During the Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled The gifts of the Holy Spirit (3)/ Her main scriptures were taken from the Books 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 13:1-13; 14:1-25; Genesis 40.

THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – INTRODUCTION

These gifts are special supernatural abilities given by God, the Holy Spirit. They are royal family gifts. By using them we resemble Jesus and God, our Father. They are a witness that our salvation is supernatural. These abilities are not natural. The Christian is not born with them. They are not gained thru the study of the Bible or education in general. A pastor or an elder can pray and lay hands on a believer who desires gifts. But no man can give these gifts. They manifest the atmosphere of heaven on earth. These are Grace-Gifts. In Greek, the word ‘gifts’ is ‘charismata’. The word ‘charis’ means Grace. These gifts are not rewards for labor and are not merited. They are free gifts from King Grace! The Holy Spirit is sovereign in distributing these gifts. He gives them according to His will and depending on the need in the local church. God can give them to baby Christians or to the mature ones! The gifts give glory to God! They increase the unity of the Body and the manifestation of miracles.

THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – 1 Corinthians 12 (continued…)

*Each believer has at least one gift of the Holy Spirit. It is his responsibility to identify it and use it for God’s glory and for the good of the Body. Once you receive God’s gift, God expects you to use it. You need to increase your skill in using it. The more is given; the more is expected. “To whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more” (Lk 12:48). The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not luxury, nor decorations. They are tools, weapons, and powers from God to be used in ministry! If you receive a gift from God and you are not using it, God will call you to account. God will not withdraw that gift. “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [for God does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call]” (Rom 11:29. AMP). Take responsibility for your gift!

*The spiritual gifts are to be desired and prayed for. When you see a need in the church, and you desire to help, pray that God will give you His gift so that you don’t use your natural resources, but God’s power. All gifts are not the same in value and visibility. But God is one! And the Body is one! Do not be angry, envious or despise another’ gifts. Be grateful to God for what you have received and use that gift! To refuse to use what you have, and coveting what you do not have, that is sin! All believers, no matter your gifts, must care for one another! Selah!

*The greatest gift of all is the Agape Love of God. Love is a gift, a fruit, and a way of life. It is the basis for all success in ministry when using any other gift! “But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Cor 12: 31; 13:1-3). Without the gift of love, no other gift works well. “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy” (1 Cor 14:1).

*The gifts of the Holy Spirit are given for the strengthening and the unity of the Body of Christ. The manifestation of the gifts produces miracles. It is a pity that many believers are ignorant, and many churches quarrel over these gifts. Many churches have divided because of disagreement about the role of these gifts, especially the gift of tongues. We are to desire the greater gifts so that the whole church will benefit, and not only ourselves. Pray with faith. If God gives to you the gift you asked, thank Him! If not, still thank Him! God is sovereign!

THE GIFT OF TONGUES

“to another different kinds of tongues…” (1 Cor 12:19)

The gift of tongues is defined as supernatural utterance of the Holy Spirit in a language that is unknown to the speaker.

*The gift of tongues is similar to the gift of prophecy, but it is spoken in a language not learned by the speaker, and not understood by his mind. Most of the time, even the hearers do not understand the tongues, except somebody with the gift of interpretation of tongues interprets the message. The devil does not understand the message spoken in tongues, but God understands it. After a session of speaking in tongues, the believer feels like he has prayed through! He feels stronger spiritually.

*Speaking in tongues, like all other gifts of the Holy Spirit, is supernatural. It is a miracle. It is not a miracle of revelation of the Word but a vocal miracle. It is a miracle of prayer and worship. If interpreted, it is a prophetic word to the church.

*All people who do not believe in miracles hate this gift and mock it.

*The gift of tongues and the sister gift of interpretation of tongues are the least of all gifts. This is because it helps only the speakers and not the whole Body. They are more common than all other gifts. They are vocal gifts. They cannot be hidden. They are evident to all in the church.

*This gift is most misunderstood by many people. Christians have separated into denominations based on their understanding of this gift.

*The devil has attacked the gift of prophecy and tongues more than all other gifts.

*Like with prophecy, God takes control of the mouth of the believer and speaks thru him. The mind is passive. The mind does not understand what the mouth is saying. But the human spirit is edified and comforted.

