Most of you have seen this phenomena occur in the charismatic churches. This is where you see pastors or ministers laying hands on people, usually on their foreheads, and then they fall backwards.
The charismatics have named this phenomena as being “Slain in the Spirit.” Some people call it “Falling in the Spirit” or “Resting in the Spirit.”
Is this a real phenomenon? If it is – is it really God operating through the power of the Holy Spirit, or is it demonic spirits trying to masquerade as the power of Holy Spirit coming onto someone? There are many Christians and Christian groups who are really attacking this phenomena.
I will go ahead and give you the main Scripture verses where this phenomena is coming from. I will then give you some of the main arguments of those Christians who are against this phenomena, and I will then end this article with my own personal opinion as to why I think this phenomena is a true manifestation from the Lord.
The Scripture Verses
Here are the main verses from Scripture showing people falling to the ground whenever God would manifest His presence to different people. The first verse is from the Original King James Version of the Bible, the rest are from the New King James Version.
- “… that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.” (2 Chronicles 5:14)
- Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Then when He said to them. “I am He,” – they drew back and fell to the ground.” (John 18:6)
- “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.” (Revelation 1:17)
- “And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.” But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” (Matthew 17:6)
- “And as he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:3-4)
- “So I arose and went out into the plain, and behold, the glory of the Lord stood there, like the glory which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face.” (Ezekiel 3:23)
- “Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.” (Numbers 22:31)
- “And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw – like the vision which I saw when I came to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face.” (Ezekiel 43:2-3)
- “Then He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple; so I looked, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord; and I fell on my face.” (Ezekiel 44:4)
Now I will give you some of the arguments being made by those who are against this phenomena, and then some of my own arguments as to why I believe this a real manifestation from the Lord.
Arguments Against Being Slain in the Spirit
The Christians who argue against this phenomena really being from the Lord base their arguments on the following reasons:
- Every time people fell when the presence of God would manifest, they would always fall on their faces, not fall backward.
- Nowhere in the Bible do the prophets, the apostles, or Jesus Himself ever lay hands on someone and then the power of God comes through their hands to knock them backward.
- The only time people fell in the presence of God was when God was rendering some type of judgment.
Now to some arguments that will counter some of the above arguments if you should ever need them in any kind of debate.
Arguments For Being Slain in the Spirit
I will take each one of the above arguments and see if I can give you an opposing point of view in order to try and defend this phenomena as being from the Lord.
1. The First Argument – people always falling face down rather than falling backwards. Granted, 5 of the above 9 verses specifically state that these people had fallen on their faces rather than falling backward.
However, the other 4 verses say they simply “fell to the ground,” or that they “could not stand” when the presence of God would manifest.
Who is to say that when these people fell to the ground, they could not have been falling backwards. These verses do not say if they fell forward or backward, so I believe this means they could have fallen either way – thus showing that there was the possibility of falling backwards when the presence of God would manifest.
The first verse says that the priests “could not stand” when the manifest presence of God would enter into the temple. Again, they could have easily as been falling backwards as well as falling forward.
Since Scripture does not specifically say in which direction they were falling, I believe we are on safe ground making the assumption that these 4 other verses give us the possibility of people falling backwards whenever the presence of God would manifest.
2. The Second Argument – stating that at no time did Jesus or the apostles ever lay hands on people causing them fall backwards.
Though I could not find any actual Scripture verses that did show this phenomena occurring as it does today by the laying on of hands, I feel the key argument for the possibility of this phenomena occurring is the following argument:
Sometimes when the presence of God would manifest like described in the above verses, people did fall to the ground. No question about it. However, there were other times God would manifest His presence and people would not fall to the ground.
This thus was a manifestation that was completely controlled by God. He, and He alone, would decide when people would get knocked to the ground and when they would not whenever He would manifest His presence.
I think the key point to really grab a hold of is that this phenomena can occur when God does decide to manifest His presence in this particular way. And sometimes God will manifest His presence through the hands of a pastor or minister.
And if He does decide to manifest His presence through the hands of a minister, then I believe it is only logical to conclude that God can knock people down to the ground like He did back in the Bible days if He should choose to do so.
There is no question that the manifest presence of God is coming through a pastor or minister when hands are being laid on someone for a healing. The manifest presence and power of God will literally flow through the hands of the pastor or minister and flow right into the person’s body, and then the Holy Spirit Himself will do the healing once inside the person’s body.
If “healing power” can come through a minister’s hands, then why not “knockdown power?”
God can either knock someone over with a direct hit Himself, or through the hands of someone who is operating under His anointing at any given moment. I believe God can and does go either way with this particular manifestation.
3. The Third Argument – God only knocked people down when rendering some type of judgment on them. Look closely at the above 9 verses.
It was only on the apostle Paul that God was rendering judgment on when He knocked him to the ground. The others were priests of the temple, prophets like Ezekiel and John the Revelator, or the apostles themselves. None of them were under any kind of direct judgment when this phenomena was occurring.
Conclusion To Why I Believe Being Slain In the Spirit Is From The Lord
1. Being slain in the Spirit is simply when the presence and power of God comes directly at you causing you to either fall forward or backward.
This power can either come directly through the hands of someone operating under the Lord’s anointing at any given moment, or directly at you by God Himself, such as when you see people falling to the ground while just sitting in their seats with no one laying a hand on them.
This manifestation of God’s power can either come directly at you very lightly where you just start to lose your balance and then proceed to fall.
Or it can come at you very strongly to the point where you cannot resist it and you are literally blown to the ground.
When this happens, it looks like a cannonball is hitting someone right in the stomach and they fall backwards with a fair amount of force.
God decides how strong He will manifest this kind of power when He does decide to manifest it on someone.
Granted, there will always be some people in a church service who will be falling backwards out of their own flesh. The power of God is not causing them to fall backward.
They just want to be part of the crowd and they will fall backwards all on their own.
However, you cannot throw out the baby with the bathwater on this manifestation just because some people will always choose to act out of their flesh.
2. So what happens when people are slain in the Spirit? Sometimes just a nice, restful, peaceful, relaxed feeling will come over the person. Sometimes people can receive inner and/or outer healings while resting in the Spirit.
Some people can receive visions, instructions, or advice from the Lord on a situation that He may want to deal with them on. People can rest anywhere in the Spirit from 1-2 minutes or as long as 4-6 hours if God would choose to go that long with a particular individual.
For those of you who would like additional information on this phenomenon – there is a book titled “Overcome by the Spirit” by Francis MacNutt.
Francis MacNutt is an ex-Catholic priest who received a very powerful healing ministry from the Lord. He noticed that this phenomenon would occur quite often whenever he would lay hands on people for their healings.
He interviewed many people after they had fallen in the Spirit to find out what their reactions were, and exactly what had happened to them while they were resting in the Spirit. There are many direct quotes from the people he interviewed and it was all very positive.
He came to the conclusion that being slain in the Spirit was a very real manifestation of God that was occurring because of all the good fruit it produced in the people who had experienced this phenomena.
He said some of the actual healings that came through his ministry occurred when people were resting in the Spirit after he had initially laid hands on them.
This man, in my opinion, is a true servant of God. He explored this phenomenon with complete objectivity back in the 1970’s. He covers, in this most informative book, all of the things that he saw happen when this manifestation would occur.
Short Story
I will leave you with a short story on this manifestation occurring to someone I used to work with. I will never forget this testimony as long as I live. It was very touching and I felt like God allowed this story to come my way when it did to help confirm that this particular manifestation was really coming from Him.
About 20 years ago, I worked with a man who was a very devout Catholic. He was married with 2 girls, ages 8 and 11. There was a priest from Chicago who had come down for the Sunday service.
I cannot recall the name of the priest, but he had a healing ministry and he did a lot of traveling with the healing gift that God had given him. He too found that people would fall backwards whenever he would lay hands on them.
On the Sunday this event occurred, this man, his wife and his two girls all went to see this priest. When this priest then made the call for anyone to come up and have hands laid on them, all four of them went up just to see if God would do anything with any of them.
My friend said that absolutely nothing happened to either him, his wife, or his older 11-year-old daughter. They felt no power come against them and none of them fell backwards in the Spirit.
However, his youngest daughter, who was 8 years of age, was hit hard! He said she went down like a ton of bricks. He said it looked like a cannonball or bowling ball hit her right in the stomach blowing her backwards with great force. There obviously was a catcher behind her when she fell backward.
He said the minute she hit the ground, she started bawling profusely. He said she was crying as hard as she could. My friend initially thought there was something wrong with her because she was crying so hard. He then started to go over to see what was wrong with her, but he received an immediate check from the Holy Spirit that he was not to go near her, that God was doing something very special with her.
He said that she laid on the ground crying as hard as she could for a good 10-15 minutes.
After the 10-15 minutes, she all of a sudden quit crying and stood up. He immediately went over to her and started to walk with her outside. When they got outside, he turned to her and asked her why she had been crying so hard after she had been slain in the Spirit.
I will never forget these words as long as I live. This little 8-year-old girl turned to her daddy and said with a real big smile on her face:
“Daddy, Daddy, He felt so good, He felt so good!”
God was obviously manifesting His loving presence all over this little girl for the 10-15 minutes that she was “resting in the Spirit” to the point that she was crying as hard as she could. She obviously was in the manifest presence of God and He was allowing her to literally feel His love for her.
As I was driving home from work that day after hearing the above story, I then tapped in and asked God what had happened and was that really Him that did all of that.
These three words immediately came up out of my spirit and again, I will never forget these three words. The three words were – “I touched her” – with an emphasis on the word “touch.”
I then immediately started to laugh. He touched her, but she went down like a ton of bricks! I really felt like God was telling me two things with these three specific words:
- That it was His manifest presence that blew her backwards causing her to fall like she did, and that it was His manifest presence stirring on the inside of her causing her to cry as hard as she did.
- The fact that she told her dad that “He felt so good” – showed that God had to be literally manifesting His love to her where she could physically feel it all over her body.
You will each have to come to your own conclusions as to whether or not you feel this is a true manifestation from God.
For those of you who do believe that this is a real manifestation from the Lord, the above Scripture verses, and arguments off those Scripture verses, can give you some ammunition should you ever find yourself in a heated debate with another Christian over this topic.
As for myself, I really do believe this phenomenon is a true and powerful manifestation from the Lord when it really is Him doing it. But as with all of the other manifestations from God, there are always demons out there who will try and counterfeit some of His manifestations, along with other people just acting out and pretending God is manifesting on them when He is really not doing so.
These people are either operating under the power of suggestion, or they simply want to be part of the crowd if they see other people truly falling under the power of God.
But do not let counterfeit activity from the dark side, or some people acting out of their flesh prejudice you against what I feel is a very powerful and wonderful manifestation from the Lord when He does decide to do it on someone.
For those of you who have been truly slain in the Spirit, you know exactly what I am talking about since you have had this real experience. For those of you who have not – I challenge you to go direct to God the Father in prayer and ask Him to personally show you if this manifestation is something that is really coming from Him or not.
God loves it when you start to press in and ask Him specific questions on anything you may really want an answer on.
Ask, and you may just receive His direct answer on this topic!
Testimony on Being Slain in the Spirit
Since we have put up this article, we have received quite a few emails from people who have received this experience from the Lord. One in particular has really caught our attention. This one came in just a few weeks after publishing the article and this person has given us permission to release his testimony on our site.
This person is 55 years old right now and he personally had this experience with the Lord when he was a sophomore in high school. As you will see when reading his testimony, he initially went up there to see if he could possibly disprove that this manifestation was really coming from the Lord.
Here is this man’s word-for-word testimony on exactly what had occurred to him that day when he went up there to see if this experience was really from the Lord or not. I will then point out a few key things that had occurred to him both during and after he had this experience with the Lord.
I am two months away from age 56 and have been a Christian since a very young age. My relationship with God has at times, been rocky and rebellious.
Yet, He has always been there. I was Slain in the Spirit in high school and want to relate my experience. It is much like the little 8 year old girl you cited as an example.
I was about a Sophomore and going through a very rebellious period. I was doubting the very existence of God. I was attending Monte Vista Christian High School in Watsonville, CA and had gone with many from the school to a revival meeting at a local church. I do not recall the name of the traveling pastor but it was a healing service.
While sitting there in church, listening to the preacher describe those in the congregation that God wanted to heal if they simply had faith enough to come forward, I was undergoing a spiritual battle.
My explanation of what was going on is crude but it is the only way I know in which to describe same. It was as if I had a small little satan on one shoulder and a small Jesus or Angel on the other shoulder.
One was speaking to me telling me that what I was witnessing (Slain in the Spirit, healings) was BS and a fake. The other was telling me that God wanted me to come forward, that He wanted to bless me and let me know He was real. This spiritual battle continued for quite some time. Finally I decided to call out God.
I said to myself something to the effect of – ‘Ok, I will go up there and if I learn You (God) are not real, that this is all fake, and if I conclude you do not exist, this is all fake, I will immediately stand up after being knocked down and I will shout out that what is going on (Slain in the Spirit) is fake. I will expose this as being phony and You (God) do not exist.’
I went up front and stood in a line with others. The Pastor was approaching from my right (moving right to left). The air about me was palable, as if you could touch the air, or chew the air. It was as if the air had a physical substance.
I began to cry and was not sure why. The Pastor was two people right of me and had simply been saying, “In the name of Jesus” as he touched their foreheads.
I knew the Pastor had uttered such words and moved to his right, thus approaching me. I heard him utter the same words to the person second from me on my right. I began to cry harder. The Pastor then stepped in front of the person to my immediate right and uttered the same words. I began crying profusely. At this time, I simply do not recall if I had any thought at all.
I do not recall the Pastor stepping in front of me. I do not recall the Pastor saying anything to me or touching me. After he uttered the words “In the name of Jesus” to the person on my immediate right, my next recollection was a voice in my head while I laid on my back crying. The voice said something to the effect of ‘you thought this was fake, go ahead and get up’. At first I did not know if I had heard anything or what to think. I realized I was on my back, crying profusely.
The voice uttered the same message to me a second time. I think I had the conscience thought that I had been sitting in the audience, undergoing a spiritual battle and I had decided to call out God. I had decided to ascertain if this Slain in the Spirit thing was real or fake and it was my intention to expose the fake… if it was fake.
With that realization, I knew I had to get up so as to expose the lie…… I could not move. I was paralyzed!
As soon as I realized I could not move, literally, I could not move anything other than my mouth, the voice said to me, “I am God, I love you. Do not ever doubt me.” (As I am typing this to you, I am fighting tears. 40 years later, this is powerful).
With the above comments being made to me, by whom I believe from God, the floodgates opened. I thought I had been crying profusely before, but I was now crying more and harder than I had ever before or since cried. I began praising Jesus and thanking Jesus. I was speaking out loud and praising Jesus and thanking Him.
I do not have any idea how long I was on the ground in this state but I continued to cry and praise the Lord until I again heard God speak to me. He said something to the effect of, ‘It’s ok, you can get up now.’
Again, I was lost in emotion and praise and initially was not sure I had heard anything but was aware that I may have heard something. The voice spoke again and gave me the same message…. it was ok, I could get up now.
Realizing I was being told to get up, I tried to move and to my amazement, I simply stopped crying and got up. I remember saying something like thank you and again being told never to doubt God.
I walked back to my seat, emotionally spent. I was tired, but very much at peace and very much happy. (While I have no idea how long I was on the floor, those with me at the time said I was on the floor 2-3 times longer than anyone else. The average amount of time I recall those who were Slain in the Spirit lying on the floor was from a minimun of about 3-5 minutes to a maximum of about 10-15 minutes.)
I have no doubt God was trying to give me a message that He is real, does exist, created me and has power and authority over me. While my relationship over the years has at times been rebellious, I have never doubted I am saved by and through the blood of Jesus. Since being Slain in the Spirit, I have never doubted the existence of God and I have never doubted His love for me.
To this day, about 40 (+) years later, I still get chills and tears well up in my eyes as I recall those events. I was Slain in the Spirit only the one time… but that was God.
God bless. Let me know how it goes.
Johnny
Notice several key things on this man’s testimony:
1. He initially went up to try and disprove this experience. I know a lot of people think that some Christians are under the power of suggestion when they go up to receive this kind of supernatural experience from the Lord. But this man had just the opposite attitude. He was going to try and disprove it if nothing would have happened to him.
2. Then notice what happens next. Before he actually receives this manifestation from the Lord, he starts to profusely cry. He had no reason to all of a sudden start crying. I believe the intense crying he was experiencing was coming direct from the Holy Spirit. I believe the Holy Spirit was moving on this man to help prepare him to receive this holy experience from the Lord.
3. Then notice what God does next after he actually gets slain by the Holy Spirit. He literally could not move an inch as he was lying under the power of the Holy Spirit, once more proving to him that he was really having this supernatural experience from the Lord.
4. And last but not least, notice the fruit it ended up producing in this man. He has never forgotten this incredible experience many years later and even to this day, he still wells up in tears just recalling everything that had occurred to him that day. This supernatural experience also help prove to him that our God really does exist and that He does truly love all of us.
As we had said in the testimony of the 8 year old girl in our article on this topic, this man was also truly “touched” by the Lord in a most powerful and intimate way that day.
In my opinion, I believe this man had a true, holy, supernatural experience with the Lord that day by the fruit it ended up producing in him, and the fact that he was not under any type of suggestion when he initially went up there to see if this experience was the real thing or not.
I have a friend who was saved with a, “slain in the spirit experience” so I definetely think it is real. Although, one time I went forward to experience this at a former church and I totally faked it because everyone was watching me(I was a baby christian then).
When I was saved I had a supernatural experience of something literally being lifted from my body. Also when I am standing and praying sometimes I feel the Holy Spirit come on so strong I have to steady myself against toppling over. It never occured to me not to resist untill right now….hmmmmm.
I was also slain in the Spirit, and received the gift of speaking in unknown tongues, when I was Saved/Baptized in the Holy Spirit. So, I also know this is a very real phenomenon.
Thank you. Excellent article. I was slain in the spirit by a Lutheran pastor but wasn’t sure what had happened or what it was called. We were sitting at the time but I know if I had been standing I would have fallen, it was very powerful. Since then I have had improved eye site that even my optometrist was surprised by. My pastor was very happy for me and of course we give all praise and glory to GOD.
Thank you and God Bless you for this article.
I want to be slain in the spirit but I never feel like falling back when someone is forcing me to fall. Is there something wrong with me? I do not speak in tongues iether. Please relpy.
Hey David, there’s nothing wrong with you. I want to be slain in the spirit too, but I never have been. I stopped focusing on desiring to be slain. That is not the point of laying on hands, nor is that a sign that it worked. The only thing that should be on our minds when we get prayer is that we have the petitions we ask because God has granted it in his word. When we get prayer with certain expectations of manifestations, we stop walking by faith and begin walking by sight. Brother, just simply focus on your prayer request and don’t be concerned with being slain. I’ve had a pastor try to push me down while praying for me. That was a distraction from Satan that sent me into a long period of doubt because I was focusing on sight rather than faith.
