8 Hindrances to Receiving Gift of Tongues
What are some hindrances to receiving the gift of tongues?
If you are asking this question, you must be wanting to speak in tongues, but perhaps have not yet been able to start yet.
You have come to the right place, because I too did not receive right away.
Let’s take a step away and figure out some hindrances that might keep you from receiving the gift of tongues.
God’s goal is for everyone to be able to access this all-important gift and use it regularly.
How do we know? Because speaking in tongues is a charisma, that is a free gift. Tongues are given unearned, undeserved, unmerited to those who want to receive the gift.
Jesus Himself paid the cost for the gift at the cross. Now from heaven, He is granting this gift to all His people freely and wholeheartedly. Here is Jesus promise to all who thirst for more of Him,
These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues (Mark 16:18).
God’s goal is for you to receive the Holy Spirit and the ability to speak in tongues.
Hindrances are not major obstacles. Each can be removed. None are insurmountable. All can be removed by the truth of the Scriptures. I’m living proof of this.
I write today to help you become a “tongue-talker” and become baptized in the Holy Spirit. Because of my experience—I had some misconceptions and misunderstandings—I’ve been able to help other people remove hindrances to receiving the gift of tongues.
So, What are 8 hindrances to receiving the gift of tongues? I'm not saying these are the only hindrances, but these are some of the most common.
1 Mr. University Complex
I name this hindrance first because it was my personal stumbling block. (Perhaps I should have put my own picture here!)
After two years at Pacific Lutheran University, I transferred in 1962 to the Lutheran Bible Institute (LBI) in Seattle. I held Dr. E V Stime, the founder and president of LBI in high esteem.
One day, as a guest in his home and at his dinner table, he claimed matter-of-factly, “I heard some people speaking in tongues today.” I couldn’t believe it. I was a total skeptic. In the last two years I had been studying German and French—with difficulty—and now I could not imagine how anyone could speak a language he had not learned!
I slammed my hand on the dinner table and repeated in unbelief, “You heard them?!” The good Dr simply replied quietly, “Yes, I heard them.”
You see, I was a college man steeped in the mental, intellectual way of approaching any subject. I valued mental acumen—as must any university man. That’s not always bad—it’s just natural! And that was my problem—I was a natural man (1 Corinthians 2:14-16).
I had no idea that speaking in tongues is designed to deliver us from our exclusively natural, mental approach to life and the Bible!
I was shocked by Dr. Stimes’ comment, but I never forgot it—I soon visited an Episcopalian church that practiced speaking in tongues.
2. The “Seeds of Doubt” Hindrance
This is a tricky one. We've probably heard, "Our memory plays tricks with us.” This expression is often used about old-timers who are prone to forget something. But I have seen it used for younger people who have heard negative words about God’s things that they no longer consciously remember.
Have you ever heard of an incident of misuse of tongues? (Probably).
Have you heard of a Spirit-filled minister who got caught in an unsavory church scandal?
Are some tongue-talkers “weird” in your opinion? Why?
Have you heard at least one warning about false tongues?
Or that tongue-speakers are deceived or evil?
Has anyone ever told you that tongues have ceased? And they can show scripture to prove it?
For some folks, any of these seeds of doubt can linger in the memory without our awareness of it. Each can possibly be a hindrance to receiving gift of tongues.
How can that seed of doubt be removed? The Bible is our answer. Read and meditate on the relevant Bible verses. Whatever hindrance exists, let’s remove it.
Meditate on Acts 2 in your own Bible version.
Meditate on Acts 8, 9, 10:44-48.
Meditate on Acts 11:16-18.
Ruminate on Acts 19:1-7 in a good Bible translation.
Spend time with Jesus and His words in Luke 11:1-13.
3. Over-cautionary Leadership
Do your small-group leaders and pastor speak in tongues in public? Have you heard them? Do they prophesy? Are they flowing with the Spirit? Do they make mistakes in spiritual gifts and tell about it?
What about your small group leaders’ wife? Or your pastors’ wife? Is she flowing in the Spirit and the gifts? How ‘bout the man or woman in your church that you look up to and respect? Do they prophecy?
How ’bout your husband or wife? Would he/she laugh at you if you spoke in tongues?
The truth is this: The Holy Spirit is like a dove—so tender, so gentle. He’s easily disturbed by loud noise or sudden motion. This includes church songs. Do your church include songs that cause the Spirit to scurry away? He is easily scared away. And so are most of us. The things of the Spirit are so personal, so intimate that we are extremely hesitant to expose ourselves to a risk of correction in a spiritual matter such as speaking in tongues or revelation.
What is the atmosphere of your small group or church? Is it relaxed enough for people to take a risk? Because we are created by God so vulnerable, we need an overwhelmingly positive atmosphere in order to enter into the spiritual realm.
4. Mr. Cripple--Unforgiveness
That’s right--unforgiveness cripples e-v-e-e-e-r-t-h-i-n-g! even tongues. Often, we don’t even know it.
For example, I thought I had forgiven everyone. Then one day at church I took communion. After communion, I got sick. I realized there remained one woman that I had not forgiven It dawned on me that 1 Corinthians 11:29-30 was coming true in my life.
This scripture is not about speaking in tongues, but it shows that unforgiveness has dire consequences.
Is unforgiveness a hindrance for you to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit? If not, don’t let me or anyone else put that on you. Ask God if you are free of any unforgiveness. He will show you if this is a hindrance, or not, for you.
Because you have forgiven all, “Mr. Cripple” (unforgiveness) will not be a hindrance for you.
When you have forgiven all, move ahead in confidence and receive the fullness of the Spirit and tongues. Jesus delights to grant the Spirit complete with tongues.
