Interpreting tongues and prophesying came first, and tongues later - Kim Ulmer

I had been spiritually hungry for a while, and the teachings and home prayer participation sparked something within me. One night, at the end of the meeting, the Lord laid it upon the pastor's heart to pray for me. They put me in the chair, gathered around me and began to pray in general for me. Suddenly, the Spirit of the Lord poured into me at such a tangible rate that I was gasping just to breathe. The pastor, who happened to be Spirit-filled, began to speak in tongues. It was the first time I had heard tongues, but my spirit recognized it for what it was. Suddenly, I had an unction to prophesy in English. I knew in my spirit as did the others in the group that I was interpreting the tongue being spoken, and it was a corporate message for the Body of Christ.  

That baptism powerfully changed me. Scripture I had read countless times before suddenly became alive and fresh in my heart. Suddenly, I could hear God so much clearer than before - it was like a radio antennae being adjusted within my being. I desired to speak in tongues and exercise the other spiritual gifts, as well.  

A few weeks later, a Spirit-filled minister visiting from Wales came to our church and prayed for the spiritual gifts to be released. I received in faith and told the Lord, "I want it all. Everything that You want to give." Although I didn't have any major unction to speak in tongues, I believed and felt that I was simply to just open my mouth and speak out, trusting in the Spirit. What came out was only a few syllables, and at first, I thought I might have just made it up. But when I repeated the same exact phrase the next day, I became convinced. After that, I begin to speak in tongues regularly as well as develop other spiritual gifts.

My personal take-away is to be awestruck by our amazing God and how He never does the "cookie-cutter" thing. He knows what each of His children need. Just as the Holy Spirit poured out on the Gentiles in Acts 10:44-48 and they spoke in tongues before they were water baptized, my own experience of interpreting a prophetic message in tongues before speaking in tongues just underscores how unique and fascinating our personal relationship with the Lord is.  

Mark Virkler’s Reflections: Spiritual hunger was present, as was spending time being prayed over, with hands being laid on. The baptism came with a feeling, change in breathing, and an urge to speak spontaneously, which was a prophetic word, as she interpreted another’s tongues. Scripture came alive, as did God’s voice within, and a desire to speak in tongues grew. Tongues were released in a prayer time in another church service by simply speaking out syllables in faith. There was no sensation, other than doubt, which was overcome by faith.

Saved (indwelt), filled and baptized in the Holy Spirit (3 experiences)

I was baptized in the Holy Spirit and received tongues about a year apart. I had been a Christian about six months in a traditional church when my sister took me to have prayer ministry. After the ministry, I was on the way home and began to have spiritual experiences. I did not realize it at the time, but I had been filled with the Holy Spirit. The traditional church I was attending did not teach about the Holy Spirit. Meanwhile, my prayer life and reading of the Bible had become accelerated since becoming filled with the Holy Spirit, and I also began seeing visions and having God dreams.

About a year later, I attended a crusade which came to my city and responded to an altar call. As already a Christian, we prayed for the baptism of the Holy Spirit and tongues. I was asked to worship God and simply start saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy…” and just let the tongues flow as the minister laid her hands on me.

The first time we prayed, I didn’t speak in tongues, and so the lady went to move on to someone else, but I said I’d like to try again. I strongly desired in my heart to speak in tongues. I did receive tongues the second time we prayed. This time the tongues came gushing out, much to both our surprise.

Name withheld on request

Mark Virkler’s Reflections: Growing in spiritual awareness and power can come in three stages, salvation, infilling and baptism. Persistent belief, passion and yielding released the gift.

The anointing is carried by a handkerchief - Rev. Davidson Okoko

I had been reading Releasing the Supernatural when something special happened on Sunday at Salem Center. The presiding minister prayed for us all and handed out handkerchiefs to everyone that attended. I went home with that handkerchief and slept. The next morning, as I was about to wake up from bed, I discovered that I had mumbled some words that "did not make any sense''. I was encouraged by a Christian brother to continue to pray and develop the language. That was what I did. I can confidently say that the gift of speaking in other tongues that I received came from the anointed handkerchief. Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin called it "the tangibility of the anointing". The anointing in that handkerchief transferred to me. The Bible confirms it when it says: “God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out” (Acts 19:11-12).

Twenty Testimonies of Being Baptized in the Holy Spirit