When it comes to praying in tongues, some people feel like the spirit is doing it for them (my wife). It is my belief that those people have the gift of tongues, as opposed to having the prayer language that all Christians have. Even then, they are speaking in tongues by yielding to the spirit and saying the syllables they hear. Speaking in tongues is something we do by yielding to the spirit, so the spirit won’t do it for us. You can at anytime decide to start speaking in tongues and say whatever syllables are easiest to say at the time. We control this. Paul talks about this is one of his letters to the church.*[[1Co 14:15]] KJV* What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
Paul had control over when he spoke in tongues, and sang in tongues. My pastor tells testimonies of how he used to speak in tongues in his dreams but when he woke up he would stop and wonder why. He thought God was stopping, but God taught him that when he was awake, his mind got in the way and he stopped yielding.
I’ve had people tell me of some pretty cool things that God has allowed them to experience. I started to feel left out at one point and to desire to experience those things but I have learned that God does everything for a reason. If God used those manifestations for some people, it was necessary. If he does not manifest itself in that way to us, it is not necessary at the time. I would love to be slain, see the glory cloud, be caught up to heaven, have the gift of tongues manifest and see angels. However, I try my best not to focus on that and remember that if it was necessary, God would do it.
I’ve been slain in the spirit many times. Thank you for this wonderful article. I needed to hear it. Many I know and ME are getting pulled into the NEW AGE, I’m not now, but for a while it was touch and go and I’ve had to cut contact with most of them but one is my friend and I’ll never stop praying for her to come back. Jesus is enough, MORE than enough….but then Jesus explained, yes Jesus talks to me, and I’m not special or crazy, just an average sinner, the deceptions of the devil never stop and won’t stop until all prophecy is fulfilled. But we have gifts of the Holy Spirit andthe Book of Acts describes the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We all have some! I have a few: a seer gift, something I call sound and vision, as I can hear and see from the Holy Spirit, Jesus gave me a vision of his horse and I wrote a short story about it, another time He took me to heaven, it was too wonderful and I didn’t want to come back, it seemed like we were gone for a long time, but it had only been about 20 minutes as I’d looked at the clock before the LORD took me on that tour of heaven. There have been many other visions some I write about just in a journal or to share with a few friends but most are just used in calling out to the LORD and in time spent in praise, though I never spend enough! The gift of tongues came after many long years of praying that I would get it in order to praise Him, I mean over a decade, then it came and it was so wonderful to use it to praise. Then about a year ago Jesus gave me the gift of “understanding” what I’m saying in the tongues. It translates in my head in English which is amazing, it goes like this, I’ll utter what the Holy Spirit sends me in tongues, then simultaneously I understand in English what I’m saying. WOW what a blessing. But I have SO much to overcome: I struggle with jealously, I am disabled and get frustrated at my level of poverty then must readjust to shout out thank you God, I have everything I need. I get angry though often it’s righteous anger at good vs. evil, I so want to understand scripture and sometimes I just don’t….even after lots of prayer sometimes I don’t understand scripture, this isn’t too often but often enough that I sometimes yell out, what does this mean LORD I don’t understand, as a former historian I want to understand, and as a chlid of God I want to understand. Some of the parables still elude me. Well, that’s enough about me, thank you again. This is very helpful for those of us who have been slain in the spirit.
Hello, Terri! Thank you for sharing! I, too, had struggled with some of the parables and tried to understand how the scriptures are congruent with each other. After much searching and asking the Father to help me, even after studying for 30 years plus and going to formal Bible school, He began showing me truths about many things in order to open me up to the Truth about his Word that was the very Key to understanding those scriptures that didn’t seem to make sense or match up with the rest of His Word, or that didn’t seem to apply to me. It was incredible, this journey.
I have since found that this has become a realization that the Holy Spirit has revealed to people, individually, who are really seeking all around the world…totally independent of another. But He allows us to find one another and be able to fellowship and walk in the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing BUT the Truth, praise YHWH!
Much of the Keys to understanding simply are a result of looking up the original Hebrew words that we’re written (and sometimes the Greek in the NT)! What rich meaning that finally cuts to the Truth of these precious scriptures! There are now quite a few ministries that help do just that! One of my favorites is 119 Ministries, NowYouSeeTV (on youtube), HRN.com, Lion and Lamb Ministries, etc.
Well, I hope this helps and again, thank you for sharing…I would Love to read about the experiences you’ve had and pray for blessings and peace in your life!
@David Rothwell, everyone is given their own gifts from God. I have never been slain in the Spirit either, though I very much desired the experience. There’s nothing wrong with either of us. If you read the passages where Paul talks about the gifts of the Spirit, you’ll see that not everyone is given the same ones. All of them are needed for the body to work. Some gifts are more evident than others, but that doesn’t make them more important.
To whom it may Concern:
I recently rededicated my life back to Jesus. The Holy Spirit has shown me some things about my sinful life and the effects it has had on my children. He showed me the reason my children were not serving the Lord was because of me. since giving my life back to Jesus my Lord, repenting of my sins, asking the Holy Spirit to show me what He wanted to change in my life, and change it as soon as it was revealed to me. My youngest son is now starting to read the Bible I had gotten for him 15 years ago.
I was asking the Holy Spirit about all the different Bibles, which one should I read and He showed me in 1 John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is came in the flesh is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist,…
“that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh” is omitted from all translations except the King James Version. The new king james says in the notes to omit this verse.
Being as how the bible is the word of God, His Spirit talking to us, Jesus dying on the cross for us, therefore, then, would you not say the bible is the spirit of God?
Why then is the antichrist being taught through the other translations of the bible? Are our eyes blind that we cannot see? Are our ears deaf that we cannot hear? (oh, and btw, you won’t find “Jehovah” in the nkjv)
So with that said I have been looking foe a church that only preaches from the King James Version and they are very few that teach from the kjv. As God said in his Holy Bible, 1 Cor 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
The kjv is despised, I believe this is the only version to seek God’s face, seek the blood of Jesus that walked in the flesh on earth, seek the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Sorry brother but the first bible was not the King James…please do some history of the Bible research….bless you.
Depending where you are located, the Protestant Reformed Churches use the KJV. They are definitely in Canada and the USA. The one in Edmonton, AB definitely uses the KJV.
1599 Geneva Bible. 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God: but this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom ye have heard,how that he should come, and now already he is in this world. I am reminded of a quote from George Muller…”Be careful listening to thoughts and impressions…it may leave you open to great deception.” May the Lord bless you with a deep love of the truth…..
The bible is not the spirit of God. The bible is the written word of God. The spirit of God is the Holy Spirit who is a real person.
Amen !! Very few churches or pastors preach from KJV cause I have heard the it is to hard to understand. I don’t believe that ( but that’s just me) But I know the Author!!
@Steven Benjamin, but the Word is God, was with God & God is a Spirit-& Jesus is the Word. Amen
@Steven Benjamin,
John 6:63
The Spirit is he that gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken unto you, they are Spirit and they are life.
I think you need to notice in every instance (except the one in Chronicles) the people that were falling were falling out of fear. It happens most of the time in the Bible when an angel appears to someone – they fall out of fear, then the angel touches them and helps them back up and tells them to “fear not”.
Then if you look at the verse where the Pharisees fell backwards when Jesus told them “I am [he]” – they fell backwards out of shock. I Am was one of the sacred names of God (from when God told Moses his name was I am the I am). The people weren’t even supposed to use the name out loud apparently, and Jesus was telling the elders of the church He was God.
Anyway I grew up in a church that practiced it and after I finally picked up my Bible and read it, there doesn’t seem to me to be any support for it in the scriptures. Every instance I can think of, the person was falling to the ground out of fear or shock. There’s also other things people preach from the pulpit as Biblical fact such as Peter being crucified upside down, which isn’t even in the Bible, to point out another example.
I was TRULY Slain in the Spirit, TRULY! That was about 1984 or 85. Attending a workshop, given by Fr. Hampsch, The Healing of Memories. I was involved then in a Charismatic Catholic Youth Group, while attending college. I saw what I thought were fakers, for a lack of a better word.
Of course, I was curious. Is it real, is it not? Hampsch challenged us to feel God next to us, as we stepped up to be anointed with oil. I have to say, I tried so hard, and did feel God next to. I conversed, Please God, I do not want to fall, that is so not lady like, not for me.
Long story short. I was anointed with oil at the Mass, something shot through me, from the inside out. That was how I knew it was real. It came from the inside out. It was my proof. I fell under the power of God. I did not want to do that, but it just happened. I could have stood on my own two feet even if I wanted to.
My response was the noise you make when you are startled. Like someone jumping out, and scaring you from behind a door. An honest response. That is how I know it was real, it came from the inside out, and I was honestly startled.
I fell to the ground, I could not have stopped that from happening, no matter my will. It just happened. I fell, my body collapsed beneath me. I gasped, and fell. It went through me from the inside out.
I stood up.. and proceeded to run out of the church proclaiming, I have the proof, I have the proof.. God is real! God exists! Then, realizing that the experience was my own, and many would not believe me, I resigned, sat in a pew and wept.
God just touched me, for some reason, in that moment.
@Zac, Good for you, Zac. The modern churchianity is full of demons and demonic teachings, which was foretold by Paul to happen more greatly during the end days.
Here’s the flagrant problem with ALL the denominations and sects and cults. They do not adhere to this fundamental principle given by Paul:
1 Corinthians 4:6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.
DO NOT GO BEYOND WHAT IS WRITTEN!
It’s a safeguard against error of any and every kind!
When people attempt to read between the lines, or add to what is written, and say things that are not there, you get error to put it mildly.
NEVER go beyond what is written. It’s for our safety.
There is not a single instance of the Christians laying hands on others and the people being slain in the Spirit. Utter nonsense. The thugs who came to arrest Jesus were not even believers, and the Holy Spirit had not yet come!
All the instances where it says “I fell at His feet like a dead man” or “I fell on my face” does not mean they stumbled and fell, nor does it mean they were knocked down by a force of God. It’s the language used to utter humility, like laying prostrate.
Not until all this nonsense began with the charismatics, did people begin to misread these scriptures. Nobody ever thought these things until this bizarre practice started to get propagated.
In the case of Paul,
Act 9:3 As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him;
Act 9:4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
the verse reads quite plainly. The thing that startled him, or shocked him, was a light from heaven flashed around him. Not something normal, which had an affect on him. He fell off his horse.
The Holy Spirit does not give gifts to believers by doing physically forceful things to them. IF you sense energy coming into you, or as in the case of Christ knowing the energy had been drawn out of him by the lady needing healing, it did not become a circus act with theatrical drama.
DO not go beyond what is written. You will avoid error and problems.
1 Cor 4:6
Im a theology student and in my study slain in the spirit is man made not God. As for the scripture you quoted where they couldnt stand, stand in greek and hebrew simply means continue which would fit that context. This may help http://thecripplegate.com/suing-the-spirit/
John 18:6 KJV “As soon then as he had said unto them, I am He, they went BACKWARD, and fell to the ground. This may be the only place in the Bible where it is specifically stated that someone fell backwards under the powerful presence of God, however, this, along with every other instance of people falling or not being able to minister because of the powerful ‘glory’ or manifestation of His presence is conclusive Biblical evidence that what is called ‘slaying in the spirit’ is indeed a move of God and should not be reasoned away.
I really fail to understand why the justification of John 18:6. The people who fell backwards where coming to arrest, torture, and crucify Jesus Christ. Those people were not believers. The fruits of the Spirit is self-control.
@She, Correct. And you left out a key phrase in that sentence.
“They drew back, and fell to the ground”
or
“They withdrew, and fell to the ground”
Sounds to me like they pulled back of their own accord not expecting Jesus to be so fearless when they came at Him. And I’ll add that they came at nighttime and knew that Christ had done countless miracles, and might have been fearful.
I came to this site for literally searching where I cud find something written about the experience of the Holy Spirit…and then got in here…Slain in the Spirit. Although, I read and know the attributes n effects happening when annointing takes place (infilling and out-pouring), yet as yesterday I felt so humilated when the priest got down frm the main altar came towards me to cast off the demon in me. He thought I had a demon, in fact when it was God manifesting His power onto me. Since my body was raised up n standing on tip toes,talkng in tongues and I was shaking to n fro violently with eyes closed. the priest felt I was disturbing n began to rebuke me and also ordered me to open my eyes and sit down. I cudnt speak, nor sit. as I took the form of the Crucifix my body was stiff. with great difficulty, i told father I cant bend my knees. He kept ordering me n sealing me. nothing happened, cause it’s not what he is thinking ‘the evil’ within me. Then I told him, I will go to the Blessed Sacrament. He said ok go. And I just found myself pushed forward with so much force I went flying n like my legs were on fire jumping. I ran so fast, I wanted to kneel but the body was sitll in the cross form and I fell backwards front of the Blessed Sacrament. It was a great peaceful moment being with the Lord. for about 3-5mins I remained in tht position. then knelt down before the Sacrament, prayed n left to my seat still feeling the mighty power of God.
Well, I am a faithful Catholic and very spiritual n religious too. When I was around 16yrs old (1989) I received my first annointing (infilling) of the Holy Spirit. No one layed hands on me, it was directly from God when we had a school retreat. I found many changes taking place gradually (not that I was a bad girl, but like stopped back-answering, tried to be more patient, an inner desire to read the Holy Bible frequently). I used to say my prayers faithfully from the age of 6-7yrs. Prayed the Rosary too then, kept talking to Jesus, God, Mother Mary in my lil room. I visited often and spent lots of time before the Blessed Sacrament during school days (may be from 13yr onwards. I began to get strange dreams, visions…and still do get them. Few have come to pass too. Well, as usual there wud b people mockng at my spirituality.
Then aftr my schooling, and in the year 1991 I visited (alongwith with my aunt n sister) a retreat centre in Bombay whre Fr.Rufus was conduting an annointing service. Over there while father was praying, we all were kneeling and suddenly, I felt the power of God entering into my body. It was like great electricity passing thru and then cold wind blowing over you. My body began to vibrate slowly n then violently. I rose up and stood on my toes, of course there were around 12people holding me and controlling me as the power was too great and I cudnt stand alone. Before fr. Rufus cud come towards me, other charasmatic leaders came nd began to ask me some questions, to which I answered and also told me to say some prayers which I did. Then after the service, I was still slain in the spirit, but someone woke me and said go to father standing on the stage. I didnt walk for the first time felt flying off the ground. I forgot to mention earlier that I wept bitterly too, as even now I did the same, tears kept flowing on. Later father, spoke to me and being convinced that it’s the annointing of the Holy Spirit, he said congratulations you have received a great gift from God and may He used you for His glory. He blessed me and left. there were other leaders n people who came over me, hugged n kissed n wished me for the same. I felt so excited and what a great feeling it was being with the Lord.
Then on, I was been regularly annointed in the church or at home during prayer session and invoking of the Holy Spirit. When in my teens I fell down people around me thought I had fits and gave me a key r somethng iron. but i refused as I didnt play any of those fits symptoms. since my eldest sister n her hubby were around they wud ask the people to remain calm. This happend very often in the church where at times I felt bad too and asked God to take control of my situation or dont pour His power powerfully. well sometimes, it ws very mild, normal, but as the years grew the annointing became strong and violent. seldom quiet that too I must requed n plead God since people in the church complained to parish priest I ws disturbing them. I never received any annointing frm any priests, pastors or layment, but directly frm God. so people wondered howcome, as the very first time I received they thought I was in a group and I never knew much abt groups, charasmatic prayer groups etc. One or twice fathers came over to pray over me to remain calm, believing the power inside me to be something else. Oh how I wish they knew really knew how the evil spirits will act…
Another strange thing that God gave me around the same years whn teens, ws to experience His suffering n pain on the Cross. Every time the Body n Blood of Christ was offered during the liturgy or even during the consecration the Bread n Wine, I felt my body shiver and then pain. initially it was mild. then whenever I heard the Word of God too, as I listen very attentively and wth much eagerness, I often my heart beat fast, Words piercing my heart and also the annointing. During First Fridays, or whenevr I hear the passion of Christ I experience the pangs of pain on my head, hands, legs n body. Since past 7-8yrs I receive the invisible stigmata. For the first time when I rose up and stood like a Cross, talking in tongues, crying bitterly during a retreat, I never knew what was happening. 2 or 3 fathers when I explained my experience, they said a sign of redemption. but I wanted to share n talk so much about my life, yet to find one good priest to understand and speak with love n concern. The priests have seen me inumerable times falling down, crying etc. yet they didnt ask me a word. and I as eager as ever keep awaiting to see who will give me an ear and guide me or help me what is happening. when I found no one although I prayed to God to show me a spiritual director, but no one. I tried to contact fr.Rufus but very difficult. some are far from spirituality so dont understand the power of the Holy Ghost. Then I began to do selt studies, researching on net, books and only then came to know about the stigmatism…where saints n holy men experienced the wounds of our Lord…visible and invisible stigmata. since I have a very deep and cloase relationship with Jesus, I speak lots to Him and He has been guiding me by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In the year 2000 when I attended a retreat at Pota Divine Mercy Centre, Kerala, India, there God gave me the gift of Tongues, Praying for others and also delivering others. This special gift I didnt know until one of a Hindu neighbors’s son and they wanted to come home and participate in a prayer session which I had at home. Often we pray at home with family members, and those who wish to come I welcome. and then when the Boy who was possessed asked me to lay hands n pray, to which I felt odd, yet seeing his belief and felt it wud humiliate him I stretched my hands n layed on his head. OH! he felt down to the ground and began to twist like a snake, I did fall too onto my sis’ lap, but regained n rose up within a minute. meantime, I saw many people around the boy trying to hold him n controlling him. he was riggling lik a worm, rolling eyes, and begging to leave him and let him go. first time I was witnessing somthng like this. while others were busy doing that, I held the Crucifix and began to pray to God, Jesus asking the Holy Spirit to send His Power n to take control of the situation. as I was new and didnt know wht to do, I just allowed the Spirit to use me. I prayed over the boy too, to which he didnt want to see me, He didnt want the Bible kept ovr him, spat out the holy water, oil. well we knew he had the anitchrist in him. after much praying the boy sat up and began to answer to the questions asked by my brother. well, I didnt want to since the Spirit never told me to do so, but due to excitement my brother started to handle the case. anyways, I later told them to stop. the moment the boy saw me, he wanted to run away, but others stopped him. my, my. how well the demon was acting, began to speak thru the boy so sweetly to his parents and since they were weak felt sad fr their son, it was trying to take pity frm them as it wanted to escape frm me. Then finally, when God revealed wht was stopping the casting off of demons, I made his parents to check his pockets and to utter dismay, a collection of lots of hindu gods n goddesses photos were with him. I ordered them to burn it, I meantime springled holy water all over the place, people beginning frm the boy and on the buring pictures. Ooooo….it took soooo much time to burn fully. Then after praying with the final prayer of deliverance, dont ask me what….all the Spirit took control off that day. and the boy was delivered. It was aftr this I came to understand that God gave me the gift of deliverance. He also gave me few othr gifts, which I use it for the glory of God. He has taken me to diff homes, put across me rare situations where I was to pray sometimes over the phone to cast off any evil, or for sickness. sometimes strange people calling me to pray…all this made me feel odd initially, as I felt I was so young and unworthy (26yrs….now I am 40yrs) God still keeps annointing me and still keeps using me as an instrument to do His work. I know I am very small yet I am happy n feel privileged God chosen me too.
