Well, I thought I'd kind of moved on from this speaking in tongues issue but I feel it is so misunderstood, abused and misused that it is hindering the true Gospel of Salvation that I must give you all available information. Be assured, I have tried to find any credible information that confirms this but it's not there. All I could find is personal blogs, websites or social media that "confirms" this but nowhere do I find this outside one particular group or denomination. Also, be aware that even Muslims and another "religion" also claims to have this gift of tongues. Just think about that for a minute. Also, I do not endorse him as a true man of God. I only shared this because of this particular video. I encourage you to do your own research to make the determination for yourself based on CREDIBLE information whether or not he is a false teacher/prophet. There seems to be many that believe him to be. However, I haven't seen it but nor have I studied him either. I've found my online ministers and too many opens you up to deception and confusion. Find a few you like and stick with them. This is my advice based on experience and being raised on a firm foundation. I don't have the time or desire to do your research and share what I feel is relevant to the church today and do my best to put ALL things inline with scripture. I'm human too and will get things wrong. I welcome all feedback as long as it's Godly and done in love and by the Bible.
Let me be clear on my thoughts on this. God can do whatever He wants and give any gift to whomever He pleases. I was a cessationist but I'm more of a partial cessationist now. I do believe that God uses us as vessels for healing, not like these fake healing services but anyone who is born again. No man has the power to heal, only God through the Holy Spirit. Even in Apostolic times, not all spoke in tongues and again (not to beat a dead horse) but it was ALWAYS A KNOWN LANGUAGE. Only once, in a metaphorical way, is the tongues of angels used by the Apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians 13. I also believe we are given gifts of the Spirit such as wisdom and knowledge, discerning Spirits BUT as the Spirit gives utterance. I don't believe we are able to heal like is taught. I believe we are able to be used by God to heal as clearly defined by the Canon of Scripture, the Word of God.
For example, I was praying and the more I prayed, the more powerful it became and I started praying for healing for my sister of terminal lung cancer. She'd just gotten her latest results and there wasn't a lot of positive changes. So I prayed and 3 months later, her CT scan showed no cancer in her body. Today, she is off therapy, cancer-free and the doctors have considered her healed. Did I heal her? Absolutely not but did God? I absolutely believe that He did. That cancer may have left her body that minute, I won't know this side but it's possible. I don't care either because by His grace and power she is healed today. Proof God hears our prayers and is working today, performing wonders. Also, I first prayed right after her diagnosis for Salvation for her and after her surgery, she called and told me she gave her life to Christ and is very active in church today and I see the fruits and the new birth in her. I'm sure many were praying for her too. I didn't lay hands on her as she is 800 miles away. God is good all the time and all the time, God is good.
I also had a strange experience of "healing" once but it wasn't human or even anything alive, including a plant. You're going to find it hard to believe but again, as always when this happens, I have a highly credible witness to it. I spilled a glass of tea all over my laptop and sure enough, I ruined it. We tried and tried for months to even get it to turn on and nothing. Eventually, it kinda became a personal joke between my David and me. We were having fun, teasing each other and talking about what a klutz I am, he picked up the laptop and said yeah, and here's proof. Now why I even did this, I don't know but I asked him to hand it to me. I prayed over it and asked God, if He be willing, to SHOW my David the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT by letting the laptop turn on. I hit the "on" button and even though we'd tried turning it on a few times 10 minutes earlier and nothing happened, right after that prayer, it turned on immediately and stayed on for about 10 minutes. Of course I was hoping it was "fixed" but that's not what I prayed for nor was it really what I wanted. The reason, while he was literally stunned and amazed, I asked Him to take it away is I wanted proof that it wasn't a fluke. We found a good repair business that was amazingly affordable and they fixed it. When David picked it up, the tech asked him if he was positive the computer turned on. He said it was so corroded that when he opened it up, the inner workings just fell out in pieces. It was nothing but rust and dust. David assured him it came on and he told him exactly what occurred. He told me all the computer tech could do was say "hmmm." That was the ONLY possible answer. Before we got it fixed, I tried on and off to turn it on and only if I prayed did it turn on and honestly, not every time I prayed did it come on. Most times in my heart, I didn't want it to. I desperately wanted David to KNOW it was impossible for that computer to have turned on so he'd know the power of the Holy Spirit of God Almighty. Now would God "heal" a material item? That was my biggest concern but ultimately I came to the conclusion that God does whatever it takes to show Himself to unbelievers or even believers who may have strayed away. Can I say for 100% certainty that God did this? No because I did not physically see Him do it but yet I felt Him. In the end, you either see the power of God or you're blinded to it. You decide by the preponderance of the evidence, the POWER of God, and the Word of God. All I know is I prayed and it came on. I prayed rightly and my motives were right. I was a bit amazed and stunned myself. That's not the first time He fixed my computer either and at the same time, an electrical outlet in the kitchen with an electrician who witnessed it. He can do ANYTHING.
I'm sharing this particular video on speaking in tongues NOT to disprove or prove it but because I've prayed the same prayer and asked the same question myself. Maybe you have to and this is to hopefully put this awesome gift given as a sign to the Jews in its proper Biblical perspective. Let's never teach any doctrine that hinders the Gospel or prevents someone from accepting it and then feeling they are not truly saved, even though they are, because they aren't given this gift. Also, those who believe they speak in tongues, from my experience, never tell a new Christian that their loved ones is in hell (or going there) because they didn't speak in tongues. That is cruel. It's prideful, boastful and goes against the clear teachings of the Christ Jesus. YOU ARE NOT THEIR JUDGE and you literally broke my heart and caused me so much emotional and Spiritual pain that I abandoned all physical churches and honestly, I cannot find one anywhere that preaches the Bible in truth, the RIGHT Gospel of Salvation and/or that hasn't compromised to suit the world. The closest is 3 hours from me. They told me not to even try. I find that the saddest news I've heard. The physical churches and pastors need to get back to the Bible and do what is right and feed their flock. God bless and do not hinder or dictate to another how the Holy Spirit will work in their life because that's like saying you have the power and knowledge of God. Isn't that why the world is in the mess it's in today? Eating of the tree of good and evil and desiring the knowledge of God? I love you and pray for you. Let's put this doctrine to rest finally by not what man claims but what God says. I've heard this done properly one time in my life so I don't disbelieve it, I just don't accept the way it is done in some churches today. I also challenge you to find any credible resource that teaches this outside the Pentacostal and its offshoots and upholds it.
THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION BY GRACE ALONE, FAITH ALONE, CHRIST ALONE
First Corinthians 15:1-11
Ephesians 2:8-9
John 3:16-17
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