Tongues - Are You Trying To Stop God?

Continuing the post from yesterday we find further information regarding the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Peter had just seen the Holy Spirit fall on the gentiles, but when Peter went to Jerusalem the Hebrew believers were upset that Peter had eaten with the gentiles. Peter then gives them the facts that occurred and tells the most wonderful story. The Holy Spirit has been given to the gentile believers just as it had to the Hebrew believers. Chapter 10 shows clearly that the way they knew the Holy Spirit was given was the gentiles spoke in tongues, in foreign languages.

Acts 11 ISV

1Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the gentiles had also accepted the word of God. 2But when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who emphasized circumcisionadisagreed with him. 3They said, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”

4Then Peter began to explain to them point by point what had happened. He said, 5“I was in the town of Joppa praying when in a trance I saw a vision: Something like a large linen sheet descended down from heaven, lowered by its four corners, and it came right down to me. 6When I examined it closely, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7I also heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter! Kill something and eat it.’ 8But I replied, ‘Absolutely not, Lord, for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth!’ 9Then the voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘You must stop calling common what God has made clean!’ 10This happened three times. Then everything was pulled back up to heaven.

11“At that very moment three men arrived at the house where we were staying. They had been sent to me from Caesarea. 12The Spirit told me to go with them without hesitating. These six brothers went with me, too, and we entered the house of the man from Caesarea.b 13Then he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his home and saying, ‘Send messengersc to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. 14He will discuss with you how you and your entire household will be saved.’

15“When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as he was first given to us. 16Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized withd water, but you will be baptized withe the Holy Spirit.’ 17Now if God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah,f who was I to try to stop God?”

18When they heard this, they calmed down, and praised God by saying, “So God has given repentance that leads to life even to gentiles.”

Do we really understand what these passages are saying? Do you see why I plead over and over in my posts not to listen to man, but to get into the scriptures? Countless preachers and their followers ignore or condemn tongues, the very gift of the Holy Spirit while the fact is it is a sign of receiving the Holy Spirit. These people are literally trying to stop God as Peter says in verse 17. I lived most of my Christian life denouncing the gift of tongues. I also lived most of my Christian life as a powerless believer. 

We are in the last days when if it is possible the very elect will be deceived. Repent of your sins. Surrender your will to the Lord Jesus Christ. Say no to the things you want. Seek the Lord with all of your heart. Follow him continually. Protect your eyes and ears from the filth of this world system. This includes TV, movies, worldly music and magazines. You are to be holy as God is holy. Get into the New Testament scriptures and obey what Jesus said to do and not to do. Do not trust man. Assemble with believers, but do not trust man and their doctrines. Build on Jesus Christ and the scriptures he gave us.