My life ws not an easy one, gone thru lots of trials n tribulations. still facing them. but I was not left one day without the mercy n love of God. and our Lord Jesus Christ was always beside me giving me victory as He gave me the strength to overcome the odds in life. Your first enemy is not the world….but your very own…family. I learnt to thank the Lord at all times as I give praise n glory to His Name now n forever.
I should mentioned that Mother of our God Blsd Virgin Mary, guided me and helped me come close to Her Son Jesus. She was the first one person who came into my dreams…walking from the Heavens down to me when I was in class 8th. she appeared many times in dreams, once or twice in a vision. I daily tell my Rosary. When we can love and cant live without our earthly mothers, how on earth, can then we being the children of God not love, honour n respect the Mother of our God n Lord Jesus Christ who said ‘Yes’ nd brought forth the Saviour into this worl? She is the most loving Mother of all Mothers.
Therefore, I do believe in the annointing of the Holy spirit and being ‘Slain in the Spirit’. unfortunately, many dont belive this happenning to me in the church, except vry few souls. and who have asked me to pray for them and also share their problems. And the strange thing is that neither the priests or the people praying explains what is the power of the Holy Spirit meaning the effects or the experience. They do preach and tell to experience the power and also to welcom the Holy Ghost, but since among the whole crowd very often I am the only owner of that special gift, others cant accept it to be true or its the annointing of the Holy Spirit. During the initial days, I felt insulted, humiliated and snubbed, but gradually getting over the feeling. what can I do when the Lord is pouring His Spirit onto me…this is what I told once my parish priest when he said not to sit in the front row as people complained and sit at the back. He askd me to control the spirit within. I did tell him I hav done all that, but sometimes, it’s too much to bear and I cant control. Next day it was sunday, and I abided to his saying although I was angry n hurt for tellng me sit back, for from my kid days I love to sit in the front row only in the church. but since God said obey yr authorities I did, but also asked God pls open show the priest yr power. Sometimes, even whenvr I receive the Holy Eucharist I do get the annointing and fall flat or backwrds. that day it happened to be the parish priest who told me sit back distributing the Host in the isle whr I was sitting back. I walked normally, but as I was nearing father, I rose to my tiptoe, tears began to flow and took the Host on my tongue. I was hit like a thunderbolt, and went flying…i landed onto the third row bench and knelt calmly, but kept shivering not violently. I was very happy and thanked the Lord for manifesting His power, since the parishners said I often get like this only when new fathers come to preach sermon. so now, front of my parish priest’s face while distributing the Host he saw what ws happening to me. I have so much to write, not sure whre to start n end. Yet I am surprisd I wrote so much. I have received God’s power directly and at times, the force was strong that I wud go flying pushing all the chairs or even far off to a distance. I was not hurt or felt bad at anytime. The experice only caused great ectasy and wonderful feeling of peace, joy n happines. most of the time I sing praises or talk in tongues with God during the Union.
Pls pray that God sends someone who is truly spiritual to hear my story and guide me…if it’s the will of God. or just keep me in your prayers and I continue doing the good works of our Lord n save souls on earth and be worthy to face Him on the Last Day. Pls pray for the whole world. Amen. God bless you all.
The spirit gives self control, if you weren’t in control of your body that wasn’t Jesus. I do speak in tongues but I’ve never been taken control of and God doesn’t take control of his children even in spiritual cases. BEware of false spirits sister.
Ann, Thank you so much for sharing your story. I have been yearning so strongly for the power of God to fall on me the way He does on you. And I am so glad and blessed you shared your story. God bless you. May you continue to remain in His presence.
My concern in this my sister is when you say you were being thrown around and injured the God I serve does not operate in that manner I see how you’re using stigmatism to explain your experience but in the name of Jesus I ask you to consider something why would you have these cases with pain as soon as you hear the word of God or even during communion the enemy does not want you to pay attention and focus on the word of God so as soon as you start to pay more attention it seems like you become affected by the spirit that does not want you to go that route. Think of the love of God and how he tells us to study his word to read his word to meditate on his word but you are unable to do any of those things I will pray for you and may God bless you
@Ann, I am not sure if it is coincidental, but last night a sister shared with me whenever she heard tongues she would have body pains, as she is really very spiritually sensitive person. I am quite concerned about your situation, as it seems that the spirit in you is hurting your body, which to me is certainly not the work of Holy Spirit. You should only worship the holy trinity, as any other form of worshipping may invite other spirits. I can only say so much to you and pray that the Bible will give you wisdom and discernment.
What concerns me is when people line up for prayer thinking the following…
1. If this man or woman is anointed…I will fall over.
2. If I am yielded to the Holy Spirit…I will fall over.
3. If I do NOT fall over, it is a sign of my resistance toward God.
4. I am more blessed and anointed if I fall over than if I do not fall.
4. There’s a 225 lb man right behind me ready to catch me…so I think it’s safe to fall back.
5. This gentle push on my forehead has to be the power of God … it couldn’t possibly be the arm of flesh.
I believe it’s biblical and logical to think a mighty God could knock me over…even keep me down. I become suspect when those “manifestations” become as predictable as any assembly line.
I get what you are saying to that and I was ALWAYS hesitant, I grew up in traditional churches and in the last 2 years started going to a pentecostal church as my husband grew up in pentecostal churches. I have been extremely apprehensive to falling as well as the gifts of the spirit etc and have NEVER faked it or thought I was less blessed if I didn’t fall, however last night I was prayed for and for the first time EVER I fell to the ground and was out to it and it was one of the best encounters I have ever had
All the people in the v.v above were falling on their faces in reverence to the power of God. The people you see doing this today are not doing it in reverence to God but to the command of a pastor or minister etc…this is a pagan Hindu practice that was introduced a few years back. A spirit called Kandalini or something to that effect where people are “being slain” or have convulsions and all that unbiblical nonsense! It is man made false fire.
I am confused. I was at a church visiting. 5 people surrounded and their hands on me and forced me to fall down. I was very uncomfortable. It did ot feel real or from God. I dont speak in tongues either. Any comments?
There is what’s true….. “IT felt great, I’m healed….I’m closer to God…”
AND there’s TRUTH, the Word of God. Consider the feel of what’s true, vs the Knowledge of the TRUTH. What’s the fruit of the Spirit? (If you’d like to judge the tree) Is there Self control? The prophecy is subject to the prophet. RE spiritual warfare, Are you standing firm? Is Jesus standing? Is God the author of confusion? PLEASE don’t confuse what’s true with what’s TRUTH.
So if people do fall backwards and get hurt…do they get to pray for healing from the injuries they had from being “slain” in the Spirit? Do people not realize how ridiculous this is? Its no wonder people see this stuff and think Christians are bonkers. If my church did this the first day I went to it, I would have laughed my way out of the door. They do it now but I refuse to participate in it and it makes me extremely uncomfortable. Simply because I know its mainly for show and not a part of a real spiritual experience. I’m not one to judge a person’s experience because I believe its the strongest evidence for God but, whatever happened to loving your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? Why does it have to be this borderline insane practice of people falling all over, convulsing, yelling, etc? God knows the situation of the world and he knows people who are in the fence about Him would respond in a negative manner to this, for the most part. Christians need to stop believing the more “charismatic” you are the more you love God, which is one of the biggest lies being sold today. Along with the guilt trip that if you don’t tithe you aren’t expanding the Kingdom, but that’s for another day.
I agree with most of what you said. I dont believe slaying in the spirit is real. I do not speak in tongues either.
AC Your comment is one of the most excellent. I just want to say you gave a very in depth and well explained answer and it is very helpful, matching up with what I had thought all along – I do not believe that the Holy Spirit would do anything to a person that would hurt or injure. The Holy Spirit is loving, gentle, good, kind, all the fruit – including self-control as you say. So how would it match up that a person could fall and maybe get hurt or lose control. We should definitely stick to what the Bible says and as you pointed out God is not a God of confusion. The very fact that ‘slain in the Spirit’ raises so much confusion could well be a sign that it is suspect. I think so in any case.
The pastor at my home church slays us in the Spirit occasionally. The first time I was ever slain in the Spirit was at this church (it’s a nondenominational Pentecostal church [the teachings are Pentecostal but our church isn’t part of the mainline Pentecostal denomination]) and the first time, I was still pretty new to the church and was one of the last to be slain. I don’t know if being one of the last was on purpose, to give me time to observe others and figure out how I was supposed to react, but anyway . . . I didn’t know what it was, I just saw the pastor laying hands on people and praying over them in tongues and then they would fall backward and be caught by the person helping the pastor, and he would lower them to the ground and they’d just lay there for different periods of time, some longer than others, and some people cried while laying on the ground.
Well long story short, I fell over that first time, but I’m almost a hundred percent certain that it was out of peer pressure and because the pastor had a hand on my forehead and another on my shoulder and was pushing gently as he was praying over me, but it was enough to make me fall, because he gradually started to push more violently, and I have a physical disability that impairs my balance, so I fall more easily than most and I was very relaxed while he was slaying me in the Spirit. Another reason I don’t think my first experience wit this phenomenon was authentic is because I laid there on the ground, not really feeling any of the peaceful or relaxed feelings others have described–I was too busy thinking about what had just happened and trying to figure out if my experience was authentic or if I just gave in to peer pressure because I had seen everyone else falling–and I mean EVERYONE, we all eventually fell.
Well, I have been slain the Spirit a time or two since then, the most recent instance being last night at church, actually, and though I’m still not sure if the falling was forced, I did feel all the right feelings and pray once I was on the floor, and I think that’s what counts most.
However, a few weeks ago at church, the pastor was announcing prophetic words over us, and when he mentioned regaining a sense of hope and expectancy in life–that God would restore hope and expectance of good things–I immediately started sobbing so hard that I began to lose my balance, and when I took a step to regain my footing, I fell on my face. As soon as I realized I was on the ground, I started to try to get up but God told me to stay down and I kept crying and talking to God and apologizing for not having enough faith in Him, and people came and laid on hands on me and prayed over me as I lay there crying so hard. That experience feels much more authentic to me than the times I have been slain in the Spirit by the pastor praying over me, because no one else had a similar reaction to a word before I did to influence me to react the way I did, and my reaction was so sudden and intense it scared me, so it didn’t fel fake or forced or even doubtable.
I have had many experiences being slain in the Spirit as people would like to term it. There have been times when a pastor has laid hands on me and there have been many times that during worship I have fallen under the power of The Holy Spirit without anyone coming close by to catch me. There has also been times that people have prayed for me and I have not felt anything. I don’t consider myself more spiritual than others. My first experience of this happening is when I gave my life to The Lord in 1985. I did not know about falling in the spirit. A pastor shared the gospel with me in his home afterwards we stood and he prayed for me and the next thing I found myself lying flat on my back begging God for forgiveness. I often have questioned God and prayed regarding the matter. Many times I have begged God that if this was not from Him but something in the natural or the flesh then I wanted no part of it.
There are many people in our church who I have never seen moved in any way physically but they love The Lord just as much or even more than I ever could.
I still question God and myself is this a move from God or is this just me. I don’t have the answers to these questions. all I do know is that I love Jesus. I really believe that if God did not want this move to take place in my life He would have removed it a long time ago. The bible teaches us that if we ask God He will give us the desires of our hearts. So if I have prayed earnestly asking God to not allow me to be deceived or misled then I would not have these experiences if they were not a move of The Holy Spirit.
At the end of the day its a personal thing between you and God. Every one will have their own opinion regarding the matter. I have never had a vision but others have but I cant discount them that God did not speak to them or manifest His glory in their lives in a unique way.
God is not a man. He does not think like us. All I know is that God is wonderful and He is creative. If he chose a donkey to speak to Balaam and He decides to work with me in a way which others find wrong then I’m rather gonna go with what God wants to do and not trust mans opinion on the matter
Is it real?? Now I have ben prayed , hands laid on me and many times but I have never fell down or felt anything at all.. but I can say that my ministry subsequently was empowered next and directly related There are now many, many Christians who give testimony to a new, dynamic and personal, life-changing experiences as a result of their relationship with the Holy Spirit while other Professing Christians they still do not have any real encounter and experience of the Holy Spirit, and why is that? Not just these teachings of Jesus and the Apostles now but why also is the baptism of the holy spirit so neglected, opposed? When any biblical truths, even such as praying in tongues, fall into obscurity and neglect, too many people offer false explanations, false excuses for it instead of reviving the truths in their life. I too now have been often shocked as to how many professing Christians are holy Spirit hates, and they clearly hate him, oppose any of his manifestations and I have wondered why? Have you yourself wondered why some people really go really nuts, bonkers when you mention the word Holy Spirit.. I have! It is related to their false fear of admitting and confessing their sins, of their own repentance.
Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”;
It’s real. I wasn’t pushed and I didn’t know about falling but it happened to me.
Acts 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
1 Timothy 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
I am a minister of the gospel of Christ Jesus. In scriptures mentioned, each time a person fell was because they were showing high honor to God, all were in their right mind; the only time people feel backwards was in judgment. Slain in the spirit is man created, there is no biblical proof whatsoever. This is a way to get people in large numbers involved in church, thus causing them to stay and finally pay… It’s about money… No one is ever slain at home, on the road or the job, why is that? Why would God have man stand behind you to catch you? This is actually demonic worship and millions of people are doing it… Only satan wants to take over your body, not God. With Him, it’s about free will. I never read where the Holy Spirit took over one’s body. Why do people only get the Holy Spirit on Sunday or maybe Wednesday, is our God that weak that He can only do it one day or maybe two a week, hmmmmm???? Do they realize that they are blaspheming the Holy Spirit with their false practices. I pray that God show this for what it truly is. To God be the glory!!!
I dont agree, but I noticed that people who never experienced it always say its not real. Many of the scriptures mentioned above dont mention how they fell. Also I know many that get goose bumps when the holy spirit does something I have never had goosebumps besides being cold. God works differently with all of us. Some fall out some cry, some see visions, some have dreams, some people have had Jesus come to them and talk to them, some hear the audible voice of God, some see pics. We dont get to choose how God works. The word of God says that unless we come to him as a child we will not even enter the kingdom of God. I begin to feel odd because I went to a worship service and it was so powerful it scared me. I had never seen anything like it. When I prayed and asked God what it was, he gave me the word “child” I begin to search through the bible for all references about children. He showed me that the purer our spirits are the more we see spiritual. Think of Nathaniel in the Bible He believed Jesus because he said I saw you by the tree. Jesus replied you believe because I said it? well greater than this you shall see. You will see angels ascending and descending. The Bible connects faith and purity with spiritual insight. The more “pure” our spirits the more God can show us. The more ways he can move in our lives.
Yes, it’s obvious that the people who haven’t experienced this yet will think that it’s a joke. I have slayed in a spirit couple of times, and that is the most peaceful moment in my life. Your tiredness will be gone, and you will be filled with the goodness of God. Holy spirit works in a various way in different person, so we can’t assume his ways. Human mind cannot guess how God is going to work, it’s beyond our creativity and knowledge.
Here my dear friend, being a minister of the church, you should know the scriptures better than me. As Matthew 12:32 says,”Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” So, if you are not sure, at least try not to talk about it.
@LENRAY GANDY, Hello, you wrote this 10 years ago, and I’m here today to see. Do you know why? I was slain today at home , I mean in my house. I was praying with my mother and sisters to an online live prayer by pastor Jerry Eze, and it happened to me. No one touched me. I felt peace and the Holy Spirit touched me. I am so glad and Feel remembered and loved by God. I would never have thought such could happen to me in my own home, over online live prayers. I had even stopped joining them for the prayers for months now cause I lost interest and got very busy. My mum and sister in the middle of their prayers pleaded with me to join again. Now I believe God ordained it. And I fell when I prayed, I couldn’t stand cause the power of GOD fell upon me. I then cried and I’ve been calling myself an angel all day cause of the peace I feel afterwards. So funny. But That’s why I’m here to hear other peoples experiences. I hope my walk with God grows from here. It’s been beautiful to hear other testimonies. I hope you rethink it, and open yourself more to God’s wonders. Stay blessed.
@LENRAY GANDY, Correct. Excellent words.
I have never met so many know it all, rather nuts like I have on the internet.. they all seem have differing opinions but they all seem to be right .. and they also all seem to claim to be so spiritual now too.. they all seem to be pursing righteousness too it seems but with out love it seems..
1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
Romans 3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
1 Corinthians 13: 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
James 1: 19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
James 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
1 Peter 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
Thank you so much for writing this article. A few years back I was “slain in the spirit”. It was a beautiful experience. I felt God’s love all around me. I felt his presence and it was magnificent! So peaceful. So wonderful I could not stop crying and smiling at the same time. I however, did not understand why it happened or what it meant. What was it called. I just know what I felt. It was not something that I intended to do. While someone at church prayed for me I started feeling light and while I tried to remain standing I could no longer stand… And that’s when I felt so much joy. That he is real! I told very few people about my experience unfortanetly. I had seen it happen maybe twice before but I never saw people crying. I have never forgotten how I felt that day and when I read your article it made me cry once more. I had many questions that I had not asked, I feel now have been answered. You described what I felt! Thank you!
First of all “SLAIN in the Spirit,” I mean how can you not miss that, I’ve never associated the word “slain” with anything positive before. Secondly what kind of god would require you to draw closer to him by having seizures/fits, convulsing, writhing on the floor, falling unconscious, yelling and screaming and having people behind you to hold you after you fall to prevent your head from hitting the ground and cracking open.
In all the passages you’ve used those who fell down fell in awe/fear. They were never pushed, nobody blew into a mic, nobody waved their hand at them. Also they weren’t even in the Holy Spirit! How could you associate that with the Holy Spirit? On the day of the Pentecost the ground LITERALLY shook but those praying for the anointing of the Holy Ghost NEVER fell, funny right? It’s not in the Scriptures, it’s not in the Old Testament or the New Testament, the apostles/disciples never did it and most importantly JESUS never EVER did it either. If you had been “HEALED” why do you need to continue to go back and get “slain.” The Holy Spirit doesn’t “slay” it uplifts, it guides us and it enables us to commune with God all of these are definitely not achieved when one is convulsing on the floor and/or unconscious. Please, go read the Scriptures properly and understand the history/context that they were written in rather than just picking out verses with the word “fall” and automatically associating them with this un-godly practice that stems from Pagan belief.
Everything you said is correct according to your experience. We have not experience many things which are from Bible, may be 99%.
Think about what Jesus said. Jesus said in John 14:12 “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”
Did you ever touched ( testified, prayed for some one who God healed from Blindness, Deaf or Lame healed… any one small experience that you moved by Holy Spirit God to minister others like Jesus) if not, you haven’t experienced the love of God. You have NOT living to the expectation of God who called you.