*Jesus confirmed the gift of speaking in tongues. He said that it is a sign of faith in Him. Unbelief and hardness of heart are stumbling blocks to any gift including speaking in tongues. “Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 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” (Mk 16:14-18).

*Tongues is a Worship/prayer language. We must worship God in Spirit and in Truth.  Tongues are like drinking wine. On the Day of Pentecost, the people thought that the worshippers were drunk with wine. Baptism with the Holy Spirit has a similar effect. It makes people joyful and strong. “But the vine said to them, ‘Should I cease my new wine, Which cheers both God and men, And go to sway over trees?” (Jdg 9:13).

*Generally, speaking in tongues should be limited to personal worship language at home or in groups of friends where all understand this gift. 

*God does not force anyone to pray in tongues. Like with any gift, you need to seek it, to desire it. The Holy Spirit brings it to your heart and your mouth, but you need to welcome it and use your mouth to speak it out.

*Tongues are a special intimate communication between the believer’s spirit and God. Praying in tongues edifies the believer!

“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. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself” (1 Cor 14:2-4)

Salvation is a miracle. Often, the believer finds it hard to pray. He is in love with Jesus, but he cannot find the right words to express his love in prayer or in worship. It is this holy frustration that brings him to the place where he is filled with the Holy Spirit. The first filling is called ‘the baptism with the Holy Spirit’. Suddenly, the fountain of the deep floods his soul. He feels strong, one with His Lover. At that time, the usual words in a known tongue were just useless to express newfound love. Speaking in tongues is a natural way of expressing the deep love within. All men become romantic poets when baptized with the Holy Spirit. “Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me” (Ps 42:7). Tongues, therefore, are the vocal expression, mysteries spoken by a heart deeply in love with Jesus.

Like the gift of prophecy edifies the church, speaking in tongues edifies the individual believer. The word edifies’ means to build a strong house. Tongues work like an injection of strength in situation of trials that weaken the spirit of man. The strength is a sign that God is pleased when we make time to pray in tongues, to God who alone understands our hearts.

*Apostle Paul prayed in tongues more often than other people. This is not surprising for he suffered more than many others. This is his testimony of Grace actively working in his spirit during trials. “He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:8-10). This mighty mysterious exchange happens when you pray in tongues. The power of resurrection changes the picture and the weak becomes strong. Praying in tongues is like a river suddenly springing out in the desert. “Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field will honor Me, The jackals, and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen. This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise” (Is 43:19-21). This is God’s promise to do the impossible, to make rivers in the desert, so that the animals will be happy and praise Him. Praying in tongues has the same effect. It feels like a thirsty dying man who drinks water. He suddenly feels strength coming into his body. He knows that he will not die but live and declare the works of the Lord!

*Do not ignore the power of tongues to edify the believer. You can edify the church through preaching, teaching, and prophesying. But you have to learn to edify yourself, thru the study of God’s word, and praying in tongues.  For example, David knew how to strengthen himself in the Lord. “Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God” (1 Sam 30:6). In Hebrew, the word ‘strengthen’ means to bind himself to the Lord, to restrain and conquer his fears and weaknesses; until he become strong by God’s power. It means that David found courage in weakness and encouraged himself. This is the work of Grace found in Christ alone. Praying in tongues strengthens the believer.

*Some people say that God sent the tongues so that we can use them to evangelize the unbelievers. They say that at Pentecost, Peter and the other believers spoke in tongues and the people understood what was spoken. But in the History of the church, tongues have not been used to preach the Gospel to foreigners. Peter himself, after speaking in tongues, preached his first sermon in Aramaic, the language most Jews spoke at that time. He did not preach Christ in tongues. The believers declared in “tongues the wonderful works of God”. In other words, they were worshipping God in tongues. This attracted the attention of people and they gathered to see this new behavior. But when Peter preached to them, he preached in Aramaic. 

*Tongues are like prophecy but spoken in an unknown tongue. Its origin is not in the human will. It is not a human choice. “Prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet 1:21). The believers praying in tongues did not say what they like. Tongues are a gift of God the Holy Spirit. Its origin is heaven. Men speak as ‘moved’ by the Holy Spirit. In Greek, the word ‘moved’ means to carry along, to lead, or to bear. Prophecy and tongues come from the Holy Spirit who moves on. They are a sign that the believer is making spiritual progress that is evident to all.

