And your hearts will overflow with a joyful song to the Lord Jehovah. Keep speaking to each other with words of Scripture, singing the Psalms with praises and spontaneous songs given by the Spirit! Ephesians 5:19 - The Passion Translation (TPT)
Psalms are scriptural lyrics in song; Hymns are humanly inspired lyrics in song; SPIRITUAL SONGS are impromptu rhythmic lyrics given by the Holy Spirit in one’s language or in TONGUES (see 1 Cor. 14:15). In the PRAYER LANGUAGE you are talking to God. In the SPIRITUAL GIFT God is talking to others through you, and the gift of interpretation of tongues will likely be given so that the people can understand the message and receive the benefit God intended for them.
Ephesians 5:15–20 Contrasts believers and unbelievers, with an emphasis on the difference between wise and foolish living. Wise living is the result of being filled with the Spirit. Note the place of SONG-FILLED worship as a means to fulfilling the directive in v. 18—"to be filled continually with the Spirit".
Ephesians 5:19 - Or “Spiritual Songs.” There is no other song more spiritual than the Song of Songs. Perhaps Paul was encouraging the church to sing and rejoice in the greatest of all songs. The Holy Spirit is the Model Husband, unselfishly giving Himself to enhance His bride—His church (5:25–27, 32). Chapter 6: He is the Lord, Mighty in Battle, the resource of strength for His own as they arm for spiritual warfare (6:10).
Speaking in tongues was not instituted by man. It was the Lord Jesus who made the announcement first on Mark 16:17. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; So the Lord Jesus spoke of “NEW” tongues. It is very very important to note the word NEW!! Jesus did not say “unknown” tongues, he said NEW TONGUES!
So now in Acts where we see the FIRST manifestation of this gift, we notice that people were speaking in tongues, BUT other people could hear what they were saying. The people in the upper room were speaking OTHER tongues. Jesus said those that believe will speak with NEW tongues, and in the upper room we see believers in Christ speaking NEW languages (New languages that they did not know before).
That is why the Bible says, in Acts 2:4 - And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. We have just read, they spoke in OTHER tongues. They were not saying RABABABABABA..no, they were speaking ACTUAL languages that exist on earth, without having to learn the language. This is the phenomenon that Jesus spoke about in Mark 16:17, And they shall speak in “NEW” tongues.
The Human Spirit praying versus the HOLY SPIRIT praying. Paul says something wonderful in Romans 8:26, he says, In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
Now the Bible is very clear what happens here. Sometimes you do not know what to pray for, then the HOLY SPIRIT starts to intercede with groans that cannot be uttered. The Bible does not say the Holy Spirit will make groans by uttering words, nope..it says, THE SPIRIT, intercedes with groans which cannot be uttered through your mouth!! One thing I need you to note here, it is NOT your spirit that is making groaning's, it is the HOLY SPIRIT!!
This has nothing to do with your human spirit. When the Holy Spirit groans within you, it does not have to involve you uttering things with your mouth, because the groaning's of the Holy Spirit which the Bible says, they are words which cannot be uttered!! Let me give you an example: You are a mother of a 18 year old girl child, who is about to be ambushed by a group of cruel thugs. You are a mother busy cooking, but then the Holy Spirit in you knows that your daughter is about to get into trouble, so the Holy Spirit starts groaning within you.
The Holy Spirit is interceding for your daughter, you are busy doing washing, you have no idea what is happening. Only when your daughter gets home and starts to tell you her testimony of how she was nearly abducted, but she was rescued by total strangers, then you realize it was God’s intervention, because the Holy Spirit had uttered groaning's with words that cannot be uttered. So Romans 8:26, is the HOLY SPIRIT groaning and interceding things you know nothing about, with WORDLESS groaning's.
Paul says it beautifully in I Corinthians 14, the entire chapter of 14, Paul says, If you are not going to speak in "NEW TONGUES" as per Mark 16:17, or ACTS 2:4, and you speak with "UNKNOWN TONGUES" (rabakhadadrabosh handerekhande) he says, listen, if you are going to do that, I would rather you prophesied, because when you are doing that you are not edifying anyone but yourself. Remember, the tongues of Acts 2:4 were edifying everyone that was listening, because everyone heard what the people were saying.
