DESIRE EARNESTLY TO PROPHESY, AND DO NOT FORBID SPEAKING IN TONGUES
Friday 31
“Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.” 1 Corinthians 14:39 (NKJV)
Read: 1 Corinthians 14:26–40
At the conclusive part of Paul’s discourse on the Holy Spirit and the gifts, he said believers should desire earnestly to prophesy, and should not forbid speaking in tongues. Some who read the passage without understanding would quote Paul as if he condemned speaking in tongues. Apostle Paul was only trying to create balance in the teaching. He wanted clarity and balance on the subject of the Holy Spirit and the gifts.
There was nothing confusing about all that Paul said in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 to 14. Prophecies will edify the church, whilst praying in tongues will edify you as an individual believer (1 Corinthians 14:3,4). Prophesying should not stop or forbid you from speaking in tongues, and speaking in tongues should not stop or forbid you from prophesying (1 Corinthians 14:39,40).
In other words, whatever you are doing–whether speaking in tongues or prophesying–it should be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40). Things to be avoided are excesses. When you overdo whatever you are doing, it becomes excessive and sickening.
Instead of blessing the people of God, it becomes obnoxious.
There is this wisdom that should be applied: if you want to be used in prophesying in the gathering of believers, you should endeavour to first of all start it in your own private time of prayer in your closet (1 Corinthians 14:5,39). And also, if you are desirous of being used to interpret tongues, you should likewise start doing that–interpreting your own praying in tongues–in your own private time of prayer (1 Corinthians 14:13).
Note: some have carnally manifested the gifts of the Holy Spirit which has made some people believe that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit and His gifts are not real, they do believe that it is a clever ruse–a deception. The move of God and the operations of the Holy Spirit are genuine and divine, but human beings through whom these operations would be done are imperfect–they are full of excesses.
If you have learnt to be yielded to the Holy Spirit, being used for the manifestations of His gifts in your time of private prayer and devotions, and small gatherings like a cell meeting or house fellowship; you would save yourself from any blunder that may occur in any public gathering of believers.
Some have carnally manifested the gifts of the Holy Spirit which has made some people think that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit and His gifts are not real making them believe that it is a clever ruse–a deception.
Believers are admonished to desire earnestly to prophesy, and should not forbid speaking in tongues. However, things must be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:39,40). Thus, do not allow the name of God and the power of the Holy Spirit to be subverted and undermined because of your quackery or inadequacies or deficiencies.
Grow in private before manifesting in public.
Reflect:
• Are you earnestly desiring spiritual gifts, particularly prophecy?
• Are there excesses or disorders in your practice or understanding of spiritual gifts that you need to correct?
Peace
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