Speaking in tongues is a wonderful mystery of God. It is a sign that follows believers, according to the word in Mark 16: 17-18, "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.” So today, as a people who are like the sons of Isaachar (who, in the bible, tried to understand the mysteries of God by all means) we put our heads together and discussed about the mysteries of "speaking in tongues." God's wisdom was seen, and we really learnt a lot of new information. It was a beautiful experience.

Introduction:
Speaking in tongues was first seen on the day of Pentecost, in Acts chapter 2, where the Holy Spirit came down and each man began to speak in tongues of other nations. Those who were passing by began to hear their languages spoken, and they understood the words that God was saying to them in their own LANGUAGE, and they were stupified. On that beautiful day, THREE THOUSAND SOULS gave their lives to Christ, because they received the word of God and they believed. After that, they were baptized. After studying more of the word of God, it also shows that speaking in tongues does not have to be a language that is spoken on earth (it is a heavenly language just like 1 corinthians 14:2 says that "For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries," and also Romans 8:26 backs this up by saying that you can speak in tongues in 'groanings that cannot be understood'; therefore, speaking in tongues is also multi-dimensional, and it can come in several different ways. God cannot be placed in a box.

Question #1: We have all heard that speaking in tongues is 'communication with God,' but when we pray with ordinary words, aren't we already communicating with God?

Speaking in tongues does not erase the fact that we cannot communicate with God in ordinary language (e.g. English). Speaking in tongues is another means of communication where our spirits communicate with God's Spirit.
* Read 1 corinthians 14: 1-21. Short summary: He who speaks in tongues does not communicate with man but with God (this means that speaking in tongues is more for the edification of your spirit; it is a process wherein our spirits communicate with God's Spirit, and in this process our SPIRITS are edified). It is good to speak in tongues, but this passage talks about the fact that when you speak in tongues in a PUBLIC setting like a church, there should be the necessary interpretation to follow, that the CHURCH may receive EDIFICATION. If there is no interpretation after the speaking of tongues in a public setting, then it isn't useful because it does not edify the congregation. When people stand up in church and they start speaking in tongues, it does not edify the church (if there is no interpretation). But if you continue studying the word further, Paul also talks about the fact that you should not prevent such ones from speaking in tongues publicly. But if a person can avoid it, then it is better to avoid it because it does not edify anyone else in a public setting except oneself, unless there is the gift of INTERPRETATION to go along with it. This interpretation can either come from the person who spoke in tongues, or from someone else.

Question #2: Is speaking in tongues a gift that only certain people have? Or must every born-again child of God have this gift?
1 corinthians 12 talks about the fact that 'speaking in tongues' is a gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit decides who is worthy of receiving such a gift. The fact that the Holy Spirit bestows this gift on certain people does not mean that EVERYONE cannot seek this gift. The scripture talks about how we should ALL seek good gifts from God, (1 Corinthians 12:31 " But earnestly desire the best gifts), and speaking in tongues is one of such gifts that we CAN seek if we desire it.

Rinsola's testimony: I tried speaking in tongues by my own self and it would not flow. But when God was ready to give me this gift I started speaking in tongues and I just could not stop. I knew that something had come upon me. Speaking in tongues is not just an ordinary gift, usually from my experience God causes a person to speak in tongues when He needs to send a warning to a body of people or to a single person, usually the interpretation may come on the same day, or later in the week. But from my experience, because God wants to communicate with someone, there must be an interpretation from God. When God has a word for you, there will be an interpretation.
1 corinthians 4:22: Tongues is not a sign for believers, but for unbelievers to know that the presence of God has descended upon a particular people in a particular place. In Acts chapter 2, when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples and they began to speak in different tongues, it was a sign to unbelievers that passed by that something out of the ordinary was happening.

Question #3: when I am having my quiet time and I am praying and then I start speaking in tongues, when God wants to speak to me, how do I know and understand what God's spirit is saying to me? Is it that when I speak in tongues, the spirit knows what I am praying for and He is interceding for me, in other words does speaking in tongues help us not to pray amiss?

When you are speaking in tongues, your spirit is communicating with God. Speaking in tongues is BUILDING UP YOUR SPIRIT (1 corinthians 14:4 uses the phrase, "He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself"). According to the dictionary, to "edify" means to INSTRUCT (when speaking in tongues, your spirit is being instructed. Instructions come from the word of God, and the bible also says that it is the Holy Spirit brings the Word into your remembrance ~ John 14:26); To edify also means "to BUILD up": when you are being 'built up' by the Holy Spirit you feel very energetic (think of muscle training exercises that build up your muscles), and at this point you feel like you can speak into any mountain and command it to be thrown into the sea, and it will. To edify also means, 'to STRENGTHEN one's self.'

Therefore, the manifestations of the Holy Spirit are diverse and cannot be placed in a box. It may or may not come with an interpretation. Speaking in tongues is also a sign that the Holy Spirit has manifested (Mark 16:17: "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;"). Speaking in tongues is a sign that follows believers.

When speaking in tongues in church, there should be an interpretation (according to 1 corinthians 14), but when you are having your personal time with God and you start communicating with God, speaking in tongues can produce an interpretation (you will know what God is trying to tell you), but also speaking in tongues also serves to build you up, strengthen you, and instruct you in the SPIRIT (so there may not be interpretation at that point, but God will still be building you up in your spirit).

Cherub (Bijou) explained that if God really has a Word for you, He will send you an interpretation, but if He just wants to build you up in the spirit, then He does not need to send you an interpretation. Sometimes we don't even know fully what we are supposed to pray for (according to Romans 8:26, "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered"), the Holy Spirit understands what you need and will communicate with God concerning that by helping you to speak in tongues.

Niyi's beautiful summary: God is SOVEREIGN, and no matter how much we try, unless God allows it we cannot attain anything by our own physical abilities; God is the One who ultimately determines what we attain, and He is also sovereign in the sense that He cannot be fully explained (He is omniscient "knowing all things") ~ Romans 9:16 says that "So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy."
Psalm 127:1 says,
"Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain."

Niyi and Diamond go on to give us a 'unified conclusion':

In conclusion, "Speaking in tongues is one of those dichotomies that cannot be fully explained, you cannot place God in a box. You can desire it and get it, but still you may not desire it but yet God will choose to bestow this wonderful gift into your life. It can go both ways and it is a mystery that we will keep learning more about as time goes on."

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