Or what man is there of you whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a
stone?Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how
much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them
that ask Him? (Matthew 7:7-11)If a believer asks God for something, just like a good earthly Father, God will not let him receive
anything that will harm him.
EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Another objection to tongues is that it is an emotional experience. Many believers who receive
the baptism of the Holy Spirit emphasize their own emotional reactions to the experience.
Man is an emotional creature. Conversion to Jesus Christ does not eliminate a man's emotions.
He will still experience joy and sorrow. Conversion frees man's emotions from the control of
sin. It redirects these emotions to worship of God.
The word "joy" in Scripture is closely associated with the Holy Spirit. In Acts 13:52 we read
that "the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost." Some people react with great
emotion to the joy which comes with the baptism of the Holy Spirit because they are naturally
more emotional than others. They may shout, laugh, or experience sensations in their physical
bodies.
But these emotional reactions are not the sign of baptism in the Holy Spirit. The confirming sign
is speaking in tongues. The evidence is power. It is not necessary to show great emotion such as
laughing, shouting, dancing, etc., to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. How one reacts emotionally
to the joy this experience brings is often related to his individual emotions.
But you should not criticize those who have joyful, emotional reactions to the Holy Spirit. The
Bible records emotional reactions of those who had a powerful experience with God. People
trembled, fell prostrate on the ground, shouted, rejoiced, and danced before God.
It is interesting to observe the emotional reaction of people to various athletic events. They will
yell, laugh, jump up and down, and express much excitement over a sports game. How much
more excited we should be over a gift like the Holy Spirit which accomplishes so many purposes
in our lives, brings great joy, and equips us with power to reach the world with the Gospel.
The Psalmist David agreed. He presents a picture of joyful, loud, emotional worship of God: