Truth be told, every believer who speaks in tongues can attest to going through a certain set of challenges as they navigated through the unfamiliar experience.
I have come to realize that these initial days have a certain reputation; they are filled with uncertainty and confusion. Being a new experience, a believer may question the purpose of speaking in tongues and wonder if it is truly beneficial. In some cases, a believer may even feel like giving up.
In this article, I will share how I received the gift of speaking in tongues and the lessons learned from my early days of speaking in tongues.
How I received the gift of speaking in tongues
It all began when I first visited the church that I currently attend. One evening, I attended a night vigil where a larger part of the congregation was speaking in tongues. I was accompanied by a few friends who were also new to the church and neither of us could speak in tongues.
Instead, we would observe others or occasionally read our Bibles. Unfortunately, this didn’t provide much solace as those speaking in tongues could pray for an entire hour. My friends and I could only pray for about 10-15 minutes with understanding and exhaust all our prayer points.
I found myself yearning for the gift of speaking in tongues just to be able to join the rest of the believers in prayer. Towards the end of the night vigil, believers who desired to speak in tongues were invited to receive prayers for the baptism.
I willingly accepted. Following the prayer, I received the baptism and thus commenced my journey of speaking in tongues.
Let’s now focus on the lessons from my initial experiences with speaking in tongues.
Attending fellowship gatherings
One of the key things that greatly assisted me was being part of a fellowship where many individuals engaged in speaking in tongues. I consistently participated in Sunday services, night vigils, and fellowship gatherings, where we would also speak in tongues.
This routine presented me the opportunity of speaking in tongues with fellow believers several times each week. This made it easier for me to adapt and flow with those who were more seasoned.
I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by individuals whom I could approach with any inquiries I had surrounding speaking in tongues. However, I encountered difficulty exercising the gift while praying alone at home. I lacked the necessary motivation, guidance, and support.
Gradually, it became easier for me to pray in solitude even though I still heavily relied on the fellowships.
Therefore, if a believer is new to speaking in tongues and requires assistance, it is highly recommended that they seek out a fellowship where they can engage in speaking in tongues alongside others.
Speaking in tongues requires physical effort
The second thing that I learned from my early days of speaking in tongues is that it requires physical effort. This aspect is often overlooked.
In my beginner days, I would often find myself running out of saliva, causing my mouth to become dry. I constantly kept a bottle of water nearby to alleviate the dryness.
Additionally, when hungry, my thoughts would frequently revolve around food, leading quick to fatigue. I also realized that speaking in tongues was incredibly challenging during fasting.
It became evident to me that maintaining a good physical condition helps greatly in my ability to speak in tongues. I now prioritize being in a good physical state when speaking in tongues.
Speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift
The third and final lesson I acquired in my early days regarding speaking in tongues is that it is a spiritual gift that must be perceived from a spiritual perspective.
Some of my acquaintances who received this gift eventually abandoned it because they failed to recognize it as a gift from the Holy Spirit. Instead, they viewed it solely from a physical standpoint, finding it strange and uncomfortable.
Embracing speaking in tongues may initially feel odd and may cause concerns about being judged by others when exercising the gift in public.
Though a believer may be despised for speaking in tongues, the most important thing is that their spirit is being edified to the glory of God. With time, you become less concerned about how other people perceive you.
Those are among the things I learned from my early days of speaking in tongues. I believe the insights will be of help especially to a believer who is new to speaking in tongues.