Evidence of Being Filled with the Holy Spirit

Is it just tongues that are evidence that one is filled with the Holy Spirit or any gift?  I would say that any spiritual gift is evidence of this, but some say only tongues is.

Well below is my email to an Assembly of God pastor at a church by me. Feel free to share this with anyone you know who has similar beliefs if you like. They believe the only evidence that you are filled, not saved but extra filled, with the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues. This belief has always bothered me a lot, because then anyone who never speaks in tongues might feel less than or like the Holy Spirit is in them less, and that is not loving to preach that I think. Christianity is not a competition over gifts, but should be a united group trying to reach the lost. The Holy Spirit is in every Christian equally. Amen! May God bless you all! 😉

"Hello pastor Paul, I listened to some of your sermons online and I wonder if I could have a friendly debate with you. You seem to have excellent Bible knowledge. I went to Biola University so I have learned a lot too. I understand why you guys believe the evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit is tongues, according to Acts, but what do you think of 1 Cor. 12  when Paul says, "Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?" The implied answer to all of these questions is no. Have you ever considered that maybe one eighth, for example, of believers might have the gift of tongues and the other seven eighths never will and will just have other gifts but are still just as filled with the Holy Spirit? How I have always understood it is that in Acts different groups spoke in tongues to know when a new group of people got saved, like the Gentiles, so that there would be tangible audible evidence for the Jews that the Gentiles could also be saved. It happened to both groups the same way so that the barrier and dividing wall between them could be broken down. Another thing to notice is that tongues is not listed in every list of spiritual gifts in Paul's letters. I do believe people can have the gift today, but I don't think it's biblical to say it's the only evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit. I think if someone has a gift of faith or teaching or evangelism that is just as much evidence that they are filled with the Holy Spirit as tongues would be. I have looked into all this a lot because my background is more non denominational but my husband's is more Pentecostal. Anyways overall I think you are a great preacher! But please consider some of what I wrote. And may God bless you! Feel free to respond if you like.

I'll let y'all know if he responds 😉 God bless!

Here are some good comments on the subject that I found very helpful:

1. Believing you must speak in tongues to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit among Pentecostals is typical of telling an untruth so many times it will be taken for the truth without support (kind of like "the Russians hacked the last U.S. election").  The fact of the matter is in the Book of Acts, the Holy Spirit baptized the believers 6 times, three with tongues (Acts 2:4; 10:46; 19:6) and three without (Acts. 4:31; 8:17; 13:52).  Which means it's like the weather.  Everyday there's a 50% chance of rain.  Either it will or it won't.

2. As a life long charismatic,  I have always had problems with the dogmatic "tongues is evidence" doctrine despite my having spoken in tongues.  I have seen so many ridiculous "forcing" of tongues incidents I won't even relay.  I can state with certainty that some people just don't and will never get it and I see no sensible reason to say they don't have the spirit in fullness.  I believe in Acts one incident said they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

3. This doctrine never existed prior to 1901. (Tongues as evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit)

4. A Pentecostal church I went to tried to "force" or "push" tongues on everyone. I just "copied. There was no way for me to know what I was actually saying & if I was indeed speaking in tongues or worshiping the devil. Somewhere, it says there must be an interpreter. The holy spirit cannot "live" where there is chaos (person or place).

5. Tongues were a sign to non believers....so that they could believe that indeed God is amidst you. If only u have an interpreter. BUT it is not the evidence of the Holy Spirit, the fruits are the evidence. Thus, if your life aligns with Abba God's life. "By their fruits you will know them." In the heathen countries we have witches who can speak in tongues and interprete correctly while pouring blood in a human skull. Shalom. (Written by a man in Africa)

6. Satan imparts tongue languages to his followers too!! Why should one be forced to copy tongues by pastors?!

Very good info for sure :) thank you to you all!