Spirit filled believers, what do you think of this statement?

Question

I recently visited a Church and the pastor said, unless you are baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of Speaking in Tongues, then your prayers are worthless since they have no power behind them.

I almost came out of my chair.

What about the 'sinners' prayer????

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Answer 1

Yes sister.. This is the sort of stuff that is preached in some churches all over the world, it is not according to the teaching of the word and in a lot of ways it abuses the gift of tongues and nullifies its effectiveness. Unless we each have a clear understanding of the Word regarding the speaking in tongues and the matter of praying in the Spirit then we will be defrauded by preachers of this kind of message. Some of the members actually went away feeling inadequate and satan will now use these words spoken to stop these believers who do not have the gift of speaking in tongues from praying.
You are RIGHT.. what about the sinner's prayer? what about a backsliding prodigal son's prayer? I am just thankful sister that you discerned that what this preacher was sharing was NOT according to the word, it shows that you know your bible and are not easily swayed by contrary waves and teachings that are blowing around today.

May the Lord be rich in mercy and preserve all of our brothers and sisters.. May we all rise up to read and study the word in the presence of the Lord and under the shining light of the Holy SPirit.

1 Tim 2:4
..." Who [God] desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth"

your sister
sandy

Answer 2

If that pastor was a Doctor, I would call him a quack, some Denomination believe just that Speaking in tongues is one of the least of gifts, from the Holy Spirit. No one should speak in tongue, without an interrupter. When a person accepts Christ as their savior, the Holy Spirit inters in, and the transformation
is at that moment, there is no fireworks, or display of any kind to show anybody anything. The sinners prayer is all you need, and repentance.

Answer 3

I'm going to give you my opinion. It is my heart felt feeling after many years of searching through different churches to see what they are about. I am familiar with speaking in tongues. I have heard it once that sounded like gibberish. The other time it sounded like Aramaic. There was an interpretation that time as well.
Speaking in Tongues is only one gift of the spirit. The Bible says that if you speak in tongues and there is no interpretation, it is like a a symbol of uncertain sound without prophesy interpretation. Even then if it is not by two or three you are to sit and be silent in church. I think some ministers get carried away by their own self righteousness and I personal would not attend a church that the minister made that statement. Sorry. I feel very strongly that God does not stipulate what prayers are worthless. He is not a respecter of persons and all prayers are treated the same weather you be good or bad, or weather you speak in tongues or not. The gifts are only evidences that the Holy Spirit has come in to you. I have been knocked down and almost unconscious by the Holy Spirit and I don't speak in the tongues of Angels.
Not yet. I'm given a gift of knowledge and vision.
What matters most is your heart felt Love for God. When you feel that inside, speaking in tongues is nothing.
Rev. TomCat

Answer 4

I disagree, without being able to pray when you are a sinner then you can never become saved. A sinner can not speak in tongues, or be filled with the holy spirit, unless they can pray and be heard by God. That pastor is wrong, and I don't recommend listening to him anymore, he is the leader of the church and from what you told us it doesn't sound like he's being a very good one, or willing to help others.
good luck and God Bless

Answer 5

Okay, here's my take on this: In the Bible, it says that people are given "different gifts of the spirit", some will speak in tongues, some will prophesy, some will dream dreams, and more. Not everyone will speak in tongues, regardless of what the pastor said. And the "sinners' prayer"--believe it, you can take that to the bank, as the saying goes.

Answer 6

Dear Quella Bella,

First i would suggest never visiting that church again- the Bible is quite clear that tongues is a gift, but even as Paul himself said- he'd rather express love than speak with the tongues of angels.

Does it sound like Christ - to say that people's prayers are worthless? Is it the language of the prayer or the heart of the prayer that matters? Because we see many powerful prayers in the Bible- and amazingly the people who are praying them are not praying in tongues- just look at the book of Psalms.

Ya that's just some crazy, whack teaching, and i'm glad that you are a prudent student of God's word and not being lead astray by false doctrine.

Hope that helps. Kindly,

Nickster

Answer 7

If I ever came across any pastor like that, I would strongly pray for him and I would pray that God would bless him. There's nothing like the power of prayer. If what he says is true, then why am I blessed with a great home with family and with the great things that God has done for me? I give thanks with those things through prayer and I never in my life spoke in Tongues. I continue to pray and I have been so blessed with things that I don't even deserve. That's the power of prayer.

Answer 8

Sounds like you visited a Pentecostal church.

That statement is inconsistent with scriptural teachings. The most dependable evidence that one has been Born Again is OBEDIENCE. Not tongues or any other physical manifestation.

I realize that speaking in tongues an "A Evidence" but not the "Sole Evidence". The Apostle Paul said in Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." He didn't say, "Whosoever speaks in tongues shall be saved." Calling upon the name of the Lord means to Know the facts about Jesus, Believe in your Heart the facts about Jesus, and transfer your trust away from feelings and self to Jesus for your salvation.

Prayers are not predicated on tongues, but on faith.

Here is a passage for your consideration from ACTS 10 vs 1-4
1: There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
2: A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and PRAYED to God always.
3: He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
4: And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy PRAYERS and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

God bless you! Always trust in Jesus Christ for your salvation.

Answer 9

Sounds more than a little harsh, especially to a visitor. Speaking in tongues was taught to be the least of the gifts, one in fact that will come to an end. Love was the greatest gift, and abides forever. I hope you gave the misguided man a little teaching, Sister Love! There is nothing sweeter to God than a confused soul with a pure heart crying out for God to make Himself known. He had been there all along, but was too much of a Gentleman to come into my heart without an invitation.

Answer 10

Some of these so-called charismatic evangelical type churches will fill their followers with such a load of horse-hockey that they can't sit up straight. No wonder most of them cannot walk their talk. Most of them don't even know what they are saying.
These goofballs will set themselves up as gate-keepers and then set up all sorts of hurdles to overcome. It keeps their flock in constant confusion and in a constant state of deficiency. None of it makes sense.

Truth of the matter is, that you have divinity within you, and by seeking to make that divinity stronger through prayer, meditation, continuing to learn and standing in your own integrity... you will grow in the gifts of Spirit. You will become a fully conscious co-creator WITH God.

By the way, the word "sin" is a very old mideval archery term... means you missed the mark, please go back and try again. It was coopted by some early christian monks trying to get some talking points across to the earliest converts, who were mostly illiterate.

See if you can find something a little closer to your own beliefs and feelings, that doesn't attempt to control you through fear or confusion. I'm a Unitarian myself, having already been a Baptist.