Someone recently asked me whether it is possible for apostate Christians and even outright false teachers planted deliberately by the enemy to possess the gift of praying in tongues. They also enquired if the gift of speaking in tongues is a lifelong ability.
The gift of praying in tongues
Praying in tongues is a divine gift, given to us by God. It is important to recognize that when God grants a gift, He does not take it back. Once given, it remains with the recipient.
However, to receive the gift of praying in tongues, you must adhere to certain standards established by God. These standards involve attaining a certain level of humility and faith. It is only when you reach the necessary level of these two attributes that God will grant you the gift.
This explains why some people pray earnestly for this gift but they don’t receive it. This is because God has to keep them waiting until their faith has matured to the required level.
God does this because He wants to separate those who are genuinely interested in Him from those who merely seek to manipulate Him into granting them this gift, just to boast about their ability to pray in tongues.
The Lord possesses profound wisdom and is not easily deceived by such tactics. This is why, it is rare to encounter individuals who have abandoned their faith after receiving the gift of praying in tongues.
This can be attributed to the rigorous testing that God conducts prior to bestowing this gift, ensuring that those who receive it are unlikely to turn away from Him.
Can Ex-Christians still pray in tongues?
Those who are blessed with the gift of praying in tongues but later turn away from God will still possess the gift. However, things will not remain the same.
They will lose the power that comes with that gift because the Holy Spirit will no longer be active within them. As a result, their tongues will become mere words without spiritual significance.
Understand that while our speech consists of words, the spiritual authority behind those words is granted by the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, if someone distances themselves from God, the Holy Spirit will be absent from their life, preventing them from expressing God’s power through their words.
Remember the Bible cautions us against grieving and quenching the Holy Spirit.
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Ephesians 4:30
When you disobey God, you grieve the Holy Spirit, resulting in a withdrawal of the divine power that you need for spiritual strength.
In this regard, the act of speaking in tongues may take place, but there will be no effectiveness.
Is praying in tongues a lifelong gift?
When praying in tongues, the words and syllables become familiar over time, so regardless of whether the Holy Spirit has withdrawn His power, you will likely retain the ability to articulate those syllables throughout your life.
However, the effectiveness of your tongues depend on your level of submission to God. The more faithful and committed you are to God, the more power He gives you.
On the other hand, should you begin to disobey or distance yourself from God, then He limits the amount of power your tongues carry. In case you’ve also been asking yourself the same questions, I hope this helps. Blessings!