The secret things belong to the Lord our God…Deut 29:29 NKJV

“Why Is There Air?”  

The first comedy routine I ever heard asked that question. It wasn’t on Instagram, Reels’, or social media but on a ‘78’ LP vinyl album, albums which have made a comeback. They tell me that American humor makes the normal seem absurd, while British humor makes the absurd seem normal, which explains Monty Python and the guy who performed the ‘37-words-you-can’t-say-in-the-UK’ song. Hilarious! Do you know that there is a ministry of comedy? It’s a mercy ministry. You need one of these guys on every team you put together…

…he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness (Grk. HILAROTES; hilarity). Rom 12:8 NKJV

I was upset, and very anxious. It was my first trip to Kenya in October of ’95. I had been there for a week with my wife RM, and we had great ministry at Daystar, but I had taken her to the airport on Saturday, she had gone home, and I had another week in country. On Sunday I ventured out of Nairobi to speak at a church in Nakuru, traveling with a hired driver. After preaching I stepped out of the church only to find my car and driver disappeared! I was alone, on a continent halfway around the world, and these people don’t speak my language, and they look at me weird. Where’s my driver? So, I tell the pastor, and he sends out people to find the driver. The associate pastor comes over and just starts joking with me. He had me cracking up! Anxiety washed off of me like standing in the ocean surf, and they found the driver, and I lived to tell the tale. Mercy!

Some of these questions were questions I was asked this week, and a few are just ones that come up from time to time. But let’s get into it…

“Can a Christian have a demon?”

 I remember getting this question while in church one time. I said, “Yes of course they can!” and I launched into my explanation. As I spoke, I noticed heads turning five rows up in front of me, so I turned up the volume a little bit.

First of all, by a ‘Christian’ I assume you mean a born again one. People say, ‘Can the Holy Spirit dwell with a demon?’ The answer is, in the same vessel, a human being, yes! Here is a simple axiom – where sin can be, potentially a demon can be, because it is sin or weakness that gives the demon entrance into that person. Man is a threefold being of spirit, soul and body. When someone is born again, the spirit of man is indwelt by the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-23). The spirit is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but the body and soul are still a battleground. Even if you never sinned, your body could still be invaded by a demon through weakness, diet, bad health habits, accidents, etc. Derek Prince said that perhaps 80% of the people in the congregations he ministered to needed deliverance. The bottom line is this – if you have a demon you are not a bad person, you are a wounded warrior.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Gal 5:22-24 NKJV

How do you know if you have a demon? You can only know with certainty is by revelation, but there are indicators that could point in that direction. The fruit of the Spirit is what normal, sound, healthy Christianity looks like. At times you have stress or temptations, but the Fruit should be your default setting. If it isn’t, if you are chronically angry, or depressed, or anxious, there may be a real problem. Honestly measure yourself against the Fruit. Do I have real love, real joy, peace, etc.? Same truth with your physical body and health! The nature of the body is to heal itself when the cause is removed. If you have been sick for over a year, you may have a spirit of infirmity. This doesn’t make you a bad person – you are an incredibly wonderful person, indwelt with Christ, a son or daughter of God – but you need help!

Don’t live with a demon. Get help and get free!

“Are the gifts of the Spirit for everyone?”  

Every born again one, yes. The purpose of the gifts of the Spirit, listed in 1 Cor.12:7-11, is to give you all the tools you need to fulfill your ministry. You need all nine gifts actively working in your life to enable you to do what God has called you to do. The calling of God is ALWAYS bigger than we see it. My first calling of service was to be an usher in church, but God ultimately had bigger plans…and even now, He still does!

“Were the disciples speaking in tongues when Jesus was physically present? Mark 16:17 says believers will speak in a new language. These disciples believed in Jesus.”

No. In Mark 16:17, Jesus was speaking prophetically concerning what would be fulfilled on the day of Pentecost.

“What is the difference between the tongues in Mark 16:17, Acts 2:4, and 1 Cor. 14:2, 39?”

Great questions! Tongues can be manifested in two forms – as your daily prayer language and at times, in diverse kinds of tongues. The difference is simple yet profound. When you first speak in tongues, the very first time, that is a manifestation of diverse kinds of tongues, where the Spirit of God comes upon you to give you that new prayer language. Once He has done this, then you can freely speak in tongues at your discretion.