If your answer is YES to John 14:12, then you should see by now many people might have been lead into Salvation, Healed, Delivered from all sorts of situations. And you are ready to receive the reward that God is preparing for you. If you have non of those this is the time to REACT. Otherwise you have nothing to receive and the Word of God has not come ALIVE in your life.
God bless you my loving brother.
Just to let you know…. because I have experienced few what is written in Bible (leading people into Salvation, when prayed people healed from small sicknesses to Cancer, When prayed people delivered from all sort of problems [financial, jobs, marriages, when there is no hope for Children, God bless them with Children… many more…) I am not a Pastor but a Software Engineer. So I am testifying.
Question: “Is being slain in the Spirit biblical?”
Answer: Most commonly, being “slain in the Spirit” happens when a minister lays hands on someone, and that person collapses to the floor, supposedly overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit. Those who practice slaying in the Spirit use Bible passages that talk about people becoming “as dead” (Revelation 1:17) or of falling upon their face (Ezekiel 1:28; Daniel 8:17-18, 10:7-9). However, there are a number of contrasts between this biblical falling on one’s face and the practice of being slain in the Spirit.
1. The biblical falling down was a person’s reaction to what he saw in a vision or an event beyond ordinary happenings, such as at the transfiguration of Christ (Matthew 17:6). In the unbiblical practice of being slain in the Spirit, the person responds to another’s touch or to the motion of the speaker’s arm.
2. The biblical instances were few and far between, and they occurred only rarely in the lives of a few people. In the slain in the Spirit phenomenon, falling down is a repeated event and an experience that happens to many.
3. In the biblical instances, the people fall upon their face in awe at either what or whom they see. In the slain in the Spirit counterfeit, they fall backwards, either in response to the wave of the speaker’s arm or as a result of a church leader’s touch (or push in some cases).
We are not claiming that all examples of being slain in the Spirit are fakes or responses to a touch or push. Many people claim to experience an energy or a force that causes them to fall back. However, we find no biblical basis for this concept. Yes, there may be some energy or force involved, but if so, it is very likely not of God and not the result of the working of the Holy Spirit.
It is unfortunate that people look to such bizarre counterfeits that produce no spiritual fruit, rather than pursuing the practical fruit which the Spirit gives us for the purpose of glorifying Christ with our lives (Galatians 5:22-23). Being filled with the Spirit is not evidenced by such counterfeits, but by a life that overflows with the Word of God in such a way that it spills over in praise, thanksgiving, and obedience to God.
Beautiful and Blessed comment.
It is from Satan…and not Biblical. (Daniel 10.10 below) says that after falling on your face, you must get on your knees and Praise GOD ALMIGHTY.
I attend a Pentecostal church and the Pastor invoked the occult to manifest and said : SANANDA !!! The kundalini Yoga term for EXTASIS.
So after months putting up with “speaking in tongues” with no interpreter (UN-BIBLICAL)…turns out I become the interpreter and I get to unmask SATAN´S DECEPTION !!!
The Holy Spirit is requesting strongly that I exhort those who seek spiritual manifestations and gifts without discerning /trying the spirits….. and also do not value a true permanent transformation achieved by understanding JESUS CHRIST and his Message of TRANFORMATION THRU WISDOM and AFFLICTION.
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF and HE wants you AWAKE and vigilant, not FALLEN and ASLEEP.
SLAIN IN THE SPIRIT IS WHAT LAZY IGNORANT SUNDAY CHRISTIANS DO
Dan 10:8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.
Dan 10:9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my FACE toward the ground.
Dan 10:10 And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my KNEES (Blessing) and upon the palms of my hands.
Dan 10:11 And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and STAND UPRIGHT: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I STOOD trembling.
IF YOU FALL BY THE POWER OF GOD….do it on your FACE !!!!! and then get up and PRAISE.
GOD BLESS U ALL.
Great article. After many years in the word,I had an experience that “made a believer out of me”. I never quite brought into the idea of people falling down. but then I was touched by God. My knees just went weak and could no longer hold me. It was intense. I was so incredibly peaceful.I just wanted to lay their and bask in the love of God. Until that experience, I was probably as skeptical as they come.
Many even religious persons, people are falsely trying to reach Heaven, serve God in their own efforts neglect God’s provisions for them, God’s spiritual gifts. if you oppose tongues you are not even a Christian led by the holy Spirit. and that is your main problem still.. not being filled with the Holy Spirit.. You do need to learn what sins are holding you back from this…http://postedat.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/so-why-is-it-you-do-not-pray-in-tongues/
for me i believe because i have experience his manifastation.
I have observed that everyone of my friends who had been ‘slain in the Spirit’ have made very little, it any, progress towards their state of maturity. Another thing that bothers me is that according to the bible one has to repent first and then receive the Holy Spirit later as in Acts. So how can you receive the Holy Spirit by being first slain in the spirit? My friend told me that she received the Holy Spirit first after being slain and then repented????????
None of the verses quoted above REALLY point to being ‘slain in the spirit’.They are just vague excuses to explain something which is NOT from the Lord . And how many of such ‘slain’ people do you know who show the fruit of the Spirit? Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
I think you’re making quite a stretch with those verses. They don’t really correlate. Too much “who is to say” and not enough black and white.
I believe that “slain in the spirit” is coming from God. But could you explain me why for some people, it didn’t happen. So for me after 25 years, I can’t experience that, some times it’s seem that God reject me, but I know that it’s not true. I know that some anointing of God is transmitted through this and I want the anointing of God to serve Him with His power. Thank’s in advance.
Bob,
We are the only ones hindering our receiving from the Lord. Be child like in faith, as a child look to your daddy in heaven and make your petition known, now we know he’s a good daddy, is He going to give you a stone or scorpion? NO!
Believe, receive and bask in the open Heavens that opened up 2,017 years ago. Your sense of rejection is a lie from the enemy, awakening your God consciousness and peeling your spiritual eyelids back and gazing upon His glory and realizing the grace and mercy on you is unending and limitless. Be filled with unspeakable joy and full of Glory today in Jesus name !
1st. This is for those who have cast judgment of what the Holy Spirit can do, if he so chooses (slain-fall in the Spirit). Please be carful what you say. Matthew 7 says judge not lest you be judged. Me personally I don’t want that. If it is of God then you are in total disrespect of what He is doing. If its not of God then go ahead and cast judgment but know this, you will be judge for what you say. So again please be slow to condemn something you think you know something about to make your theology in God line up with what YOU believe.
2nd. In the early 90s I had the privileged of helping Benny Hinn on stage for almost 2 years. All I can say is what I have seen and experienced in that time frame. In the Bible He says there will be signs & wonders. Signs can be seen. Wonders are just that I wonder how He did that. Psalms 96:3 says Declare His wonders among all people. So I will. In those 2 years I saw many signs of miracles and a lot of wonders, like being slain or people falling down. I was on stage with him being a catcher of those who were being slain (or what ever you want to call it) Countless times I was there to catch them and the power was so strong I hit the deck as well and couldn’t stop it even though I tried. Sometimes it felt like electricity running through me. Other times it was a mighty rushing wind. Then there was fire but not like fire that it burns you just a lot of heat that felt good. There was just a power that I can’t explain but felt in all of these experiences. I felt the presence of God, love, peace & joy. Never judgment or the feeling of evil. Sometimes when I picked the people up they got up fast, then sometimes they were in a deep sleep or something because I could not wake them up. I just pulled them to the side and eventually they would arise. In the thousands of people I have caught and laid down 90% had a smile on their face. I can only imagine the stories they told of the signs and wonders of our God and what has happened to them.
I hope this does what He has ask me to do (Declare His Wonders among all people). What I have wrote here is as much truth as I can recall.
Nick Mayfield
I was about 22 when I was slain in the spirit. The pastor barely touched me and I woke up on the floor .i am now 60 . God has touched my life profoundly by these unexplained things . The Holy Spirit seems to touch my life when a life event is happening. I am in need of healing for breast cancer now. Why can’t God touch my life in any way he sees fit. I love you Jesus!!! I’m a believer in his power
Rene,
I read your comment, and I know it has been a few years. I immediately stopped and prayed for our Lord to heal you with the condition that you give Him ALL the glory. God can and will touch your life in any way He sees fit, but not always the ways you see fit. I don’t know why our prayers are answered in different ways, but our perfect holy God knows exactly what He’s doing. Always praise Him and thank Him. God Bless You!
i was slain in the spirit many times years ago at healing masses. What confuses me is that while i was on the floor I really didn’t feel anything happening to me. But what I did feel was totally paralized, like was nailed to the floor. At first my eyes were closed and just resting, then after about a minute my eyes could open, but could not move. I could speak, and aware of all around me. I do remember the priest walking around me and the others on the floor. When he would pass me his white floor length garmet would brush over my hand. I always remember saying if only I could touch the hem of his garmet, like it says in the Bible, i could be healed. But I was never healed of my deafness on the floor. The other incident was that slowly I began to move little by little, but not my head. I could not move my head at all to get up. So I stayed down there. Others in the church could not explain why I could not get up and I was embarrassed, but I was soon able to get up after around 8 more minutes. When i finally got up I was feeling a little weak and sat down. But soon aftre felt fine. I had a feeling of gratefulness towards God for allowing me to fall. Every healing mass I went to I fell, but did not feel anything unusual. Today I think about it and miss it. They don’t have healing masses anymore here, and wish they did. When I was young around 11, an evil spirit appeared to me in my bedroom and I was terrified. Nothing came of it, but I know it was an evil spirit or the devil, I don’t know. I was afraid for a long time that I may see him again. I do know that I am interested in learning about evil in the world and what it does to others. I am very tuned in to recognizing it when it shows itself in others and circumstances. Would you say that my being slain in the spirit is from God or does the devil have somethink to do with it? Please reply by my E-mail above. Thank you for your time. Judy
I think we should be very careful in making judgements regarding the experiences of others. I was slain in the spirit in the year 1998. I had gone through a very rough time. Prior to that, I was happy-go-lucky, not thinking about anything. I had been a believer, but never truly understood the concept of God in totality. On this night, I prayed by myself and fell backwards, with bolts of beautiful lights followed by a pure white light going through my mind and body. I saw my body draw back and all that was left was pure conciousness. That was the first time, I understood the greatness of God. Up until then, God was in the Church. After that, I knew God was truly in me as He is in those who are willing to accept Him as such. It didn’t pefect me immediately, but it got me to a point where I knew God was ever present in me no matter what the day brings. I want to speak hope in to Rene’s life. Rene, I believe with you that you are healed. You were given victory before the earth was created. Jesus win your battle way before now, so please agree with me and decree that you are healed. I know it and see it. Peace be with you.
I find the entire article unconvincing as the arguments were the “straw-men” of what any actual biblical critique of the practice might actually put forth. The fact is that the biblical apostolic gifts that came about in order to legitimize the message of the gospel are nowhere seen in today’s church. The article’s point that there are biblical passages that seem to point to some kind of falling out simply proves too much. For if there is no evidence that tells us that it is explicitly from God, then why not go to the other extreme and say, “well, I’ll see your mere fainting in the spirit and raise you levitational trance.” The point is why. Why would God “give” this fainting to his people. Imagine a loving father giving a humanly son a fainting spell as a present. I’d ask, “why?” What is the point? Worship? Surely not, since all my faculties have been incapacitated for the duration of my spell. For witness? Surely not, since the phenomenon cannot be tested as legitimate therefore none can say with any objective certain that it happened for the reasons they espouse.
Christians are equipped by the word of God with everything they need. EVERYTHING. A supernatural gift to faint seems completely unjustified biblically although, I have dear friends that will swear they have experienced something not unlike what the article describes. Although everything that we do to worship God does not need to be explicitly stated to do it that way (see the debate between normative vs regulative worship), gifts that God gives should be things that the Bible does say that he will give his followers. How does being slain in the spirit glorify God and where is this said to be a gift non-singular gift (differentiated from singular gifts such as are appropriate to individual circumstance, e.g. a random bank account error where you got the exact amount of money that was required for your dying daughter’s surgery, contrasted by gifts that God may give to many people commonly) to believers? It can’t be justified biblically and that should our primary concern here. Nothing that the author posits would hold to any serious exegetical critique.
I disagree completely with this phenomenon of being “slain in the spirit”.This cannot be the work of the Holy Spirit because according to Galatians 5:23 , one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is SELF CONTROL and NOT loss-of-control and paralysis as occurs in these events.When the Holy Spirit came upon our Lord in the form of a dove during His baptism ,He did not throw Him on the ground and cause Him to be “slained”.When Ananias laid his hands on Paul and he was filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 9:17-18 , Paul did not fall to the ground and become “slained”.Instead he rose up (since he must have been kneeling or sitting down) and was baptized.The genuineness ( or lack thereof ) of something is not based on some subjective experience one has but on the objective truth of the word of God.Bless you.
Scriptures! Scriptures! Scriptures! And I say again Scriptures! Everything has to be tested against the Word of God and nothing else!
I have never “pushed” anyone or tried to make them fall, it is a very beautiful move of God when you feel His power flow through you and into someone you are praying for. Some people become “staues” they don’t move and just stand where you pray for them. Others burst into laughter and you see the Joy of God all over them, and others burst into tears and release the burdens they have carried for far to long.
And yes some people and Pastors fake it. Hoping to appear holy and powerful. All power comes from God. He uses all of the willing as He wants not as we want.
Give God the glory.
Great article. Thank you!
last week being prayed for at the Alter, I went out cold. I fell hard. I don’t understand it, but I know it was God.
This is why Christians. Are losing a lot of the battles. (Yes. We know the end of the story)
We are so judgemental of other Christians. All of these items are not a way to save lost souls. God is huge. He ministers to each of us as we need it and He chooses.
Stop wasting time letting me know I’m doing it wrong. Just be joyful I know Jesus as my savior.
Amen Sister! I was recently overcome by the Glorious presence of God! 🙂 In my experience, I was being delivered from being molested as a child! I thought that I had dealt with that issue a few years prior….:/ Evidently I didn’t… :/ You see, I still dealt with it in my mind from time to time…..But Glory to God I’m finally delivered! 🙂 You see….people tend to try and put GOD into a little box! If you’re a TRUE Believer, worshipper HOLY-SPIRIT FILLED Christian, you SHOULD KNOW that Our GOD is SOOOO MUCH BIGGER THAN THAT! 🙂 Also, No one laid hands on me, and I fell down to the right(not forwards or backwards)! :-)….Thank you God for that Glorious Experience! 🙂 I have had many spiritual experiences in my life, but being “Overcome” or “Resting” in the presence of Our Glorious God was the 1st for me! 🙂 Continue to Be Blessed everyone! 🙂
I am an Apostolic Pentecostal.
While your attempt is genuine some is a far stretch to come to conclusion. But, the positive side is I do agree with you that it doesn’t mean it’s demonic. Yes I have been in churches where clearly something was “off.” I was in a Methodist church where every person who had hands laid on them did the fall. Then they would lay cloths on them all. Now THIS seemed against the Bible to me. It seemed odd that every person every time would fall and that these cloths were being draped over them… Which is NOT scriptural. I suspected by the symbols on this churches walls and their proceedure (and their 20 minute sermon on asking for money before the 10 minute sermon on the Bible compared to my church’s two minute prayer on giving and an hour to an hour and a half sermon on scripture) that they may be operating under familiar spirits. The Bible DOES warn us there will be false churches. However the devil operates as God does, does he not? He is a manipulator and will use God’s ways to mimick the faith and deceive. In this case one can assert that some truly do fall by the Holy Spirit. In my church, a hundred people will go to alter call… An estimated quarter to half of those people may be touched by a pastor or associate pastor and anointed with the laying on of hands. And only a few times have I seen one or two actually fall. I myself have “fallen backwards” in my church on two occasions out of maybe 16 times or so that I have been to the alter…. At least 10 of those times having hands laid on me by a pastor and at least 15 of those times having others lay hands on me. So obviously I don’t fall in the spirit every time. This seems more accurate than the church where everyone falls every time they go up. I will also add that the times I did fall, there was still a lot of darkness in me… I was new in my faith and God is/was still working on me … As my faith gets stronger I seem to stand before God at the alter as the days go by. Instead of falling lately I get the sudden urge to get on my knees. So what do I PERSONALLY feel about being slain? That it is attached to wickedness before God. If you are in a false church practicing a false version of what the Bible preaches you are going to be in constant sin and probably will be in a church that everyone falls at all the time. We pray that we are worthy to stand before God. If we cannot stand before him at alter it should be a sign from God we need to work on something sinful hindering our walk with the Lord. And your church itself could very well become that “thing. Additionally I would like to add that on one occasion I almost fell straight down but the person laying hands on me had to manipulate my fall by pushing back more to ensure I fell backwards into the safety of my sisters who were holding me. Therefore If I had actually fallen down the way I was originally going, I would have eventually leaned forward and fallen on my face… So I conclude it is my belief you are forced back by the pastor for a reason. It’s safety. Liability even….
They drape a cloth over the people who have fallen in the Spirit in order to allow them to lay modestly comfortable. There is no significance of draping a cloth over the person other than to cover the person’s body parts that could be vulnerable if looked at by another person walking by or standing near. It is a courtesy and respect for the person’s body only.
Hi. I want to be perfectly honest about how I experience this without ever wanting to offend anyone, please allow me to beging by saying this: My heart was an apostate one before I came to really know God the Father, my Lord Jesus -Adonai, and the very Precious Holy Spirit as three distinct Persons in Holiness yet as One in Counsel with each other. To me the understanding of the Trinity in all Creation has opened up the Word of God to my heart and have followed through at a late age to be re-educated about so many things regarding spiritual faith in God. Yet, to be honest, coming from a Pentecostal upbringing, I too have experienced many things which drove me away from the church and Christianity, but not God. When I came to true heart repentance, I had to be really re-educated and my story (testimony) of a life changed by grace continues to this day. I cannot ever go back to the “world” ever again. So here is my problem and if any of your readers can advise me, I will welcome your heart-to-heart maturity in giving me answers directly from the Word of God. Firstly, the standard by which I measure my new life in Christ is not by my words, but by my actions and attitudes being a Spirit-filled born-again believer. The make-over was in my spirit-man and the Holy Spirit taught me how to be filled up with His Power to strengthen me when I needed more of God’s Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Faithfulness (Obedience) Goodness, Gentleness, and Holy Spirit-filled self-control. I do not understand the “laughter” part of this ministry of Rodney Howard-Browne. For God is my strength, my Joy, my peace etc. My faith is a settled matter because the Word says that He gave each “a measure of faith.” I become slightly “unsettled” when people add-on to the Character and Nature of God. Yes, God is so real and nothing can change it. But, I am asking where did any of God’s people in either the Old Testament, or in the New experience this “laughter”? Please don’t misunderstand me, I am juist careful in adding something to God’s Character, Nature and His Word. I desire a revelation from God through His Holy Spirit to my spiritual man hidden in Christ Jesus. If God Inspires, He will reveal, If He reveals, He will Instruct, If He Instructs, He will Direct, If He Directs, He will also Correct by His Word, and from His correction because of His Love for us, He will Exhort/ encouraage us through His Word, which will Manifest His Presence in Miracles, Signs and Wonders be it any of His Gifts of His Holy Spirit He imparts to us as He wills to give them. When my heart experiences this move in my spirit, I know God has gvien me more than I expected. Then with a heart humbled by His Presence, He Comforts my heart. How is it then I question the “holy laughter” experience? I saw it in a Mega-Church here in South Africa and experienced something of the sort of ” Power of suggestion” and the responses created a mass histeria. Can this be from God? Please help me! I will talk with God on this matter too. Best Regards from a loving heart. Daniel
Dear Daniel, I feel your case. Have peace in this matter. From what I sense in your message is that your heart is for the Lord. His grace is sufficient for us. We witness acts that we cannot always discern it’s motives, but rest assured that God will receive glory regardless of the motive of any man. Trust in the Lord and let His shalom be your strength.
