Glossolalia is the scientific term for what many “Pentecostals” experience speaking in unknown tongues. But for the believer, it is more than a term. It is a sign of the Spirit’s presence and a doorway into prophecy. I spoke in tongues for the first time in June 1994 at an Assembly of God summer camp in Michigan.
Therefore if I had not Spoken in Tongues,
What could I say of tongues?
I was praying to Jesus and asking him and his Father to give me the gift of tongues. It took three days to receive it. Many kids did it every summer there, but most of them did not speak in tongues during the rest of the year. They were not as intrigued as I was, because I had never spoken in tongues before. At thirteen that summer, I prayed for over an hour on Monday night, then again on Tuesday. Nothing happened.
It was a full week camp. I was basically begging God for the gift of tongues — begging. I told God, “My dad and mom do it, all these kids can do it.” Wednesday night, I just about exhausted myself from begging and finally gave up begging. Boom! I began to speak in tongues on my knees, with my hands lifted up, worshipping God anyway because I thought He hadn’t given it to me. Yet I was weeping, because He had just then given it to me.
My lips were stammering, and I was under an intense influence of something I had never known before. I knew for sure I had just met Jesus. I had stumbled across the plan of God to become my Father. His Son had just touched me with fire — the Holy Ghost.
“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” — Acts 2:4
“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” —John 14:23
“I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:” —1 Corinthians 14:18
Tongues are the first evidence of the Spirit’s arrival. In Acts, when the Holy Spirit fell, people spoke in tongues. This pattern repeats again and again. Cornelius’ household spoke in tongues before they were baptized in water (Acts 10:44–48).
“He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” [Acts 19:2–5 KJV]
The disciples of John in Ephesus spoke in tongues and prophesied when Paul laid hands on them (Acts 19:6). Even Simon the sorcerer recognized that the Spirit came with visible signs when the apostles laid hands on the Samaritans (Acts 8:17–19). Speaking in tongues is not optional — it is the expected evidence of new birth in the Spirit. And when tongues appeared before baptism, the apostles then still baptized. Our baptism is of faith in Jesus, and about our newness of life—our regeneration.
“Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?” [Acts 10:47 KJV]
“Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they [their] hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” [Acts 8:14–17 KJV]
Tongues and Prophecy
Prophecy is the spoken gift that flows from tongues. Paul writes:
“For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.”
— 1 Corinthians 14:2–3
Tongues build up the individual; prophecy builds up the whole assembly. This is why Paul says he wishes all spoke in tongues, but even more that they would prophesy (1 Corinthians 14:5). In practice, prophecy is rarely found apart from tongues. The gift of tongues opens the way, but prophecy is the Spirit’s true message to the Ekklesia.
Water Baptism and Symbolism
Water baptism was always closely joined with the gift of tongues. The expected pattern was:
Baptism in water (outward sign of covenant).
Baptism in Spirit (fire, often with tongues and prophecy).
Paul explains baptism as symbolism:
“Do you not know that all of us who are baptized into Messiah Jeshua are baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, so that just as Messiah was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”
— Romans 6:3–4
This symbolism is not isolated. Scripture overflows with shadows pointing to greater realities:
Circumcision (Colossians 2:11) → pointing to the new earth and the sons of God being revealed (Romans 8:19).
Communion bread and wine (Luke 22:19–20) → pointing to true participation in Messiah’s body.
Baptism in water → pointing to resurrection life through Messiah. All of these points forward to the eighth day — when the New Jerusalem descends out of heaven and rests upon the new earth (Revelation 21:2–3).
The Gift of the Spirit
The Holy Spirit is not a symbol but the gift of God Himself. This Gift is called by many names in Scripture, yet it is always one voice of truth and direction. The Spirit does not speak in a third voice, only what is heard. Jesus is the Word of God, and the Father is the voice of the Holy Spirit. One God, one mouth, one tongue, one Spirit. Jesus died and rose again so we could have the Father in us. This was the promise and the mission in defeating death and grafting in a chosen people.
- Spirit of Truth (John 14:17)
- Comforter / Helper (Parakletos) (John 14:26)
- Spirit of Adoption (Romans 8:15)
- Living Water (John 7:38–39)
- Seal of Redemption (Ephesians 1:13–14)
“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” —John 16:12–13
In unity, the Father and the Son are one Guide in us — comforting, teaching, refreshing, speaking in us, and preparing us for the day of our calling out and gathering together at the marriage supper of the Lamb. Israel gives birth, and one man-child is caught up to His throne. The Ekklesia is made one with Jesus, for which cause He is not ashamed to call us brethren. Even Jesus, in the midst of the congregation, will sing praises to the Father.
“And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.”
So, do we allow tongues in our congregations? Do we congregate shoulder to shoulder? Or have we all congregated under one man like the form given by the Roman Church? I say who will tell Jesus to be quiet in the assembly? I’ve spoke in tongues for ten minutes in congregation and the Preacher was reading my mind. Being afraid of tongues is evidence of either a lack of faith in the testimony of Jesus by others, or a lack of understanding in the complete Spirit of our Father in heaven. Believe. With God all things are possible. Raise the dead. Heal the sick. Go to the needy and the greedy alike. Tell everyone the good news of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
Every symbol or gift whether tongues, prophecy, baptism, or communion points us to Messiah. Symbols lead us to substance, manna becomes living bread from heaven and the Spirit the indwelling of God is the substance of the anointing and sealing of the Holy Ghost: the living presence of the Father in us—daily. Our daily sacrifice to resist the flesh and live for the Spirit’s calling in us and for a purpose.
The Spirit’s arrival is both a sign and a promise — a sign that heaven reigns in our lives, and a promise of the day when the New Jerusalem comes down and the Father dwells with His people forever, even as He now does with His Son, also taking His abode in us. We have the promise of everlasting life in Jesus Christ. I’ll leave you with the words of Isaiah, which may give you a taste of the faith and the power of God in this day we walk in.
“Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts. For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This [is] the rest [wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest; and this [is] the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.” [Isaiah 28:9–13 KJV]