attempted to do the same were attacked and stripped naked! That was a sign which impacted many.

In Mark, Jesus foretold of incidental protection when picking up snakes - He wasn't commanding it.

Plus, I suspect the grammar of the Greek itself in Mark may rule it out. I don't have any innate knowledge of classical Greek though. For most of us, our knowledge of Koine Greek is only as good as the person's we learned from. But my parents both studied it, and it was often table conversation over dinner growing up in my parents' home. Discussing a Greek word in a New Testament passage just went along with "pass the Worcestershire Sauce" or "the mint sauce" at my father's table. 

 

So, with that disclaimer, "they shall pick up serpents" (ὄφεις ἀροῦσιν) I 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 was in the indicative mood; and "if they drink any deadly thing" (ἐὰν + θανάσιμόν τι πίωσιν) I 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 was in the subjunctive mood - not imperative. So, ‘when’, and ‘if’—not ‘you must’. 

 

(Similarly with foot-washing. We don't find examples in Acts nor do we find instructions in the Epistles, of foot-washing as a prescribed ceremony to be done whether people need their feet washed or not. But we do find instruction concerning the Lord's table, and concerning baptism.)

 

The mention in Mark of the sign of picking up snakes and not being harmed, is therefore not a reason for someone to think that tongues mightn't be for everyone, or that it has passed away. In the epistles we don't find instructions to the churches about how to have snake-handling services. But we do find instructions concerning the ministry of healing, and concerning speaking with tongues. Statements like "Is 'any' sick among you? Let him call the elders of the church..."; and "I would that 'ye all' spake with tongues." 

 

If anyone hasn't spoken in tongues, they need not feel inferior. Rather, ask and receive. Because our good Father is willing. 

 

But we have to do the speaking: the Spirit only gives us utterance. Beginning therefore requires a moment, not of passive 'faith', but of active faith.

A Glance at the Theme of Speaking in Tongues in the Bible

Let's take a glance for a moment at the theme of SPEAKING WITH TONGUES, in the Bible:

 

1. The first person to mention speaking with tongues in the New Testament, was none other than our LORD Jesus Himself:

 

 

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝟏𝟔:𝟏𝟓-𝟐𝟎

𝟏𝟓 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐆𝐨 𝐲𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞.

𝟏𝟔 𝐇𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝; 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐧𝐞𝐝.

𝟏𝟕 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞; 𝐈𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐬; 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒;

𝟏𝟖 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦; 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫.

𝟏𝟗 𝐒𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝.

𝟐𝟎 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐧.

 

 

Jesus said the sign of 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴 would follow them that believe.

 

You're a believer, aren't you? Therefore the sign of speaking with new tongues shall follow you!

 

Paul said, "I would that ye all spake with tongues..." (I Corinthians 14:5). 

 

'All' would include you and me, as individuals, wouldn't it. 

 

That means God is willing that we all speak with tongues!

 

Paul said, "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all" (verse 18)

.

He meant, outside of the church—he was talking about praying to God by himself, in tongues

:

"For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries" (verse 2).

 

Speaking not to men, but to God, it says—which means praying, doesn't it.

 

"I will pray with the spirit [that is, in tongues] and I will pray with the understanding also..." he said (verse 15)

.

Those words 'I will' indicate volition. It means, once you have received the Holy Spirit and spoken with tongues as the Spirit gave you utterance (see Acts 2:1-4), thereafter you can continue to speak in tongues, or with your understanding, at will.

 

Paul chose to pray to God in tongues, outside of the church, more than all of them. And he said, I would that you all did! 

 

It is God's will that you and I speak with tongues. He is a good Father Who gives good gifts to His children. He will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him. 

 

But tongues aren’t only for private prayer: they’re also for church gatherings, when "...the whole church be come together into one place..." (verse 23):

 

"And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴" (I Corinthians 12:28). 

 

God has set diversities of tongues in the church, it says. 

 

"If any man speak in an unknown tongue [directly addressing the congregation] let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret" (verse 14). 

 

Two or three members taking their turn to hold the floor and directly address the audience in unknown tongues expecting everyone’s undivided attention would have been plenty before someone should be given the chance to interpret, wouldn't you agree—so the congregation could get something out of it.

 

That was really just common sense, in that scenario. (That's why Paul appealed to the common sense that even unbelievers would have.) If someone's going to singularly, directly address an audience, he ought to want them to be made to understand it so they can benefit. 

 

That's altogether a different scenario to when the Spirit fell upon 120 people in an upper room on the day of Pentecost and they all began to speak with other tongues; 

 

or different to Cornelius' household where the Spirit fell on them all while Peter was still preaching, and they heard them speak with tongues; 

 

or at Ephesus, where Paul laid hands on 12 newly baptized disciples and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 

 

In each of those situations no-one was addressing an audience per se. 

 

That's why it's perfectly Biblical to have Holy Ghost meetings in which everyone sings, prays or speaks to God in tongues at once. It's not obtrusive at all, because no individual is holding the floor, as such.

