Can we dismiss the charismatic revival if we dismiss the validity of tongues-speaking?

June Van Farowe describes some marks of the Spirit at work within.

Most people know that there is much renewal in Christians today. Although many remain skeptical; most will admit that God is at work. Many read their Bibles and find the old familiar words come alive in their hearts by the Spirit of Jesus. And many claim a baptism in the Spirit accompanied by tongues-speaking.

In conversation about this revival movement our talk often stops or starts with the yes or no of tongue-speaking. Did tongues cease with the early church? Is tongues speaking sometimes of God and sometimes of the devil?

We attack this aspect of the whole renewal movement as, if it were the only thing going. Do we think that if we prove that tongues are not for today we have also proved that we do not need to be "aglow with the Spirit"?

More often we speak about some unchristian attitude of one who claims the Spirit baptism. If we find one, that surely excuses our own un-Christlike attitude!

We must not judge ourselves or others on the presence or absence of tongues. It is possible to "speak in the tongues of men and angles" and not use the gift in love. With or without tongues we must produce the fruits of the Spirit. Let us use the present revival to look at our own lives lest we grieve the Spirit. I will describe some good results of the Spirit's work in the inner man, so we may discern our progress.

1. One who is Spirit-filled is "seeing" the Word with spiritual understanding.

Jesus thanked the Father "for hiding these things from the learned and wise, and revealing them to the simple" (Matthew 11 : 25). By this we know that God has to reveal truth to us. "In thy light we see light" (Psalm 36 :9).

The words of Job 42 : 5 had always seemed vague to me. Then in a flash one day they came through as I read them. Job said to God, "I had heard about you before, but now I have seen you, and I loath myself in dust and ashes." I repented land worshipped along with Job.

Another example from my life: One Sunday afternoon I was singing an old song that I had learned years ago. Because of my deep need the words were quickened to me. "O rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him, and He will give thee thy hearts' desire. Commit thy way unto Him, and trust in Him, 0 rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him."

This was a time of crisis. Usually the word sanctifies us quietly as we dig into it, even when no inspiration is felt. The Spirit uses sermons, books, magazines, etc. to reveal truth to our spirit.

This does not mean that we are instantly wise. All our knowledge is still "in part" and imperfect.

2. The one who is Spirit-filled prays more, prays aloud with others, and prays more and more according to the will of God.

As God works in our heart it overflows with desire toward God. This is prayer. Many people complain of their inability to pray aloud before others. God prompts us to desire this freedom. I have thrilled to hear such people begin to pray aloud, first haltingly, and as time passes more fluently. The Spirit helps us "for we do not know how to pray as we ought". How helpless we are on our own.

But mere fluency or frequency is not of interest to God. Jesus said we are not heard for our "much speaking". Prayer is effective when the desire in it is what God wants to give us.

We learn from Scripture what God's will is. As the Spirit applies these truths, we have increasing boldness in prayer. "And this is the confidence (boldness) we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will He hears us(!): And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him" (1 John 5 : 15, 16).

3. One who is Spirit-filled has power to witness.

Jesus described the Spirit as "living water, flowing from the inmost being of anyone who believes in me" (John 7 : 38). One does not witness only because it is commanded. Neither does he do it because he would feel guilty if he did not.

When we do not abide in Christ through his Spirit we find ourselves apologizing to God for another opportunity missed. But with the life-energy of Christ inside, speaking for Him becomes more spontaneous.

However, we do not always witness with tact; nor do we always see success. Scripture teaches us how to speak to non-Christians. We have much to learn.

4. The person who is Spirit filled exudes joy and love.

Joy is the natural by-product of the knowledge that we are not "cringing slaves" but sons of God (Rom. 8:15). The Psalms are right-on when they tell of singing a "new song" of praise. It is joy to lift not only our voices but our hearts (first of all our heart) and hands as well. The Psalms are being sung again in many fellowship groups. There is so much to be happy about.

