| I'm not sure about this but my guess is that 'tongues at will' verses tongues as an overwhelming urge is one of those differences between Holiness Pentecostalism concentrated in the southeast and the more western Pentecostalism of the A/G, Foursquare, etc. The CH denomination had in their handbook in the 1990's something about not believing in speaking in tongues at will. I don't know if the COG denomination or the PH ever had an official statement on it, but that sort of objection to a 'prayer language' seems more common among old timers in the southeastern denominations. It seems like the denominations (that used) to believe in sanctification as a one-time thing after salvation tend to have more people against speaking in tongues 'at will.' I don't know about COGIC at all when it comes to this. From the Bible, it is clear that it is possible to speak in tongues when it is out of order. I Corinthians 14:27-28 makes this clear. Much of the chapter leads up to this conclusion. There are times a man could speak in tongues when he shouldn't. I say this because there are some folks who will speaks in tongues without interpretation because they think the ability to do so means they are supposed to do it or else they are quenching the Spirit. A lot of Pentecostal teaching confuses the idea of emotional excitement with the moving of the Spirit. Someone's hair stands on end when the organist gets the high note, and thinks that means he/she is sinning if he/she doesn't get excited and speak in tongues.And look at these verses in I Corinthians 14,15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.Doesn't the choice of speaking in tongues or not seem to be under Paul's control? He certainly has the choice not to if we continue to read the passage.18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.I notice that some churches in the A/G and their Bible colleges aren't in favor of mass speaking in tongues at the same time or uninterpreted tongues being used in church meetings. They tend to teach a prayer language. But in the A/G, there are people who only spoke in tongues once or a few times, and people who never have. Then there are those who can just go to prayer in tongues at any time. In my own experience, ever since I was baptized with the Holy Ghost at age 11, I've always been able to pray in tongues. I think we should realize that even within one 'gift' there can be a variety of manifestations. There are people who say they have great success in healing for particular ailments, backs or feet, much more so than other healings. There are people who tend to get medical words of knowledge, and some people who get personal prophecies and some who get national level stuff or whatever. Even within gifts, there is a variety. The same may be true of speaking in tongues.Wigglesworth had hands laid on him and he spoke in tongues, but when someone asked him to later, he couldn't do it. Later, he said he got the ability speak in tongues for prayer and called that 'the gift of tongues.' I'm not sure of his labels, but I don't think we have a Biblical case for saying that everyone's experience is going to be the same. I don't see a guarantee of a 'prayer language' for everyone in the Bible. But it seems to me that Paul had that ability. But all things are possible to him that believes, and with God all things are possible.It could be that some people can pray in tongues at any time, and other people can only do it at certain times. From scripture we see that there are times one might be able to speak in tongues when he shouldn't. Gifts need to be stewarded (I Peter 4:10.) I suspect some A/G and Charismatic leaders were able to speak in tongues whenever they chose. It could be the climate and teaching in these movements led more faith for receiving a 'prayer language' than in the groups that taught against that idea or just had a negative attitude toward it. Maybe some of the folks who got the gift in the southeast couldn't.Biblically, I don't see why one must think the Spirit can't give a believer the utterance every time he prays if he's gifted in that direction |