But when someone is expecting an audience's undivided attention, addressing them in an unknown tongue, he ought to want someone to interpret it, so the audience can benefit.

 

Paul's advice in I Corinthians doesn't contradict his own experience, nor Peter's, nor the 120 on the day of Pentecost - it addressed a different scenario. 

 

Paul indeed said, "Let everything be done decently and in order' - but sometimes it's possible to place our own rules on what that means. 

 

For example, when Peter was preaching to Cornelius' household, the Spirit fell on them while Peter was still speaking! And Peter later said he'd heard them speaking with tongues. While Peter was still preaching! And more than two or three people too. Some might think that would be disorderly. But it's Bible!

 

"Let all things be done unto edifying," Paul explained. That was the real gauge of whether or not the proceedings in a gathering were decent and orderly.

 

When all are getting filled with the Spirit at once and all speaking with other tongues, all are receiving and being edified—so that’s not indecent nor disorderly. Because all are edified.

 

But if someone is singularly, directly addressing a congregation in an unknown tongue, expecting the whole congregation's undivided attention, then it's only common sense that he ought to want to make room for interpretation so everyone can benefit. 

 

That's talking about the gift of "...the interpretation of tongues" (12:10). 

 

Tongues evidently weren't always understood by the audience, even in Bible times—otherwise, if tongues were always understood by the audience there could never ever have been any need for the gift of the interpretation of tongues!

 

Jesus mentioned 𝘯𝘦𝘸 tongues; and here Paul mentioned an 𝘶𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 tongue (also 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 of tongues [12:28]; 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 of tongues [verse 10]; tongues 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦𝘯 and 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘴 [13:1]); and Acts 2:4 mentioned 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 tongues. It wasn’t always known by the hearers.

 

Since ‘other’ tongues were ‘new’, or ‘unknown’, and often not understood, the distinct gift of ‘interpretation’ was therefore also given by the Spirit so the congregation could profit.

 

Addressing a congregation in an unknown tongue is beneficial to the congregation, as prophecy is—when it's interpreted.

 

"Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret" (14:13).

 

If you speak in an unknown tongue, you can pray that you may interpret. 

 

Or, you can "...let one interpret" (verse 27). Someone else may be given the interpretation.

 

"But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God" (verse 28). 

 

That meant that in any case praying privately in tongues is always a good thing. 

 

It is a way to speak "...unto God", Paul said. 

 

"He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself (verse 14). 

 

It builds you up!

 

"For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful".

Your mind doesn't understand it (unless one interprets, or you pray that you may interpret) - nevertheless your spirit is praying.

 

Praying in tongues has many of the benefits that praying with your understanding has with the added benefit that you're speaking exactly as the Spirit gives you utterance:

 

 

𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝟐:𝟒

𝟒 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬, 𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓 𝐆𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌 𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄.

 

 

When we speak with tongues, it is 𝘸𝘦 who speak, as the 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦.

 

The moment we pray in tongues, our spirit is immediately speaking to God about things we couldn't have known to pray for with our understanding, according to the perfect will of God.

 

We can "pray", "bless", "give thanks" and "sing" with our spirit (in tongues), (I Corinthians 14:15,16,17).

 

Jesus said this sign of speaking with new tongues would follow them that believe, while the gospel would be preached to every creature in all the world. 

 

The gospel is still being preached to every creature in all the world today, isn't it? And we still see believers being baptised today, don’t we. People still need to be freed from demons. There are still people that have need of healing. Speaking with tongues was categorised along with those other basic ministries. So, since those other basic ministries (like preaching, and baptising) are still crucial today, therefore tongues still belong to today too, because Jesus categorised them together. 

 

"So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

 

And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen" (Mark 16:19,20).

 

The Lord is still confirming the word with signs following.

 

2. Some select personal testimonies, for the sake of illustration:

 

a). One day a friend and I prayed that his father would be saved by the end of that year. Then, honestly, I forgot about the prayer. But on the last day of the year, the same friend and I decided to walk out into the bush and have a time of prayer. Both of us felt an unusual unction to pray in tongues. It just flowed! I didn't know what we were praying for, but after about 45min we felt that whatever it was, was accomplished. Then that night we went out to our church's New Years Eve activity. 

 

Afterwards, at about 2am, my friend's mother phoned my friend from another city to tell him that his father had accompanied her to a service at her church that night and he accepted salvation. Then we remembered our prayer earlier in the year. No doubt we'd been inspired to pray for his father again in tongues again that day. 

 

b). Another night, home alone with no other schedule, I decided to spend some time praying in tongues. About 10 minutes into it, I sensed my prayer take on a new urgency. Into my mind flashed the face of the wife of a friend of mine. I knew I was praying for her, but I didn't know why. After about 30min, I felt the urgency lift. 

 

A couple of days later I told my friend about it. "When was it?" he asked. I told him the day and the hour. He then told me that at that very time he had to rush his wife to hospital because of a complication with her pregnancy. I couldn't have known their need - but the Holy Spirit gave me utterance to pray about it.

