Tongues
Speaking in tongues has been a controversial manifestation. Some Christians have persecuted ‘tongue talkers’ saying they were demonized. Fortunately, today, there is a more tolerant attitude. Among some believers it has even become fashionable!
Some people have abused speaking tongues and over emphasized their importance. A person does not need to speak in tongues to be saved. Salvation is by grace alone through faith. (Ephesians 2:8) Those who do not speak in tongues are in no way inferior to those who do. However, the gift of speaking in tongues is a valuable source of blessing, power, and relationship. It also testifies of the wide spread activity of the Holy Spirit in the age of grace.
People fear what they do not understand. Many people are ignorant of what the Bible says on this subject. This study can clear up confusion and dispel the fear of speaking in tongues.
Definition: Speaking in tongues (Greek glossalalia) is the supernatural ability to speak in the tongues of men and angels. It is speaking as the Holy Spirit gives utterance, not as a learned language. Tongues was a sign of judgment at the tower of Babel. Tongues was a sign of the grace of God upon His church on the day of Pentecost. Tongues and prophecy were predicted by the Old Testament prophets as signs of the universal outpouring of the Spirit. (Genesis 11:1-9; Acts 2:1-21; Joel 2:28-32; Isaiah 28:11, 12; 1 Corinthians 13:1; 14:21)
Common Statements and Misunderstandings:
I forbid you to speak in tongues.
The Bible says, “Forbid not to speak in tongues.” (1 Corinthians 14:39)
Speaking in tongues is a sign of emotionalism and fanaticism.
The Bible says it is a sign of a believer. “These signs shall follow those who believe... they shall speak with new tongues.” (Mark 16:17)
When they speak in tongues, they are full of the devil.
“They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues.” To carelessly attribute tongues to the devil is close to blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:4; Matthew 12:31, 32)
I am afraid I might receive devil tongues.
The devil has a counterfeit gift to match everything God does. People who have been delivered from occult practices sometimes reject the power of God because they are afraid of yielding to the demonic spirits from their past. Some are afraid to speak in tongues because they have heard demonic tongues. Jesus comforts the sincere seeker of God’s gifts by promising that the Father will not allow harmful things to come. (Luke 11:11-13)
Tongues have ceased.
Knowledge has not ceased and neither has tongues and prophecy. When Jesus returns, gifts will no longer be necessary. (1 Corinthians 13:8-12; 1 John 3:2)
Not everyone can speak in tongues.
This is stated because of the implied ‘no’ to the question in 1 Corinthians 12:30, “Do all speak with tongues?” However, Acts 2:38, 39, says the Spirit is for all, and 1 Corinthians 14:5 “I wish you all spoke with tongues.”
The three functions of tongues:
Speaking in tongues is only to be done in church.
Paul said, “I thank God I speak in tongues more than you all”. He must have talked in tongues a lot outside of church meetings. The believer can exercise speaking in tongues in his personal daily praise, intercession, and prayer. (1 Corinthians 14:18, 19)
Speaking in tongues causes division.
The Charismatic movement of the 60’s and 70’s, of which speaking in tongues was a small but significant part, actually touched Christians from many different groups and brought a fresh sense of unity. There were some negative results because:
There should be a maximum of three tongues in a meeting
Paul wrote to bring order to the believers’ meetings in the context of 1 Corinthians chapters 11-14. Therefore, 1 Corinthians 14:27, 29 “two or three” is probably not a limitation, which would be contrary to the spirit of the New Testament. It is a way of bringing order. Where several people prophesy at the same time, people doubt the validity of the messages because God is not the author of confusion. If they can’t be heard clearly, the speakers are the only ones blessed.
Giving the same tongue every time with a different interpretation is not the Spirit’s work. Neither is repeating the same interpretation or prophecy in meetings. (1 Corinthians 14:33)
Speaking in tongues is a prayer language.