I have heard laughter too at a church I was at when Nathen Morris was speaking,,, few laughed,, I cried, The Glory of God was So So Powerful in this church It touched some if us in different ways. Some people were on the floor rocking back and forth crying. We serve an AWSOME GOD !!!!
There are many other things that happen other than falling. some people shake or act on fire or like wild animals. I think that have a valid point, but I do beleive that there are demonic powers that imitate the holy spirit. The key is testing the spirit.
To God be the GLORY! I thank our Father for your article is from the very heart of God in explaining a “mustard seed” portion of His Glory! We very recently came back from Nepal on a trip to work with the Christian women in their walk with God and we experienced the BEAUTY FULL POWER of the Holy Spirit when we prayed over them, even children with no preconceived judgements received a “touch” from God Himself!! We can only testify of what we have experienced ourselves and declare that this sweet gift of the Holy Spirit is REAL and INCREDIBLE! I am powerfully encouraged to see the fruits of His visit in the time to come- For HIS GLORY ALONE! Thank you and God bless your wonderful ministry!
So a few verses with Jesus or the holy spirit doing this makes it ok for TD Emmanuel a prophet from God? Falling on your hands is more like covering your face. What prophet or apostle touched someone on the head and caused this reaction? This is biblically false, only Christ and the Holy spirit had this power, not men for their own glory
John 13:12, KJV, in Jesus’ words, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” I still have this page in my KJ Bible, and I believe it.
I was caught up in the Spirit on Sunday after the pastor had all married couples read a decree over our marriages for 2016. Between the unison in speaking, the force and boldness we had in speaking forth the decrees, the music in the background and the wails of joy from the saints, I fell to my knees and cried. I fell on my face, essentially. I cried for all I’ve been through in my marriage for the past two years and thanked God in my mind for all he’s done. I couldn’t get up and when I did, I was exhausted. I was exhausted for the next hour. But, I know it was God and I felt lighter as the load of the strongholds on my marriage have been removed and the chains broken. The enemy tried to make me feel ashamed for this experience but I rebuke that in the name of Jesus! I believe in being slain in the Spirit and I thank the Lord for his manifestation in our lives to show himself to his children.
I have been a Born-Again Christian for over 40 years and I would sometimes see this happen on TV. To be honest, I always thought it was not real. Last Friday night that all changed for me, I was at a service and I knew some of the people and it was definitely without a doubt real and happening. I did not go up but I found it quite interesting, I love this church but never expected a guest pastor to have people come up for a deeper knowledge of the Holy Spirit and His vision for us. Over 75 people were “slain in the spirit”. Prior to this we were worshipping with music and it was powerful. I left with a feeling of what just happened?
The Bible is an awesome and amazing book. When referring to Bible verses from it to help understand this practice, I must say sometimes with the Bible we are given some information in various Bible verses on different topics but we are not necessarily given all the details. This happens occasionally and we are required to pray about it and trust in the Lord. We know to “test the Spirit” and that night it was definitely the “Spirit of Truth” and “Love” so it was definitely the Holy Spirit speaking to each individual in my opinion.
I went home and said I was enjoying the worship, music and service before this “slaying in the Spirit” so why did they have to do this? After meditating and praying to the Lord to show me, I just came to this realization. Many Christians today lack the power of the Holy Spirit. They are Christians in name sake and they have no knowledge of the power that our God possesses. Perhaps this would be a light to others to put them in AWE of our AMAZING GOD and the deep down driven desire to want more of His Holy Spirit which speaks in truth and love! The important thing is not the details but to grow in love and truth of our mighty God, our El Elyon most High God!!!
I am in AWE and blessed to have witnessed this experience with others. It has taught me so much. The questions we can save for our Lord one day when we get to Heaven but for now, I am challenged to fulfill my mission here on earth!
Love to you all, IN CHRIST!
Nancy. I attended a service with a huge auditorium in St. Louis of Evangelicals praising and worshiping Jesus Christ. After the service the audience was informed if they wanted/needed pray there were “pray warriors” in other rooms. I was facing surgery for breast cancer two days later, so I went for pray. When I entered a large room with a mature woman standing there. She asked me if I believed in the Holy Spirit and ofcourse I said I did! I was always close to Jesus from early childhood. I was raised Catholic and wanted to be a Nun! As soon as she asked me the afore mentioned question tears ran down my face and I fell backwards. Actually I floated backwards and never felt the floor. I did a lot of sobbing/emotional cleansing! When I got up I felt elated and healed! I was definitely in the healing presence of the Holy Spirit. When I was being wheeled back to my hospital room I was praising God. The nurse was Ethopian and Very Beautiful dressed all in white. I asked her what her name was. Saleem she said! Her name meant Peace. I had been supporting a Ehopian little girl in Africa who years later became a nurse! The power and grace of God Almighty exits! How blessed we are if we are believers!
Nancy, my sister in faith and Spirit. God’s power and love, unstoppable and never changing will always reveal itself. Thanks for posting your encounter with the Holy Spirit. Our Bible study group is presently studying the “Forgotten God” by Franchis Chan and I am the facilitator. I will include your testimony in our next meeting if you don’t mind. Thanks again. To the King belongs the glory!
I’ve only recently found out about “slain in the spirit” and right away it made me suspicious of the whole thing, because in my stupidity I’ve messed with the kundalini but fortunately It didn’t open my third eye (I know it is not part of the awakening process but it can happen because of kundalini), anyway I had some beginning of energy raising and I got worried so I stopped and I started to question the whole thing. Then I read a lot about dangers of opening to spirit world through meditation and prayer is a kind of meditation, even saints who prayed a lot had demonic possessions like for example Saint Mariam Baouardy.
When Jesus sent Holy Spirit onto the Apostles, they received tangible gifts out of it, like for example the knowledge of foreign languages so they could spread the Gospel. Apart from something so profound like this I tried to find anything what people get from their encounter with Holy Spirit in “slain in the spirit” experience but there is nothing. I think making people who received it better, meaning more good to praise God’s glory would be not unreasonable. And as lillyanne March 29, 2014 at 1:56 pm said she had not notice any difference in people who received it.
I personally would not want this to happen to me, unless it happened on its own when I prayed, without anyone “doing it to me”. I have to say that people who had NDE are the ones who really receive gifts from God and really do change for the better, most of the time they change their lives totally to be selfless and helping.
I had an experience where I felt I was dying helplessly in a dark place. It was a complete feeling of darkness present while crying and laying flat in bed. It was not hopelessness but rather a resignation I was at my end of my being. I fell asleep. When I awoke the next morning my previous emotional problems had totally subsided. My emotions and emotional reactions had become much less although I cannot say I was happy or at peace. I felt it as a relief which I still experience since then.
I have know of people being overcomed and falling or passing out from fear or emotional overload and in a act of homage or worship fall to the ground the first involluntary and the second an intentional act of the individual the bible shows both.
I am sure that being slain in the Spirit is real. On several occasions, i have been slain in the Spirit during a dream. Here are a few examples:
I have experienced the sensation of falling backwards after seeing the glory of the Lord. Jesus was behind me in the dream and caught me on the way down. He held my hands.
In another dream, I was encouraging a lady to lay hands on someone. She then touched my lips and i spoke in tounges before falling to the ground.
It is a wonderful experience. Ask the Lord to give you the gift of the Holy Spirit and to experience some of the supernatural. He gives abundently! One day i will experience it in the flesh…
But God never used a third party to show his power.
Disciples and others encountered spirit bcz of some reasons …
This is just like a third party /(exactly like a Trojan) forcefully throwing here and there…some are laughing madly like hell..
If you believe jesus is risen and still alive,he’s willing to answer your prayer then why you are worried about every Tom,dick and harry.
Pray to Jesus for holyspirit…
Christ already mentioned that it is fake …( Mathew 24 ) read it very carefully…. Repeat and understand
..
The claimed evidences based on scriptures are right,but either some people had an encounter ‘directly’ with God or Jesus.
exactly encouter bcz of some reason.
This is spirit of” fallen angel’.
Once he was in Lord’s ministry.
He was the worship leader.. That’s why the slain of spirit use main leaders of worship and ministry to reach everyone….
Jesus claims (Mathew 24) they will do miracles,healing,claims his (Jesus) name….
These leaders use phrase such as,, ” in the name of Jesus”,fire, power…
Who knows they may command bad spirit in Jesus name to hit on people…
I heard that these leaders first ask are you ready?those who agrees ,then it would be more better to Dominion over you…
Let’s look scriptures..
God strongly commanded not to mix up with other people in the world
Bcz you may worship other Lord in the world
(Written in old testament)
In these centuries, everyone welcomes mixed culture,tradition and worship
..that is
Choosen people are mixed with charismatic
……
……..
( now I am leaving upto you….)
I am sorry to say that my English is extremely poor…try to understand
Read Bible more and more,maintain a personal relationship with God
May Lord Jesus give you Abundance of life
I know there are counterfeits as God has warned of them. I also know that there are also authentic Christians still.
This article is not talking about demonic spirit. It is talking about the Holy Spirit (which is God) and about the human spirit.
Slain in spirit is a state, not an actual demon.
Demons hate Christan prayer and worship of God. Demons want to stay inside a person, not get kicked out. Demons don’t want people to be near God. People under strong demonic influence, can’t even enjoy church.
I have experience it myself, a dislike of church in my early days. I’ve seen same experience in other troubled people. And as our lives are set right, doors of sin closes, low level demons leave. Higher level ones must be commanded out. The person experience a loss of their dislike and can actually enjoy God’s presence.
Christians obedient to Christ is not 3rd party. They are the body of Christ on Earth. I.E. the extension of Jesus.
If we continue in Jesus we are His disciples.
Jesus commanded His disciples to cast out demons, heal the sick, preach the good news, feed the poor, etc.
My experience appears to be gradual increase in the amount of outward manifestation of the flesh reacting to God, starting with unnoticeable muscle tremors in my early days, eventually leading to stronger quakes as I grow spiritually. Plus praying in tongues becoming easier/ more fluid.
I didn’t fall during the beginning when I’d go and receive prayers at the altar. I’ve seen people get slain. I’ve also seen people encourage to fall and experience the coaxing from catcher also. Since space was a bit limited in my church, I don’t think they were trying to encourage false manifestation, but it was more of encouragement to fall away from people should there be a true manifestation of slain in spirit.
I think I experience my first slain in spirit over a year after holy spirit baptism. Again I think its an extension of the tremors experience, because quaking was strong that I couldn’t stand and my knees just gave. It was accompanied with praying / speaking in tongues. I think I felt warmth too, only noticed it at my ears.
I didn’t feel peace/ happiness or anything. I think in my case God touched me to administer some form of healing (mental / emotional).
I believe I had a revelation from God, some months ago, before regarding tremors are associated with breaking off spiritual bondages. It came to me when I had been seeking to know why some people quake. My tremors mostly manifest in my lower arms /hands, and as I was pondering about the question in my mind, I received key words handcuffs and opening of prison gates ( associated with earthquake releasing the jail doors of where Paul was captive.)
I had been seeking spiritual healing for some time now. I have been praying and seeking guidance from fellow Christians and priests, but never really receive an answer that convinced me it was the right way to go. I did not stop seeking and kept praying and I remember what one priest told me, that I should not seek help from a human being but that it is only through Jesus that I will find healing, he is the Divine Physician. So I kept praying, visiting Jesus in the Blessed sacrament and especially during Eucharistic Adoration. Earlier in the day, I went to daily mass at Holy Family and after mass , on the door was posted an announcement that in the evening there was going to Adoration and healing service with the laying of hands later in the evening. I thought about going but was not entirely convinced about going. I went to adoration at another church, while I was there I ask Jesus if I should go to this healing service and he answered “Yes, I will be there.” So I did, the Deacon came out and placed the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance and place it on the altar for adoration. There was singing and the Deacon said a prayer and spoke to everyone there that Our Lord is present and ready to hear our prayers and that he invites us to come up to Him and tell him what is in our hearts and to lay our fears, worries, struggles down at his feet and he will lift them up to himself. The Deacon said that he is only the instrument of God and it is through the power of the Holy Spirit that he can bring forth healing by laying his hands upon us. A reading of the Gospel Acts 3 Peter Heals a Lame Beggar was read by one of the prayer warriors, she expounded on how the beggar was expecting money from Peter but instead Peter told him “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” (Acts 3:6) The beggar go up and walked and gave praise to God. The crowd were astounded and Peter asked why are they surprised, “Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? (Acts 3:12) Peter exclaims, “By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.” (Acts 3:16) She use this passage from Acts to emphasized how the Deacon like Peter is an instrument of God’s healing power. The Deacon then invited all who wanted healing to come up to the altar, a line of people formed and I was toward the end of the line. I had gone to other healing services such as the anointing of the sick which I receive consolation but I never experience this type of healing service with the laying of hands. I kept singing the songs being played and started to feel nervous then I noticed that certain people were falling back and wondered what was happening to them. I must admit I was getting more nervous and I was getting closer to the altar and prayed to God to give me strength. It was my turn to kneel and the Deacon, told me to open my hands , he started to make the sign of the cross on my head and my hands, he held my head and began to pray and told me to tell Jesus about anything that I want to tell Him, that he is here and listening and want me to be healed and to be happy. I started praying and noticed I began to shake, I began to feel like I was going weak and felt myself going back and falling on the floor. Two assistants helped me down while another covered me with a white cloth. I felt paralyzed, my hands were on top on my chest , I was trembling from my face and down to my feet. I could not stop trembling, I just prayed to God to help me, after a few minutes I was able to get up but my hands were still stiff I could not move my fingers, I was still trembling, and one of the assistants pulled up a chair to sit noticing that I was still trembling. I sat there and prayed to God to help me , I was able to get up and go back to my pew, but I was still have that feeling and eventually by the end of the service I felt at peace and sense of joy from the experience. I felt a strong prompting by the Holy Spirit to share my story in this website, because it was only through the grace of God that I was able to experience firsthand his healing power especially in His presence in the Eucharistic Adoration. Praise and Glory to our Lord Jesus Christ!
I know this is an extremely controversial subject amongst modern and especially lukewarm Christians. As members of the Church of Laodicia I feel we tend to argue and worry more about who’s right and who’s wrong and point the demonic finger at each other more than we worry about lifting up our fellow brothers and sisters and edifying the Church. I was recently “slain” during a revival I was attending. The only reason I even found this website is because I for one never even heard the term “slain in the spirit” until after this happened to me. I went to revival just with the intentions of praying for people who were attending. Anyway the place was getting fired up and the gifts of the spirit were manifesting all around. A woman came up to me and asked me if I had been hurt. 3 years prior I sustained a severe spinal cord injury while working. I spent 40 days lying motionless in a hospital bed and was classified a C6 quadriplegic. I was miraculously healed and have made a 100% recovery which led to my acceptance of Christ as Lord and savior of my life. This woman was a complete stranger yet still knew I had been injured somehow previously although I have been healed. Nonetheless she asked if she could pray for me which I graciously accepted. Before we go any further I must make very clear that I am not a charismatic. I am a pneumatic. Charismatics focus all too much on receiving the gifts like they’re a spoiled child at a birthday party wanting all there friends to see them open presents. A pnuematic focuses on the workings through the gifts in order to convict lost souls of forgiveness needed through the blood of Christ and to edify the Church in order to help it function properly so that it be effective at reaching unbelievers which we’re commanded to do. Anyway she prayed for me and as soon as she took her hand off me I felt myself thrown toward the prayer alter benches and went black. When I came to I was laying over top of a bench that had been knocked over and slid forward about 4 ft. on carpet nonetheless. These benches were solid oak and extremely heavy to the point they would be hard for a grown man to knock over if he tried. I was in the front pew when I was “thrown” at least 8 ft to the bench which I pushed forward another 4 ft after knocking it over and coming to rest on top of it. When I regained my senses I began to weep like I have never before and all I could think about was how violent, cruel, humiliating, and undeserving of a death my savior paid as ransom for my soul and forgiveness of my sin. I felt utterly humbled and undeserving of his grace although accepting of it. If this experience was indeed demonic then brothers and sisters where on Earth do we even begin? Do we even have a chance? Oh and the 500lb bench that I was told I took out like an NFL linebacker didn’t leave a mark on my body. Never felt it although I may have pulled a muscle trying to stand it back up and slide it into place. Brothers and sisters if demons are in church while the gifts and workings of the Holy Spirit are present and people are praying and worshiping and reading scripture aloud we are all in serious trouble. Just my $.02. Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the lamb. These are the true words of God.
Glory be to God and blessings to you all. I have been bowled over by the Holy Spirit without anyone touching me and being metres away standing in line.
I warn with love to the doubters to be cautious of claiming it is demonic and not of God.
Blaspheming the Holy Spirit is the only unforgivable sin, and has tragic consequences Mark 3:29.
God bless you
Thank you @Kereama_Williams and all of you fellows who oppose that new strange spiritual experience.
My first strong experience with the Holy Spirit was when I was baptized with Him: I heard a strong wind around me, so overwhelming that my ears were literally bruised as though I had been immersed into water, then I started shouting out praises to God, in my right mind, typically conscious, sitting on my desk, no body laid their hands on me, and I never fell to the ground!
There are different other testimonies of people who are baptized with the Holy Spirit in their homes, in churches, or walking in streets or else where, or when pastors lay their hands on them.
They just sense an overwhelming of peace and warmth from God and speak in other languages as the Bible says but they never fall to ground.
That is not the only tangible experience I had with Jesus, but in no way have I been rolled backward to the ground even the time I heard the very audible voice of God which was so strong but kind and full of care!
The only thing that happened to me that time we talked directly,if I may call it that way, was that I shook before I heard His voice, and still no body touched me, neither did I fall to the ground, but I was totally conscious!!
After that experience, I had an incredible sense of self control on my way back home from church to keep my self clean on my single step basis, but I’ve never had or done any thing confusing!
Now, a closer look on those verses makes us realize that every one who fell to the ground did fell on their faces or just before God (never backwards), which I believe is a sign of submission to the God they were being revealed or else they just fell down because there was some kind of punishment God was inflicting on them, but NO HUMAN HAND caused them to fall.
See, I’m a Pentecostal and we (I mean our African region) were evangelized by missionaries from Sweden whose forefathers received the fire of the Holy Spirit dating back from the Azusa Street Revival times. They were devoted preachers of the gospel, preaching holiness and living it themselves, and came delivering us (my forefathers ) from evil spirits with full support of the God who imparted the same Holy Spirit on us. In no way did they roll people down, but it’s just possessed ones being delivered who fell to the ground.