The groaning's of Romans 8:26 are also perfect because this is the Holy Spirit uttering things not even using your mouth. OK, but here, with "UNKNOWN TONGUES", Paul says, can we do something about this "UNKNOWN TONGUE" business. Paul says, I'm not saying you should stop, but he says, praying 5 words in English is better than the whole night going "rabakhadadrabosh handerekhande"
Paul says, how can the whole church pray in unknown tongues? He says, won't people say that you are mad, if the whole church is going, "rabakhadadrabosh handerekhande", will not a stranger say you are crazy, he didn't want to hurt their feelings and say, “guys that’s insanity”, so he says it’s a stranger saying that.
Now in 1 Corinthians 14:27 here comes a shocker, if any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
Look at this, PAUL DOES NOT PUT A RESTRICTION WHEN SOMEONE IS SPEAKING IN THE "OTHER TONGUES" or "NEW TONGUES", as Jesus said, Paul seems to be placing a restriction on "UNKNOWN TONGUES". Paul says, if you are going to do that in church, he says AT MOST LET IT BE 3 PEOPLE, AND AFTER THAT LET SOMEONE INTERPRET. "UNKNOWN TONGUES" HAVE TO BE INTERPRETED. Paul says, If you can't interpret in church what you are saying, just keep quiet and speak to God alone and yourself in the "UNKNOWN TONGUES".
I have heard a testimony, where God sent this man to Russia from the United States, and when he got there, he was trying to get an interpreter that could interpret from English to Russian, so when he couldn’t get an interpreter, God just gave him a download of the Russian language and he spoke the language perfectly and had many converts. That was the gift of speaking in “NEW” tongues or “OTHER” tongues.
DOES SPEAKING IN TONGUES MEAN I HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT? Now this is a very very important question. I speak in tongues, is that evidence of the Holy Spirit. Let me say this, one of the ways the Holy Spirit can reveal himself to an individual is through speaking “OTHER TONGUES", as evidenced in the book of Acts. However the act on itself does not necessarily mean one has the Holy Spirit.
Let me give this example. "THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A LIFE". It doesn’t mean that people with the Holy Spirit do not make mistakes, we all have fallen and come short of the Glory of God. We ALL fall as children of God filled with the Holy Spirit but we don’t remain down. The Holy Spirit will never “give in” to sin.
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS LIKE A DOVE, NOT A PIG!! A dove is a very clean bird, that is why in the Bible the Holy Spirit is compared to a dove. A dove can get some mud on her maybe by playing with her mates after the rain. But that dove will make sure that the dirt does not remain on it. The Holy Spirit is like that. WHEN YOU HAVE GRIEVED THE HOLY SPIRIT, YOU WILL BE QUICK TO REPENT. THAT IS THE PROOF OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. A LIFE LIVED WITH GOD. A LIFE LIVED IN LOVE.
I want to show you something, that the "LIFE" and the "CONDITION OF OUR HEARTS" is more important to God than anything else. Lets go back to Acts 2:22 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. The Bible takes time to explain to us the CONDITION that was prevailing when the Holy Spirit fell. It says they were all in ONE ACCORD!! Wow, in other words, there was Harmony between them!! What if there was no harmony in the upper room?
