Spiritual Gifts : Interpretation
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I'm not really seeking a debate on 'speaking in tongues' (I know people take differing views, but hey, we can still love Jesus and one another) but personally I'm glad if anyone receives the gift of tongues. What this post is about is the spiritual gift of interpretation.
Sometimes (and most often) in private prayer I don't seek translation at all, because it is simply me talking to Godde in love, and the important thing is the intimate communication going on, and the presence of Godde in that, and I just leave the meaning to Godde. This private prayer (as some of you may agree) is really helpful, simply because it's personal and intimate and sanctified by the presence and help of the Holy Spirit. This private prayer may also be a form of spiritual warfare, and I've found 'tongues' used powerfully in that direction, when confronting opposition, or praying for someone's soul and need for help.
However, sometimes, after lovely speaking in tongues, in private, I *have* felt Godde bring me meaning - often through pictures, and authenticated by feelings of much grace. And these have brought me words that I believe and receive direct from Godde. I get a 'stilling' and 'assurance' about them - and sometimes I've written them down, or quite often I've found this happen on the way to a church service, as if the Spirit was preparing me to be sensitive and aware in that gathering and meeting with Godde.
The gift of interpretation can, therefore, I believe, be exercised sometimes simply by an individual in response to their own speaking in tongues in private prayer (I say private, but I often speak in tongues as I walk along - in my head usually if other people pass by). But yes, I believe we can exercise interpretation of our own speaking in tongues sometimes. Sometimes, not always. Just when Godde really helps us do that.
However, I do distinguish that from the gift of public interpretation in a service, after someone else has spoken in tongues.
In my experience the exercise of this gift of interpretation in public is slightly different, and a kind of anointing and gift given to certain people. I first saw this clearly in my farmhouse church, when I first came to christian awareness. It was very orderly and very sanctified and very beautiful and lovely. And you felt the Holy Spirit there so much. I used to love those times so much.
I've only exercised the gift of interpretation in public, after someone else has spoken in tongues, quite rarely. Very infrequently actually. Because that's just how it's been. It's not something you decide to 'do'. It's something that happens, from Godde, if it is just meant to happen.
I've blogged about how this first happened to me in an earlier blog and actually I wrote a lot about tongues and the supernatural more generally, in my blogs in October 2006.
Above all, I'd just stress that spiritual gifts cannot be conjured up. They are given. In my experience they just happen when they happen. I do think that Godde likes us to always have an 'openness' to these kind of things happening, but it really is not up to us to 'seek' signs and wonders - that could be unhealthy in fact. We should seek, not the signs, but the signaller (if you see what I mean). We should simply seek Jesus.
Having said that, one of the really cool things about the gift of tongues is that we can use it virtually anytime we choose, and once you have the gift, it is always there to use. But I treat that fact as a sacred responsibility, and not something to 'show' to others or misuse.
Hope these comments are helpful to some of you.
I'm not really seeking a debate on 'speaking in tongues' (I know people take differing views, but hey, we can still love Jesus and one another) but personally I'm glad if anyone receives the gift of tongues. What this post is about is the spiritual gift of interpretation.
Sometimes (and most often) in private prayer I don't seek translation at all, because it is simply me talking to Godde in love, and the important thing is the intimate communication going on, and the presence of Godde in that, and I just leave the meaning to Godde. This private prayer (as some of you may agree) is really helpful, simply because it's personal and intimate and sanctified by the presence and help of the Holy Spirit. This private prayer may also be a form of spiritual warfare, and I've found 'tongues' used powerfully in that direction, when confronting opposition, or praying for someone's soul and need for help.
However, sometimes, after lovely speaking in tongues, in private, I *have* felt Godde bring me meaning - often through pictures, and authenticated by feelings of much grace. And these have brought me words that I believe and receive direct from Godde. I get a 'stilling' and 'assurance' about them - and sometimes I've written them down, or quite often I've found this happen on the way to a church service, as if the Spirit was preparing me to be sensitive and aware in that gathering and meeting with Godde.
The gift of interpretation can, therefore, I believe, be exercised sometimes simply by an individual in response to their own speaking in tongues in private prayer (I say private, but I often speak in tongues as I walk along - in my head usually if other people pass by). But yes, I believe we can exercise interpretation of our own speaking in tongues sometimes. Sometimes, not always. Just when Godde really helps us do that.
However, I do distinguish that from the gift of public interpretation in a service, after someone else has spoken in tongues.
In my experience the exercise of this gift of interpretation in public is slightly different, and a kind of anointing and gift given to certain people. I first saw this clearly in my farmhouse church, when I first came to christian awareness. It was very orderly and very sanctified and very beautiful and lovely. And you felt the Holy Spirit there so much. I used to love those times so much.
I've only exercised the gift of interpretation in public, after someone else has spoken in tongues, quite rarely. Very infrequently actually. Because that's just how it's been. It's not something you decide to 'do'. It's something that happens, from Godde, if it is just meant to happen.
I've blogged about how this first happened to me in an earlier blog and actually I wrote a lot about tongues and the supernatural more generally, in my blogs in October 2006.
Above all, I'd just stress that spiritual gifts cannot be conjured up. They are given. In my experience they just happen when they happen. I do think that Godde likes us to always have an 'openness' to these kind of things happening, but it really is not up to us to 'seek' signs and wonders - that could be unhealthy in fact. We should seek, not the signs, but the signaller (if you see what I mean). We should simply seek Jesus.
Having said that, one of the really cool things about the gift of tongues is that we can use it virtually anytime we choose, and once you have the gift, it is always there to use. But I treat that fact as a sacred responsibility, and not something to 'show' to others or misuse.
Hope these comments are helpful to some of you.