Glossolalia or Speaking in Tongues

All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

The term glossolalia means "the phenomenon of (apparently) speaking in an unknown language, especially in religious worship. It is practiced especially by Pentecostal and charismatic Christians." 

This definition is from the internet under the term, "glossolalia Meaning."

I am a Pentecostal. This is what the United Pentecostal Christian believes happens when one receives the Holy Ghost. We take our belief from the Book of Acts which says in Acts 2:1-4,  "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Speaking in tongues, or in languages the disciples of the Lord Jesus had never learned was the initial evidence that the Holy Ghost or Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost. This was God's choice. 

Is speaking in tongues for today? The Bible says in Galatians 3:2,  "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" While speaking in tongues is not mentioned here it would seem on the surface of this reading that the Galatian church did speak in tongues when they received the Holy Ghost. Just a couple of verses later Apostle Paul said that whoever ministered the Holy Spirit to the Galatian church also worked miracles among them. So it would seem that the reason for Galatians 3:1-5 was not to discount speaking in tongues but rather to discount the Law as the reason they had received the Spirit of God. It was through faith. Yes speaking in tongues is still the initial evidence of receiving the Spirit of God. The Apostle Paul (who was not present on the Day of Pentecost) said in 1st Corinthians 14:18-19,  "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: 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."  Although Paul was addressing another subject, still he said that he (also) spoke in tongues. And it still takes faith. 

Which is easier, speaking in tongues or healing the sick? In Matthew 9:2-7 The Lord Jesus responded to those who reasoned in their hearts that He was speaking blasphemy when He said, "Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee," He then asked them, "...whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?" He then proceeded to heal the man and said, "But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house." When one speaks in an unknown tongue, "...as the Spirit..." gives utterance, he is doing so by the Spirit of God just as much as healing the sick, or for that matter moving literal mountains. I would say that one is as easy as the other for God. (See also Mark 2:9, Luke 5:23 and Acts 2:4)

Is speaking in tongues a prayer language? Yes! Yes it is a prayer language for one who has received the Holy Ghost for they were praying to God when they received it. If you have never received the Holy Spirit as they did on the Day of Pentecost with the evidence of speaking in a language you never learned, let me encourage you to ask God for it. I believe He wants you to have the Holy Ghost also. The Bible says in Romans 8:6-11, "...to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." I don't want to be carnally minded when Jesus returns, how about you?