The first point must be that the gift of tongues is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit who is representing Jesus on the earth. Since Jesus is the head of the Church, it is not our place to manage His representation. But if we understand how to flow with the Holy Spirit in the spirit we will not have any confusion. The only confusion comes from our lack of understanding how to flow with Him. The burden is on us to make ourselves knowledgeable so we can walk in obedience and blessing.
In 1Corinthians 14:2 Paul addresses one of the more common gifts of tongues, commonly called the private prayer language. With this gift believers are used by the Holy Spirit to speak mysteries to God and no man will understand what is said. If Believers were taught this truth, nobody would ever get up in a public meeting and try to use their private prayer language to bring a public message to the congregation because Paul states plainly this gift is used to speak mysteries to God and no man understands what is said. Since no man understands this gift of tongues there is no reason to try to use it to speak to others. In tongues with interpretation of tongues the message is brought to the congregation, it is not a mystery brought to God. It is meant to be understood by men. If believers are taught this simple truth and how to recognize the difference between the two gifts this would solve 90% of the problems associated with the gifts of tongues.
In 1Corinthians 12:4-6 Paul points out that there are different administrations, different operations, and different gifts. We find this to be true with the gift of tongues for the private prayer language is given over completely into the believer's control. This was Paul's point in 1Corinthians 14:2. The believer's prayer language is given to speak mysteries to God and no man will understand our speech. Contrast this gift of tongues to tongues with interpretation of tongues, a gift that is not given over to the control of believers and is given "as the Spirit wills" and "divided to every man." Tongues with interpretation is not given to speak mysteries to God, it is given to speak revelation from God to men. These are obviously two different gifts of tongues.
However, The operation of the administration of the private prayer language can also be different. Paul said, "He that speaks in tongues gives thanks well." Giving of thanks unto God is different than speaking mysteries. These are two different operations of the one gift. Jude also said that we should build ourselves up on our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. This is another operation of the private prayer language that is also different.
In 1Corinthians 14, Paul is pointing out the etiquette of the various gifts of tongues. He goes through several gifts of tongues pointing out the administrations and operation of that gift. The Church, by and large, has not understood that there is more than one gift of tongues, thus there has been mass confusion and chaos surrounding the gift. We need to pick these seperate gifts apart, delineate them, and learn how to flow with the Holy Spirit. Since Jesus only gave one command to His Church, and obedience to that one command produces the gift of tongues, the gift of tongues is way more important in the life of the believer than any of us has fathomed.
In 1Corinthians 12:4 Paul states that there are diversities of gifts. This would seem to be an odd statement in that Jesus gave gifts to men, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, and we are told of the gifts of the Spirit so of course there are diversities of gifts. Since the truth that there are diversities of gifts is readably apparent, evidently the Holy Spirit is referring to diversities of gifts that are not readably apparent. Therefore, the Holy Spirit must have had somerthing different in mind when He said, "There are diversities of gifts." We might consider the gift of tongues in this regard. Jesus said, "All who believe in me will have rivers (plural) flowing out of their bellies." He spoke this in full knowledge that there would be several different gifts of tongues, several different rivers. However, since only one gift of tongues is given over completely into the control of the believer, meaning that the believer can control how often and when they utilize it, Jesus was primarily speaking of this gift of tongues, what we call the private prayer language, which again, has several different operations. Jesus further stated that these rivers of Living Water was a gift of His Father in Acts 1:4. This would delineate this gift of tongues, the private prayer language, as a different gift of tongues, given under a different authority, than the other gifts of tongues given by, and controlled by the Holy Spirit. Since Jesus said His Father was greater than He, and knew more than He, this puts this gift of tongues in a whole different category.
Further, the fact that Jesus referrred to the experience as rivers of Living Water indicates how often believers should be allowing the gift of tongues to flow through them in the speaking of mysteries (1Cor.14:2, and the giving of thanks (1Cor.14:17), and the building up of themselves on their most holy faith (Jude20). The word "rivers" speaks of a large volume of water. The fact that Jesus referred to the experience as rivers, coupled with the truth that this gift of tongues is given by the Father God, even though it is the same Holy Spirit taking of the things that are Christ's and showing them unto us, indicates the importance of the body of Christ using this gift. The speaking of mysteries to God would include all sorts of Kingdom business that believers would be unaware of and unable to lift up to God in prayer. The fact that so few believers have received the gift of tongues and even fewer exercise the gift with any regularity might indicate why there is so little of God's Kingdom business being accomplished.