"THE CONDITION OF THE HEART, THE LIFE YOU LIVE IS MORE IMPORTANT, THAT IS WHAT IS GOING TO DETERMINE YOUR ETERNAL DESTINATION", not because you spent the whole night speaking in “Tongues”. WE ALSO NEED TO ESTABLISH, THE PRIMARY WAYS THAT GOD HAS CHOSEN TO SPEAK TO MAN. THE FIRST AND FOREMOST IS THE WORD, HIS INFALLIBLE WORD. THEN ALL OTHER MEANS AND WAYS COMES SECOND, AND THEY STILL HAVE TO BE CHECKED WITH THE WRITTEN WORD. That is why Paul says, I WOULD RATHER YOU ALL PROPHESIED MEANING TO EXHORT AND EDIFY THE BODY OF CHRIST WITH INSPIRED WORDS FROM THE LORD. TONGUES ARE BIBLICAL NO DOUBT. AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD UNTIL JESUS TAKES HIS CHILDREN, BUT WE MUST NEVER MAJOR ON A MINOR. WE MUST ALSO REMEMBER THAT GOD WANTS TO WANTS TO ENGAGE OUR MINDS WHEN WE SPEAK TO HIM.
Jesus Christ could speak in tongues, but the night before He was crucified, his prayer is recorded, it was not in tongues, He said Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me, but nevertheless not my will but yours. Jesus was praying and said Father, I thank you that these things you have hid them from the wise and the prudent and you have revealed them to babes. Jesus spoke in tongues when he was about to give up His spirit on the Cross. He said, eli eli lama sabachthani!!! These were tongues, "UNKNOWN TONGUES"! TONGUES WITH INTERPRETATION, BECAUSE WE KNOW IN THE BIBLE TODAY WHAT THEY MEANT, "MY LORD, MY LORD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME!!"
JESUS DID NOT LEAVE US WITH UN-INTERPRETED UNKNOWN TONGUES!! LEARN TO SPEAK TO GOD IN YOUR LANGUAGE!! WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT WANTS TO INTERCEDE, IT WILL HAPPEN. YOU WILL BE PRAYING THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU WILL HEAR YOUR TONGUE STARTING TO CHANGE, AND THEN IT WILL BE LIKE A FOUNTAIN THAT JUST FLOWS FROM WITHIN JUST COMING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH! FILL YOUR EARS WITH LOVE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FORGIVENESS. TAKE THE TONGUES, PARK THEM AT THE ALTAR, AND MAKE RIGHT WITH EVERYONE, MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HAVE UNFORGIVENESS TOWARDS ANYONE. KNEEL DOWN AND SAY, "LORD, MAY THE HOLY SPIRIT PRAY FROM WITHIN ME". ONLY THEN WILL YOU FEEL SOMETHING COME UP. YOU WILL EXPERIENCE THE PURITY, THEN LISTEN AS YOU MOUTH STARTS TALKING TO GOD, LET THE SPIRIT INTERCEDE FOR YOU!! OH, WHAT A COMMUNION WITH OUR MASTER. LETS HANDLE SPIRITUAL GIFTS WITH CARE, SO THEY CAN BRING GLORY AND HONOR TO THE LORD!! MOST IMPORTANTLY, LET OUR LIVES REFLECT THE ONE THAT IS LIVING WITHIN US.
As with Christ, the Holy Spirit is revealed in a widely varied ministry to and through the believer. In 1:13 He is the Sealer, authorizing the believer to represent Christ; in 1:17 and 3:5 He is the Revealer, enlightening the heart to perceive God’s purpose; in 3:16 He is the Empowerer whom Christ gives to strengthen within; in 4:3, 4 He is the Spirit of Unity desiring to sustain the bond of peace in the body of Christ; in 4:30 He is the Spirit of holiness who may be grieved by insistence on carnal pursuits; in 5:18 He is the Fountain, from which all are to be continuously filled; in 6:17, 18 He is the Giver of the Word as a sword for battle and the heavenly Assistant given to aid us in prayer and intercession until victory is won.
The throbbing message of Ephesians is “to the praise of His [God’s] glory” (1:6, 12, 14). The word “glory” occurs eight times and refers to the exceeding excellence of God’s love, His wisdom, and His power. The magnificent goal is in Jesus’ announced commitment to build a glorious, mature, and ministering church, “not having spot or wrinkle” (5:27).
