Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

Of those of you here that have spoken in tongues, do your tongues always sound the same? When I got the HG back in 1999ish, my tongues sounded a certain way, and continued to for about a year of so, when they changed. My ex-husband was actually the one to bring it to my attention, as he used to mock the sound of me speaking in tongues saying telling me one night that I "no longer sounded like a stuttering goat" (no, my current husband is the Atheist, this was the apostolic one).

To the best of my knowledge they stayed relatively the same through the years, until today, right in the middle of spontaneous praying in the spirit. (Of the "God I am going to lose my mind if something doesn't give" type).

It was a significant and obvious change right in the middle of a "sentence".

This was particularly interesting to me because of what I posted a few years ago:

http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com...ad.php?t=41166

When I mentioned some sudden doubts that I was having about the whole tongues thing. This was never really resolved, I just stuck a pin in it and put it on the board labeled "Things that are spiritually meaningful to me that I don't understand" (Or possibly "Things that I do even though I can't explain why")

Anyway, I'd love to hear about anyone else's experiences...

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

I've noticed slight changes from time to time that seemed like new words being added

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

I believe the inner man matures in God and sometimes this is reflected in the tone and manner of tongues.

However, something I remember happening just prior to experiencing the gift of interpretation was a "change" in the tone and manner of my tongues. It would come and go. It was almost like a conversation taking place in me. My tongues were soft and pleading. The others were strong and authorative. One night while in prayer this began happening and I prayed for God to reveal what it was about. Suddenly, I began to get what I can only call "impressions" with regards to their meaning. After this experience, at various times, I would receive impressions of the meaning of a given tongue.

That was the beginning of my experience with the gift of interpretation.

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

Since tongues is, or should be, "as the Spirit gives utterance," it is possible that it can change.

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

When I first spoke in tongues it did sound the same for awhile. Very quickly I decided I was not letting the Holy Spirit use my tongue, I was just repeating the first initial thing that I learned in the Spirit. I went back seeking just like I did the first time and I let the HG use me without putting up any barriers or my own self will. WOW my tongues changed immediately! Once again God was using me as his instrument.

God wants to give me a new song every day! Now if I pray in tongues and it sounds the same I give in to the HG, tear down my walls and pride and I always sound different every single time. If you pray in tongues and it sounds the same then you are not praying in tongues enough.

All my comments are my own opinion. I am not trying to hurt any bodies feeling. I am just trying to help others out with my story.

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

When I first got the Holy Ghost, I've spoke in many different tongues. Sometimes I speak in tongues that sound similar, and sometimes not. Almost every time the spirit is on me, I speak in different tongues, some sounds like Hebrew, middle eastern languages, various Asian languages, I mostly recognize Vietnamese, etc. If it always sounds the same, it makes me feel that it's me, and not me letting the Spirit manifest and move through me.

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

I miss my tongue from age 15-16.

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Just the experience of speaking in tongues is so awesome to me and I've never really tried to figure out what kind of language it might or might not be. I just feel that the Holy Ghost is making intersession for ME! What a cleansing! What power!

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

Thanks for all the responses! :highfive

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

It bothers me that mine usually sound the same.

It also bothers me that, over the years, several have commented on my tongues-- as in they sound different from everyone else's.

They do sound different from alot of others, the syllables don't sound the same as others, and kind of hard to break down-- sounds like a bunch of la, la, la's to me-- but it isn't la, la, la's it's the closest that I can come up with. That and I can pick up on a "ya da"-- but it seems that I say a bunch of "ah" as in apple sounds. There is a variation in the intensity, but not too much that I can differentiate in the actual "sylabalization."

Like I said, others have commented to me and it has made me a bit self-conscious at times.

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

There have been times in prayer where I felt like there were "others" actually present praying or listening in on me. To be quite honest, the times it happened, it was kind of concerning almost scary to me. I just kept praying anyway and one of my doctors actually said it was a symptom of mental illness.

To be honest, I still don't know what to make of those moments. They happened late at night/early in the morning, in the prayer room, at the Apopka church when I used to attend and I had a key to their prayer room.

Now that I think about it, I don't pray like I used to since leaving the Apostolics.

Seemingly "closer to God", but doctrinally incorrect (or at least going along with stuff I didn't agree with)-- I think about this paradox too, sometimes, when I'm by myself, and I think about my years attending an Apostolic church.

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

Michlow,
Do you agree with the people that make themselves speak in tongues on the drop of a dime? Many of the people of my current church who do speak in tongues seem to be of the mindset that embrace this practice.

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

If that was not possible there would be no need for instruction to the Corinthians.

