Tongues

Ministering: Oluwatobiloba Thompson

Date: 3rd April 2023

Topic: Eternal Life: The Aspect of Prayer III (Tongues)

We are welcome to Bible Study this evening. I pray that the word of God blesses you greatly and causes a manifestation of His power in Jesus’ name.

So, a quick recap of what we learned last week:

• We learned that the Kingdom of God is already in us by the Holy Spirit given to us.
• We also learned that the manifestation of the kingdom of God is largely dependent on the believer
• Also, the manifestation of the kingdom of God is the manifestation of His will
• Prayer is a major way through which the kingdom of God finds expression in us and through us.

We also found ourselves discussing the purpose of tongues, and with the aid of the Scriptures, we were able to see that it’s for personal edification.

Personal edification in the sense that it is you causing your spirit man to gain stature in the things of the Spirit, and an allowance to build you up according to His will.

Tonight, we’ll go deeper into Tongues and I desire that after tonight we’ll take praying especially in tongues very seriously.

As we all know, the Scriptures made us aware that the Grace of God in the Person of Jesus Christ, obtained salvation for ALL men.

So Titus says to us;

Titus 2:11 NKJV

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men

And to better understand the implication of this statement, we’ll give a definition of what grace means.

There have been very popular definitions of grace today, one of which is that “grace is undeserved favor”.

Personally, I don’t like using the term “underserved” because it just distracts my focus from God (this is a personal take o), but I’ll tell you how I define grace, of course with Scriptural proofs.

Grace is simply God’s empowerment upon man, if you are able to, crosscheck the use of grace in the New Testament…you’ll see that it always had to do with God empowering a man TO DO something. Then that means GRACE IS AN ACTION WORD.

A good example is this, by grace, we have been saved through faith abi? Do you know that if God didn’t impart faith to us by sending PREACHERS, we would never have been able to believe in the gospel?

So God EMPOWERED US to believe in the gospel sending PREACHERS to preach the word of faith, and even after hearing HE STILL EMPOWERS TO ACCEPT AND RECEIVE SALVATION.

Romans 10:14 NKJV

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

 

Romans 10:17 NKJV

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

I Corinthians 12:3 NKJV

Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and NO ONE CAN SAY THAT JESUS IS LORD EXCEPT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Do we see that it is all God’s empowerment from beginning to end? Let’s look at more Scriptures about the grace of God.

John 1:16 NKJV 
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

Why?? We are empowered by grace to LIVE A LIFE PLEASING TO GOD.

II Corinthians 12:9 NKJV

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”…

Apostle Paul asked that God deal with a certain weakness but God said I will rather EMPOWER YOU to live above the weakness.

Let’s take a look at one more Scripture:

Acts 4:33 NKJV

And with great power, the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.

Why was great grace upon them all??? Because by grace the Apostles were empowered to GIVE WITNESS TO THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS.

Even in real-time, watch how we use the grace of God.

“I’ll visit you by God’s grace”

“I’ll finish this project by God’s grace” etc…

You see that Grace is an EMPOWERING IMPARTATION GIVEN BY GOD.

If you keep looking at grace as undeserved favour, you’ll never take action and do anything for God, I tell you!

Can I shock you? Do you know that by the Spirit within you, you CAN OBTAIN GRACE WHENEVER YOU NEED IT?

Watch this:

II Peter 1:3 NKJV

“as HIS DIVINE POWER HAS GIVEN TO US ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO LIFE AND GODLINESS, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

God is no longer giving grace (as it were) because He has already given, now all we are doing by the Spirit is FINDING AND OBTAINING WHAT HE HAS GIVEN.

But FINDING happens by knowledge, that’s why Apostle Peter included THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS.

Follow me o.

Let’s see how Apostle Paul put his version:

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

I shall explain this one verse in clear terms;

“To come boldly” doesn’t mean you were outside o, it means to become CONSCIOUS of where you are and in this context, he says we are before the throne of Grace.

The throne of grace is not actually as a physical throne rather it is a figurative expression of a spirit, And that Spirit is Christ! It therefore means Christ is the throne of grace. “To obtain mercy” here means to RECEIVE THE LOVE OF GOD and we know that we received the love of God when we received salvation.

So Paul is not saying to ask for salvation again all over,

Rather he is saying, be conscious of the love of God you received in salvation so you don’t ever have to be ashamed in God. Okay?

Also Paul told us in Ephesians that WE ARE SEATED IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST, and if we are seated IN HIM, it therefore means, we are not before the throne of grace as it were rather WE ARE SEATED IN THE THRONE OF GRACE.

Paul is saying BE CONSCIOUS OF WHERE THE LOVE OF GOD HAS BROUGHT YOU INTO and this love has brought you into GRACE.

The knowledge of this is what will give you boldness to ask and receive the grace for help in time of need when you need it.

So now that you’ve become conscious or maybe more conscious, how then do you receive grace?

Alright, this where we go deeper into Tongues.

It’s a good thing to ask in understanding that, Lord I need grace and all of that but I show you a better way today and that way is TONGUES.

Paul said in Eph. 4:29 that our communication should edify people that grace can imparted to whomever hears our words, from this, we can define edification as the IMPARTATION OF GRACE and by this we are built up in the fullness of the stature of Christ.

He also, said about tongues in 1 Cor 14, he that prays in tongues edifies himself and later goes on to thank God for praying in tongues more than they all, I know we remember this Scripture right?

So, it means HE THAT PRAYS IN TONGUES IMPARTS GRACE UNTO HIMSELF and Paul greatly did same.

This is why he could say “though I worked really hard yet it wasn’t me but the grace of God at work in me”, 1 Cor 15:10 and even till now we acknowledge his labour towards the gospel.

So, Tongues is the vehicle through which we take grace and  impart same upon ourselves by the power of the Holy Spirit.

When you SEEM to be lacking in grace (I use seem because the NEW CREATION lacks nothing good), pray in tongues.

When you feel weak in your soul, even your body, pray in tongues.

Let’s hear the conclusion of the matter:.

I Corinthians 14:39 NKJV

Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.

If you would love to be baptised in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of utterance. Please send a DM to any of the ministers.

It is your inheritance in Christ, don’t allow the devil cheat you of your right, come get it!

The interesting thing is that, the ability to speak in tongues is resident in you (that is, if you are saved), all you need do is YIELD TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The Holy Spirit is always willing, but you need to yield to Him and as you do so, spoken mysteries burst out of your belly in the name of Jesus.

These are the days of the Holy Spirit, be filled in the Spirit!!! Intentionally come under His influence. Let your life be a revelation of the power of the Holy Spirit.

You are helped of the Lord!

Thank you everyone, prepare for prayers at 9 o.

Come, obtain grace with your mouth!