More to come
The gift of tongues given by the Father God is given specifically to the believer for their good. There are several uses for this gift that benefit the individual believer. One of these is to build themselves up on their faith. The term, "Build themselves up on their faith" has the connotation of charging a battery. The action of the Holy Spirit flowing out of the belly has the same effect on a Christian as an electrical current flowing into a battery, it charges it up. This benefit of the speaking of the gift of tongues goes to Jesus' words of John 7:38, "All who believe in me will have rivers of Living Water flowing out of their belly." If we believe the words of Jesus we will exercise our right to speak this gift often, keeping ourselves built up in the spirit. The word "rivers" speaks of volume and should be juxtaposed with "streams" or "creeks."
One operation of the Father's gift of tongues is the giving of thanks unto God. Thanksgiving is an integral part of Christianity, Jesus having given so very much for us. Yet it is difficult to fully express thanksgiving with the limitations of the human mind. Through the use of the gift of tongues given by our Father for our benefit, Paul says, "He that speaks in an unknown tongue gives thanks well" (1Cor.14:17). This verse goes on to confirm Paul's earlier statement in verse 2 as he says, "The other is not edified." So the one giving thanks unto God through the gift of tongues is being edified by the experience, but the one standing nearby is not. Paul's point is that this is rude behavior, not that the one who is speaking in tongues should quit doing it for they are giving thanks unto God. We might ask, which is the more important, the giving of thanks unto God, or the rude behavior? Why shouldn't the one standing nearby be compelled to seak obedience to the command and join into the giving of thanks unto God? I would say it is better to give thanks to God than it is to be overly concerned with whether or not your behavior is rude to one standing nearby who is not giving thanks unto God.
Having settled that question, since believers can exercise this gift of tongues at their discretion, it is found to be a small consideration to respect the other standing by who is not edified by your behavior. We are called to walk in love. Therefore, the one who is standing by should not demand that the one speaking in tongues cease because he is not being edified. Nor should one speak in tongues in the presence of others who cannot be edified by the experience. At the end of 1Cor. 14 Paul states, Do not hinder those who are speaking in tongues. A little etiquette goes a long way.
It cannot be overstated, nor should any one misunderstand that Jesus stood in front of the charter members of His Church, having just received all authority in heaven and earth from His Father, the ruler of the universe, and commanded them to wait for and receive the gift of tongues. (At the baptism with the Spirit, it is a gift of tongues that comes pouring out of the belly, signifying that the baptism with the Holy Spirit is the action of Living Water flowing through believers.) This fact should color our understanding of the rest of the New Testament. Each verse should be read with the thought in mind that Jesus commanded us to receive this gift. Although Jesus invited the thirsty to come to Him in John 7:37, in Acts 1:4, the invitation bacame a command, as strongly worded as any command Jesus gave.
A second operation of the Father's gift of tongues is the ability to speak mysteries to God, (God being the Father). Let me just say that it is an extreme honor and privilege to be allowed to participate in this speaking of mysteries by the Holy Spirit to the Father. The truth that this is an important endeavor is shown by the Father's providing of it. The great King of all the heavens has provided a means whereby the Holy Spirit on the earth can communicate mysteries to God the Father in heaven in a manner that is secret and known only by the two parties involved. And He, the Great and Wonderful God, has allowed us to take part in this important endeavor. These mysteries may include all manner of secrets concerning the Kingdom of God, the work of angels, or the work of Satan's kingdom. It is important that God be able to find willing partners. How many times has the Holy Spirit asked me to pray and I have kept silent? Since these are mysteries, obviously the Holy Spirit can't tell you what to pray so you can pray in your native tongue. The minute you are told the mystery, it no longer is.