Speaking in Tongues Nervousness + Inability to Worship

[Youssarian]

Ah finally, an online forum for Christians!!! Why did it take so long for me to find this? Ah, anyways:

I don't know how prevalent the concepts of baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues are, but they certainly exist in my church. The first night I went to youth group, one person spoke in tongues and another one was 'slain in the Spirit' (Again, I don't know how common that lingo is). Well, it's been some time, and I've gotten to the point in my faith where I could possibly (in a rare instance to be described below) enter a deep enough level of surrender that I could get baptized in the Holy Spirit. Now, I've read about that, and the only thing that really bothers me is the idea of speaking in tongues, i.e. where the Holy Spirit takes control of my mouth and sprouts out a language I've never heard before. I can't even control what I say in daily life (impulsive in the extreme), and for that to happen... well, it induces nervousness in me.

Yet, simply the act of worship, the one done via music, is extremely difficult for me. For some reason, even when I'm focusing just on God and singing along, I can't get into worship mode - I'm stuck in singing-along mode. I've prayed about it and put in a strong effort to be able to worship, but to no avail. It's terribly frustrating.

Help me?

[Resist!]

It helps me if I know the songs well enough that I can close my eyes.
then I'm not distracted by everyone around me and can focus better on God.
hope that helps :)

[livingwaters]

Psalm 46:10 says: be still and know that I am God.....don't try to force your worship....just pray, if you can't focus with the music...as the other poster said, sometimes it helps to close our eyes to keep from being distracted. You do not have to copy what anyone else is doing....just relax and let God "see" your heart...It's all about Jesus...if you can remember that, nothing else will matter and you will be able to worship as HE wants you to!!!! :saint:

Seeking answers about our Lord is a key point....keep it up....HIS Word says: seek ye first the Kingdom of God and HIS righteousness, and ALL other things will be added.

HE said, I believe it!!! Just believe....:pp:pp:pp

[ChristJesusSaves]

Ah finally, an online forum for Christians!!! Why did it take so long for me to find this? Ah, anyways:

I don't know how prevalent the concepts of baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues are, but they certainly exist in my church. The first night I went to youth group, one person spoke in tongues and another one was 'slain in the Spirit' (Again, I don't know how common that lingo is). Well, it's been some time, and I've gotten to the point in my faith where I could possibly (in a rare instance to be described below) enter a deep enough level of surrender that I could get baptized in the Holy Spirit. Now, I've read about that, and the only thing that really bothers me is the idea of speaking in tongues, i.e. where the Holy Spirit takes control of my mouth and sprouts out a language I've never heard before. I can't even control what I say in daily life (impulsive in the extreme), and for that to happen... well, it induces nervousness in me.

Yet, simply the act of worship, the one done via music, is extremely difficult for me. For some reason, even when I'm focusing just on God and singing along, I can't get into worship mode - I'm stuck in singing-along mode. I've prayed about it and put in a strong effort to be able to worship, but to no avail. It's terribly frustrating.

Help me?

Greetings in Christ Jesus,

Definitely i do not believe that once you're baptized in the Holy Spirit then you can utter some strange words. For Apostle Paul said; 1Co 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
1Co 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
1Co 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1Co 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
1Co 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
1Co 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

To summed it up what Apostle Paul is saying is: it is all about love and not those false doctrine about "speaking in tongue" in or der to prove you're filled with the Holy Spirit. Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Mat 22:41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

Which means it is God who graciously gives us salvation; Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by (grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

That we have to walk in the righteous path that Lord Jesus Christ has taught us and not to the extent of desiring to speak in tongues but the main thing is about;

Love the LORD with all your being; Matthew 22:37-40
Only believe in Christ Jesus alone; Mark 5:36
Victory we have in Christ alone, John 14:6.
Everlasting life in Christ Alone and not by denomination or whatever works and tradition of men.

So, in the final analysis, the group you're in may not be the right group to be assemble with; 2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 1Co 14:6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
1Co 14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. Mat 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah. And he left them, and departed.

That those who believe that they are baptized with the Holy Spirit because they speak in tongues truly are deceivers! Mar 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. AMEN.

Hope this will help you find the right group of True Born Again Christians and not hypocrites!

with all the love and kindness of Christ Jesus,

Mario Sr.
Christ Jesus Saves Church

[DaniHansen]

While we are to praise God out loud for the good things that happen, and also for the plain fact that He is God and deserves our praise for who He is, worship is something very personal that happens between a person and their God.

