The Source

1 Corinthians 12:^4&11 “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all… It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.”

The Holy Spirit is a Person, and He comes bearing gifts. One of the gifts that The Holy Spirit comes bearing is the gift of tongues. The Word of God says in Mark 16:^17-18 “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 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.” (KJV). These signs will follow who? Does the Bible say a few of those that believe? No, the Bible says them (all of them) that believe. The Holy Spirit is available to every believer. One of the signs is to speak with other tongues.

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.” (KJV, emphasis added). So, if you will receive the Holy Spirit, you can receive the grace to speak with other tongues regardless of how you have thought of Him before now. You can take out your bias and receive the grace to speak with other tongues. The Holy Spirit can empower you that way. Some of you are asking, can’t you have the Holy Spirit without speaking in tongues? I do not intend to enter into a theological debate. However, one thing I can say to you is, if check in the Book of Acts of the Apostles, everywhere there was baptism in The Holy Spirit, there was speaking in other tongues. Either the tongues of men of other cultures or the heavenly tongues not understood by men.

Every time there was baptism of the Holy Spirit, there was speaking in other tongues. When Apostle Paul was baptized in The Holy Ghost was the only time it was not recorded that he spoke in other tongues. But Paul himself later said to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 14:¹⁸ “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all.” (NKJV). So, even though it was not recorded that he spoke in tongues when he was baptized in the Holy Spirit. Paul himself wrote about speaking in tongues even more than the entire church in Corinth. Everywhere there is baptism of the Holy Spirit, there is speaking in other tongues.

Paul saw some disciples (Acts 19:1-6) and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” … “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” (Acts 19:2). So, it is possible to be following God, heaven bound no doubt, but not engage or encounter the Holy Spirit. Acts 19:⁶ “Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.”

Prayer: Father, baptize me with the Holy Spirit and with power, in Jesus Name. Amen!