*Tongues are a sign to the unbelievers. The unbeliever is shocked to hear a man speaks like a baby, in a language that is mysterious and strange. The unbeliever may mock the believer, but he cannot avoid feeling that this is God working in the believer. It surely attracts attention to the unbeliever like the burning bush attracted Moses to go closer, until God spoke from the fire.

*For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding” (1 Cor 14:14, 15).

When you pray in tongues, your spirit prays but your mind, your understanding is passive. It is ‘unfruitful’. You cannot pray in the Spirit except you pray in tongues. You must pray or worship in both ways: with your mind and with your spirit. Each form of prayer has its own function. Praying and singing only in a known tongue will limit your expression. Praying and singing only in tongues is also not spiritually healthy. You must combine these two for the best effects to you and to others. 

*Singing spiritual songs in your heart is done mostly in tongues. ”Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God” (Eph 5:18-21). When you are filled with the Holy Spirit your heart and speech changes. You speak and sing spiritual songs. You become extremely grateful to God. You become humble and submitting to others.

*Praying in tongues is also called praying in the Spirit. “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. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom 8:26, 27). The Holy Spirit helps us because we are weak and do not know what to pray about. These groanings of the Holy Spirit in the believer who prays are almost always expressed as tongues.

One of the curses of disobedience is to be conquered by a nation whose speech you do not understand. That is why to an unbeliever, tongues remind him of war, of the killing of the elderly, and the children; tongues are a spiritual sign of poverty and failure. “The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand, a nation of fierce countenance, which does not respect the elderly nor show favor to the young. And they shall eat the increase of your livestock and the produce of your land, until you are destroyed; they shall not leave you grain or new wine or oil, or the increase of your cattle or the offspring of your flocks, until they have destroyed you” (Deut 28:49-51). To an unbeliever tongues remind him of exile, suffering, and poverty.

When used in public, in the church, The gift of tongues should be regulated. It has the same value as the gift of prophecy. It truly edifies and strengthens the church. But tongues must be interpreted. If there is no one with a gift of interpretation of tongues, the believer who speaks in tongues should keep silent. But when used in your private worship with God, tongues do not need an interpretation.

“Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues” (1 Cor 14:39). We are commanded to preach the Word. We are encouraged to desire to prophesy. But with tongues, we are not to forbid them. Many speak in tongues during the time they got baptized with the Holy Spirit. After that, they stop speaking in tongues. Many feel shy about tongues in public. Some have mocked them, and they have been hurt. But we are commanded not to forbid, hinder, or prevent speaking in tongues. Tongues require self-control. If the conditions are fulfilled, praying in tongues is good. Everything must be done in order and peace must reign in the assembly.

TONGUES ARE A SIGN OF BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

When receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit most believers manifest that holy experience with the gift of tongues. It is the only gift that proves the baptism of the Holy Spirit Note that not all believers manifest the baptism of the Holy Spirit by speaking in tongues. In the early church, any believer who spoke in tongues, all knew that he has received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. It should be the same now, but the devil has corrupted this beautiful gift and there are many false brethren who speak in false tongues. The following are some examples of baptism of the Holy Spirit manifested as speaking in tongues:

At Pentecost, the believers spoke with new tongues and people laughed at them saying, ‘what could this mean’?

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance… And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? …  Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine” (Ac 2:1-12)

About ten years later, when Peter went to the house of Cornelius, the new Gentile converts, received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and they began to speak in tongues and magnify, praising God. “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God” (Ac 10:44-46). Tongues are a worship language used to ‘magnify God’. The words ‘to magnify God’ means to enlarge, to increase, to extol or make God great. This was a great audible miracle because these people were Gentiles. They did not know the Old Testament psalms. But suddenly, they were openly praising Jehovah God with tongues and with words of exalted praise.