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

I'm sorry this happened to you. I know how hurtful that can be. (Like I mentioned, my ex-husband telling me that I sounded like a "stuttering Goat").

I get the paradox. Those years as an Apostolic helped make us who we are, and as such it influences both our personality and character and our spirituality. Both for good and for bad, and I admit, because I had some really bad experiences that it took me years before I could see and embrace the good from my Apostolic experience.

The way that I've always explained speaking in tongues (especially to my Atheist husband, or to non-pentecostal Christians) is that it tends to happen at times when I am completely overwhelmed emotionally. It can be joy or sorrow, gratitude or despair, but it's like I am so overcome that I couldn't possible articulate my thoughts or feelings, instead tongues just kind of burst out of me. I have control over it, as in I can bite my tongue or close my lips, or shout them loud or whisper them, but I can't make them come.

If someone said "Speak in Tongues right now!" I doubt I could comply (unless God had something to prove.) So I admit that I've always been a little skeptical of people who can do tongues on command. On the other hand, I try really hard to give people the benefit of the doubt, because I know that my experiences aren't the only way that people can experience God.

I've been feeling like I would really like to visit a Pentecostal/charismatic church in the near future. I miss the more heartfelt worship, and the feel of the spirit overpowering the room. But then I think about the screamy sermons and excessive emotionalism, and I change my mind.

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

Usually, when in intercessory prayer, I would speak what sounded some oriental dialect which was different from normal. Of course I used to speak in tongues all the time but now on more rare occasions and I stop myself if I feel I am moving into that self induced type of OP trance.

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

Did I write this? No wait, it was Mich, my soul and spirit Sister. LOL!

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

The Gift of Kinds of Tongues (the word divers is not present in the Greek text) suggests that there are multiple, different tongues available to those who have this, or rather, have been given this Gift.

Now, not everyone has received this particular charismata, even if they have and do speak in tongues. So, if a person's "tongue" never seems to change into an entirely different language, it's likely that person has not been granted the Gift of Kinds of Tongues.

Secondly, while it may seem strange to some that there are people who can speak in tongues immediately, let it be understood that this is likely an indication of someone who either:

1.) Has the Gift of Kinds of Tongues

or

2.) Is in constant need of self-edification due to some form of personal weakness or character flaw (See 1 Corinthians 14:2-4)

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

Tongues is the manifestation of a gift that is used to edify the body and draw us closer to Jesus. Why all the focus on what it sounds like, etc? That's not even remotely the point of it.

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You might find this interesting...my anxiety has been really bad lately and I was thinking about things that I used to do to keep it in check, and I found this science article about speaking in tongues (I'll have to hunt it down for you), anyway, they did brain scans, etc. And the parts I remember the most is that they described it as a dissociative state, like meditation (Though meditation uses different parts of the brain), which I thought was interesting, and then they (or this might have been a 2nd article) found that speaking in tongues reduced the amount of cortisol in the brain (which causes stress and anxiety) and stabalizes another chemical that also helps with anxiety.

Now this can be looked at two ways. 1.) the peace that God gives is shown through the hormones in our bodies and chemicals in our brains when we are in communication/communion with him or 2.) this is a biological reaction of a self-induced dissociative state, that we attribute to God.

Either way, it seems to help.

:highfive

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

I've never particularly cared what mine sounded like (except for being hurt when my ex made fun of them), and I've never paid any attention to anyone else's (except one time when the girl next to me started speaking in french(?) and I found my trying to pick out words).

I was just curious when I noticed mine change abruptly in the middle of praying and wondered if this was common. As the only tongues-speakers that I know are here on the forum I introduced this topic. For the record, I don't think anyone implied that what they sounded like was the point.

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

I can speak in tongues at any time. I humble myself before the Lord and ask the Lord to fill me with his Spirit. I do not believe I have the gift of tongues. I have prayed in the Spirit till it was natural.

You learn how to ride a bike and then you keep practicing until it becomes natural. I am not saying practicing speaking in tongues. I am saying practicing letting the Lord overwhelm you on a regular basis. :nod

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

Respectfully, I disagree with where your post ultimately will lead people-- a place where they will spontaneously speak in tongues while waiting in line at McDonald's and think they are being moved on by the Holy Spirit.

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I respectfully disagree with you my friend. The Spirit is subject unto the prophets. The same thing goes with the use of tongues. I speak in tongues. I have control.

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

Who spoke? Those that were filled with the Holy Ghost. But and this is a huge BUT the Spirit gave them the utterance. The Spirit told them what to say.

It's like I am a DJ with a radio. The tongues are the song coming form the radio station which is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is sending me the message 24/7. It is just will I turn on the radio or keep it tuned out.