The epistle divides into two sections: 1) the Believer’s Position, chapters 1—3, and 2) the Believer’s Practice, chapters 4—6. In chapter 1, the recurrent term “in Christ” sums up the Christian’s position, as having been given “every spiritual blessing.” Several of these blessings are enumerated: chosen, blameless (1:4), adopted, accepted (1:5, 6), forgiven, predestined, and sealed (1:7, 11, 13).
The great call to “WALK WORTHY OF THE CALLING” introduces this letter’s second section (chs. 4—6). Systematically, Paul presents the ethical and moral implications of Spirit-filled living (4:1—6:9). The maturing process of the believer’s “equipping” (4:11–16) and the appeal to help each other forward (“speaking the truth in love”) will bring growth and the discipline is essential to the triumphant spiritual warrior’s life (6:10–20).
EPHESIANS has been called “The Alps of the New Testament,” “The Grand Canyon of Scripture,” and “The Royal Capstone of the Epistles,” not only because of its grand theme, but because of the majesty of Christ revealed here. CHAPTER 1: He is the Redeemer (1:7), the One in whom and by whom history will ultimately be consummated (1:10); and He is the Resurrected Lord who not only has risen over death and hell, but who reigns as King, pouring His life through His body, the church—the present expression of Himself on Earth (1:15–23). CHAPTER 2: He is the Peacemaker who has reconciled man to God and who makes possible reconciliation of man to man as well (2:11–18); and He is the Chief Cornerstone of the new temple consisting of His own people to be indwelt by God Himself (2:19–22). CHAPTER 3: He is the Treasure in whom life’s unsearchable riches are found (3:8); and He is the In-dweller of human hearts, securing us in the love of God (3:17–19). CHAPTER 4: Jesus is the Giver of ministry-gifts to His church (4:7–11); and He is the Victor who has broken hell’s ability to keep humankind captive (4:8–10). CHAPTER 5: Jesus is the Model Husband, unselfishly giving Himself to enhance His bride—His church (5:25–27, 32). CHAPTER 6: He is the Lord, Mighty in Battle, the resource of strength for His own as they arm for spiritual warfare (6:10).
With sweeping strokes, this foundational series of statements moves to a bold, new assertion, declared in Paul’s first of two prayers in this letter. He prays that each Christian may perceive God’s grand purpose in raising Christ to triumph—that now the church may know Christ’s victorious fullness as we resist evil and face life’s trials (1:15—2:10). Chapter 2 describes how God’s grace has formed a united people among whom He can dwell in His fullness and glory. Through this people His high purpose is to be unveiled. Grasping the message of Ephesians requires understanding two words from Chapter 3—“dispensation” and “mystery” (vv. 2, 3). The apostle declared that God’s “secret” in planning the church is hidden no longer (3:3, 4—now the “mystery” is known). He has designed the church to administer (“to dispense”) Christ’s fullness everywhere (3:2, 9), ministering as a living body, spreading over the Earth and penetrating “the heavenlies.” God’s “manifold wisdom” now demonstrates His glory in the church (3:10, 11), a manifestation that eventually will issue in the believer’s strengthening (3:14–20), maturing (4:15), confrontation, and victory (6:10–20). However, the church cannot approach this without a practical understanding of how this present glory of God’s grace and presence is to affect everyday living.
Ephesians 5:19 - Psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. People in antiquity understood that songs could be inspired (cf. v. 18), and this was also the case with the prophetically-inspired worship in the OT temple (1Ch 25:1 – 6) that generated many of the original psalms (2Ch 29:25,30). (Cf. the movement between prophecy and praise in, e.g., 2 Sa 23:1 – 2; Ps 46:1,10; 91:2,14.) In Paul’s churches this might sometimes include singing in tongues and interpretation (1Co 14:14 – 15). Other ancient worship often used hymns, but not normally spontaneously composed at the time, as may be the case for some worship here (cf. 1Co 14:15).
5:19 – 21 In Greek, all Paul’s instructions in vv. 19 – 21 (and thus, by implication, the exposition of v. 21 in 5:22 — 6:9) expound the command in v. 18 to “be filled with the Spirit.”
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