In addition, no human being has or will ever command the presence of God on another since we don’t put God in a box! It is HIS presence!
It’s rather the manifestation of the POWER of the Holy Spirit that His disciples use that is one of the signs of His presence in the midst of an assembly, Himself also touching or encountering with His people, without using anybody’s hand, or manifesting His presence in whatever other way He chooses to use!
Jesus causes people to speak in tongues, see visions, heal others, or use the different spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible and it is only the revelation of HIS OWN divine, incredible, and awesome GLORY that causes them to fall before Him and never backwards! And that doesn’t actually happen always because I know a lady to whom He literally did a surgery for a tumor on her leg and thus healed her from cancer!
He’s a powerful and loving God who can and will never cause something confusing or insane among His people since He is not a God of disorder.
May God bless you all.
Am thrilled, Thanks for sharing your story Ann, it amazing to know God still works through people and your exepreinces are beyond reasonable boubt, his grace found you… i get excited having read your story of how the holyspirit manifest in your case, many yearn to have such an encounter with the lord, i wouldn’t want to know your background but this God working through His spirit and i believe you must have the prophetic gift accomanpied by other gifts… i know why i say so i wouldn’t want to go further
am blessed having read your story.
I love the way you explained it sir… makes it meaningful, what i do know is; as far as the heaven is from earth so as Gods ways, plans thought and wisdom far off from men.
many do even know the move of God that’s the more reason the attack or have fault in it… this my favorite statement “the taste of the podgin is in the eating” most time becuase of ignorances we are left out to the move of God… there are things that can be explain and thing explaination can not handle but “experience”, get an encounter of, i have seen men slained most times as a result of impartation of gift, healing, deliverances, even to the move of the holyghost etc i see no reason to doubt
I didn’t grow up in this. I know it’s real because I experienced it when I visited my husband’s church. I fell unexpectedly and suddenly. So suddenly I could not be caught and I hit my head. It was cut open about 4 inches and it did bleed. I looked on the internet to try to find an explanation. I didn’t find one. Why when I went up to get prayer would I hit my head so hard it bled. I’m just confused about it.
Hi Guys I have been reading this article, and I start looking into the matter myself. I think one thing we need to remember is to never take your eyes of the enemy that being satan (he doesn’t deserve a capital S in my opinion) satan plan is and always has been to gain worship from mankind, thus according to him making him God. He knows you will never bow down before the name satan or lucifer, so he has always mimic GOD and JESUS our savoir in order to gain worship, we see this Nimrod and Semiramis, Ahab and Jezebel, and the list goes on. I would suggest you guys start looking in to kundalini the false holly spirit, the slain in the spirit is text book kundalini. The people doing this feels like the holy spirit has entered them and the feeling is overwhelming so they pass out or they take the shape of the cross stuff like that. People are under the impression that his is the work of GOD. The people doing this or to who this happens are not satanist they simply been fooled, pushing them further away from our GOD. Some churches feels that when they pray for you they must put their hands on you so the Holly Spirit can flow trough them into you. Always remember the Holly Spirit is a gift from GOD and GOD alone and can only be received if you have repented and born again, no human alive today can give you that gift, its between you and GOD, no 3rd party is needed. I have always had that strange feeling of, whats happening now?, when people touch me when they pray for me, some of them sometimes tries to push me a little to fall over. They not bad people but they so caught up in this ritual that they believe its truly a gift from GOD. Slain means to be killed or destroyed, my GOD will never hurt me, never make me feel embarrassment and will never give more than I can handle. So all these stories of people being thrown across the room dragged from one place to the next, if this sounds like your god, then I wish you all the best.
It’s not demonic the gift is spoke of all through out the New Testament, the laying of hands. In timothy it says do not neglect the gift that was given by the laying of hands. There is demonic forces at work all over this planet and the Holy Spirit sometimes comes in by fire and force. We are at War with the powers of darkness and the enemy would love for you to think it’s demonic to stay away from it. The power of the Holy Spirit is the most beautiful feeling in this planet to be touched first hand by the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told us as believers we will heal the sick and cast out demons. I know firsthand the power of the Holy Ghost. It is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Deliverance and the anointing comes by a manifestation almost always. We worship a god a god who’s ways our not like ours. Remember the enemy will fill your mind with doubts and fears. He doesn’t want you to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. That’s what enables you to war with the enemy. The devil and his demons are assigned against us to steal kill and destroy. The gifts are supernatural. Our god is supernatural. Praise god in Jesus mighty name
It is very real. I was eight or nine years old when I experienced this. However, you must understand that this isn’t the experience of a child being rested in the Spirit. I had finished the Life in the Spirit seminar. After the months long classes, we asked God to help us and guide us. I knew what I always wanted to do. I wanted to be an altar boy, which wasn’t usually allowed until you were twelve. But, there was one more thing I wanted. I wanted to pray with people. The ‘prayer team’ would pray with people after the Mass. While men prayed with men and women with women, a child was not seen as a threat…no issues. So, I had the pleasure of the innocence and prayed with everyone.
I asked if I could be involved with the resting in the Spirit. Now the receiver, but the person standing there to be God’s representative. Many talk of the person holding their hands, or pushing their forehead. For me, I put my hands out flat, palms up. The receiver simply placed their palms on my hands. In the prayer gift of Tongues, I’d start to pray that they receive the Spirit, by God’s will. There were many times that before I felt their palms, they were always on the ground, received by those that stood behind them.
So, why receive the ‘resting’? I experienced it personally and spoke to those, prayed with those. For some, it was the peace. For others, healing – miraculous healing. For some, it was knowing God was real.
So, what do you do if you don’t believe, or you believe, but you have questions? I suggest you seek God and ask for or direct you to the Gifts of Counsel and Knowledge. Right from wrong, receiving Spiritual Understanding. Discernment – testing the spirit. It is correct that we will have false prophets, false teachers, false witness. When dealing with the spiritual, I implore you to seek the Holy Spirit and the Gifts to confront the enemy.
Three things in my life I remember and teach: do not Resist, Grieve, or Quench the Holy Spirit. Being in the Spirit and tasting the Good of the Lord, understand the choice that becomes before you. The road of believing and rejecting is much more than the ignorant’s choice.
I feel like I have a lot to contribute from both sides of receiving and the power glueing through me. I was filled with the Holy Spirit almost 10 years ago. I have been slain about a dozen times and it’s real. I gave not fallen every time I received prayer but I have experienced this enough to know I was never pushed and it was a very natural and normal experience. It was peaceful. About a year ago I received a mighty surge of the Holy Spirit and I’ve prayed for others at church and in homes and people have been slain. The power flowing though is so strong that just the slightest touch the spirit manifested. I too am a skeptic of theatrics, people pushing, leilje falling under suggestion, people falling to appear spiritual, etc. I’m a straight arrow only looking to please God and only desire to submit to His will in all humility. Being slain is real! It is amazing. We serve a powerful BIG God. Don’t put him in a box just because you haven’t experienced it. It is authentic!!!
If being slain in the Spirit of God is of the devil, I wonder why so many people give Glory to God for it and receive healing and freedom from it?
The bible clearly states that in the later days the manifestations of God will be even more powerful than they were in the days following the ascension of Christ. Why do people want to demonize something that produces good fruit is beyond me. Why do they want to limit God? Maybe they want to deem it as bad because it has not happened to them.
I was in a prophetic and apostolic meeting where the Glory of God fell on everyone at the reading of Isaiah 40:6-8 . No one laid a hand on anyone. I fell on the altar and trembled, cried out, moaned and received great deliverance from oppression. I yelled out several times, ‘My God, Jesus’ because he presence was so powerful, so sweet, and the thought that he cared enough to come and touch me – his power is limitless. He told me he was changing my Spiritual DNA and giving me a new identity, it was an experience I will never forget and it brought me closer to God after being a believer for 8 years.
In 1997 my husband left me, I had been diagnosed with sarcoidosis and had to give up my job. I was 46 and felt I had lost everything so I cried out to God. My husband did not tell me where he had gone and I contacted a private detective to find him. In the conversation I explained I had been diagnosed with a lung condition. He suggested I contact two faith healers (husband and wife) who I did and they came to see me. They explained that they were born again Christians and told me about Jesus and salvation. They prayed for me and that night I decided to give my life to Jesus. Although I knew nothing about speaking in tongues, that night while I prayed I began talking in a strange language. I was not sure what was happening but it felt right to keep on talking. Soon afterwards I was taken to a Pentascostal Church where the Pastor and his wife prayed and laid hands on me. I started crying uncontrollably and fell to the ground where I felt such peace. This was a packed Church singing praises to God and I felt like I was in Heaven. Weeks later I was baptised and embarked on a journey with God. God has used me since in ministering to the sick in Hospital, pastoring a small fellowship for 8 months, preaching in Church, working with immigrants and compiling tracts of which 10,000 have been printed for distribution. Being prayed for and falling down in the Spirit is a most wonderful experience. I remember lying on that Church carpet and hearing the voices of all those around me singing out their love of God and the peace that I felt knowing this was Gods family and that I had been welcomed by Him into it. It is all about the heart and if someone is truly convicted in their heart that they want to meet with God then He will meet with them. Twenty years have gone by and many difficulties have come and gone but God is faithful to His Word. When I read the previous gentlemans testimony my eyes filled up because I know how beautiful it is to be touched by God and yes I believe when you stand before that preacher, priest or pastor and in your heart you want whatever God has got for you, then in that moment you are surrendering yourself to the might and power of Gods majesty and its likely you will fall down and into the loving arms of the One who made you.
Simply because you beleive its a gift from The Holy Spirit doesnt necessarily mean that is.
We are to test the spirits 1 John 4.
First look at the phrase Slain in the Spirit. The word slain in the bible means dead that is killed [usually by someone else]. However by contrast where people fell over lifeless [stunned] they were “as dead”.
Strange dont you think that the phrase says Spirit and not The HOLY SPIRIT.
The only spirit that wants any beleiver dead is satan. People thus slain are are typically dead to worship.
Now its been said that there are biblical instances where people fell over and because it doesnt mention which way [ie on front or on back] it could mean on back. Fair comment on the face of it [no pun intended] however strange dont you think that if it could be either way, today they all fall on their back-no one falls on their front. Also biblically could it be that as people typically fell on their face that was the norm so to speak and therefore no need to mention which way.
The HOLY SPIRIT has a three fold ministry regarding HOLINESS [Im simplifying this to make a point]
1to make an individual fruitful and mature
2to edify the church of beleivers,the Body of Christ
3to add new beleivers to the Body of Christ
There are numerous and various gifts blessings and manifestations given at His discretion to these wonderful ends.
The point is this that those falling down in church and therefore dead to worship how is this possibly edifying the church when there is no testimony at the end of it. Mostly it is about a great anticipation; an atmosphere; a desire to “go over” [ to show that they were being touched by God ]. What about music and lights-all aids to the skilll of mesmerisation and trancing. What about the laying on of hands on the solar plexis and/ or forehead.
My own testimony is that a couple of years ago after many years of unbelief of this phenomonon was that one day I was in a pentacostal church and before the service, “modesty-blankets” were being readied for a visit by an overseas pastor. During the inevitable altar call I watched as people went down and I said to myself..well maybe it is true and my unbeleif held me back. So I decided to go up and instinctively I said a prayer quoting Psalm 62, Yeshua you are my rock my salvation and my defence and I will not be greatly moved but if you want me collapsed on the floor there I shall be. I was halfway in a line and everyone before me was on the floor. The pastor walked straight past me oblivious to my presence.
SOME MOVES ARE TRUE
Despite my general remarks above I can assure you dear readers that I believe that The HOLY SPIRIT can will and does move in mysterious ways even touching people to collapse or fall down in church: but only where there is a testimony by the person to edify the church.
CONCLUSION
Most falling downs are real experiences but which ones though are 1 a real move of The HOLY SPIRIT to edify the Body of Christ and which are 2 counterfeit. In my considered opinion it would have to be not may in 1 but many in 2.
I would therefore advise anyone to call on The Lord and use The Word as the basis of a prayer before the moment of infuencing comes upon you. Ask The Lord to guide you as to how your experience has or can edify the body of believers.
Accordingly I think it appropriate that any real move or act of The Holy Spirit to edify should be appropiately and reverently labelled to be just that: and anything else should be referred to as –“slain to worship by a spirit”.
I only speak to bear witness and help.
For The Love of Jesus Christ and His Grace.
I am in need to understand something, if you could help I would greatly appreciate it. I have surrendered my life to Jesus 8 years ago. From the moment I did I was all in, I had been a seeker all my life and went to a Christian church for the first time because I heard God say “Go to Calvary Chapel Downey” for a year before my husband finally agreed to go. The moment I set foot in the church I began to want to cry, I didn’t understand it, but I just knew Jesus was the only way and was the only truth. We didn’t know a soul in this large church God brought us to, but we knew we needed to be there. We surrendered our lives that day even though their was no altar call or opportunity to say the salvation prayer, but we knew to dedicate our lives from that moment on. The following week their was an opportunity to stand and say the salvation prayer and we did. The question I have is the physical swaying I feel every time I close my eyes to pray. Back then it scared me because I didn’t know what it was and thought perhaps I had a demon. I would try to lock my knees, but it made it uncomfortable and distracted me from praying. I have never fallen back, but sometimes I feel the swaying more than other times, but it’s only when I close my eyes to pray or rather when I pray or am in service or a group to pray. The swaying has no set pattern to it, but feels soft and mostly forward and back rather than side to side. I used to be hung up about what other people would think of me if they saw me, but I finally got to the point of not caring as much because their eyes should be closed anyway. I remember I felt it the most powerful in Israel especially at the western wall. We were there only one year after we surrendered our lives, so I was still new to being a Christian and the swaying motion kind of scared me, because when we were at the western wall I had to lean on things so I wouldn’t sway while our pastor was talking about the tour. All I can say it that the land of Israel seems to be alive because the moment I set foot off the plane I felt the swaying and it didn’t stop until we left. At the time I shared it with others, but they told me it was the after effects of being on the plane and after of about a week and I was still feeling it they just thought I was weird. Although I have come to believe it’s the flow of the Holy Spirit that I feel as rivers of living water, I still get that voice in my head telling me that something is wrong with me. I have asked others that I trust if they feel it, but I have not met anyone who has. The church we attend I doesnt practice being slain in the spirit. When I ask our Lord and I hear Him say “Be still child” I believe He means don’t worry about it, I don’t believe He is saying stop it. I would appreciate your thoughts. Thank you and may our Lord bless you with much joy, love and laughter always. 🙂
Ive had a number of encounters like the above. I will just list them and not get into specifics. I went to an Assembly of God in Virginia Beach VA in the early 80s where this happened suddenly.
The pastor was speaking when all of a sudden he was struck to the ground, he went down hard and was unconscious. Then a heavy feeling came all over the church, I could barely stand up and had to sit down. People were swooning in the pews. One Navy man was so overcome he started to shake violently all over yelling Jesus Help Me..and they had to carry him out. the person in front of me shot out of the pew and was literally cannonballed down the aisle (he was sitting on the end) and thrown about 8 feet. I saw this myself. No person could do that on their own. With the pastor completely out, the choir started to fall. The church was literally fallen down, there were about 300 people in there. I wont say the name of the person but hes a famous person (back then, early 80s) who was on the 700 Club regularly–he came up and gave a speech about how this is what happend when the Holy Spirit came upon people in the bible.
After this the church grew so much that they had to build a much bigger church. There was also the gift of healing operating so mightly that the local news brought in cameras to record this. The line was out the door of the church for months. that pastor left the church for a year and went to Australia. The new church was built behind the old and when he returned the congregation wanted the new pastor, not the old one..
Then I had this tremendous experience just recently in 2015 when my brother was dying of sepsis. I went to my local Catholic church, lit a candle and poured out my heart for God to heal him. In about 20 minutes, I felt like I was in an earthquake, and a mightly river running through me. I was not shaking, I didnt feel faint or fall back. It was the power of God in me and it released me totally from the anxiety/burden of my brother dying. My brothers wife had called me before this and put my brother on the phone..my brother was saying goodbye to me. After this experience, I knew right on the spot my brother was healed from sepsis. The Lord even gave me instant knowledge that he would be out of the ICU and would be home in 10 days.
When my brothers wife called me again, I had just stepped out of the church and put my ringer back on the cell. It rang right away and again the phone was given to my brother. I told him he was healed from sepsis and would be out of ICU and at home in 10 days. He said I will take that and accept it. He was healed, and the Lord came and met me right there. I felt God’s power inside me. When I fell in the spirit back in the early 80s in Virigina Beach, I didnt feel any of this. I just fell backwards and laid down and got up again..
What Im saying is that I believe God can touch a person physically, but the power I felt was tremendous yet contained..it was inside me but nothing inside me was shaking, nothing outside me was shaking..it felt like the burden was lifting off me and at the same time the power of God was healing my brother.
I wouldnt go to a church where people are falling backwards.. after that in Virgina Beach in the early 80s, some very evil things happened to me..and to my husband..that we experienced at home..it was a spiritual matter. I believe whatever made us fall down and shake/looking drunk in that church was not of God.
I only believe in being slain in the Spirit, if the person who puts hand on someone forehead is a man of God, which means first I need to know who you are, what kind of relationship do you have with Jesus, are you a man or woman of prayer, do you have a decent life , I am not going to let someone touch me like that. Do you touch me in the name of Jesus? I am going to challenge you with the blood of Jesus. Because be careful satan can make you slain in the spirit too.
I’ve had this experience when Rodney Howard-Browne prayed over me. I fell backwards then. I was filled with a sense of happiness, peace and calm that I cannot find words to express it adequately.
I am convinced it is from God . However, I still believe that counterfeits could also imitate
it and we must use power of discernment in order not to be deceived.
Thank you for this wonderful and very useful teaching.
JOHN MUTTIAH
Blessings!!
What a powerful testimony. I was also slain in the Spirit in 2003. I had other great expriences where am slain and can not stop weeping.
Thank you for sharing!!
I believe the other arguement is that this is being done to uplift the popularity of the pastor as these powers are believed to be manifest only in him and done in the presence of many and not to the glory of God. In Africa this has led to a cult like worship with water bottles, oil and banggles bearing the pastor’s name said to have the same power. In all this idolatry has been revived. Jesus on the other hand when healing people would tell them not to tell anyone but present themselves to the priest. Are pastors not able to do the same for the glory of God?
why should God want to save sinners??
