It is written:
lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. (2 Corinthians 2:11)
One of the ways that Satan has gotten a foothold in many places today is through the so-called “tongue” movement. Many religious people, carried away into an emotional frenzy in religious services, practice what is known as glossolalia.
The Word Dictionary describes glossolalia as “repetitive nonmeaningful speech (especially that associated with a trance state or religious fervor).” Typically, glossolalia has reference to a person beginning to speak in an unintelligible gibberish with no discernible meaning.
Many mistakenly believe this is the Bible gift of tongues, but it is not. The Bible gift of tongues had reference to one who had the ability to miraculously speak in the languages of another country which he had not previously studied.
Acts 2:4-11-And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
This is quite different from what is often called “speaking in tongues” as practiced today in many churches.
Frighteningly enough, the gibberish tongues were habitually practiced in the ancient pagan religions and evidence suggests a demonic connection!
“The phenomenon of glossolalia is not unique to the Christian religion. Occurrences of tongues-speaking have been reported in many cults and world religions both past and present. Glossolalia spoken in religious ecstasy has occurred in many ancient Mesopotamian, African, Egyptian, Canaanite, Arabic, Greek, Asian, and Western pagan religions and cults.[ 447] Ecstatic speech (ranging from unintelligible moans, groans, and animal noises to more language-like sounds) has been a recurring religious experience in both the ancient and modern world religions. Ecstatic speech, for example, is reported to have occurred in the following cults and religions: the Hellenistic mystery religions (e.g., the priestess of Apollo known as the Oracle of Delphi), Shamanism, the Aborigines of Australia, Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhist monks, “Christian” Gnosticism (i.e., Montanism of the 2nd century) Catholic monastic asceticism (in the middle ages) Islamic mysticism, French Protestant Huguenots or Camisards (17th and 18th centuries) Catholic Jansenists (17th and 18th centuries) some Methodists (18th and 19th centuries) some early Quakers and Shakers (17th and 18th century) Irvingites of the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church (19th century) early Mormons (19th century) Voodoo, Pentecostals and Charismatics (20th and 21th centuries).[ 448] Furthermore, there are a number of similarities, to paraphrase Gromacki, between the glossolalia occurrences of both “non-Christian” and post-apostolic “Christian” participants. First, the person was in religious worship of some kind and through some method entered into an altered state of consciousness, a passive mental state, and religious ecstasy. Second, in this state the person is possessed (i.e., controlled or influenced to varying degrees) by powerful spirit beings (usually the divine kind). Third, the person then loses some control of his mental or physical faculties. Fourth, the person speaks in strange and mysterious “languages” (i.e., ecstatic speech) to communicate with and as evidence of possession by the divine spirit( s). Fifth, there may be an interpretation of the tongues utterance, often for instruction and guidance….“Is there a connection between tongues-speaking, altered states of consciousness, and demonic influence? Yes, in some cases. John Ankerberg and John Weldon have cautioned that mental passivity, heightened suggestibility, mental illness, occult bondage, and demon possession are among the potential dangers of “altered states of consciousness.”[ 450] If this is true, then it makes sense that many cults and world religions embrace various forms of mysticism that often encourages their adherents to turn off (i.e., neutralize or bypass) their rational minds, through intoxicating drugs/ drinks or through other repetitive methods (e.g., dancing themselves into frenzies, rhythmic music or chanting, controlled breathing, tongues-speaking, sensory deprivation, etc.). These cultivated and unnaturally occurring altered states of consciousness are the supposed means of attaining an esoteric knowledge of mysteries that supposedly transcends the rational mind. The ecstatic speaking that often accompanied such hypnotic conditions is thought to be the language of the gods and evidence of possession by the divine.” (James O’Loughlin, The Truth about Speaking in Tongues: An Examination of the Pentecostal and Charismatic Doctrine and Experience, 4192-4225 (Kindle Edition); Fort Hill, South Carolina; Veritas International Institute)
One young lady I baptized told me of how during her experience of “speaking in tongues” at a charismatic church’s device, she had been given a vision of a Jesus Christ dressed as a pagan Egyptian priest. She knew that this could not have been from God since Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6) and paganism is not true! It was when she learned that Satan is the giver of false signs and lying wonders (John 8:44; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12) that she realized this was not of God.
Once in local jail ministry, a young man who had told myself and others that he was a committed Satanist, began to pray in tongues over me-exactly as practiced in charismatic church services. He explained to me that he was sending his demons to mill me because he could not stand me saying the name “Jesus.”
Friends, it is very concerning that what is being practiced in so many churches today had its parallel in demonically controlled pagan religions. And it is a shame that many Christians today do not know God’s Word well enough to see the difference. We need to open our Bibles and study, and let God lead us through His Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.
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