“He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself.” Edify means to promote spiritual growth and character development. “Build up your most holy faith praying in the Spirit.” The word ‘build’ is the same Greek word as edify. The person who prays in tongues is building his spiritual house and strengthening his faith. He is charging his own spiritual battery. “The Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. We don’t know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.” In Greek ‘weakness’ means ‘lack of strength’ or ‘inability to produce results’. Therefore, praying tongues is one source of physical, mental, and spiritual strength because the Spirit defines the weakness and prays according to God's will. Praying in the Spirit protects us against the weaknesses of the flesh. (1 Corinthians 14:5; Jude 20; Romans 8:26,27 NIV; Eph. 6:18)
Interpretation of Tongues
Speaking in tongues is not beneficial to a group of believers unless the message in tongues is followed by the gift of interpretation of tongues. A person should pray in tongues quietly if he has no intention of interpreting and knows no one else will do it. “Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. If there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the church and him speak to himself and to God.”
Tongues with an interpretation can be a prayer, a blessing, or an expression of praise and thanksgiving to God. A song in tongues may be interpreted by singing in the known language. Some groups have a tradition that tongues and interpretation is a message to the church. They are more comfortable with this than with a prophecy. Many times a tongue is followed by a prophecy that is a message to the church, but the interpretation of the tongue is not given. (1Corinthians14:5,6,13,14-17, 28)
Tongues can be a sign to the unlearned.
Some Christians and unbelievers do not understand supernatural manifestations. The disciples were able to speak in languages they did not previously know. They spoke of the wonderful works of God. The unlearned and unbelievers may have the secrets of their hearts revealed. The gift of interpretation of tongues could be used to interpret a language we do not know. (1 Corinthians 14:22, 25; Acts 2:11)
My wife unknowingly gave a message in Hebrew to a young Jewish Christian when she was praying for him. Without knowing the language, our friend preached the gospel in Spanish for thirty minutes to a group of Mexicans. Others have had similar experiences.
Benefits of Speaking in Tongues
Mary was in the upper room praying with the apostles on the day of Pentecost. She spoke in tongues too! (Acts 1:14; 2:1-4)
Children can be Baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Our children were all filled with the Spirit and speaking in tongues when they were three years old. The oldest was baptized in the Holy Spirit in a prayer meeting. I thought she was playing around. I was about to tell her to settle down when she laid her hand on her own head and said, “Jesus, fill me with the Spirit.” Within a minute she was talking in tongues!
Some people have abused speaking tongues and over emphasized their importance. A person does not need to speak in tongues to be saved. Salvation is by grace alone through faith. (Ephesians 2:8) Those who do not speak in tongues are in no way inferior to those who do. However, the gift of speaking in tongues is a valuable source of blessing, power, and relationship. It also testifies of the wide spread activity of the Holy Spirit in the age of grace.
People fear what they do not understand. Many people are ignorant of what the Bible says on this subject. This study can clear up confusion and dispel the fear of speaking in tongues.
Definition: Speaking in tongues (Greek glossalalia) is the supernatural ability to speak in the tongues of men and angels. It is speaking as the Holy Spirit gives utterance, not as a learned language. Tongues was a sign of judgment at the tower of Babel. Tongues was a sign of the grace of God upon His church on the day of Pentecost. Tongues and prophecy were predicted by the Old Testament prophets as signs of the universal outpouring of the Spirit. (Genesis 11:1-9; Acts 2:1-21; Joel 2:28-32; Isaiah 28:11, 12; 1 Corinthians 13:1; 14:21)
Common Statements and Misunderstandings:
I forbid you to speak in tongues.
The Bible says, “Forbid not to speak in tongues.” (1 Corinthians 14:39)
Speaking in tongues is a sign of emotionalism and fanaticism.
The Bible says it is a sign of a believer. “These signs shall follow those who believe... they shall speak with new tongues.” (Mark 16:17)
When they speak in tongues, they are full of the devil.
“They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues.” To carelessly attribute tongues to the devil is close to blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:4; Matthew 12:31, 32)
I am afraid I might receive devil tongues.
The devil has a counterfeit gift to match everything God does. People who have been delivered from occult practices sometimes reject the power of God because they are afraid of yielding to the demonic spirits from their past. Some are afraid to speak in tongues because they have heard demonic tongues. Jesus comforts the sincere seeker of God’s gifts by promising that the Father will not allow harmful things to come. (Luke 11:11-13)
Tongues have ceased.
