“I wish you could all speak in tongues but even more I wish you could all prophesy.”
This verse about tongues is from 1 Corinthians 14:5, and many modern-day Christians believe the context is that this gift is not available for everyone. In fact, many churches are afraid of this gift and avoid inheriting it because there are no interpreters.
But why are not all able to speak in tongues, the spiritual language of the heavens, to communicate (pray in the spirit) with Father God through the Holy Spirit? In my twelve years of ministry and dealing with many different types of people, the Holy Spirit has helped me conclude that there are several reasons why not all have tongues.
1. Lack of Faith
2. Bad teaching or interpretation
3. Do not believe in it
4. Have no idea what it is since they do not know anything except their label or title as a “Christian”.
5. Don’t want it by personal choice
6. Do not know the Holy Spirit
So the gift is not unavailable to all; it is that not all willingly receive the gift from the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:5 NLT “I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more I wish you could all prophesy. For prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be strengthened.“
It is imperative for all spiritual believers to inherit the gift of tongues. The Bible says we are to passionately seek the gifts, which means we need to pursue and overtake. Praying in tongues is like breathing in the natural. And this is why many Christians live a suffocated life without praying in the spirit. Many have failed to inherit all Jesus had died for on the Cross. He had greatly suffered on the cross. Jesus greatly suffered and died to give us salvation. Yes, the word salvation is more than the meaning of just getting to heaven. The word salvation has a beginning and an end. It begins when one gets saved, and then there is much context in between before the conclusion of when one makes it home. The context is learning about God, knowing his ways, understanding the principles of kingdom authority and His government, receiving the gifts to help grow in our faith, going to church, bearing fruit of repentance, the Bible is the manual and knowledge helping us go through many difficult tests, and much mich more. The word Salvation has much depth. If we treat salvation as a cliche and trivial, we will one day get a rude awakening when it is too late.
Pastor Steve Kim