TONGUES:
I Corinthians 14:13-17 NKJV
[13] Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. [14] For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. [15] What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. [16] Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? [17] For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
Tongues is a divine language given to every believing Christian who is baptized in the Holy Spirit as promised by Christ (Acts 2:1-4, 10:44-46 & Luke 24:49). Every Christian must yearn to experience this baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in Tongues.
There are two things that Paul is talking about here in 1 Corinthians 14 that we must all be clear about. The one who speaks with Tongues (one with the gift of diverse kinds of tongues) and the one who prays in Tongues (the Tongues the Believer received on our baptism in the Holy Spirit is our prayer language). Every Believer can therefore pray in Tongues.
Paul says the one who is gifted to speak in tongues to the body of Christ must pray that they interpret as well so that they can always edify the church. It is not always that we will have another person with the gift of interpretation of tongues present in a gathering to interpret a message we give in tongues.
Whenever we come together to fellowship, everything must be well organized in order to avoid confusion. Those who minister in tongues must be two or three and one should interpret. If we all follow God’s word, there will be divine order.
I Corinthians 14:26 NKJV
[26] How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
We must not allow one gift to dominate and displace all the others. Each is equally important and has a contribution to make to the overall success of the meeting. May the Lord enable us to edify one another with the gifts He has placed in our lives.