Knowledge has not ceased and neither has tongues and prophecy. When Jesus returns, gifts will no longer be necessary. (1 Corinthians 13:8-12; 1 John 3:2)
Not everyone can speak in tongues.
This is stated because of the implied ‘no’ to the question in 1 Corinthians 12:30, “Do all speak with tongues?” However, Acts 2:38, 39, says the Spirit is for all, and 1 Corinthians 14:5 “I wish you all spoke with tongues.”
The three functions of tongues:
- A personal prayer language available to all. (1 Corinthians 14:4, 14; Jude 20)
- A message given in the church. (1 Corinthians 14:5)
- A gifting, for a special purpose, of a language unknown to the speaker, but known to the hearer. (Acts 2:6-11)
Speaking in tongues is only to be done in church.
Paul said, “I thank God I speak in tongues more than you all”. He must have talked in tongues a lot outside of church meetings. The believer can exercise speaking in tongues in his personal daily praise, intercession, and prayer. (1 Corinthians 14:18, 19)
Speaking in tongues causes division.
The Charismatic movement of the 60’s and 70’s, of which speaking in tongues was a small but significant part, actually touched Christians from many different groups and brought a fresh sense of unity. There were some negative results because:
- When change is introduced to a church, three groups emerge: Those who actively participate in the change, those who passively accept the change, and those who actively oppose the change. The size of the last group, their positions of authority, and their attitudes will determine whether or not there is division over any issue.
- Spiritual pride can turn a charismatic prayer meeting into a clique that treats other church members as second class Christians because they don’t attend.
There should be a maximum of three tongues in a meeting
Paul wrote to bring order to the believers’ meetings in the context of 1 Corinthians chapters 11-14. Therefore, 1 Corinthians 14:27, 29 “two or three” is probably not a limitation, which would be contrary to the spirit of the New Testament. It is a way of bringing order. Where several people prophesy at the same time, people doubt the validity of the messages because God is not the author of confusion. If they can’t be heard clearly, the speakers are the only ones blessed.
Giving the same tongue every time with a different interpretation is not the Spirit’s work. Neither is repeating the same interpretation or prophecy in meetings. (1 Corinthians 14:33)
Speaking in tongues is a prayer language.
“He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself.” Edify means to promote spiritual growth and character development. “Build up your most holy faith praying in the Spirit.” The word ‘build’ is the same Greek word as edify. The person who prays in tongues is building his spiritual house and strengthening his faith. He is charging his own spiritual battery. “The Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. We don’t know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.” In Greek ‘weakness’ means ‘lack of strength’ or ‘inability to produce results’. Therefore, praying tongues is one source of physical, mental, and spiritual strength because the Spirit defines the weakness and prays according to God's will. Praying in the Spirit protects us against the weaknesses of the flesh. (1 Corinthians 14:5; Jude 20; Romans 8:26,27 NIV; Eph. 6:18)
Interpretation of Tongues
Speaking in tongues is not beneficial to a group of believers unless the message in tongues is followed by the gift of interpretation of tongues. A person should pray in tongues quietly if he has no intention of interpreting and knows no one else will do it. “Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. If there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the church and him speak to himself and to God.”
Tongues with an interpretation can be a prayer, a blessing, or an expression of praise and thanksgiving to God. A song in tongues may be interpreted by singing in the known language. Some groups have a tradition that tongues and interpretation is a message to the church. They are more comfortable with this than with a prophecy. Many times a tongue is followed by a prophecy that is a message to the church, but the interpretation of the tongue is not given. (1Corinthians14:5,6,13,14-17, 28)
Tongues can be a sign to the unlearned.
Some Christians and unbelievers do not understand supernatural manifestations. The disciples were able to speak in languages they did not previously know. They spoke of the wonderful works of God. The unlearned and unbelievers may have the secrets of their hearts revealed. The gift of interpretation of tongues could be used to interpret a language we do not know. (1 Corinthians 14:22, 25; Acts 2:11)
My wife unknowingly gave a message in Hebrew to a young Jewish Christian when she was praying for him. Without knowing the language, our friend preached the gospel in Spanish for thirty minutes to a group of Mexicans. Others have had similar experiences.
Benefits of Speaking in Tongues
- Sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit - Acts 2:4; 10:4; 19:6
- Acts 9:17 Paul filled and 1 Corinthians 14:18 “I speak in tongues more than you all.”
