He Has You

Just as God gave you natural abilities, He can also give you supernatural ones. “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to…speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said” (1 Corinthians 12:7-8,10 NLT).

Our supernatural Holy Spirit can speak through us with a supernatural heavenly language and then can provide the supernatural ability to understand what is being said. We will be most blessed if we are willing to hear what God wants to tell us.

Jesus prophesied, “they will speak with new tongues” (Mark 16:17 NKJV).

When you hear the Holy Spirit, you hear Him in the language you know. It is not that the Holy Spirit needs to speak in a hundred different earthly languages, but rather He gives you the interpretation of all He is telling you in the language that you understand.

The reason so few hear from the Holy Spirit is that so few believe that He will talk to them. Jesus taught, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come” (John 16:13 NASB).

When I wrote my first book on the Holy Spirit, I included many things that the Holy Spirit had told me over the years. I gave my draft to be edited to a godly man, and to my surprise, he made many grammatical corrections in the words where I had quoted the Holy Spirit.

My first thought was, “he must have made a mistake!” Certainly, the Holy Spirit does not have bad grammar. But then I realized, it was not the Holy Spirit with the grammar problem, it was me. I interpreted what He told me in the language I knew, bad grammar and all.

This is why the Bible books read differently; the prophets all heard the same Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit spoke to them in the language they knew and in the way they themselves used that language. A poet hears poems by the Holy Spirit.

The secret to hearing God’s voice is to stop listening to your own. Jesus promised us, “…The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything…” (John 14:26 GW).

Just as the Holy Spirit can give us the ability to translate His heavenly language through us, He can give us the ability to translate the heavenly language that He is speaking through another. And He will give us the interpretation in the language we understand.

I was at a service in prison when a woman started speaking in tongues during the worship part of the service. As she spoke each word in a heavenly language, I was given an interpretation word-for-word of what she was saying.

Interpretation is the bridge between speaking in tongues and revealing the mysteries that were spoken. “For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up” (1 Corinthians 14:2,6 ESV).

There are other times when the Lord will pour out the heavenly language through me, and I will interpret everything that He is saying. I don’t flow in this gift to interpret myself or others very often, but we can all flow in a gift when it is needed.

The Biblical principle is that we should allow tongues to be spoken as a message to the church when an interpretation can be given, so that people will be helped by all that the Holy Spirit is saying. The Holy Spirit has much we need to listen to.

Pray that you can interpret tongues, for when you can do that, you can unlock the mysteries of God. “Therefore, the person who speaks in an [unknown] tongue should pray [for the power] to interpret and explain what he says. For if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit [by the Holy Spirit within me] prays, but my mind is unproductive [it bears no fruit and helps nobody].” (1 Corinthians 14:13-14 AMPC).

The problem we have is that the guardrail to have an interpretation becomes the stop sign to never allow a word from the Holy Spirit to be spoken. Our churches forbid the Holy Spirit from speaking and then wonder why there is a lack of spiritual power in the church.

If your ministry has more natural gimmicks than spiritual gumption, then you don’t have the power of the Holy Spirit helping you. “I didn’t speak my message with persuasive intellectual arguments. I spoke my message with a show of spiritual power so that your faith would not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5 GW).

We need order in the church, and we also need the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the church. It’s not one or the other according to the Word of God, so why is it that way according to many of the organized religions of man? Listen to God more than to man.

Paul taught us, “…Do not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:39-40 NKJV).

There is too much emphasis on having order and little to no emphasis on having the gifts of the Holy Spirit. When we extinguish the flame, the room remains cold. If you want to have a move of God, then you need to get out of the way.

We aren’t supposed to chase spiritual gifts but to walk in them. “So it is with you, since you are so very eager to have spiritual gifts and manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in ways that will build up the church [spiritually]” (1 Corinthians 14:12 AMP).

I was at a prayer meeting one night, and we all pressed in to allow the Holy Spirit to give us the gift of interpretation. We need to learn what our gifts are, and we need to let the Holy Spirit reveal them to us. We need more teaching aligned with the Word of God.

Some of the worst interpretations of God’s Word occur by the intellect of man, void of the Spirit of God. Jesus taught, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13 NIV).

If you don’t allow the Holy Spirit to speak through those He has gifted with the heavenly language and the heavenly interpretation, then you will never hear all that He wants to tell you. Don’t forbid tongues, promote them, and you’ll be blessed to hear from God.

Blessings to you always,

Paul Balius

Here are some wonderful words from my friend and brother, Roger Freer:

Regarding speaking in unknown languages. My experience is that of the Holy Spirit flowing through a vessel. He, the Holy Spirit, is not impressed by titles, degrees, talents, positions, and certainly not by a proud vessel. Humility and the earnest desire to bring glory to His name, yes, then if He chooses to come in power, we are most blessed.

1 Corinthians 14:1 NLT Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives, especially the ability to prophesy.

Yes, the subject is speaking in unknown languages, so what does that have to do with prophecy? Personally, as well as corporately and thus far without exception, my experience has been that of at times intense speaking in unknown languages (tongues) is followed by a very anointed translation that virtually electrifies the atmosphere and always brings glory to God.

As wonderful as these experiences are, the real life-changing experiences are those of loving God, as David writes in Psalm 63. That is the abundant life that will include spiritual gifts in every dimension.

If you can, watch this wonderful video:

Died & What Jesus Revealed About Speaking in Tongues Will Shock You – Dr David Yonggi Cho  https://youtu.be/_-ukiavp2GA?si=bI0YXXYLaiZ6G8SA