Speaking in tongues is one of the most misunderstood gifts of the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ today.
Many Christians have been taught to “practice” speaking in tongues as if it were a skill that can be acquired through repetition, imitation, or vocal exercise.
But the Scriptures and the revelations we have already established in this speaking in tongues pillar message show clearly that speaking in tongues is not something a believer can practice into perfection—it is a supernatural gift given only by the Holy Spirit to whom He wills.
Is it wrong to practice speaking in tongues?
Yes. It is wrong to practice speaking in tongues because speaking in tongues is a gift of the Holy Spirit, not a human skill that can be learned. According to 1 Corinthians 12:4–11, the Holy Spirit gives the gifts “to every man severally as He will,” not as a pastor, a prophet, or a denomination wills. Any attempt to practice tongues reduces a holy gift into an artificial performance.
The Problem With Practicing a Spiritual Gift
The first issue with practicing tongues is that it contradicts the nature of spiritual gifts entirely. A gift of the Spirit is:
- Given by the Spirit
- Distributed according to His will
- Not manufactured
- Not learned
- Not imitated
Paul makes it clear that spiritual gifts function only when the Spirit empowers them. A believer can desire spiritual gifts, but he cannot generate them by practicing.
1 Corinthians 12:11
“But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will.”
Practicing tongues implies that a human being can activate or produce a spiritual gift without the Spirit’s involvement. That alone is error.
The Holy Spirit Determines Who Speaks in Tongues
One major revelation we have emphasized in this entire cluster is that not everyone speaks in tongues. Paul asked the Corinthian church—and by extension the entire body of Christ—a question that destroys the false doctrine that everyone must speak in tongues:
1 Corinthians 12:30
“Do all speak with tongues?”
The implied answer is NO.
Therefore:
- If the Spirit does not give every believer the gift of tongues…
- Then no amount of practice can make someone speak in tongues.
A man can practice the sound of tongues, but he can never produce the Spirit of tongues.
Why All Apostles Spoke in Tongues
This is another area where many believers get confused. Some argue:
“But all the apostles spoke in tongues, so we too must all speak in tongues!”
This reasoning is faulty for two reasons:
1. The Apostles Had a Foundational Mandate
The apostles were the foundations of the church (Ephesians 2:20). Their ministry required full equipment of the Spirit to establish the church in a hostile world. Tongues were one of the signs that followed the apostles as they pioneered Christianity.
2. The Apostles Needed the Gift for Their Specific Assignment
Speaking in tongues was essential for the apostles because:
- They ministered across cultures and nations
- They carried heavy prophetic mantles
- They encountered spiritual warfare at foundational levels
- They needed supernatural communication with God to receive instructions
But this does not mean every Christian today must speak in tongues. The apostles also healed the sick at will and performed extraordinary miracles—should every Christian practice miracles too?
What God gave to the apostles as a foundational gift
is not automatically a universal gift.
Why Every Christian Cannot Speak in Tongues
Paul makes it absolutely clear that spiritual gifts differ:
1 Corinthians 12:4
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.”
Diversities mean differences.
Differences mean uniqueness.
Uniqueness means individuality.
Therefore:
- Not everyone has the same calling
- Not everyone has the same gift
- Not everyone speaks in tongues
To insist that everyone must speak in tongues is to rebel against the design of the Holy Ghost. To practice speaking in tongues is to attempt to force a gift that was never given.
Practicing Tongues Creates False Manifestations
This is one of the most dangerous consequences. When churches teach believers to “practice” tongues, what they produce is human noise, not spiritual utterance.
A practiced tongue:
- Has no origin in the Spirit
- Has no power
- Has no revelation
- Has no interpretation
- Has no edification
Paul warns against empty sounds:
1 Corinthians 14:9
“Except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.”
Practiced tongues are words “spoken into the air”—empty sounds with no Spirit behind them.
Why Practiced Tongues Bring Confusion
When believers practice tongues as a performance, confusion enters the church because:
- No interpretation follows
- No instruction is given
- No revelation is communicated
- People imitate each other instead of being led by the Spirit
Paul teaches:
1 Corinthians 14:33
“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace…”
Anything that creates spiritual confusion cannot be from God.
Practicing Tongues Promotes Flesh, Not Spirit
When a believer practices tongues mechanically, it produces a form of godliness without power (2 Timothy 3:5). The person may move their lips, but their spirit is not praying. The tongues become flesh-driven, not Spirit-driven.
Paul explains:
1 Corinthians 14:14
“For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth…”
Practiced tongues do not allow the spirit to pray;
they allow the flesh to imitate.
Why Some Churches Force Their Members to Speak in Tongues
This false doctrine comes from ignorance of 1 Corinthians 12. Many denominations teach that tongues are proof of receiving the Holy Spirit. But Scripture never said tongues are the only evidence of the Spirit.
Because of this false teaching:
- Believers feel pressured to “practice” tongues
- Pastors force members to imitate their own tongues
- Young believers fake tongues to appear spiritual
- The church becomes filled with noise instead of Spirit-led utterances
But the Word of God says:
1 Corinthians 12:7
“The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”
If tongues is given for profit, then practiced tongues are useless because they profit nothing.
Read Other Speaking-in-Tongues Messages
- Why Speaking in Tongues Is So Controversial
- What Psychologists Think About Speaking in Tongues
- The Disadvantages of Speaking in Tongues
Final Word
Speaking in tongues is holy, sacred, and divine. It is a heavenly language given by the Spirit to those He wills. Therefore, it cannot be practiced, imitated, or manufactured. Practicing speaking in tongues is dangerous because it replaces the Spirit’s gift with human imitation, replacing power with performance, and replacing revelation with confusion.
Receive the Holy Spirit, and the gift will follow if He wills.
But never practice what only the Spirit can give.
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