 

c). One day several of us were having a Holy Ghost meeting in a friend's lounge room. I said something in tongues to myself and to God. Someone happened to hear me, and began to laugh. He said he heard me say, "This revival [which we were experiencing in the room that night] shall impact our whole church, and other churches in the city, and spread interstate and around the globe". He said he'd heard me say that, and more, when I spoke in tongues. And it came to pass!

 

d). Another time I was invited to preach in a Finnish church. As soon as I stood to the pulpit, I was inspired to speak in tongues. After some time I stopped, and gave an interpretation. I preached not a prepared message but by the interpretation of tongues. What I said wasn't pre-meditated at all. 

 

Afterwards one of the elders' wives was re-filled with the Spirit. "I haven't felt this in a long time," she said. And the leader remarked, "This message was exactly what we needed to hear." 

 

e). One time many young people in the Philippines got filled with the Spirit and spoke in tongues. At the time, a mission team was visiting from Hong Kong. One of the team said she heard her Chinese dialect being spoken. 

 

One of the team members belonged to a denomination which didn't believe in tongues. She said she heard a young Filipina say in her dialect, "How long will you not believe that this is of Me?"

 

Another team member said she heard another young person, speaking in tongues, say, "I love you Lord. Cleanse me Lord." And at the moment she said, "...cleanse me, Lord" an evil spirit left the girl. And then she carried on in bliss with the Holy Spirit. 

 

Another person who'd been a missionary in Indonesia said he heard an Indonesian language, while some of the youth were speaking with tongues. I can't verify whether they were or not, but that's what he said.

 

f). In a number of meetings someone would speak with tongues, then one would interpret. It resulted in a move of God amongst the congregation: repentance, forgiveness, deliverance - and more people getting filled with the Spirit and seeing visions. 

 

g). Some young people were so filled with the Spirit that when they got to school they were still speaking with tongues. "Why didn't you tell me you could speak Chinese!" a teacher said to one teenage girl. But the girl had never learned Chinese! The whole class fell under the power of God. They got up off the floor in tears asking, "What have we got to do to be saved?"

 

What began with laughter for joy, then tears of healing, led to speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, seeing visions, prophesying, and demons cast out - starting with young people, and spreading to adults, and other churches, in other towns. 

 

h). One time I was in church hearing our pastor speak about winning the city. I thought to myself, "The key to the city is the Holy Spirit - and to let Him move." 

 

Many of us were lying on the floor, in the Spirit. I quietly spoke in tongues. The person beside me laughed. 

 

He said that when I spoke in tongues, he heard me say, "But we've got the key to the city..."

A he said he saw a vision of a golden key. 

 

That is the key: learning to let the Holy Spirit have the room, to hold the floor, in our meetings.

 

i) Sometimes when I haven't known what to do, just one sentence in tongues, and I immediately felt refreshed, I might laugh a little in spirit, and sense a note of victory. That is being ‘edified’.

 

j). I heard of a minister who was thinking of retiring. He had to spend two weeks painting his house. He spent eight hours a day for two weeks speaking in tongues out loud while painting.

He had a dream telling him to move overseas, and to expect blessings. So instead of retiring he moved overseas and planted a new church in a difficult city. The church grew, impacted a nation and many leaders were raised up and the world was impacted. It was birthed by praying in tongues!

 

k) A truck driver decided to spend his eight hours a day in the truck speaking in tongues. After a while he started getting revelations and understanding of the Word. He started sharing it in free MP3 files online. He started preaching it publicly. And it benefited many around the world.

Spending that time speaking mysteries in the spirit, some of the revelation soon came up from his spirit from the Holy Spirit into his understanding. 

 

From truck driver to international exhorter—through speaking in tongues.

 

l). A pastor-friend of mine was about to preach, but first he said that he felt he ought to speak in tongues and that another particular brother would then interpret. 

 

So he spoke in tongues, and then the brother came forward and gave what he felt was the interpretation.

“Come and be healed,” says the Lord, “Be healed spiritually and emotionally.”

 

And with that the preacher said, Let’s respond to that straight away. People came forward, and there was much healing and deliverance.

 

After seeing and hearing that, the people were twice as interested in hearing the Pastor preach, I can assure you!

 

After all these decades that service is still memorable, because of the expression of the gifts of tongues and interpretation and their impact.

 

3. Who is the gift of the Holy Spirit for?

 

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

 

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:38,39).

 

 

HOW YOU CAN BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT AND SPEAK WITH TONGUES

 

1. KNOW it is God's will for you

 

2. ASK the Father in Jesus' Name to fill you with the Holy Spirit

 

3. BELIEVE you receive 

 

4. Since you believe you receive, go ahead and SPEAK, trusting the Spirit to give you the utterance...

...and you shall HAVE IT! 

 

 

Whether for your first time - or whether you've already been filled - how about taking a moment right now to speak in tongues as the Spirit gives you the utterance.

 

"He [the Spirit] shall glorify Me," Jesus said. 

 

It's all about JESUS. 

 

All to JESUS' honour.