- Acts 8:14-24 Simon the sorcerer has seen deliverance and miracles, but he did not try to buy the power until he saw the Spirit was given by the laying on of hands. What did he see that impressed him? I assume that it was the manifestation of speaking in tongues.)
- Speaking in unlearned foreign languages - Acts 2:6; 1 Corinthians 14:21
- Declares the wonderful works of God - Acts 2:11
- Magnifies God - Acts 10:46
- Helps Infirmities (weakness, inability to produce results) - Romans 8:26
- The Spirit prays through the believer according to the will of God – Romans 8:27
- Speaks to God - 1 Corinthians 14:2, 28
- In the Spirit speaking mysteries - 1 Corinthians 14:2
- Builds personal spiritual house - 1 Corinthians 14:4
- With interpretation builds the church - 1 Corinthians 14:5
- Praying with the Spirit - 1 Corinthians 14:14
- Singing in tongues - 1 Corinthians 14:15
- Gives thanks well - 1 Corinthians 14:16-17
- Blessing with the Spirit - 1 Corinthians 14:16
- A sign to unbelievers – Acts 2:11; 1 Corinthians 14:22
- Builds faith - Jude 20; Ephesians 6:18
Mary was in the upper room praying with the apostles on the day of Pentecost. She spoke in tongues too! (Acts 1:14; 2:1-4)
Children can be Baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Our children were all filled with the Spirit and speaking in tongues when they were three years old. The oldest was baptized in the Holy Spirit in a prayer meeting. I thought she was playing around. I was about to tell her to settle down when she laid her hand on her own head and said, “Jesus, fill me with the Spirit.” Within a minute she was talking in tongues!
Ministering the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Laying hands on people
Acts 8:14-18 Peter and John placed their hands on the Samaritan believers.
Acts 9:12, 17-19 Ananias put his hands on Paul.
Acts 19:6 Paul laid hands on 12 Ephesian men.
Without laying hands on people
John 20:21-22 Jesus breathed on them
Sovereign:
Acts 2:1-4 Day of Pentecost
Acts 10:44-46 House of Cornelius
Faith in a Huge God
In some cultures and circumstances the laying on of hands during prayer and ministry may not be advisable or permitted. A person risks his life to touch the wife or daughter of a Moslem unless he explains what he is doing and gets permission.
In quarantine situations, if we cannot negotiate our way close enough to lay hands on the sick person, we need not be obnoxious. God’s power is sufficient to heal from a distance. Get in the habit of laying hands on people, but don’t forget that He is not limited to one method.
Basic Procedures
Don’t be in a hurry.
Westerners like the healing line because it resembles the capping machine in a bottling factory, this doesn’t communicate the pastoral care and concern of Jesus for an individual. When many people get involved in praying for others, time pressure is not so much of a factor. Some people feel condemned when they don't receive from God. Perhaps the person praying did not take sufficient time to minister to them. Believe for the instantaneous filling, but don’t be in a rush. Practice listening to God as you listen to them and observe their actions. Then obey the Spirit.
A few words of instruction.
Sometimes God says, “Be quiet so I can do My work.”, but often talking normally to the person takes away fear and replaces it with understanding and faith. We give them instruction on how to receive from God and Scriptural counsel as a basis for faith. (Romans 10:17)
Ask the Lord to reveal any hindrances
There may be a need for salvation, unforgiveness, a poor self-image, sin, demonic bondages, etc. As the Spirit guides us, we minister to the hindrances. In Luke 11:9, 10 the verb tense of ‘ask, seek, and knock’ is continuous action. Encourage the person not receiving the Holy Spirit to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking until he gets results.
Ask a few questions.
Jesus did. Even someone who receives many words of knowledge cannot be expected to know everything. We know in part. Working with a ministry team amplifies the potential of the supernatural, but often a few basic questions can help. (Mark 8:22; 9:21-25; 1 Corinthians 13:9)
Avoid the carnal and carnival.
