I am not stopping tongues as a prayer language right now. I have been praying in them again about a month. And I am not stopping at this point, because I see growth in my spiritual life since I have. I admit there has been just as much warfare, but usually this means I am on the right track. I understand your points though. I was raised this way in these scriptures and point of view.
Don't stop praying in the spirit. God gave this to you for good. Do not let an Unbeliever (
in the gifts of God) rob you of it. He gave me this gift outside of denominational walls. Had I been in a Baptist or other mainline church I would have not been able to receive. My good friend Dr Ron Moseley was a pastor in the missionary baptist church and seeking God with all of his heart. The Lord baptized him in the Holy Spirit and gave also the gift of tongues. Ron founded a Bible school and has done extensive study in Jerusalem and at various sites in Israel. They evicted him from that denomination because he simply believed the Bible.
When you pray in the spirit - tongues - you are doing a building up of your spirit man. That's what brother Jude states categorically.
Jude 1:20 KJVS
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Praying in the Holy Ghost is prayer in tongues. It is
1. A rest
2. A refreshing
Isaiah 28:11-12 KJVS
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
[12] To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing:
they would not hear.
3.
Yet they would not hear.
Mark 8:21 KJVS
And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?
Here the Lord speaks to the deniers of all His gift. They refuse to hear Him but listen to the denominational twisting of scriptures.
Yes, for assemblies there is tongues and interpretations. Outside of assemblies we pray in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, tongues for the building up.
Brother Paul admonishes not to forbid speaking in tongues. He was not referring to tongues and interpretations but the personal gift of prayer and praise.
Why did Paul make this "forbid not" admonition? Because that spirit of denial had through Satan already been rearing it's ugly head.
Any teaching, instruction of denial of the biblically stated gifts of the Holy Spirit is perversion of the scriptures and is demonic in origin.
Why doesn't the devil want you to pray in the spirit - tongues? It is a powerful weapon for use against him.
After 14 childless years of marriage my wife and I were awaiting a promise God had given us through a prophet that He was sending us a son. During our two year wait he gave us dreams and visions to encourage us as we patiently waited for His promise.
On Tuesday, October 9th, 1979 I was praying in tongues as I did a Bible study. I realized that the Holy Spirit was giving me the interpretation and do wrote it down.
Tongues and interpretation can be for an assembly or for one or two. God does whatever He pleases. He told me in that word that my wife was with child. At the lab they said "it's a nice positive result". After 14 years Jesus had done it. After all kinds of tests we learned that her body killed my sperm on contact. God had healed and opened my wife's womb. That same week we wrote our son's name in a baby book. He was born Wednesday, June 25th,1980. Right at nine months later. Today he is 38 and serving the God that foretold his coming. Amen
Did we hear from God or not? Were the gifts of the spirit in operation or not? Was the tongue and interpretation I received true or not? Our wait was very difficult. Unbelievers would laugh at us or simply roll their eyes. They stopped mocking and scoffing when our beautiful son was born.
Do not let some ignorant denominational person tell you anything about God's gifts. They are unbelievers and are allowing traditions of men and Satan to use them in fighting against God's very word.
Fighting against the unbelief and false teaching of denominations is difficult but necessary. As paul told Timothy we must reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
I was saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit, receiving the gift of tongues, in the fall of 1977. I've been rejoicing in God's wonderful salvation for over 40 years. In the church I have given messages in tongues and had another interpret. I have and yet prophesy in the congregation and to individuals. I have seen the workings of all the gifts of the spirit. These things should be part of the normal Christian life. Amen
Do not allow any of these worshippers of denominational traditions to turn you aside from what you already know is true. God bless you as you continue to seek God's face. It is regrettable that they will not receive what God has provided because of the stumbling blocks of religious denominations, traditions of men and outright fear of the things of God.
Let me encourage you heartily to press into the Lord God so that you may find all that He has for you. Amen
But how I see it is everyone has individual walks of faith. Take teaching as a gift of the Holy Spirit. For some, this helps themselves and others individually grow in their walk with Christ. But what about those who don't teach? They are not slighted benefits of the Holy Spirit, because they have gifts that help them grow spiritually and help others also.
