“Don’t try to analyze or rationalize the sound coming out of your mouth. Your brain will try to shut it down because it is not English. It is your private prayer language. Jude 20 says you build yourself up on your most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit. The devil cannot understand this language, and he does not want you to have it because it is the perfect prayer. You cannot mess it up. I am going to pray in my prayer language next to you, and I want you to focus on the sound coming out of my mouth. Then just start moving your mouth, and the first sound that comes bubbling up within you, let it out. It may be only one syllable. That’s all right. It will grow with time to other syllables. Are you ready for this baptism of fire?”

These words are similar to what was said to me many years ago on the day I was said to have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. These words would become the “script” I would say to others when helping them to receive their prayer language during altar calls. It was a normal part of my life for years. I could pray in tongues at will. I still have a copy of the little red book I received concerning the gift of tongues. It was said to benefit those who were new to the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

I had no idea what I was saying, but I was assured from years of teaching it was without error. I was told God may give me the interpretation at times, but for the most part, I would not understand what I was saying. These were the groanings that could not be uttered in Romans 8. Yet, I was uttering them. There were corporate gatherings I attended where we were encouraged as a group to begin to pray in tongues simultaneously. There were times it was initiated because the minister sensed demonic resistance in the atmosphere. When the instruction was given to pray in our prayer language, we did it, erupting in a cacophony of tongues that in retrospect was rebellious to the instruction found in the Word of God (1 Corinthians 14:26-28).

There were gatherings where an individual gave a tongue and then another was said to have interpreted it. There were numerous times I prayed in tongues or sang in tongues in corporate gatherings on a microphone without an interpretation. That too was rebellion against God in more ways than one. In the circles I affiliated, there was rarely ever a discussion about what really happened on the day of Pentecost. Rather, that passage was misappropriated for private prayer languages rather than contextually relaying how sixteen different nations heard Galileans speaking in their own languages (known languages in the earth unknown to those speaking) and telling of the mighty works of God (Acts 2:11).

But it did not stop there. The baptism in the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues was said to be proof you were indeed Spirit filled. There are some professing believers who say you cannot be saved without speaking in tongues. Respectfully, the burden of proof is on those who claim such a thing as Scripture does not support this (1 Corinthians 12:30). Being Spirit filled was almost a prerequisite for our youth when considering dating. It was not uncommon as a youth leader to warn our youth not to date those who were not Spirit filled or did not attend a Spirit filled church. Being born again was not considered as being Spirit filled. No, that person must speak in tongues or the prospect was a waste of time and could be spiritually detrimental to the one who was a tongue talker.

For years, I prayed in tongues. At least, I thought I did. It was not until I came out of the movement I was once a part and began to read the Bible in context while testing that little red book I had sitting on my bookshelf that I became uncomfortable with what I was doing. Personally, the conviction became so great that I stopped. Now for those who vehemently disagree with me and lovingly hold tight to their prayer language, I consider this a secondary issue. True believers in Christ holding to the core tenets of Christianity are brothers and sisters in Christ. But I respectfully disagree that speaking in tongues is a core tenet, nor is it the hallmark of recognizing one who is Spirit filled.

What I find interesting is there are some, as I once did, who make the evidence of speaking in tongues a primary issue. A hierarchy is unintentionally created, making the distinction between those who speak in tongues and those who do not and describing those without the evidence as dead and void of the Spirit. I would dare say many holding to this have not considered the implication of such a perceived superiority. Many are not aware of other religions who have similar manifestations such as unintelligible tongues. I would also say there is a great disconnect in what it truly means to be Spirit filled.

Walk Like an Ephesian

Before we get into the meat of Ephesians, I would like to make a few observations. First, it is worth noting that Jesus Christ who had the Spirit without measure is never recorded speaking in a private prayer language. Why is that? We also do not see the early church in Acts using practices such as telling someone to not think about what they are saying and to simply start with a syllable. When the Holy Spirit filled individuals as He did in Acts, we see this filling was an empowerment for a single event or a work of service. In fact, this is a different Greek word than is used for being filled in Ephesians 5:18. When people spoke in tongues, it was a sign to unbelievers (1 Corinthians 14:20-23). It was not unintelligible syllables but known languages unknown to those speaking. Peter states this in Acts 11 when speaking with the counsel that what occurred with Cornelius and his family was “as on us at the beginning” (Acts 11:15). This is in reference to Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost.

We need to acknowledge that Jesus Christ told His disciples in John 14:16 He would ask the Father for the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to help them and to be with them forever. We, too, are His disciples if we abide in Him and His word. At the moment of salvation, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit testifies of Jesus Christ, not Himself. There is no hierarchy of believers in Christ. No one is superior for any reason. Ephesians 2:9 assures us we cannot boast in any work regarding our salvation. This includes tongues. Furthermore, Ephesians 1:13 states, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 4:30 reiterates this sealing for the day of redemption by the Holy Spirit. Be encouraged, dear Christian. When the Spirit of God seals us, our salvation is secure in Christ. It is His work, not our own.

When looking at Ephesians 5:18, we find the word filled being used, which is commonly taken out of context to approve of being drunk in the Spirit. That is a different topic for a different day. This verse is in essence talking about spiritual maturity, and the Greek word used here refers to a continual process of growth and maturity. Here Paul creates a dichotomy between those who conduct themselves in a worldly way and those who are led by the Spirit. He talks of those who commit debauchery versus those who understand their lives are to be Christ centered, praising Him, thanking Him, and reverencing Him rather than participating in unfruitful works and living as sons of disobedience, references found in this very chapter. Debauchery is excess in worldly delight. Being truly Spirit filled is a mature delight in Christ, which is never excessive. It always helps us to look at verses in context with those surrounding it.

There is so much more that could be said about this, discussions on 1 Corinthians 14 and Paul’s correction to the church on their misuse of tongues, questions on how Satan cannot understand a heavenly prayer language while having been a former inhabitant of heaven, the use of thought stopping tactics regardless of intention, the fact that Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12 speaks of one baptism, what Jude 20 means, and how none of the gifts are to be for personal edification according to Scripture, though tongues is made to be an exception by man . We could discuss the lack of obedience to God’s instruction to not speak in tongues all at once without an interpretation while claiming to be full of God’s Spirit, which would be attributing disobedience to the Holy Spirit. We could point out that when tongues were exhibited, the gospel of Jesus Christ was preached, and being filled for a work of service did not always equate to speaking in tongues. No pun intended, but it would appear the emPHAsis has been placed on the wrong sylLABle.

Being Spirit-filled is centered upon a continual process of spiritual growth and maturity that can only be found and cultivated by the Spirit of God. By submitting to this process, we glorify the Lord Jesus Christ in word and deed while being conformed to His image through the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within and filling us continually. Being Spirit filled applies to believers in Christ, understanding that fruit of the Spirit will be found in the life of a believer (Galatians 5:22,23). This is a daily submission as we walk with the Lord in progressive sanctification, yielding to the Holy Spirit in being filled for His glory and being empowered for proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

My name is Dawn Hill. I am Spirit filled, and I do not speak in tongues. This is not an assault on speaking in tongues nor those who do. This is simply a loving reminder for us as believers in Christ Jesus to keep it Biblical and to understand what it truly means to be Spirit filled.