There are times when the Spirit of God will come upon you to manifest diverse kinds of tongues in a situation for a specific purpose. In Acts 2:4, this was the initial outpouring of the gift of the Holy Spirit, causing the twelve apostles to be born again and initiating the birth of the Church. Only twelve apostles – actually, the Eleven plus Matthias – received on the day of Pentecost, not the ‘about one hundred and twenty.’ Diverse kinds of tongues can come to bring a message in interpretation, or other miraculous usages.

28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 1 Cor 12:28-31 NKJV

When someone has a MINISTRY of speaking in tongues, they can even preach in tongues and the audience will hear it. This is what was manifested on the day of Pentecost and I have met believers who have done the same thing. I once met a young lady who wanted to speak to a Spanish speaking congregation. The Lord gave her a tongue to speak in Spanish. She didn’t know what she was saying, but miracles occurred and people got blessed!

Mark 16:17 – prophetic declaration of what would come on the day of Pentecost and become available to all believers afterwards.

Acts 2:4 – the apostles plus Matthias receiving the initial outpouring to the Church, speaking in diverse kinds of tongues and the people understanding them.

1 Corinthians 14:2, 39 – speaking in tongues as your private prayer language.

“If speaking in tongues is a gift like wisdom, discernment, knowledge, etc. then why the emphasis on speaking in tongues? What if God decides not to give it to the individual?”

Let me answer your second question first because that relates to the character, the integrity of God. Regarding the gifts in 1 Cor. 12:7-11, God DOES NOT arbitrarily decide to give one gift to one person and another to another. This idea that God is arbitrary or capricious in His dealings with men is from the devil. He deals with everyone honestly, immediately and according to faith. This is the ONLY way He could be a just Judge. He gives ALL of His nine manifestation gifts to all who believe to receive. Consider these words…

13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:13 NKJV

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”  39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:37-39 NKJV

Jesus clearly teaches if you come to Him and freely drink in the Spirit you will manifest the Spirit in tongues (‘out of his belly will flow rivers…’). He clearly teaches that if you ask for the HS, you will receive the HS from ABBA. The idea that God arbitrarily gives or denies the gifts is a manmade rationalization due to unbelief and should be rejected by every Bible believer (if you can’t believe Jesus in John 7:37 how can you believe Jesus in John 3:16?).

Now…the other question… why the emphasis on speaking in tongues?

EACH of the nine manifestation gifts in 1 Cor.12:7-11 is UNIQUELY important to the individual believer. One is NOT more important than the others BUT speaking in tongues is crucial to the effective operation of the others. Let me give important reasons that are unique to speaking in tongues.

Tongues in prayer, praise and worship:

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24NKJV

Tongues is vital in praise and worship because it is completely from the Spirit and free from the flesh. Your voice is just the vessel. No fleshly worship enters Heaven. Think of all the attendant promises with the fear of the Lord and worshipping the true God. Speaking in tongues is one great aspect, but not the only, of worshipping in spirit and in truth.

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Rom 8:26-28 NKJV

Likewise what we pray for in tongues is completely free from the flesh – you don’t know what you are saying – but the One, Jesus, who searches the hearts knows what are the thoughts of your spirit as your spirit makes super intercession according to the will of God. You simply cannot do that praying with your mother tongue without specific revelation, which is really the manifestation gift of prophecy.

Tongues edifies, strengthens and empowers your spirit man. This has many blessings. It blesses your physical body because your spirit is what gives life to your physical body. You only die when your spirit is too weak, too overwhelmed to keep your physical body alive. Speaking in tongues much makes you happier, healthier and better looking. Also, when your spirit man is built up by much praying in tongues, you receive the other manifestation gifts more readily. Paul spoke in tongues more than the whole Corinthian Church. That testimony alone would be enough to emphasize tongues! Bottom line is this – you can be born again and choose not to speak in tongues, BUT you will miss the fun of the Holy Ghost party! 😉

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deut 29:29 NKJV

After fifty years of being a student of God, I am full of the joy of questions and filled with the joy of answers. I hope you are too! If I can help you in any way, especially with healing, deliverance or getting filled with the Holy Spirit just answer this email. Why is there air? Bill Cosby explained, “Every schoolkid has heard, ‘Hey! Your ball needs some air!’ Every kid knows, ‘Air is for basketballs, soccer balls and footballs,’” bless God forever! Absurd…but originally hilarious. Love you!

Remember dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…