When Paul went to visit the brethren at Ephesus, he prayed for them and laid his hands on them to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. They spoke in tongues, and they prophesied (in a known tongue). “Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So, they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So, they said, “Into John’s baptism.” Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied” (Ac 19:1-6)

*The scripture about tongues that Paul quotes in 1 Corinthians 14:21 is taken from the book of Isaiah. “For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, To whom He said, “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” and, “This is the refreshing”; Yet they would not hear” (Is 28:11, 12). God says that the people of Israel have rejected the ‘refreshing’ message of His prophets. For doing that, God sent them into exile where they will hear orders given into an unknown speech, which is the Babylonian language. They do not understand the foreign language of their conquerors. They suffer punishment through people who speak ‘in tongues’. Paul compares God’s judgment of His people and their painful exile to Babylon, to speaking in tongues. Each time an unbeliever hears a believer praying in tongues, he will not think of heavenly things. He will think of God’s judgment, like living in a land where he is a foreigner among foreigners. Symbolically, to an unbeliever, tongues is the language of a man without God, without family or friends. He will panic and reject the tongues. Only a believer will appreciate and receive the gift of tongues of the Holy Spirit.

THE INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES

“… to another the interpretation of tongues…” (1 Cor 12:10).

The gift of interpretation of tongues is the supernatural ability given by the Holy Spirit to understand a language that you have not learned.

Some people know more than one language. They can translate from English to French, for example. That is not the gift of interpretation of tongues. This gift is not a translation from one known language to another. It is not a gift of translation word for word. It is a gift of interpretation of tongues. Speaking in tongues is a miracle. The interpretation of tongues is also a miracle. Both are utterances coming from the Holy Spirit and using the mouth of the speakers. Their minds are passive. These gifts are connected but they come separately. Not every tongue has an interpretation. The gift of interpretation of tongues is necessary only when the believer speaks in tongues in a church, or in a prayer meeting. The purpose is so that the church is edified. Praying privately in tongues does not need interpretation. The individual believer is edified even if he does not understand what he is saying.  

*In Greek, the word ‘interpretation’ also means ‘explanation’. An interpretation is a declaration of the meaning of something. It means to clarify something that is hidden. It is not a word for word translation. The interpreter has more freedom to use his own words to describe the meaning of the message in tongues. He can even interpret it through proverbs, poems, or songs. Tongues is like instrumental music. Interpretation is adding words to the music. Together, the instruments and the voices make a beautiful worship song.     

*To Interpret tongues is to explain mysteries. Tongues are received from God. They are a ‘vertical’ divine gift. No man understands the conversation in tongues between the believer and his God. The interpreter of tongues must also be a believer who has access to God’s presence. He receives the interpretation from the author of tongues. Then he can tell people what God speaks thru the message in tongues. 

*Tongues and interpretation are twins. They can live separately but they work better together. They are divine gifts of the Holy Spirit. They bring the atmosphere of heaven down to earth. They should not be despised or ignored. They should be desired and prayed for. It is our duty and responsibility to pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These gifts are not for fame or fortune. We are not to become selfish with our gifts. They edify the church and prepare the way for revival. We should not be shy in speaking out, through tongues, interpretation of tongues, or prophecy. “6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Tim 1:6,7). In Greek, the word ‘stir up’ means to rekindle a fire that is dying down. God gave the fire! It is our duty to keep it burning stronger!

*God conceals and God reveals. “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter… God is praised for being mysterious; rulers are praised for explaining mysteries” (PV 25:2; NKJ, CEV). In Hebrew, the word ‘glory’ is ‘kabod’. It means the heaviness, and the splendor of God. God is all powerful and mysterious. Man cannot totally know God. To whom God reveals a little from His riches of glory, that man becomes a royal priest in Christ. Men discover that they are too little in the presence of God. They need to humble themselves because they are totally depended on God. This humility is the result of God’s hiding Himself. Overfamiliarity with God is sin. His mysterious power and grace increase God’s glory. That is why we worship Elohim, God. The kings ‘search out matters, understand and explain mysteries so that they rule over men with wisdom and justice. Men are happy when their rulers fear God, are wise, faithful, and protect them from enemies. The wisdom and the discerning of the good kings increase their honor. This honor is God’s gift to them and to the people under them.   

No man can know God without God’s help and revelation. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deut 29:29). God hides Himself by His glory. No man can see God and live. The prophet exclaimed: “Truly You are God, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior!” (Is 45:15). God cannot be discovered by man, no matter how intelligent man is. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Rom 11:33).