Don't forget, worship is also a lifestyle, not just words that come out of our mouths. When you worship God with your life, and the decisons that you make to honor Him, then you won't worry about church services so much because they will simply become a natural extension of that which you already live every day. :)

[scottinnj]

Oh BOY!
You and I are such alike-when I'm in my car during the day doing deliveries I feel so overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit's communion with me I sometimes feel I have to pull over and put my face in the dirt. I can't hardly sing along with the music I'm listening to because I'm crying with joy and shame at the same time.
At church, we sing the same songs, but since I'm trying to watch the lyrics on the screen I'm like you feeling like I am just reading along.
However, don't feel left out! Grab your iPod load it up with some Third Day, Chris Tomlin, Natalie Grant or whoever your favorite praise artist is, and go outside, be by yourself put those earbuds in and kneel and worship! Sing when you can, cry when you must and be filled with the Holy Spirit! Sometimes worshipping by yourself with praise and songs is more important then participating in a praise sing-a-long at church, and can prepare your heart more for the worship session at church then you may think, because your spiritual walk with God needs both private worship and cummunion with God and shared worship with fellow Christian brothers and sisters that reaffirms our friendship with each other and support for one another.

[Sojourner]

...the only thing that really bothers me is the idea of speaking in tongues, i.e. where the Holy Spirit takes control of my mouth and sprouts out a language I've never heard before.Since no one has address the tongues issue I will attempt to help. You said, "...the Holy Spirit takes control of my mouth", well that is not true, you would be in control all the time.
And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. The Word says, "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." That is true of those that speak in tongues as well. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman who want coerce or make you do anything against your will. Please, don't fight whatever God gifts he offers to you are. Tongues are for our edification (it blesses us and builds us up, it refreshes our souls).

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

[bagofseed]

Ah finally, an online forum for Christians!!! Why did it take so long for me to find this? Ah, anyways:

I don't know how prevalent the concepts of baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues are, but they certainly exist in my church. The first night I went to youth group, one person spoke in tongues and another one was 'slain in the Spirit' (Again, I don't know how common that lingo is). Well, it's been some time, and I've gotten to the point in my faith where I could possibly (in a rare instance to be described below) enter a deep enough level of surrender that I could get baptized in the Holy Spirit. Now, I've read about that, and the only thing that really bothers me is the idea of speaking in tongues, i.e. where the Holy Spirit takes control of my mouth and sprouts out a language I've never heard before. I can't even control what I say in daily life (impulsive in the extreme), and for that to happen... well, it induces nervousness in me.

Yet, simply the act of worship, the one done via music, is extremely difficult for me. For some reason, even when I'm focusing just on God and singing along, I can't get into worship mode - I'm stuck in singing-along mode. I've prayed about it and put in a strong effort to be able to worship, but to no avail. It's terribly frustrating.

Help me?
If its not in your heart, don't just sing along, that would be a lie for you if you are singing to God.

Two verses.

Be still and know that I am God.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.

What are you thankful for?
What do you want to praise Him for?

Sing a new Song, your song, your heart and when you don't have a song in your heart to sing, be still before God.

May you have an unrestrained heart before God.

[bagofseed]

Tongues is something you have to give breath to.

It will sound like a full and rich language not just some repeated sounds, the Holy Spirit is praying and He understands languages fully.

Be careful not to be trained into something and end up missing out on the real thing.

Also it is not required for salvation.

[tango]

It's also worth noting that not everybody will speak in tongues. Tongues are a common way that the Holy Spirit manifests itself but by no means the only way. Some people receive other gifts, but the crucial aspect is that the gifts are there to glorify God.

1Co 12:3-11 NKJV Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. (4) There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. (5) There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. (6) And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. (7) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: (8) for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, (9) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, (10) to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. (11) But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.



If gifts are not used in love, they are nothing:

1Co 13:1-8 NKJV Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. (2) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (3) And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. (4) Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; (5) does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; (6) does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; (7) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (8) Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.


and tongues are not the greatest gift.

1Co 14:1-5 NKJV Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. (2) For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. (3) But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. (4) He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. (5) I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.


Bottom line, if you are given the gift of tongues that's great. If you aren't given the gift of tongues, that's great too! But let everything you do be done in love.

[tango]

Looking at your point about worship, I sometimes find if I'm singing a song I've never come across before I'm looking at the words and picking out the tune rather than necessarily praising God. But when I know a song I can close my eyes, or look up to the cross above the stage, or whatever, and focus on God instead of the words on the screen.

So on that basis the new song takes a little while to learn but then becomes something else to use to praise God more once I know it.

[Sojourner]

Yet, simply the act of worship, the one done via music, is extremely difficult for me. For some reason, even when I'm focusing just on God and singing along, I can't get into worship mode - I'm stuck in singing-along mode. I've prayed about it and put in a strong effort to be able to worship, but to no avail. It's terribly frustrating.
Help me?I find if the song has a lot of word in it, such as Hillsong music, that I have to concentrate on the words instead of focusing on the Lord. Simple corrus's or hymn are best for me. Hallelujah is a one word melody that is really worshipful where I can meditate on Him.

[Slug1]

I attend a church that doesn't speak my language as the primary language. So half the songs that are sung during worship are Spanish. I too am learning to worship the Lord the way the Lord wants me to worship Him... in freedom and without worry of my flesh.