If God’s power makes a person fall on the floor, it is Scriptural. However, if the person falls down because they are pushed or because they cannot breathe since so many are pressing on them by the laying on of hands, that is carnal and carnival. Act normal, not mystical, when we are ministering to people. Giving them the ‘prophet’s eyeball’, making ‘spiritual’ faces, etc., does not help people to receive our ministry. (John 18:1-6; Acts 9:4)
Some people took a Bible college student to the basement, shut off the lights, and gathered around a table with candles to pray for the baptism of the Spirit. It was more like a séance than a prayer meeting! She received fear but not the Spirit!
Don’t try to get them to ‘Prime the Pump’
If someone desires to speak in tongues, don’t tell them to speak gibberish to ‘prime the pump’. Rapidly repeating “Hallelujah”, “My shin, my knee”, “Shonda stolda my Honda” or “She came in a Honda and left in a Mazda”, is below the dignity of God and man.
Don’t scream in tongues in the person’s ear.
God is not deaf, but the one we are trying to help has that potential. Being loud can irritate or scare people and hinder them from receiving from the Lord. It is difficult for another team member to counsel the person if we are shouting. Shouting is a valid expression of praise. (Psalm 47:1;132:9,16; Josh.6:20; Ezra3:11-13; Zec.9:9; Mat.21:15; Psa.8:2; Luke19:37-40; 1Thes. 4:16)
However, shouting in tongues publicly may be inappropriate. “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the control of the prophets.” (1 Corinthians 14:32) The speaker, whether in tongues, prophecy or other spoken expressions had the ability to adjust his own volume control! Screaming in tongues is not a sign of spirituality. It is usually a sign of the flesh!
When you pray for people, you can praying in tongues in your mind silently or speak softly especially when the recipient is an unbeliever or a non-charismatic. Occasionally a loud, authoritarian tongue is appropriate when the Spirit of God is speaking through you to break demonic strongholds in a person’s life. Too loud up close can be scary or distracting.
No need for a Pentecostal massage.
At times God’s Spirit will cause the person being prayed for or the minister to shake. Don’t try to create that effect by shaking the power of God into them.
Don’t stop before God is finished.
Jesus prayed twice for the blind man. He repeatedly dealt with the man with the legion of demons. The verb tense reveals repeated action. The Spirit, rather than impatience, should lead us to move on or turn the person over to someone else for further prayer. Perhaps someone else has the anointing for the occasion. (Mark 8:25; Luke 8:29)
Follow up.
Give them literature or study with them. Maybe they need a friend. (Prov. 3:27,28; Jms.2:13-16)
Healing Hands.
In the healing ministry, we lay hands on the afflicted area of the sick person. This is embarrassing if it is the private part of someone of the opposite sex, so we put our hand on the person’s head or shoulder. In the healing team ministry, a member of the same sex can lay hands on the person. The laying on of hands can work by praying while we are holding a person’s hand in the hand shaking position. People can receive while holding hands in a prayer circle.
Attack the problem specifically, and speak to the condition.
Jesus never prayed for any sick or demonized person. Many times He spoke to the condition. James 5:14, 15 is the only reference that validates praying for the sick. We should use the faith command more often in dealing with these problems.
Acts 9:12, 17-19 Ananias put his hands on Paul.
Acts 19:6 Paul laid hands on 12 Ephesian men.
Without laying hands on people
John 20:21-22 Jesus breathed on them
Sovereign:
Acts 2:1-4 Day of Pentecost
Acts 10:44-46 House of Cornelius
Faith in a Huge God
In some cultures and circumstances the laying on of hands during prayer and ministry may not be advisable or permitted. A person risks his life to touch the wife or daughter of a Moslem unless he explains what he is doing and gets permission.
In quarantine situations, if we cannot negotiate our way close enough to lay hands on the sick person, we need not be obnoxious. God’s power is sufficient to heal from a distance. Get in the habit of laying hands on people, but don’t forget that He is not limited to one method.
Basic Procedures
Don’t be in a hurry.
Westerners like the healing line because it resembles the capping machine in a bottling factory, this doesn’t communicate the pastoral care and concern of Jesus for an individual. When many people get involved in praying for others, time pressure is not so much of a factor. Some people feel condemned when they don't receive from God. Perhaps the person praying did not take sufficient time to minister to them. Believe for the instantaneous filling, but don’t be in a rush. Practice listening to God as you listen to them and observe their actions. Then obey the Spirit.
