January 11, 2016

INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES

Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues”

We move on to the second utterance gifts: Interpretation of tongues. What does it mean to interpret tongues? The word interpretation is to give meaning. So when we say interpretation of tongues, we mean to give meaning to tongues. It does not mean to translate tongues but rather to give the meaning of what has been said in tongues. We must understand that just as easy it is for us to flow in speaking in tongues, it is that easy for us to flow in the interpretation. First of all, to interpret tongues, you must first speak in tongues. You cannot give meaning to the tongues you haven’t spoken.

How exactly do you receive interpretation for your tongues? First I must clarify to you that tongues in itself is perfect spiritual communication. Any man who speaks in tongues speaks very well according to scripture; any man who blesses you in the spirit has blessed you well because when he proclaims a blessing in the spirit, God understands it and the man who proclaimed the blessing is edified however there is one person that doesn’t understand what is going on which is the “non speaker”. He is not part of the communication and therefore cannot participate and if he cannot participate, he cannot be blessed.

The primary reason of the gift of interpretation of tongues is to give understanding to the non speaker. By the non speaker, I’m referring to the man who is not familiar with the things of the spirit because to the unfamiliar, the man speaking in tongues is speaking gibberish and is not making any sense. This is why Paul says he would rather speak more words in his understanding in public than he would in tongues because he wanted the people to understand him. So let’s go ahead to explain how to receive interpretation of tongues. The first step is to speak in tongues regularly. In fact, I have observed that many who speak in tongues regularly usually have the gift of interpretation in operation but may not recognize it. For example when you speak in tongues for a while and you begin to either see the face of a relative as you’re praying or certain thoughts comes into your mind that you were not  previously thinking about, that usually is the subject matter that you are praying about. At other times it is manifested as you feeling like saying certain words, sentences, phrases in your understanding born out of your time of praying in the spirit.

There are even times where the interpretation can come in a dream long after you have finished praying. Now it is important for us to note that the gift of interpretation of tongues though primarily serves to bring another into the knowledge of what you have said in tongues; is also used to interpret to your mind what you have said in the Spirit.

CONFESSION: The things of the Spirit are plain to me, I function in clarity and not in dark speeches and I flow in the things of the Spirit. Amen

Further Bible Reading: Acts 10, 2 Thessalonians 2

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