“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.”  Joel 2:28

      After the Bible study, Chuck sat down with Peter, the teacher, and said, “I have a friend who tells me about being “baptized in the Holy Spirit” which enables him to speak in tongues. I definitely want everything that God has for me but I’m not sure about this experience.”

      “Have you looked for your answer in the Bible?” said Peter.

      “Well no, not really. But I have asked several other Christians what they think.”

      “Funny, isn’t it, how often we seek opinions of friends instead of heading right to the Bible. Believe me, Chuck, I’ve done the same thing. But I’ve learned to find the answers to Biblical questions in the Bible with the Holy Spirit’s guidance. I begin by asking God to give me wisdom and understanding.  He never fails to answer that prayer. Let’s look at some verses that tell us about the Holy Spirit.”

• John 14:16-17  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
• John 14:26  But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
• John 16:13  When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
• Acts 1:5, 7-8  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
• Acts 2:2-4  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
• Acts 2:38-39  Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
• Romans 8:26-27  And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.
• 1 Cor. 12:1, 4, 7-11  Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.
• Romans 12:6  We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.

“So, according to the bible, speaking in tongues (unknown languages) is one of the gifts of the Spirit, given as He sees fit so we can help each other. It’s ok to ask God to reveal your gift or gifts, but remember,” Peter said, “these are gifts, which means God gives them according to His plans. Don’t worry, when the time is right, you will realize that you have whatever gift you need. There is no secret password, Chuck. We can’t earn spiritual gifts, they are given to us according to God’s perfect will and pleasure.All the spiritual gifts are given to unify the Church, the people of God.”

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” ~Philippians 2:13