A few words of instruction.
Sometimes God says, “Be quiet so I can do My work.”, but often talking normally to the person takes away fear and replaces it with understanding and faith. We give them instruction on how to receive from God and Scriptural counsel as a basis for faith. (Romans 10:17)
Ask the Lord to reveal any hindrances
There may be a need for salvation, unforgiveness, a poor self-image, sin, demonic bondages, etc. As the Spirit guides us, we minister to the hindrances. In Luke 11:9, 10 the verb tense of ‘ask, seek, and knock’ is continuous action. Encourage the person not receiving the Holy Spirit to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking until he gets results.
Ask a few questions.
Jesus did. Even someone who receives many words of knowledge cannot be expected to know everything. We know in part. Working with a ministry team amplifies the potential of the supernatural, but often a few basic questions can help. (Mark 8:22; 9:21-25; 1 Corinthians 13:9)
Avoid the carnal and carnival.
If God’s power makes a person fall on the floor, it is Scriptural. However, if the person falls down because they are pushed or because they cannot breathe since so many are pressing on them by the laying on of hands, that is carnal and carnival. Act normal, not mystical, when we are ministering to people. Giving them the ‘prophet’s eyeball’, making ‘spiritual’ faces, etc., does not help people to receive our ministry. (John 18:1-6; Acts 9:4)
Some people took a Bible college student to the basement, shut off the lights, and gathered around a table with candles to pray for the baptism of the Spirit. It was more like a séance than a prayer meeting! She received fear but not the Spirit!
Don’t try to get them to ‘Prime the Pump’
If someone desires to speak in tongues, don’t tell them to speak gibberish to ‘prime the pump’. Rapidly repeating “Hallelujah”, “My shin, my knee”, “Shonda stolda my Honda” or “She came in a Honda and left in a Mazda”, is below the dignity of God and man.
Don’t scream in tongues in the person’s ear.
God is not deaf, but the one we are trying to help has that potential. Being loud can irritate or scare people and hinder them from receiving from the Lord. It is difficult for another team member to counsel the person if we are shouting. Shouting is a valid expression of praise. (Psalm 47:1;132:9,16; Josh.6:20; Ezra3:11-13; Zec.9:9; Mat.21:15; Psa.8:2; Luke19:37-40; 1Thes. 4:16)
However, shouting in tongues publicly may be inappropriate. “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the control of the prophets.” (1 Corinthians 14:32) The speaker, whether in tongues, prophecy or other spoken expressions had the ability to adjust his own volume control! Screaming in tongues is not a sign of spirituality. It is usually a sign of the flesh!
When you pray for people, you can praying in tongues in your mind silently or speak softly especially when the recipient is an unbeliever or a non-charismatic. Occasionally a loud, authoritarian tongue is appropriate when the Spirit of God is speaking through you to break demonic strongholds in a person’s life. Too loud up close can be scary or distracting.
No need for a Pentecostal massage.
At times God’s Spirit will cause the person being prayed for or the minister to shake. Don’t try to create that effect by shaking the power of God into them.
Don’t stop before God is finished.
Jesus prayed twice for the blind man. He repeatedly dealt with the man with the legion of demons. The verb tense reveals repeated action. The Spirit, rather than impatience, should lead us to move on or turn the person over to someone else for further prayer. Perhaps someone else has the anointing for the occasion. (Mark 8:25; Luke 8:29)
Follow up.
Give them literature or study with them. Maybe they need a friend. (Prov. 3:27,28; Jms.2:13-16)
Healing Hands.
In the healing ministry, we lay hands on the afflicted area of the sick person. This is embarrassing if it is the private part of someone of the opposite sex, so we put our hand on the person’s head or shoulder. In the healing team ministry, a member of the same sex can lay hands on the person. The laying on of hands can work by praying while we are holding a person’s hand in the hand shaking position. People can receive while holding hands in a prayer circle.
Attack the problem specifically, and speak to the condition.
Jesus never prayed for any sick or demonized person. Many times He spoke to the condition. James 5:14, 15 is the only reference that validates praying for the sick. We should use the faith command more often in dealing with these problems.
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