IOWs, if I raise my hands... it's for the Lord. I grew up in a church environment where that was not done and thus the enemy built a stronghold within me that caused me to feel embarrassed when I was to lift my hand. Also, feel uncomfortable when those around me had their hands raised in praise to the Lord.

These songs in Spanish, I now find myself raising my hand in priase and worship to the Lord. I don't need to understrand the words to know the Lord is filling the church with adoration to Him when the worship team worships Him on the alter as they play and sing. They worship Him, and that worship fills the church. I am filled and that stronghold has begn to be dismantled.

The Lord has recently placed me on the worship team to play guitar so I know He's helping me break down more of that stronghold.

If a person pulls a gun out at you with intentions to rob you and you raise your hands in surrender to show this thief that he's incharge and you are willing to do as he wills...

WHY can't we all do this to the Lord and surrender to Him, show our Lord we are willing to do as He wills and allow Him to ALWAYS be incharge?

*Admin Hat On* This is Counseling so let's not debate Tongues. *Admin Hat Off*

[Sojourner]

I attend a church that doesn't speak my language as the primary language...Love your post!

[Youssarian]

But see, the thing is, I do close my eyes on familiar songs and I stop focusing on the world around me... but in the end I'm just singing along, no spiritual uplift, and slowly but surely my mind, in need of something more attention-getting, drifts into random thoughts.

And as for speaking in tongues, I know not everyone'll experience that, but I've learned that it frequently occurs during the baptism in the HS.

[Slug1]

But see, the thing is, I do close my eyes on familiar songs and I stop focusing on the world around me... but in the end I'm just singing along, no spiritual uplift, and slowly but surely my mind, in need of something more attention-getting, drifts into random thoughts.
Is the worship team singing to praise and worship the Lord or entertain the congregation?

[Twin2]

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6 KJV.

[Youssarian]

I'm pretty sure the worship team's not just trying to entertain. The older folks have said they're kind of loud (lol).

[Slug1]

I'm pretty sure the worship team's not just trying to entertain. The older folks have said they're kind of loud (lol).

OK, if all the instruments were to be removed and only a tambourine was used to keep a beat, would the praise and worship be the same? Would it flow off the alter into the congregation and lift all in the congregation closer to the Lord... in other words, would the adoration be the same :hmm:

[locboxx]

But see, the thing is, I do close my eyes on familiar songs and I stop focusing on the world around me... but in the end I'm just singing along, no spiritual uplift, and slowly but surely my mind, in need of something more attention-getting, drifts into random thoughts.

And as for speaking in tongues, I know not everyone'll experience that, but I've learned that it frequently occurs during the baptism in the HS.

even if you arent feeling it, do it anyways cuz i bet God likes to see that we will praise Him in any mood

[moonglow]

But see, the thing is, I do close my eyes on familiar songs and I stop focusing on the world around me... but in the end I'm just singing along, no spiritual uplift, and slowly but surely my mind, in need of something more attention-getting, drifts into random thoughts.

And as for speaking in tongues, I know not everyone'll experience that, but I've learned that it frequently occurs during the baptism in the HS.

That is probably debatable actually but that is for another topic...no debates allowed on here but I would double check scriptures on that and basically just not worry about it...

I started attending a new church a month ago and being so very different from what I am used too, I certainly didn't 'feel' anything either during worship time..that is to be expected when you are still trying to figure out what is going on...:lol: Plus I didn't know any of the songs..:rolleyes: So I had to read them on the screen. Now last Saturday I did get all emotionally over the words in the song...if we had just read them, no singing at all it would have had the same affect on me.

What I wanted to say is first, give yourself time..second I really don't know if there is anything in the bible that says we should get an emotional uplift at church..its not suppose to be about us...its suppose to be about Him. Of course I realize we all need to have that connection with Him somehow but too many times I think people depend on emotions and what they get out of it...wanting that emotional high. We should have joy in the Lord of course and at times be overjoyed about Him...but this isn't restricted to only happening in church by any means. And we don't want those feelings so much that is all God becomes to us...feelings. Do you know what I mean?

Worship can happen at any time ..without music, with it, during a sermon, even while mopping our kitchen floors. So don't limit yourself on this..ok?

God bless

[Youssarian]

OK, if all the instruments were to be removed and only a tambourine was used to keep a beat, would the praise and worship be the same? Would it flow off the alter into the congregation and lift all in the congregation closer to the Lord... in other words, would the adoration be the same :hmm:

Yes, no matter what we have, I'm confident that the worship aspect would still be the same. My youth group was at a couple points down to little more than a guitar, a piano and a couple voices, yet incredible things happened.

[Youssarian]

Hey good news! After readjusting my viewpoint on worship to be focused not on the emotional aspect (which somehow I got stuck on) but the prasing and prayer-set-to-music form, it has been a success!