Just think! No more hindrance on your part to enter into all the flow and fulness of the Spirit. You can yield to Jesus not only in tongues, but in all the revelation and strength that God has for you. Above all you will be able to share Christ more freely with others!
5 Mr. and Mrs. Guilt
Sorry to say this, but some people feel so badly about themselves that they feel they can’t receive anything from the Lord. Maybe we all feel that way at certain times.
Let’s stop right here! No matter what you’ve done (I mean that!) or what you haven’t done, you are still in God’s spotlight to receive the Holy Spirit and tongues. Tongues are a charisma; a charisma is defined as a free gift. Each charisma is given without a prior string attached. The fact is, none of us deserves this gift. Nor can we earn it. It’s a free gift!
Do not let how you view yourself as a hindrance to receiving the Holy Spirit!
One of my favorite verses is There is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1). Check it out in any translation other than King James Version. Unfortunately, the KJV refers back to some poorer manuscripts and adds outdated conditions to this passage.
6 “Miss Pride”
Everyone would like more knowledge, wisdom, gifts of healing, miracles, and faith.
However, when it comes to speaking in tongues, Miss Pride or Mr. Pride introduces her/himself. Pride is a supreme hindrance to receiving gift of tongues.
It takes humility to talk to Someone (Christ) who you have never seen and in a language that you don’t understand. No wonder that the devil visits almost every speaker-in-tongues with the “you’re making it up” accusation.
Take your time here. Are you willing to take a risk and speak gibber-ish in front of people who you want to respect you? That's what it will take--tongues will sound like gibberish to you and everyone around.
But No! You’re not making it up! Keep humble and confident in the Bible. God designed speaking in tongues as His antidote for pride. Once we pass the pride test, God can use us in greater power and ways that only He imagines.
7 "Miss-Understanding” and her Twin Sister “Miss- Conception”
Tongues were controversial on the Day of Pentecost. Same throughout the ages. Still controversial today.
Why? God hides Himself in controversy.
Let’s try to unpack “Miss-Understanding” and her sister “Miss-Conception.”
These next four hindrances to receiving gift of tongues have side-tracked many dedicated believers. Please don’t let them deter you. . .Each is promulgated by Miss-Conception or Miss-Understanding.
Miss-Understanding Number One— “The Holy Spirit speaks.” No, in the matter of tongues, the Holy Spirit Does Not Speak. It’s YOU who speak. It’s your breath, your mouth, your lips, your choice, your decision.
The Holy Spirit does not begin to speak. You begin to speak. No one has ever begun to speak in tongues who did not open his/her mouth and begin to speak. The bible says about the day of Pentecost: And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. Acts 2:4 NASB
Who began to speak? Peter, John, James, Mother Mary and the other 116 in the Upper Room all began to speak. No one has ever been “filled” with the Spirit who did not take the risk of uttering his first “faith syllables.”
Miss-Understanding Number Two—Speaking in tongues is a miracle. No, tongues are not a miracle. Speaking in tongues is more natural than you think. Again, it’s your mouth, your breath, your lips, your choice, your sound apparatus. You control it. You utter the first faith syllables. The miracle is that Jesus understands it. It will sound like silly jibberish to you, but Jesus understands it!
Miss-Conception Number Three—The person must “work it up.”
Many years ago, I led an event in Mankato, Minnesota. Christians from many denominations, mostly students, participated. At the closing, I invited all who wanted to be “filled” with the Spirit and speak in tongues to come forward. The Holy Spirit fell easily upon many. Those who needed the laying on of hands also received that ministry.
After approximately 10-30 minutes I noticed something strange. Most students had received the Spirit, were chattering in tongues and had left the venue. The remaining students were working extremely hard to receive the Holy Spirit! Maybe I had not communicated well—the Holy Spirit is a Gift! He is a Gift to be received, not “worked up by human effort.”
Another surprise: The young people working so vehemently were from the Assembly of God or Pentecostal churches! I thought these would receive most easily. I was wrong. Apparently, they had the Miss-Conception that for people to speak in a tongue they had to whip themselves into a state of hyperventilation or ecstasy.
Almost everyone that night received the Spirit and could began a lifelong experience with tongues. But I finally gave up on the ones trying to work up their emotions in order to receive the Spirit.
Despite what some say, tongues are not ecstatic speech. Probably anyone who says tongues are ecstatic speech has never spoken in tongues or has not used their tongue very much.
This leads me to. . .
8 Mr. Lack Luster Faith
It takes faith to receive Christ Jesus and become saved. It also takes faith to receive tongues (Galatians 4:1-5).
Jesus takes great pleasure to give the Holy Spirit and tongues to you and everyone else. After all, He suffered on the cross and went to the grave so He could send the gift from heaven! Christ is fully invested in His promise to baptize us with His Spirit and give us tongues.
Everything in the New Covenant depends on faith. Salvation and healing are released through faith. So is speaking in tongues. Galatians 4 makes it clear—we receive the Spirit through faith.
For many years I doubted that my tongues were real. I thought they were real, but I had doubts. Mister Lack Luster Faith was my ally and associate. Rather than the Word of God, I was hanging out with the wrong crowd. Finally, I confessed my dilemma to a man of God. He asked,
“Well, You asked for it, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I replied meekly.
“Well, He gave it to you then, didn’t He!” The man spoke with steadfast confidence based on the Word of God. His faith severed my association with Lack Luster Faith on the spot. From that moment on, I never doubted that I genuinely spoke in tongues!
Each and every hindrance to receiving the gift of tongues can be overcome. Luke 11:5-13 assures us of this (right after the Lord’s Prayer).
If need be, I suggest you meditate on Acts 2, 8, 10, 11, and 19. Or you can browse this Hello Holy Spirit website to help overcome hindrances to receiving the gift of tongues. Jesus has already given the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. He has already paved the way for every believer to enjoy speaking in tongues!