Part 9 Speaking in Tongues Part 2

Part 9 Speaking in Tongues Part 2
Proverbs 18:21a.  Death and life are in the power of the tongue:
In the last session we talked about how God put a mark on Abraham’s body where life (biological) would flow from causing him to inherit the promises of God for his life.
The New Covenant fulfillment of this act of circumcision is found in Philippians chapter 3. 

Philippians 3:3

For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

 We are the circumcision who worships God in the spirit. This worshiping God in the spirit is referred to in 1Cor 14 as praying or worshiping in tongues and.

1 Corinthians 14:2	For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
1 Corinthians 14:14	For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth,

Paul also talked about singing in our own language and singing in tongues

1 Corinthians 14:15

What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

Speaking or singing in the spirit is clearly defined as singing or praying in tongues.
We are the circumcisions the worship God in spirit
Those who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues have a distinguishing mark in their mouths, that of a language they have never learned, a pure language which comes from our spirit which is joined to the Lord.  This language by-passes the natural mind it comes from the realm of spirit and expresses the heart and will of God.
The quandary of not knowing the will of God
Many Christians have this problem of not knowing the will of God clearly for their lives or a given situation.

Romans 8:26	Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27	And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The Holy Spirit can pray through you in another language and that prayer will be in the perfect will of God, and will be answered.

James 4:2	Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3	Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss,

When you pray in the spirit a flow of creative life flows out of your mouth in the perfect will of God, this flow of life begins to procure for you the blessings that came upon Abraham. We must pray much in the spirit, it is a gift that God gave us that we might walk in our destiny and see the fulfillment of all that God has promised us. Our great high priest Jesus will through the Holy Spirit pray through us and those prayers will be answered.
By Passing the Mind
Dr Andrew Newberg at the University of Pennsylvania recently published a study looking at the brain activity of eight Americans who speak in tongues. Newberg was determined to unravel the relationship between faith and science. He began to study what changes or what turns off in our brain when we speak in tongues.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have discovered decreased activity in the frontal lobes, an area of the brain associated with being in control of one's self. This pioneering study, involving functional imaging of the brain while subjects were speaking in tongues, is in the November issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, the official publication of the International Society for Neuroimaging in Psychiatry. Radiology investigators observed increased or decreased brain activity - by measuring regional cerebral blood flow with SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) imaging - while the subjects were speaking in tongues. They then compared the imaging to what happened to the brain while the subjects sang gospel music. "We noticed a number of changes that occurred functionally in the brain," comments Principal Investigator Andrew Newberg, MD, Associate Professor of Radiology, Psychiatry, and Religious Studies, and Director for the Center for Spirituality and the Mind, at Penn. "Our finding of decreased activity in the frontal lobes during the practice of speaking in tongues is fascinating because these subjects truly believe that the spirit of God is moving through them and controlling them to speak. Our brain imaging research shows us that these subjects are not in control of the usual language centers during this activity, which is consistent with their description of a lack of intentional control while speaking in tongues." Newberg went on to explain, "These findings could be interpreted as the subject's sense of self being taken over by something else. We, scientifically, assume it's being taken over by another part of the brain, but we couldn't see, in this imaging study, where this took place.  We believe this is the first scientific imaging study evaluating changes in cerebral activity -- looking at what actually happens to the brain -- when someone is speaking in tongues. This study also showed a number of other changes in the brain, including those areas involved in emotions and establishing our sense of self." Newberg concludes that the changes in the brain during speaking in tongues reflect a complex pattern of brain activity. Newberg suggests that since this is the first study to explore this, future studies will be needed to confirm these findings in an attempt to demystify this fascinating religious phenomenon. This preliminary study, done only at Penn, examined five subjects in a laboratory setting. The study, set for publication in the November issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, can now be accessed on-line at http://www.sciencedirect.com. The article is titled, "The Measurement of Regional Cerebral Blood Flow During Glossolalia: a Preliminary SPECT Study." Co-authors include: Nancy Wintering, Donna Morgan, and Mark Waldman. Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

These findings are interesting is a much as it shows the brain is affected when we speak in tongues in particular “Our brain imaging research shows us that these subjects  are not in control of the usual language centers during this activity

These studies showed that while speaking in tongues the frontal lobe of the brain goes quiet.
Long ago Isaiah the prophet spoke of the phenomenon in Isaiah 28

Isaiah 28:11	For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12	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.

The Apostle Paul used this scripture in the New Testament in reference to speaking in tongues.

1 Corinthians 14:21

In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.

This is the rest, give your brain a rest by speaking praying and worshiping in tongues and you will be greatly refreshed. As you speak or pray in tongues your brain is by passed and you speak the will of God maybe unknown to you but those prayers will be answered.
Jesus prayed for Peter so that the enemy would not overcome him.

Luke 22:31	And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
32	But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

We need our great High Priest to pray for us via the Holy Spirit and as those prayers are answered we will see the outworking of God plan and will for our lives.
Lets not ignore this powerfully gift that God has given us if we do we will be impoverished because of our neglect.
God Bless youN Johnson © September.2007