This phenom is or Satan and is received by young and unlearned Christians. The Word of God tells us to live by faith, not sight. 2 Cor. 5:7. 1 John 5:4-5. Those who are looking for another sign other than Christ risen are deceived. 1 John 5:10-13. Rom. 4:25. God has given us the record of His Son. He doesn’t need to give more signs and wonders. No one was ever saved by believing a miracle. It is by faith you are saved. Daniel 9:24 lists what the messiah would accomplish. When He said it is FINISHED, those six things listed in Daniel 9:24 were done. He didn’t pay a penalty He took away our sin so we could be holy and justified and acceptable to God. Eph. 1:4. The wages of sin are still death and the Spirit is not here to make you FEEL things. He is here to teach us, guide us, and comfort us. To give show us the peace of God which is received by FAITH, just like all else is received. Heb. 11:6. Heb. 6:1-6. We are free from sin and deception when we believe the record God gave of His Son. Be free and pure and holy. John 8:31-32,36. You are no longer bound by sin and death. 1 John 1:7, 3:3-10, 5:4,10-11. Don’t be deceived by false signs and wonders that do not glorify God and make you FEEL good!
Absolutely wonderful article. I have been slain in the spirit. Can’t explain the feeling, you don’t want it to end. I have fallen forward and back. God works in marvelous ways. We should all want to be slain in the Spirit.
Requesting for clarification. Can people who are not born again operate in the gifts of Holy Spirit. Is there any scriptural back up on this
What about convolutions and shaking. How is slain in the spirit edifying to the body, the gifts are used to edify so if your shaking and passed out how can you feel edifyed to obey God? And if your shaking that can be painful so why would the spirit of God make a fool of you or give you convolutions.
The scriptures referred speaks about people falling out of fear and Gods presence.
Also I seen pastor yell fire, move hands and blow on people that’s not scriptural.
I also know about the Hindu and yoga practice of the kundalini and they pass out after laying on of hands and shaking. Can you explain!
I would like to share my testimony from this past week. I have been an on off again believer for quite some time now. Monday night I went to revival nothing happened. I know how some of you old timers don’t feel like women should preach but I have seen some women more on fire for god than most men. This woman is a traveling preacher, my mom told her I was running away from my calling and she says yes I know. She tells my mother that I’ll be back. Me being me I said you know what I’ll show her I’m not going back. Me being me I say in my head she has nothing to say to me god doesn’t speak to her. Went back Thursday, almost didn’t go due to at home issues. I get there I keep hearing in my head I don’t deserve this I don’t deserve this. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. I’m just sitting in the back and she starts walking towards me. I immediately feel the presence of God coming my way. She starts talking to me saying God hasn’t given up on you, your life is a mess, saying God hears what you say and he hears your thoughts as well. I immediately start bawling because I knew what she was talking about. She spoke others things about my life no one in that place could possibly know. My mother didn’t even know. I gave my life back to Jesus that night and was refilled with the Holy Spirit, I laid down in my seat for maybe 30 min just wanting to soak in it. I had forgotten how amazing it was. Last night, the last night of revival I went back craving more. Within the first three songs the air change and I could smell this amazing aroma. I could feel the spirit of God in this church. This man got the American flag handed it to another man and he ran around the seats with it, he handed me the Christian flag and I ran around with it for maybe 4 minutes before being winded. Then I started up running to the alter with it and immediately got hit with the Holy Spirit feeling joy, peace, love, all at once. It was as if I had hit a brick wall. I had no hands laid on me. God had hit me with the Holy Spirit with no human intervention at all. I fell to the ground, I don’t remember how long I was on the ground I just remember raising my hands as I was laying and started to cry, after crying I got this uncontrollable laughter, a joyful laughter something I have never experienced before. I could tell it was from God. Last night God showed me how much he loves me and just how great his patience is. He never gave up on me. Even through the worst.
I myself was like Johnny in that I did not really believe in this ministry ,but when the man told us to come up and receive a blessing I thought what a good idea . As he moved towards me I had no ides I would be down on the floor in seconds I too now believe in Gods ways which are not our ways. I also witnessed a brethren brother who remained a good while under this Holy spirit work. Thankyou for the verses verifying Gods work they are amazing .Diane
I was having a conversation on this with my wife who was sharing what she heard on the radio about a local pastor not believing on the slaying of the spirit and going on it was not godly and this is no where to be found biblically. So I will pray for him not be so bitter because he has not been able to have an encounter with God. But it does read in the gospels that these things will follow of signs and wonders. So pastor must of overlook the wonders part who believe. But for myself grew up in church grandparents were pastors, my father pastor and seen some holy spirit things but I myself fell away from God growing up, until I was end of my rope with life. But my mother who did not give up ask me to come to church on a revival meeting so I said I would do get my loving mother off my back. But I tell you this is my testimony on how I had an encounter with the holy spirit for the first time ever. So honestly I was at my end, no steady job young and a alcoholic by the age of 22 been dry out 2 times from alcohol in the hospital for a week with I.V. where my hands would shake because lack of withdrawal of alcohol, so I was bad on that part of my life so I had enough of trying to find God and falling short. But this night was the night I called God out before I went to the service I prayed at home and asked him If he does not prove himself to me this night I will never step back in to church and to leave me alone I had enough. so I went by myself. Long hair trench coat sitting in the back row. So evangalist did an alter call but no I was not going until he said this. If you’re man enough to come if you dare, oh he calling me out so I went but I stood my ground hard is no way I am going down every one before was falling so I made myself feeling hard thinking no not me. But it was turn and bam didn’t know what happened I was on the floor crying and I tried to get up thinking this can not happen to me, but was dead weight nothing was moving but my mouth saying I am sorry I believe and was made new. Thus starting my new life for 7 yrs in christ. But this is another story.
God is great…..I was saved and baptised maybe two years later.Meanwhile reading,studying the bible and wounder ing about the books in Bible.I gotta say I have no doubt in my mind,about the holy Spirit being alive.My brother-in-law and his wife invited my husband and I to their Church.The preacher was a woman.I was anointed with oil and slung in the Spirit.This was such a peaceful feeling.I was so rested feeling and felt so happy once I woke.I could hear what was going on around me at this time,but my body did not want to wake up.We continued going back,and I would go up for prayer every time and slung in the Spirit.We stopped going to this Church due to my husband having such a heavy heart and not believing or understanding how I could every time be slung in the Spirit.I believe my heart is not hard and this is why.My husband never wanted prayer or to be anointed.He believes in praying for himself.This is okay as long as he continues to believe in the Lord and the Bible.This he does.
Thank you for this article. I too used to doubt all of this…even after I received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues I still thought all this other stuff was demonic. I was IGNORANT! I did not know such things existed and I was afraid of them, I had never been exposed to them growing up. Fear of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. God started working in me and I started opening my heart. But honestly the more deliverance I received, the more the Holy Spirit could work in me and Show me things. The more deliverance I received the more I sensitive I was to the Holy Spirit. I repented to the Holy Spirit for saying bad things about Him and also telling others that These manifestations are not from God. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. I am so grateful I did not get stuck in Religion HOWEVER it is a process, just like the testimony of this man. We go from glory to glory and the Holy Spirit reveals the mysteries of the Father to us the more we walk with Him and are led by Him. Do not have communion with a religious Spirit. If it is hard for you to believe cry out to God and say Lord I have little faith/unbelief/doubt…Show yourself to me, reveal yourself to me.
Once again thank you for this article. Personally last weekend I experienced God’s presence so strong, I could not get out of my chair. I felt so weak in my arms and legs. Please include Daniel 10 as an example of biblical verses amongst the others on this page. He too felt all the strength leave his body. This passage helped me to process that it was the presence of the Holy Spirit doing this. I felt this for over an hour.
If any man LACK wisdom, ask of God. Ye shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.
His ways are higher (always) than ours and He sometimes confuses the wise to satisfy those who seek Him.
Would you (today?) walk around on a wall how many times, then shout as hard and loud as you could, expecting that
stupid wall, just to fall down. ???????? I really can’t see you doing that. Hey, these people were obedient and
look what happened!
Why do we even worry about these things. He tells US not to worry
If you want to know. just Pray about it, but don’t blaspheme or grieve the Holy Spirit.
I ask God to make sure that I stay on the narrow path, and I never hear “Depart from ME, I never knew you”! If He has some-
thing special for me. I’m gonna make sure He knows I am willing to receive it. He is a gentleman and knows just every little
person don’t want to step out of their comfort zone. Believe me, He is a loving God and ain’t going to force anything on you
that makes you uncomfortable.
God is almighty and great! He already knows Everything about you! Every Thought and Doubt. He wants YOU to commune
with Him. Go to the garden while the dew is still on the roses.
Do you think from this article, that I have been slain in the spirit? Beyond a shadow of a doubt! I have been extremely drunk in the spirit and continue to believe He will do it again in His timing. It is the best drunk, I have ever experienced and love my addiction to the anointing of the Holy Spirit and there is nothing in this world that will ever satisfy as greatly once you have experience it! <3 XOXOXO.
Thank you. The Lord can be trusted, in your heart ask him to show you the way and the truth. It is ok to be cynical and test the spirits but please do not grieve the Holy Spirit. There is good and evil. Ask the lord. I was raised Catholic and learned more about Jesus from a born again housemate in college. I always questioned and God honored this as I was seeking the truth. A friend asked me to come to her church shortly before I joined the reserves. There was a visiting pastor and she said I needed to be there. I had no idea why she thought this but I went and found myself in front of the church. All I know is that I answered the call to go up and ended up on the floor feeling ….. a joy of the Holy Spirit. I am sorry I can’t explain it better. All I know is that it confirmed my faith and has been something I recall when my path gets rocky. If I am obedient and question as a child, I know my Lord will show me the way and the truth.
You never fall backwards ..Why You ask ? Well never in the bible has anyone one that belongs to God ever fallen backwards ..The argument about falling to the ground is therefore a theory which has been taught by minister to minister to minister etc .. Gods people all fall onto their faces or knees under the annointing. How has God revealed this to me ? When He spoke to the apostles and said ” Go lay hands on the sick and they shall recover ” He was referring to the unsaved ( They are the sick not you ).When Jesus paid the ultimate price for our salvation ,He also paid the ultimate price for our healing .There is no way that Christians should not believe that these two awesome gifts of God were given to us to embrace together with the Love ,Mercy & Grace of The King of Kings .There is no way you need to accept any sickness from the deceptive lying demonic forces . And if you are you are being deceived ..Stand strong and ” Know that I Am God ” You have Authority to trample on snakes & scorpions and overcome ALL the power of the enemy . Believe you are saved ,Believe you are healed .The 2 go hand in hand.By all means go to your church and get prayed for but remember this you don’t need to fall back to be healed you just have to believe …God bless you all and may His Light shine upon you
When I was about 12, during a youth conference, no one had laid hands on me, but after awhile I realized I had been lying on the floor and had been speaking aloud in a foreign language of some type. I realized it as soon as I was finished speaking and got right up.
I know people who have been healed and people radically changed by such an experience. Some were little children. My pastor has done it, but he spends hours, several times per week, laying on his face on concrete. He has laid hands on me and I can feel God’s presence, though I sit down rather than fall, because God knows it’s painful for me. And He has reason to not heal me right now. Just as Paul’s thorn. But I was once standing on that same concrete for a long period of time without feeling pain and just being in communication with God. And that amazing in itself as I can’t stand very long. I have also felt a peace and joy wash over me that lasted for weeks.
As for fake Christians, there are also fake pastors. My pastor lightly touches you, and I’ve had pastors barely touch me then say something that God was doing that was true, but they had no way of knowing. And they weren’t just standard things that can be true for almost everyone, but very specific.
But I’ve also had pastors lay hands on me and start pushing trying to push me backwards. It’s blatantly obvious that they want me to fall backwards, and they always have people stand behind you before they start. This is different from my pastor as he’s quickly told someone to grab someone who was falling, and they were several feet away.
I don’t believe it’s demonic when people are faking it, but they really want to experience it, and as you said, be a part of what’s going on.
Should we christians rely on falling in the spirit as a sign that God has touched us ? Okay even if there is no falling the spirit, is it neccessary for every christian to feel an evident God’s presence even at the shortest lenght of prayer?
Its a false Holy Spirit called the kundalini spirit. I am in the deliverance ministry and this spirit will eventually make people sick with weird sicknesses the doctors can not fix. People have come out of these churches full of spirits and torments after a couple years. Before someone says I am blaspheming the Holy Spirit, No I am speaking about this false Holy spirit as I was once “slain” as God did a mighty deliverance on me which is Biblical in Mark 1`9:14-29. This spirit is a serpent that wraps around the spine nervous system it uses electrical power and shuts the nervous system down for a few seconds or a part of a body for a false healing. You street healers who flim themselves for self glory and only look for pain on people. They say things like “pain go now, More Lord, Double it” and the person feels electrcal tingling and the nerves are temporarily shut down. They never heal blindness, deafness cancer or anything like that, Look into “CHI ENERGY” its the same spirit. its the Kundalini Serpent spirit it came in with Rodney Howard Brown. Look into fire tunnels or Holy spirit false. People who wave their hands on people and you submit by lifting your hands to it, you are agreeing to a spiritual transaction. You allow this demon to enter you/.
Amen, you hit the nail on the head. Absolutely no life changing experience comes from being knocked out backward by “some” spirit. IT is not God. Jesus never fell backward while on earth in a knocked out trance. He also never had to speak in tongues to His Father. Saved people are filled with the Holy Spirit when we ask Jesus to become our Saviour. Some of these non biblical beliefs in charismatic churches never help people even go past the problems they had when they entered the church doors. It’s about Jesus, not us, after salvation. Growing in the Spirit, not sitting around in church looking for things to come our way like so called spirits.
I to was slain in the spirit as at a young age.
I didnt understand why people fell when touched or what it meant.
The idea if passing out and being caught and laid on the ground was a mystery to me.
Well it happend to me and i was not expecting it in any way.
I was at a meeting at a church where an evanglist was visiting and she had promised to anoint each of us with oil.
This night she made good on her promise made that week.
Each night she was there my dad and i would go to listen to her.
Every year she would come for about a week and every night my dad and aunt and other family members would attend her services and listen.
We enjoyed her visits.
But this night i was caught off guard.
When she gave the insteuctions for us to get in line and each come up to be anointed i followed the crowed and got in line.
Some people fell most did not.
But i was looking around me takeing a step forward slowly not realizing my place in line and how close i was getting to be the front of the line.
I started to look foward and as i realized i was now at the front of the line.
That was the last thing i remember before i woke up on the ground.
I was in disbelief i had even been touched on the forhead with anointing oil because it happened that quickly.
I think i started to go under as she was reaching my head to anoint me.
I was out before she touched me and after i didnt understand what had happend. I didnt recall anything.
No vision nothing but the rest of that night my face felt warm and like it glowed.
I did feel a peace so i know i experienced something i couldnt recall.
Why it was hidden from my memory i never understood or what happend wile i was out cold.
But i always knew with conviction i experienced something good.
Hello brothers and sisters in Christ , I’m here by the way to know if to whom does this supernatural experience really came from. But as I have reading the testimony of the old man, I really felt the Holy Spirit, I felt tears in my eyes, I was touched by his testimony.
Anyways, I could say that this is really coming from God because if this is really coming from Satan, then how could people who experience ‘Slain in the Spirit’ be thankful to God and praise God because of what they experience? isn’t it a bad strategy for Satan to do if he wants to deceive and to get people away from God? look at what happened? if we say that this ‘Slain in the Spirit’ is from Satan, then people who have experience this thing should’ve turned to Satan already. But as this old man’s testimony, He was transformed and kept his faith and praises to God because of what he have experienced. I don’t think Satan is not that bad to think of a strategy to deceive people. And also, before the pastor or priest lay down their hands to the people, they really tell the message of God, Like the one I just saw on YouTube today which is the reason why I ended in this article. The Pastor mentioned Bible Verses saying that Jesus will save you if you repent and believe in Him. How can Satan say that thing when he knows that people will just turn to God and acknowledge God because of that message?
I hope that this helps you brothers and sisters in Christ of being confused of this supernatural experience. Although I believe that there are false prophets that the God mentioned in the Bible so we have to becareful and ofcourse if you want to try this experience in order to prove it, God said in Corinthians that you should test the Spirit if it came from God or from the devil.
I’m an Apostolic Pentecostal believer filled by the Holy Ghost by evidence of speaking in tongues and prophesying since 1990 April. When I am filled by the Holy Ghost and witnessing others at our UPC Churches people just speak in an unknown tongue when they get Baptized by the Holy Ghost. Now women do tend to get more emotional then us men but it is not of God that causes them to shake, scream, move around etc… I have and do see those that do put on a show when being prayed for by laying of hands to start acting over excited. When one receives the Holy Ghost (Spirit) there is a glow on their face showing great joy and a sense of peace that is behind the worldly pleasures that one gets from things such as winning a lot of money, sex, excited about a love one or after even having a baby. Its real I experienced it through my life.
Furthermore, no where in the bible is one falling down to the ground when they are receiving (being Baptized) by the Holy Ghost (Spirit). In Acts chapter 2 all were “sitting” when God first started his church filling these 120 in the upper room. None falling to the ground when Baptized in Acts chapters 8 (Samaritans), Acts chapter 10 (Gentiles) and Acts chapter 19 (John’s disciples). Now being Baptized by the Holy Ghost (Spirit) is Salvation (repentance unto life) Acts chapter 11; this is when God comes to dwell in your spirit with his Spirit so you can be caught up to Him to live with the Lord forever and to circumcise (put to death) the old sinful desires of the flesh so to be able to live righteously to doing God’s will.
I have “fallen under the power of the Spirit” with tears, crying uncontrollably and with laughter. God was doing a work within me. Never did I fall hard or was hurt but on the occasion that I was testifying of my experience on a mission trip to Africa, as I stood at the front, a woman approached me to join me to sing. As she neared me I felt a powerful presence, unfamiliar and before I knew it I was blown, knocked, backward with such force that my head struck the hard floor leaving me with a very painful headache. I questioned what had happened and most people who witnessed were as shocked as I was. Months later I learned this woman who professed to be spirit filled, had destroyed the marriage of her pastor, and her marriage. I then knew what spirit had struck me that night. She was a deceiver and Satan was working through her. I have never heard of anyone being hurt by the Holy Spirit so I was right to question that experience.
As with most of these arguments for being slain in the spirit, there is no biblical text instructing us or describing it happened in context. Neither does the one making the argument for them offer any text. So your argument for falling backward is that “it could have happened”, secondly you readily admit that you cannot find any biblical precedent of the laying of hands to slay someone in the spirit but again you deflect to an assumed or stated probable notion. Lastly, you distort the phrase fell down with knocked back. Paul and those with Judas were knocked back but others simply fell down, mostly by choice as they were afraid to be in the presence of God and they seemingly were aware of what was going on around them. It is sad that people establish a “biblical doctrine” like slain in the spirit without actually using the bible.
I believe that when someone falls to the floor in submittion to the Holy Spirit…you fall on your knees… Giving your all to the power of God.The Holy Spirit brings us to our knees in front of our Lord. The churches are being fooled for so long and being confused by the enemy. The Word tells us God is not a God of confusion…1Cor 14 :31-36 Open the spiritual eyes and see open our spiritual ears and listen to the Word of God and not be fooled or convinced by so many religious leaders’ beliefs…. remember that in the bible saids even the Christian will be fooled. So let us be lead by God himself through His Word. Ask for knowledge and understanding and you shall receive it…
I have been touched by God. I have heard his audible voice people think I’m crazy..in afraid to talk to my Pastor because I don’t think he knows what slain in the spirit is . I didn’t receive the holy ghost in his church. God has reveal to me that this Pastor is my husband… I have a Prophetess Ministry and God has already started sending warriors to add to this ministry .. what do I do.ive been in prayer..I’m listening
Prophets are subject to the prophets. Get into the Word of God and test the spirits.