No offense to anyone here. But if you do not feel natural or normal or have problems speaking in tongues then you NEED to speak in tongues MORE!!!

Speaking in tongues should be as natural as taking a walk with a friend. :thumbsup

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

Exactly, the tongues is in control of the speaker.

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

Amen to D4L. In my estimation, the reason some folks don't speak in tongues is really simple, speaking in tongues is a Spiritual experience.

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

Thank you :happydance

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Indeed. And so I continue. I have seen on a video that it touches part of the brain that normal prayer and meditation don't.

My theory is that there are two types 1. God given and 2. Self induced trance. I try to stay away from the self-induced trance that I think many do in P churches. I can feel when I cross over (so I believe). But I do agree that in fact what you say above is a possibility as well. Whatever....it works...

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

I feel that you can get so used to speaking in the tongue you're familiar with that it can be a "put-on" and not necessarily a "come-on." I've prayed in the past for the Lord to change my tongue so that it wasn't a comfortable self-edification thing or a rut. He responded by changing my tongue/holy dialect.

In a worship setting at church I am lead to control it because of what Paul explains in Corinthians. In a private session, I'll allow it to happen in a more fluid act so that the spirit can make intercession for me. However, should I feel in a corporate church setting that it was the gift of tongues (requiring an interpretation) I would not tame the Spirit. I've just never experienced the "gift of tongues" and thus never spoke in tongues with great volume/boldness over others in a church setting.

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

I want to make sure we are talking about the same thing.

The people that can be in the middle of a conversation with you about something not spiritual at all and then LITERALLY the next second can be speaking in tongues, as if the Holy Spirit is giving the utterance-- Do you agree with this practice? Do you think this is a legitimate exercise of one of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit?

Not just you, but anyone else who wants to chime in-- do you think it is "of God" to spontaneously break into tongues at the drop of a dime, regardless of the situation, circumstance, conversation at hand?

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

While I want to be extremely careful on this subject becuase I don't want to speak against a legitimate moving of the Holy Spirit, I have seen people and been around people who LITERALLY break into tongues in the middle of whatever is going on and it is THAT SPECIFIC PRACTICE that I have a problem with.

It seems to me that everyone here is ok when that happens-- I'm not. I am very doubtful of the Holy Spirit's involvement in such exercises.

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

NO NO NO! Oh sorry I will stop shouting. :heeheehee

Paul warned us that it is better to speak in a known tongue and say three words than to rattle on for hours saying nothing.

Maybe I didn't explain myself in the best way. I had trouble receiving the HG. After I received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit it was hard for me to speak in tongues for awhile. I kept seeking the Lord but it did not come naturally. So to fix this I did this

-kept my mind on the Lord and always asked myself if what I was doing or saying would be pleasing to the Lord.

-did my very best to show the fruits of the spirit in my life.

-seek for an infilling of the spirit on a daily basis (not just speaking in tongues but a true filling of myself with the Lord's spirit)

This really helped out. I felt much closer to the Lord. Six months later it seemed I could speak in tongues much easier. When you spend time with the Lord (living in the spirit world) it is much easier to receive him and his spirit.

Oh wait I know what you are talking about. When I first got in church I heard really old people that would say La la La la over and over or Ya ya Ya ya again and again. I am not saying they were not speaking in tongues. I just figured they never seeked long enough to get a whole sentence out.

Anyway saying I can speak in tongues on command was probably a bad way of saying it. I have to stop talking English. Seek the Lord in prayer. Tell the Lord I humble myself and I want him to fill me with his spirit. So it probably takes me 30 seconds to a minute before I actually start speaking in tongues.

Anyway I am rattling on myself right now sorry. I love this subject. What was the question? oh yeah!

Everything should be done in decency and order. :thumbsup

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

I got you now. I agree with you. There is a time and place for everything. Paul set some guidelines for the use of tongues. I was trying to help anyone out that had problems speaking in tongues. My bad. I have heard of a person receiving the Baptism and then 40 years later never speaking in tongues their whole life. Sorry if I read this into your post. See my last post I hope it explains everything in a better way. :thumbsup

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

Ok. So we ARE on the same page.

I was thinking that all of AFF had gone charismatic!

Speaking of charismatic, my Pastor just recently called our church a "charismatic" church. I guess all Pentecostal churches are charismatic in some sense, but it was funny to hear him proudly declare our "charismatic-ness".

Re: Tongues...I Never Thought to Ask This...
 

Though it is far from the real meaning of the word, folks call a church charismatic when they lose clothing standards.

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That is the main thought behind the colloqualism, but I have also heard it used to describe any number of the "distasteful" things that Oneness Pentecostals criticize the other Pentecostals for-- to include speaking in tongues "on demand".