But joy does not stop with elated spirits or ecstatic utterance. Some Psalms mix distress, depression and agony with the experience of joy and praise. "How deep I am sunk in misery, groaning in my distress; yet I will wait for God; I will praise him continually, my deliverer, my God" (Ps. 43 : 5). Joy is knowing He is there in spite of everything.

Love is very easy to give when everyone agrees with me. Even non-Christians find this easy to do. It takes divine spiritual power to love those who not only disagree, but are very disagreeable about it.

Whether the criticism comes from a Christian or not is not the question. If the person's motive for attack is suspect, one still has no valid excuse to turn off.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus. Jesus suffered daily harsh, unfair criticism and psychological abuse from those who hated Him. And he didn't complain or pity Himself. We walk the road He walked if we truly are His. It is a walk in forbearance. "Love suffers long, love bears all things." Yes, all things. (I Cor. 13 : 7).

5. The Spirit-filled Christian is learning meekness.

It is not often we consider that the result of the Spirit's work is a genuine meekness. We tend to think of power as explosive like dynamite. Like the sons of thunder we want to call -down fire from heaven on luke-warm Christians who cannot see the things God is doing.

Normally we think of meekness as weakness. Well, let's admit it. We are weak. Only as we abide in Christ by his Spirit are we strong. Whenever we step out of Christ, our best efforts at victory add up to zero. Without me you can do nothing (John 15 :5).

Paul was a great man because he did not deny his weakness, nor try to overcome it in the flesh. He gloried in his weakness because it showed that his power was not in himself.

Other unusual fruits of the divine power within are gentleness, goodness and peace. Where we find Christians striving and getting turned off we see carnal (not spiritual) attitudes. Paul described it best in 1 Corinthians 3 : 3, 4: "Whence come wars and fighting among you? When You are jealous of one another and divide into quarreling groups doesn't that prove vou are still abies, wanting your own way -in fact, you are acting like people who don't belong to the Lord-at all."

Jesus once said he came to bring a sword, not peace. Yet, to the Christian he brought peace of mind. Also, the chance to follow peace with all men (Heb. 12:14). Blessed are the peacemakers; God shall call them his sons (Matt. 5 : 9).

6. To be Spirit-filled is to be exercised in patience and faith.

Before we knew it, the Spirit was leading us toward salvation which we took in faith. Also, we receive the Spirit by faith. "Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Gal. 3: 2). But this is not the end of faith. The just shall live by faith (Gal. 3 : 11).

All the promises in the Bible are like blank checks that we cash-in by faith. This is beautifully explained in R. A. Torrey's book, "The power of Prayer and the Prayer of Power." We draw from the bank of "the riches of God in Christ". There is no limit to the supply. Like this one: "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Rom. 8 :32).

He gives all things, but they are not mine till I take them. (We may believe in mountain-moving faith but still not use the mustard seed faith we have.)

Our faith whithers the minute it is tested by God. God wants us to have patience and endurance. "The trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect (mature) and entire (well-balanced) wanting nothing" (James I : 4, 5).

As new Christians we ask great things for ourselves, our home, our church. Then God withholds and. we begin to waver and doubt. But fruits of the Spirit are patience and faith. True faith hangs on."Cast not away your confidence for it has great reward. For you need endurance, if you are to do God's will and win what he has promised." (Heb. 10 : 35, 36).

7. One who is Spirit controlled has control of self and is temperate.

Most of us, if left to ourselves are mood-controlled or weather controlled or controlled by the actions of others. If they are nice, so are we. If they are nasty, so are we. But God has freed us from those reactions. His power has overcome our lower nature. "It follows my friends, that our lower nature has no claim upon us; we are not obliged to live on that level (Romans 8 :12).

We have completed this short check-up on our progress in sanctification. No one has attained on all points. Any progress we have made is only a beginning.

It is wonderful to be baptized in the Spirit and know the gifts that God gives to build up the body of believers. It is wonderful to speak to God and edify oneself in an unknown tongue. It is, however, not enough to be "baptized in the Spirit" or to be "in Christ". Now we must walk in the Spirit. "As you have received Christ, so let us walk in him" (Col. 2:6). This is the business of every person who claims to be a Christian.