TONGUES AND SHOES

Thinking of Monday's post, should anyone want to speak in tongues? As a Pentecostal, I believe in "speaking in tongues." But I don't think the Word of God tells us to seek tongues, anymore than we would walk into a shoe store and ask for the "tongues." We would ask for the sneakers. Of course, the tongues come as part of the sneakers!

I believe that when someone is filled with the Holy Spirit, there's no where left to go except up and out! If you've ever stuck a water hose in a bucket and turned on the spigot, you get my meaning. The continuous flow of water soon fills the bucket, with no where left to go but over the sides. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, there must be an overflow, because there's more of Him than there is you!

Do a Bible study of people being filled with the Spirit in the writings of Luke (That includes the Gospel of Luke and The Acts of the Apostles). In almost every occurrence of being filled with the Spirit, they immediately used their mouths! They "exclaimed," "prophesied," "began to speak in tongues," "said," "spoke," and "began to preach."

There's a clear connection between being filled with the Holy Spirit and verbalizing! Even in Ephesians, Paul says, "..be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another..." (from Ephesians 5:18-19). Jesus said, "...out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34). If your heart is Spirit-filled, it's going to overflow in Spirit-inspired words.

Below are most of the New Testament references to being filled with the Spirit. Notice that mouth connection. Also, notice at first being filled with the Spirit didn't seem to be a constant state, but an experience for particular instances. When the believers needed to be filled with the Spirit for boldness and power to witness, He filled them. However, according to Ephesians, making this occasional experience a continuous experience should be our goal. The Greek reads, "be being filled," or, "be constantly being filled with the Spirit."

...Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed...
(From Luke 1:41-42)

...Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied...
(From Luke 1:67)

...All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues...
(From Acts 2:4)

...Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them...
(From Acts 4:8)

...they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
(From Acts 4:31)

"...that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit...." ...At once he began to preach... (From Acts 9:17)

...Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said...
(From Acts 13:9)

...be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord...
(From Ephesians 5:18-19)