22 Tongues,
then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers;
prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 So if the
whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or
unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an
unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are
convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the
secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship
God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”
The gift of Tongues and Prophesying are Spiritual
Gifts, ones we do not often speak of. If I am completely honest, I have been
preparing to write this devotion for a couple weeks now, praying for wisdom and
understanding every time I try to write.
The gift of speaking in tongues can be puzzling. I
attended a prayer service years ago when someone started to speak in
tongues. I had no idea what was happening. The pastor immediately stopped
us and asked if anyone could interpret what was said. One person could, they
did, and we just went on with the service. Only a Believer has this gift.
It is often assumed that the gift of prophecy is
about foretelling the future. While this is true, Paul also equated the gift of
prophecy with preaching, exhorting, and edifying believers. Someone with
this gift is often known for their skill at instructing, especially morally or
spiritually. They use speech which uplifts the church rather than the
speaker.
When I attend a Christian conference and spend a
day or two listening to the speakers, I come away with a renewed sense of God
and my relationship with Him. When I am motivated by a scripture passage to do
better, to live clean and love lavishly, I am on fire to Jesus. A
Christian with the gift of prophecy was teaching all those words to encourage
and lift-up the Body of Christ.
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