What is the relationship between the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues?

Acts 19:6-7

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“And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all.” Acts 19:6-7

The Ephesian people desired to be baptized in Jesus Christ, which is the desire to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit came upon the Ephesians, and they spoke in tongues. There was a small group of about twelve who received the Holy Spirit. The Ephesians also prophesied, which is to speak in understandable words the testimony of Jesus, “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10 If we want to know where the world is within prophecy we only need to see where Jesus is within the world.

Before quoting Paul on what he says about speaking in tongues, let’s be familiar with what the work of the Holy Spirit is.

Foremost above all, the work of the Holy Spirit is to promote Jesus Christ by empowering us as His witnesses, as quoted, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1: 8 Also, the Holy Spirit convicts of sin and draws people to Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit works sanctification within us, which is to remove sin from our spirit, soul, and mind. As the ugly attitudes and behaviors become less the Holy Spirit becomes more. “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Romans 8:9 The fruit of the Holy Spirit are such as, “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 The Holy Spirit works to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ, convicts of sin, draws people to Jesus, works sanctification within us, and produces the fruit of the Spirit.

On the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out, there were people gathered from countries everywhere [Acts 2:8-12] who spoke different languages. This is before the Salvation of Paul [Acts 9:1-22], before his missionary journeys began [Acts 13]. The Holy Spirit was poured out on them, people who were from many of the places where Paul would arrive during his missionary journey. Through the Holy Spirit, each person of one language could hear the other person speaking in their own language, no interpretation needed. This was to enable the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in countries everywhere, to enable the work of sanctification within people in countries everywhere, and to enable the blossom of the fruit of the Spirit in countries everywhere. God was also preparing countries to receive and help Paul in his missionary journeys, who propelled the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the global proportions of today. In today’s world, the language of the Holy Spirit is heard in many different languages of countries around the world. As followers of Jesus Christ, we understand the language of the Holy Spirit regardless of what country we are in.

When the Holy Spirit is absent, witnessing for the Gospel of Jesus Christ stops, the conviction of sin stops, people coming to Jesus stops, the process of sanctification stops, and the blossom of the fruit of the Spirit stops. That sounds like the world we are living in today! Love has gone cold. In today’s world, the presence of the Holy Spirit is opposed as people live for the beast giving them what to speak, feel, do, and think. As the Holy Spirit is removed from this world, lawlessness follows, “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 Click here for a post on the “lawless one”.

What exactly is and is not speaking in tongues? Quotes from Paul about that are listed below.

Speaking in tongues is just one of many gifts of the Spirit.
Paul, by the Holy Spirit, referred to speaking in tongues as being one of many gifts of the Holy Spirit, maybe you have it and maybe you don’t. “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” 1 Cori 12:7-11

Not every Holy-Spirit filled person has the gift of speaking in tongues.
Paul, by the Holy Spirit, said that not everyone is given the gift of speaking in tongues. Tongues are at the bottom of the list of all the gifts of the Spirit to have. “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 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. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. 1 Cor 12:27-31

Speaking in tongues has no usefulness unless people understand what is being said.
“But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?”  1 Corinthians 14:6 

If we desire a spiritual gift, let it be for the edification of the Church, not to speak in tongues.
“…unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.  There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.” 1 Corinthians 14:9-12

Speaking in tongues is for personal edification and doesn’t edify the Church.
“He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.1 Corinthians 14:4-5

This following verse describes prophecy, “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10 If we want to know where the world is within prophecy, we only need to look at where Jesus is within the world.

Speaking in tongues does not bring people to Jesus Christ.
“Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you. 1 Corinthians 14:23-25

The most important tongue we receive is the language of our born-again experience, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ written on our heart.

Speaking in tongues within the churches is not important.
“I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.” 1 Corinthians 14:18-19

“Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:39-40

Speaking in tongues is unfruitful unless others understand what is being said.
Understanding of what is being spoken is essential for spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Speaking a word that is understood is far more important than speaking many words in an unintelligible tongue. Paul says through the holy Spirit, “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then?…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? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.” 1 Corinthians 14:14-17

“No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:3

Speaking in tongues is not speaking to people.
“For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not to men, but to God: for no man understands him; howbeit in the spirit he speaks mysteries.” 1 Corinthians 14:2

Speaking in tongues is just a lot of noise without the love of Christ.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of Angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” 1 Corinthian 13:1

We live in a world where the beast has power over physiology to give people what to feel and speak. That beast can cause people to mimic speaking in tongues. That beast lives to blaspheme God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. This is why speaking the Gospel of Jesus Christ needs to be done with words that can be understood. The foremost role of the Holy Spirit is not to cause people to speak in tongues, but to make us witnesses to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our born-again experience is the Gospel written on our heart. The role of the Holy Spirit is to bring sanctification to our spirit and soul, as the remission of sin roots out ugly attitudes, words, and behaviors. As sin is remitted, the Holy Spirit works Holiness within us. The role of the Holy Spirit is to produce the blossom of the fruit of the Spirit.

Receiving the Holy Spirit is part of receiving Jesus Christ for the atonement of sin. The question to ask all followers of Jesus is, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit since you believed?” When we come to God through Jesus Christ, we immerse ourselves into the reading of the Bible, we separate ourselves from the relationships of this unGodly world, we befriend Christianity, and we join our hearts in prayer for other believers through the Spirit of Christ. A heart devoted to God is a heart ready to receive the Holy Spirit. The most important tongue we receive is the language of our born-again experience, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ written on our heart.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11