The “pastor is my husband” revelation is a big red flag of deception. I have seen this before and it is the evil ones attempt to bring destruction into the church body. Repent from this especially if the pastor is married.
Jesus is the focus of true faith. True manifestations of God always draw you to Jesus without exception.
Praise the name of the living God. I have been an on and off christian. I was about 15 when I was baptised. Am now 31 but since then I felt no power within me. I was like a church goer until August 2019 when my area was visited by a man of God. I attended one of the fire conferences and as ushers we were called forward to be prayed for. I also went forward and humbled myself. We sang some praise and worship songs and began praying with our hands lifted up. Then evangelist came down and laid his hand on people. Some people infront of me fell backword, spoke in tongues and others cried. When the man of God laid his hand on my forehead, I cant tell what happened next. I found myself lying backword. I cant tell how it happened but I found myself in tears and it felt so good and powerful that I yearn to experience it again.I didnt even feel any pain as a result of falling. Since then av always been at peace with everyone and myself.God is real and am grateful for the Holyspirit that strengthened my faith in Him.
I am an Anglican, baptised in the Church of England. I attend church regularly and I sing at the choir.I am proud of the Anglican church including all thoughts and opinions and it’s attempt to stay pragmatic and level headed. We do not believe in Being Slain and we certainly do not believe in speaking in tongues.
However I am extremely attracted to the Pentecostal church for it’s singing genre. I visit Pentecostal church purely to enjoy the choir and often fantasise singing like them as I am trained to sing in the classical way. I always look at the people Being Slain with a cynical eye and often used to get annoyed about the drama.
I am a pragmatic and an earthly person with a strong will. I do not have an addictive personality and I don’t wait for people’s opinions so I never saw myself joining the group who wants to fall down. I found it to be an embarrassing thought and I used to feel slightly ashamed watching people falling down. It was actually an uncomfortable feeling.
Last night I went to the Pentecostal church for the choir and the priest called me to anoint me with oil. This was the most shocking experience in my life. I was fully conscious and waiting for the blessing to be finished. He did not push me, neither did he touch my forehead. He drew crucifix on my hands and held them lightly whilst praying eyes closed. I suddenly felt a ball of fire in my heart, a push by a warm blow and I felt I was taken over and I lost control. I fell backwards and I was held back by the usher. It happened the second time and this time I was on the floor and could not get up for a goof few moments. I remember I was smiling and I could hear the priest who was telling me there is no more fear. I felt incredibly good, I cannot describe how good I felt. I felt embraced by love and when I got up, I felt really confident. I did not feel ashamed anymore.
I have been thinking still. Was there drugs in the oil? Did he hypnotise me? No internet article says anointing oil has drugs that can affect people externally and the priest did not even look at me to hypnotise me.
I am so cynical, how did that happened to me? I cannot find an explanation. I know my Anglican church would dismiss it but I know what happened to me, I was there. I have no explanation for this.
One has to test the spirits. Of course you felt something. The devil is alive and well in church activities. There is a form of hypnotism that I have seen in barrooms and in churches. They can snap the fingers, blow the breath, or touch the forward. Falling backward is the key separating the source of power. God’s people fall on knees and faces. All Scripture bears this out with no exceptions! Everyone who fell forward on knees or faces, were in positive communication and with a humble heart before God. Only 4 places in scripture can be found for falling backward. And genesis 49, Dan is like a viper in the path that bites the horses heel causing the rider to fall backward. And Isaiah 28, line upon line, and here a little there a little, lead to being snared broken and taken. 2 or 3 versus later the reason is that Israel had made a covenant with Sheol death.
Eli fell backward and died. The soldiers who came to arrest Jesus fell backward when Jesus said I am He!
The gifts of the spirit given by the Holy Spirit are scriptural and should not be removed from our experiences today, but falling backward is a scriptural curse in every example.
Laying hands on heads is another bag of worms in scripture. Jesus laid hands but never on heads. He blew on them to receive the holy spirit. The priests in Exodus and Leviticus laid hands on the heads on all the animal sacrifices to slay them. Even in a couple of unusual old testament verses, Scripture remains in full agreement with itself.
Sincerely brother you felt the presence of God and his love overwhelms us at times that we can’t help but to praise God brother ask God to reveal himself to you and he will find a spirit filled church that loves Jesus do not be pragmatic but embrace who God is speak in tongues and pray that God reveals to you the meaning of what you’re saying in the spirit.
Hi
The problem I have is as follows.
One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is self control. Being “slain in the spirit” is the opposite of this.
The bible clearly warns us to beware of the devil masquerading as an angle of light.
Why do we as people always want to experience God. We are living in His creation. Is that not experience enough. I personally think the devil is giving you what you desire. I pray that I am wrong.
God is a very good Father and can parent each of His children as He sees best. And He will parent every child uniquely according to his needs. Remember that God searches hearts, an area that we are unable to fully understand even in ourselves much less others.
Yes, the evil one can counterfeit “just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses”, but Moses was both authentic and more powerful. The true measure of any manifestation is did it draw me towards and deepen my love for Jesus.
So when the Lord calls out to your friend Samuel, be a discerning Eli and recommend responding “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears”. It is between Samuel and the Lord.
How can a human control emotions when they experience the glory of God? When Jon saw Jesus in his glorified form in Revelation he fell as a reaction to God’s glory. Some Christians forget that we are a new creation. John 3:6 says Flesh is born of the flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit. Therefore you have a new nature which is your spirit. Your spirit reacts when it comes in contact with God. That reaction and desire when you experience the Holy Spirit is not withholding or limiting something, but rather surrendering all so God can make you more like him. When you experience God’s presence he undoes you because that is our spirit’s reaction to coming in contact with our creator. When you think about someone going before God and his presence what purpose would self-control serve? Self-control is limiting your emotions and desires and why would you need to control your emotions before God? The reason for self control is usually to stay away from something that will not help you, so you can stay commited to the thing that will help/benefit you.
The devil cannot give us the presence of God or deliver us from bondages. The devil is not peace or love he is hate, fear and etc.. Analyze your encounter with God did it go against what his word says about him and his characteristics? If not it is God. I enourage you pray for discernment to be able to tell if something is of him or not. I pray the truth be revealed. May the Holy Spirit increase everyone’s realtionship with him to just continually grow. I think christians limit God too much. They focus on theological things rather than just pressing into more of his Holy Spirit. I have personally judged people wondering if they really heard from God, or was that testimony true about someone prophecying. Real quick I felt the Holy Spirit convict me by pointing out he is absolutely capable of speaking to someone and who am I to be criticizing a brother in christ rather than pray for discernment. Godbless everyone! May the Lord purify his church.
Having been involved with the phenomenon of ‘being slain in the spirit,’ for more than five years (now almost twenty years ago), I now sincerely believe the phenomenon to be a powerful deception, a test if you like, separating the sheep from the goats – God sends a powerful deception upon those who do not love The Truth, to cause them to believe that which is false – TEST THE FRUITS, what kind of teaching, doctrine, behaviour accompanies the phenomenon, it matters, it really, really, matters, what are you being asked to believe and follow, is it Scripturally accurate, if you do not know what Scripture says, you will not know, so study God’s Word, The Bible, not the churche’s own study books and pamphlets telling you what to believe, that you learn and adhere to their doctrine, but Scripture alone, asking God to teach you and lead you.
Get to know what is God’s Own Character, we are told that God is Love, and we are told what Love really is, and we are all told to renew our minds in Christ Jesus, or in other words, to have a change of heart and mind, as we accept God’s Word, and change our minds from what we once may have believed, accepted, and used to shape the way we behaved and lived out our lives, renewing our minds until we behave in loving obedience to God and His Word, how He requires us to behave – so test the spirits, how does God expect us to behave, what does he require us to believe, and in so believing, act upon as we live out our lives.
If we apply this Scripture to many churches promoting the phenomenon of ‘being slain in the spirit,’ how would it make us feel, confused perhaps, angry as it denies us what we may been chasing, disappointed, what – “If anyone teaches Christianity as a source of profit, or money making, withdraw from them, avoid them” – that is a powerful warning, and is just the tip of the ice burg concerning false doctrine within the Christian church, that is leading people astray – “Many will come in My Name, and will lead many into error, they will be lovers of money, and lovers of themselves……..”
Do such warnings from God matter, yes they do, they are there for help and guidance, that we may stay safe from false doctrine – so what will we do with such warnings.
God is Truth, He cannot lie, will not lie, and cannot dishonour Himself, that is to say that He cannot bless that which is unrighteous, untrue, misleading, corrupting, endangering those people who seek Him – test the spirit, test their doctrine, their behaviour, all that they teach and promote, and require you to believe and act upon, test it, prove it from Scripture, God’s Own Word from which they too are to learn the word they preach, they too holding fast to God’s Word, the lamp unto their feet, and our feet also – is what they say, preach, teach, encourage, require, demand…….. True, God’s Truth, if not, ask yourself what the errors are, what they promote, which direction they are taking you in, how God feels about it, and how it opposes His Word; changing anything that God has said to us, is of enormous offence to Him, our ignoring Him and His Word is of enormous offence to Him – test the spirits, test your own, know that your faith and behaviour are accurate, God’s Own Word being the standard, our standard.
If you find anything amiss, if the church is preaching wrong doctrine, if the behaviour is less than God expects of us, if your own behaviour is less than God expects of you, and yet there is within the church a phenomenon that people have come to call ‘being slain in the spirit,’ through and by which you are encouraged to believe it is a blessing, an act of God’s approval of the church, it’s ministry, it’s doctrine, it’s behaviour, then be warned, God will not encourage us into error, He will not strengthen our errors, misunderstanding, rebellion, or sin, He will not share in our sins, just as we are told not to share in the sins of others – “God chastises those He loves and accepts as sons.”
Test the spirits, God is Love – Love is…………………………..make sure you know the Character of God, it should also be the character that you find within the church, and within your own life, heart and mind.
‘Being slain in the spirit,’ is a phenomenon that you will find present among countless churches that preach false or inaccurate doctrine, so leading people into error, among people that are overtly disobedient in their character, whether it be greed, pride, the love of money, bad temper, charm etc, behaviour God disapproves of, and does not accept within and among us, and cannot, and will not bless or encourage – I have seen some terrible behaviour within the church, and heard some terrible doctrine, corrupting and dangerous doctrine, and yet the phenomenon of ‘being slain in the spirit’ has remained present to encourage us in our folly – God cannot deny Himself, He cannot dishonour His Word by encouraging folly – God’s Holy Spirit cannot be the power behind ‘being slain in the spirit,’ He would be denying His Own Righteousness, His Own Purity, His Own Holiness.
Consider this also, and I speak as someone who has been ‘slain,’ on many occasions, in various churches, I have rolled and shaken – I am baptized with the Holy Spirit, and with water, and I speak in tongues, and have spoken prophecy, but consider this –
The manifestations of the ‘Toronto Blessing,’ ‘being slain in the spirit.’
Roaring like a lion – Satan roams around like a lion, looking for someone to devour.
Hopping like frogs – The demons were like frogs.
Barking like dogs – the dog returns to its vomit.
Charging like a bull – Baal.
Slithering like a snake – that serpent of old, Satan.
Even the uncontrolled laughter may be nothing more than Satan laughing at us, through us, as he and his demons gain a foothold in our minds.
Our minister used to tell us not to pray whilst waiting to be ‘slain in the spirit,’ as prayer interfered with receiving the spirit – and yet, The Person of The Spirit, God’s Spirit, God, came upon people as they prayed – we are told to pray unceasingly, prayer does not interfere with God, however, prayer does interfere with Satan, sincere, correct, righteous prayer does – resist the devil and he will FLEE from you.
Test the spirits, test yourself, know the Character of God, pray unceasingly, count your Bible, The Word of God, as more precious than gold, and cling to His Word, which is Jesus Himself.
Sincerely, with love.
David.
I tend to agree with you. I was part of this type of church for a short while. Though I still dearly love the people of that church they were doing nothing but looking for signs, tongues and miracles. A handful of people. I longed for deeper bible preaching which the pastor was so good he should be in another denomination. He even told them that all their gifts may not eve be from God. I saw several go to the altar of which that’s about 75 percent all we done, was pray. Praying is good, but deeper teaching of the bible is a must. I have the gift of discernment and mercy. Outside I said nothing but to the pastor what I felt was very wrong. There was absolutely nothing but falling backward at the altar. No sign of relief from the person who woke up the instant the prayers ended. FAKE screaming loud to my soul. You have to look at what this is in public. #1 has it helped the person who fell backward? #2 has it helped the congregation learn more at church? The answer is no it has not except to those who are blinded and grew up thinking this was “church”. My second gift is Mercy, and this is what I chose to do while serving as a musician in that church. If we are truly filled with God’s voice, His grace we do as the biblical people we fall forward on our knees or to the ground. Prostrate before the Lord is a sign of humble submission and thankfulness of who God is and what He has done for us. I can’t began to believe that people falling backwards is anything spiritual at all. The same people still had the same problems in life at the next service seeking help that was truly needed.
On many occasions I have been slain in the spirit and I have also prayed and others have received the spirit.Over zealous ministers who try to push you over and who are heavy handed I have kept clear off.While sitting in your seat wondering whether to go forward for ministry take notice what is going on.In the fellowship I belonged to prayed and quite often people were slain,often experienced the drunkenness in the spirit and lots of laughter.
I believe God will use what ever he can to loosen us up.
year ago in my church i was falling backwards and i was also laughing too. it never did anything for me. preacher laying hands on peoble head abd they fall backward, but never ever anythind changes. when Jesus or the apostels layed hands on people thanks where happening, deliverence, healings and so on. so my conclution is that it is just a false counterfit spirit working in those churches. because nothing ever happens but a big show.
As a teenager I seen people slain in the spirit but honestly thought it was fake or at times thought what was wrong with me because it didn’t happen to me.
Then at the age of 42 we were having a revival at church and I was praising the Lord with so much joy. I went up to the front when the preacher asked for anyone who wants prayer. I am typically a shy person but a almost knocked down my friend’s son who had went with me to the service. I remember telling him, “move, move”.
When it was my turn I remember the preacher saying, “He is here.” And I said, “Yes”. I could feel the presence. I closed my eyes and lifted my hands then all of the sudden all strength left my body. I opened my eyes and it was like I had tunnel vision or something. I could see the preacher and the gentleman beside him but they appeared far off even though they were right in front of me.
I wanted to stop myself from falling and wanting to reach out but I couldn’t. I remember laying down and I heard the voices of 2-3 women saying, “She’s blessed” and their hand rubbing my forehead. I got up and was very confused for days wondering what happened to me. I asked the ladies at church if they had rubbed my forehead but they could not remember.
I can say my experience was real. I have never felt like before or since. I had no control whatsoever. I also was the only one that night who was slain in the spirit. I did not know it was going to happen and was not expecting it happen. I understand it was God’s presence.
I just got slain in the spirit this morning after getting off the couch for prayer. I fell right on my back. I tried to resist too and I had to stretch my arms back to prevent my head from hitting the ground hard. Everything almost went black but I was aware the while time. And then I heard static noise for a minute.
Roman’s 15:4, says that what was written was written to teach us, “slain in the spirit” is not written, and none of what was mentioned came by the laying on of hands, men fell before angels and they told them to get up because they were a fellow servant(Rev. 22:8-9), so No one who was knocked down or backwards came by the laying on of hands which is why we don’t read it anywhere in the scriptures. The fear of the Lord is why they fell backwards or down, they laying on of hands are meant for the releasing of gifts, the Holy Spirit, and maybe impartation but the church has started doing things that we didn’t see in the first century church so I would say be careful because you have to ask yourself, since it’s not in the scriptures, then where did it come from and who started it? God tells us to try the spirits to see whether they are of God, because any manifestation should be able to get traced in the scriptures, if not, don’t be so quick to believe cause the enemy moves in lying wonders and healing as well. But I have seen the fakeness of it as well of people being pushed down or those falling cause that’s what everyone else does and it appears to make the minister look anointed when they’re not! So be careful!
I understand there is something called the gift of tears. I think a Gospel example of this is the woman washed Jesus’s feet with her tears when He was having a meal with some religious leader.
I have known Jesus all my life. I was baptized with water as an infant, and in my early teens, my pastor spent a week teaching a group of us about the Holy Spirit, finishing with an evening of praying for each of us individually to receive the Holy Spirit. Several years later there was a revival going through the area. I saw many people being blessed by God, and being slain in the Spirit. There were weekly prayer and praise services at my church. I worked at a Christian camp that summer. There was an orientation week before camp started for the staff. The effects of the revival extended even here, with some of the staff being slain in the Spirit, others sending an overwhelming feeling of blessing by God when we had our devotion time. I started to feel like the older brother from the Prodigal Son and thought, I have been a believer all my life, why am I getting none of this blessing? I expressed this to the director, who posted for/over me. I don’t remember everything, but God, through him, reminded me that everything the Father had, the older son had also. He touched my hands with his and blessed them. A few weeks later I was back home and went to one of the prayer and praise services at my church. I sensed God’s urging to pay for the pastor leading the service. When the time came, I went forward with the others who wanted prayer. I told the pastor I felt that God wanted me to pray for him and he agreed. I raised my hands towards the pastor (never touching him), closed my eyes, and began to pray as God led. When I finished, I opened my eyes and saw empty space in front of me. The pastor was lying on the floor, slain in the Spirit. I myself did nothing but obey God. I was stunned to see the result.
Satan is very good at counterfeiting what God does, but I cannot believe that it is the work of the devil when we are obeying God. God showed Moses how to turn his staff into a serpent. In pharaoh’s court, his magicians did the same thing. I don’t believe their power came from the same source. In the same way, I believe being slain in the Spirit can be counterfeited. Believers need to examine the circumstances and the fruit.
We are told to test every spirit to scripture (1 John 4:1–6). One would have to understand what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit and His agency. Galatians 5:22-23 gives us the “fruits” of someone under control by the Spirit and is essentially the only scripture that anyone needs to devastate your argument. It is almost as like God knew that someday people would attribute behavior that is characteristic of pagan worship to His spirit. There is nothing in scripture that supports being “slain in the spirit”in the contemporary sense. In fact we are warned against it. Its not so much that people are not being controlled by a spirit, its about who’s spirit is in control since physical phenomenon is often counterfeited by demonic or “familiar” spirits.
I was slain in the spirit twice. The first time was about 2008. I fell back and couldn’t remember how I got there. This last time was about two months ago. I have been battling a demon raping and torturing me. I thought after being slain in the spirit the demon would leave, but it didn’t. I feel like if the pastor had commanded the demon to leave while I was in the spirit. It would have. I need deliverance. Can you please give me some direction.