Of course, every believer can have the gift of speaking in other tongues for private devotion.
The gifts of the Spirit are for all believers. But ministry gifts only refer to those who are called to
the fivefold ministry.
It is true that the laity are sometimes used in the manifestation of the gift of tongues and
interpretation of tongues — the gift of the Spirit listed in First Corinthians 12:10. But, actually,
diversities of tongues listed here in First Corinthians 12:28 is not referring to lay members
speaking in tongues; it is referring to an office — a fivefold ministry gift.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:28
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly
teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, DIVERSITIES
OF TONGUES.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:27,28
27 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.
Paul was speaking here about one of the fivefold ministry gifts which is equipped with tongues
and interpretation of tongues. This spiritual equipment of diversities of tongues is manifested
on a consistent basis through one who is called to the fivefold ministry in the office of the
prophet.
Tongues and Interpretation in Public Ministry
For years I have ministered to people through the gift of tongues and interpretation. Now I do
the same thing in prophecy. It is important to note that a person doesn't alway s necessarily
have just one gift operating at a time. Many times spiritual gifts operate together. Like the
colors of a rainbow, they sometimes come together and overflow one into another.
For example, I have ministered healing to people through tongues and interpretation. I have
seen them get up from a deathbed, and they are still well and alive today. In a case such as
that, the gifts of healings operate in conjunction with tongues and interpretation.
Also, many times through tongues and interpretation the Holy Spirit will make manifest the
secrets of men's hearts. And at times through tongues and interpretation, the Spirit of God
through me has told ministers their very need and the desire of their hearts.
The Value of Speaking in Tongues
Many have been robbed of the blessings God intended them to have by believing that
speaking in tongues isn't for everyone, or that speaking in tongues is one of the lesser gifts of
the Spirit.
Before I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, I used to say, "We've got wisdom and knowledge, and
those are the greater gifts of the Spirit."
(The Bible never said a thing in the world about wisdom and knowledge being spiritual gifts or
gifts of the Spirit in and of themselves, but I didn't have enough sense to know that!)
What the scripture says is, "For to one is given by the Spirit the WORD of wisdom; to another
the WORD of knowledge ..." (1 Cor. 12:8). But the Bible isn't speaking here of wisdom and