*Some people ask, if God sends a message in tongues to the church, and another interprets it, the result is the same as a prophesy. Why does God not just give a gift of prophecy to one believer? That will simplify the matter. First, I am not God. I do not know why God decided to give these different gifts. But my personal opinion is to speak a prophetic word in public requires greater faith and more courage. God warned His prophets not to draw back from prophesying exactly what He is saying. By giving the same message in tongues, the speaker does not know the gravity of the message. And the interpreter may ‘blame’ the speaker for the ‘strong word’. In this way, God can warn, discipline, and say any difficult word even thru immature believers who are shy to speak in public. God’s wisdom is unsearchable! To Him be all the glory!   

HOW DOES THE DEVIL ATTACK THE GIFT OF TONGUES AND INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES?

There are various ways in which Satan works. Generally, he attacks believers when he thinks it will be to his advantage. This includes the time after a great spiritual experience, or right before someone is going to begin a new spiritual venture. He also attacks when believers are weak and vulnerable, either physically and/or mentally. Satan also likes to attack believers when they are alone. The devil attacks the gift of tongues through ignorance or confusion of their value and power. The devil also gives a counterfeit gift of tongues to his agents. If a believer imitates that fake gift, he may speak in tongues, but his tongues do not edify anyone. This is a practical test, if after a session of praying in tongues you do not feel stronger, then it was fake tongues. Just religious drama!  Remember this: true tongues always strengthen you spiritually!

The devil attacks the believers with selfishness and pride. The believer speaks in tongues to attract attention from others. Remember that these gifts are from God, given to strengthen and edify all the believers in a local church. These gifts are not a reward for labor, they are gifts of grace. These gifts do not prove that God has approved your ministry. They are not given to make money or fame. They are gifts given to God’s servants! We are to serve God and the Body of Christ with our gifts. Reject ignorance, confusion, pride, doubt, and selfish ambition! Watch and pray! God will help us stay humble, faithful, and useful to Him!  

MY TESTIMONY

I was saved in March 1986, and Spirit filled a month later. Because I did not attend a church and did not know the Bible, I had no idea that there are gifts of the Holy Spirit. I have not heard of tongues until about 5 years later. I did not understand the gift. I thought that I did not need it. Slowly, the Holy Spirit helped me to see its value. I prayed for it. It did not come immediately. I had to cooperate with the prayer request and truly desire it in my heart. I also needed to surrender my mouth and tongue to God and have faith that He will take control and use it. I did that. Then tongues came. I did not understand what I said, but I felt good, happy, and spiritually stronger. I now pray in tongues and in English about 50-50. When I feel like praying, when the push to pray comes on me, but I do not know what to pray for, I pray in tongues. I continue to pray until I feel the burden has left me. If I did not have the access to the gift of tongues, I will feel very uncomfortable and frustrated, like a man who is constipated (sorry for the example, but as a medical doctor, it is the best I have). Each time I pray in tongues, I forget people and I feel closer to God. It is not a show for men to see and admire. It is an intimate language of love between Jesus and me. I love it! To God be all the glory!

THE CURSE OF BABEL (Genesis 11)

When God made Adam and Eve, He gave them a heavenly language. Even after they had to leave the Garden of Eden, Adam carried with him the language God gave to him. This was the only language humanity used until the Tower of Babel. At that time, men wanted to gather in an unholy unity to rebel against God. The fact that they spoke only one language helped them to gather together. The heavenly language God gave Adam became the source of man’s strength to fight against God. God came down to see what men were doing. He did not destroy the tower. God destroyed the language that kept them together. Men started speaking many languages and could not understand one another again. There are about 7000 languages in the world today. These many languages separate men from one another. At Pentecost, with the birth of the Church, God restored the heavenly language He gave to Adam. That language is the gift of speaking in tongues. This gift unites the believers. God can trust His children with His heavenly language once more. Believers now understand one another in the Spirit. Tongues, therefore, are a blessing to the church, the reversal of the curse of Babel. Praise the Lord!

JOSEPH THE INTERPRETER (Genesis 40)

“And they said to him, “We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.” So, Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please” (Gen 40:8).

Joseph was a dreamer and an interpreter of dreams. These gifts are similar with the gifts of tongues and interpretation of tongues. 

Read Genesis 40. We find Joseph in prison. He interprets the dreams of two royal servants. This chapter about dream interpretation seems long. We feel like we do not need it. But God appears here in the center of the chapter. It gives us a glimpse of a true believer living in hard times, but faithful to God and to God’s gift to him. The last time Joseph interpreted dreams it ended in painful rejection and hatred from his brothers. Will Joseph talk about dreams again? Yes! Joseph has forgiven his brothers. He believes that he has a responsibility to stir his prophetic gift of interpreting dreams to men.

Joseph was a gifted man. He was also a faithful man. God gave him dreams and the gift to interpret dreams. As a young man, Joseph had two dreams in which his family was bowing to him. His brothers hated him because their father Jacob loved him more. They also hated him for his dreams and for the interpretation of his dreams. They sold him to Egypt as a slave. He was innocent of Potiphar’s wife’s accusations, but he was put in prison. The prison officer saw that Joseph was gifted in administration and put him in charge of the welfare of the king’s prisoners. Two of Pharoah’s personal servants, the baker, and the cup bearer, offended their master and were thrown into prison. These two men were not ordinary servants. They were high rank personal servants to Pharoah. They each had a dream. They were worried that in prison there was none who could interpret dreams. Interpretation of dreams was the unique work of the magicians at the royal court. Only the king could use them for his personal spiritual needs. But Joseph, a prisoner like them, interpreted their dreams accurately. In three days, both their heads ‘were lifted up’. The cup bearer was reinstated back to his position. The baker was hung and died. happened as Joseph said.

Two years later, Pharaoh had two dreams and no magician could interpret them. The cup bearer remembers Joseph and recommends him to Pharoah. Joseph’s gift of interpretation brings him before the king. He was faithful to stir his gift even when forgotten by men. Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharoah and gave advice how to protect Egypt from the coming famine. None was wiser or more discerning than Joseph. Pharoah promoted him to be the Prime Minister of Egypt. Thru his wisdom, faithfulness to Jehovah God, and to application of his spiritual gifts, Joseph saves Egypt from destruction and his family from death.

Lesson from Joseph: Joseph helped the cup bearer when he was in trouble. But the cup bearer forgot Joseph. Ingratitude is sin. Be humble, and faithful to God! Never forget ‘God factor’. God speaks to men thru His Word, thru dreams, prophesies, or tongues. God gives men the gift of interpretation of dreams, prophesies, or tongues. Joseph was a man of faith and noble character. His gift of interpretation of dreams may seem like a small gift but it brought him before great men. Joseph told them that only Jehovah God can speak and interpret dreams to men. None in Pharoah’s palace could claim such a thing. These gifts are not for sale. But using them faithfully God will open the door for your promotion. Joseph’s gifts could not be used by him. Joseph sees the future of these two men. It is clear to him. But he cannot see his own future. For 13 years Joseph waited in slavery and imprisonment. The man of God knows only what God wants to reveal not what he wants to know! Even when the interpretation is good or bad, Joseph is a faithful interpreter. Lesson: be faithful to God’s Word and vision for your life. Stir the gift that is in you. In God’s time, the gift will make room for you to meet your destiny helper. “A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men” (PV 18:16).

The test of obscurity: lessons: God is with you and will not forsake you. Even when men forget you, God will not forget you! How is God showing mercy to Joseph? Potiphar put Joseph in the special side of the prison where the king’s prisoners were. There are times when it seems that we are forgotten by God and man. But God does not forget. True success is not a matter of where you are. True success is a matter if God is with you. God’s blessing is not always connected with pleasant circumstances. You must pass the test of obscurity. All people that God used in the Bible have learned to pass this test. Look at Moses, David, Apostle Paul, and others. Jesus lived in obscurity for 30 years before He started His public ministry. Serve God without self-pity. God blesses us with times of obscurity. The character is prepared in the desert. Serve God always. Be faithful to God to the end! Your hope must be in God alone! God’s Word tests us in obscurity! Your labor for God is never in vain!

“He sent a man before them— Joseph—who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, he was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the Lord tested him. The king sent and released him, The ruler of the people let him go free. He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his possessions, To bind his princes at his pleasure, and teach his elders wisdom” (Ps 105:17-22).

Worship the Lord!