What Is, "slain In The Spirit"??

On another thread in another section on this site, the question and and conversation has been about "Slain in the Spirit". Kevin made the comment that a Biblical study on "falling backwards opposed to forward" would be interesting. I agree hence this thread.

My hope is that it will be informative and Biblically accurate and that the conversation can and will be helpful and done in Christian love.

So.........what is "slain in the Spirit"???

What some believing Christians say it is when the Spirit comes upon you it will overcome you with power, slaying you. Today this has become the common denominator of the Spirits presence with power and is sought after as proof of receiving the anointing.

But is that Biblical?

1 John 2:27..........
"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him."

That Scripture tells us that those who have this anointing of the Holy Spirit have no need that any one teach them that fact, for they have the evidence of it, and they do not need the proof of it in some kind of SIGN or manifestation in the flesh because they know in their own hearts and consciousness. These evidences are more apparent to themselves than to any one else.

But with such people as Benny Hinn, Rod Parsley, Richard Roberts and a host of others who have developed the "slain in the spirit" to be a trademark of their meetings. Now, this is not to say that the Holy Spirit can do unusual things, however before we put a stamp of approval on a practice to be a normal thing instead of the unusual, we need to see if it is promoted as such in the Scriptures.

So, when we dig into the Scriptures, what do we find? We do not see any of this practiced or even hinted in the Scripture. When the Spirit came upon Jesus at His baptism He came up out of the water; He didn’t collapse and sink down! The Lord Jesus had power to heal even the worst cases of disease, blindness and crippled limbs, and yet no one who Jesus ever touched fell over “slain.” Nor do we find Peter or John touching people and causing them to fall over. They did not ask other disciples to stand behind those they were going to lay hands on, to catch them as they toppled backward by the power. The New Testament has no people lining up waiting for the “anointing” to be passed on from another, not even the Apostles. Remember, There is no Biblical precedent for being “slain in the Spirit” as we see practiced today.

What about the Old Testament??? The Old Testament has many examples of saints who fell to the ground. In Genesis 15:12-18 when Abraham was put to sleep horror and great darkness fell upon him, and it was not pleasant. This was a special event signifying God’s covenant with Abraham as God told about his offspring’s future. This act was not repeated for any of his descendents. Notice the passage indicates that the experience was not enjoyable.

Genesis 17:3 Abraham falls on his face, but this does not describe an involuntary act of being slain in the Spirit as some claim. Abraham fell face forward toward the ground on his own accord, in reverence, in an act of fully conscious worship.

Scriptures used to validate this as Biblical are:



Many fell backwards in Scripture, but it was not a blessing! In 1 Samuel 4:18: Eli fell off his seat backwards on hearing of the death of his sons and the capture of the Ark and he died.

Isaiah 28:13 the prophet speaks of God’s Word sent to refresh, but if not heard it became a judgment “that they may go and stumble backward, and be broken.” In all these examples it is a judgment, not a blessing!

In 1 Samuel 28:20 we read of Saul immediately collapsing “full length” on the ground upon hearing of his impending death from Samuel after consulting the witch of Endor.

2 Chronicles 5, describes God’s glory filling the newly completed Temple. It says, “The priests could not continue ministering ... for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God” (v.14). This cannot be made into a normative occurrence for today’s Church, as many have tried to do. This was a celebration because the temple was completed, the ark was brought in and Solomon had the priests assemble inside the most holy place. Inside the glory manifested physically as cloud in a contained place, the rest of Israel was still standing outside.

In 2 Chronicles 7:2 and I Kings 8:11 the priests could not enter the temple or perform the priestly duties of the LORD because the temple was filled with the glory of the LORD.

In Ezekiel 1:28 and 2:1 the prophet is overwhelmed by the vision he saw and falls forward in worship. Those who are holy fall forward in conscious submission to God’s Holy presence. They do not become dazed and confused, as in some spirit services today. IMO it appear that those who are enemies fall backward when confronted with God’s true power.

Philippians 2 says every knee will bow. Those who are conscious of who they serve bow forward, willingly and fully conscious. Those who fall backward overwhelmed, show a lack of submission, and in fact appear to be in rebellion.

Daniel, in 10:4-11 encountered a powerful angel and said, “I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale, and I was helpless... I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.” Daniel fell on his face; he fell forward. This was not without purpose. Daniel, a prophet, was receiving revelation that would become Scripture. Since in the Old Testament those who were affected in this manner were not born again, indwelt permanently by the Holy Spirit, this experience cannot be used as normative for the Church today.

When John saw Jesus glorified in heaven (Revelation 1:17) he describes that, ‘“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.” John was overcome with fear; he did not recognize Him as the Jesus He knew on earth.

In examples from either the Old Testament or the New, the men affected did not have a permanent indwelling of the Spirit. When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, in John 18:4-6 He reveals His power in a unique way. He identified himself to the soldiers who were arresting him and they “drew back and fell to the ground.” Jesus first revealed Himself by saying His divine name, “I Am,” making it clear who it is they came for. When He identified Himself to them, they fell to the ground in judgment. These pagan sinners did fall -- backwards. They did not experience revelation or receive an anointing, or conversion, they got right back up and arrested Jesus. There was no change in them; they were still enemies of Jesus. Also, none of Jesus’ followers fell down during the arrest.

Certainly none of this represents a pattern for the Church. Those who practice the artful ritual of being “slain in the Spirit” today deny or ignore these Biblical facts in order to embrace an experience that is not endorsed in the whole New Testament. Please remember that the worship of God and our salvation IS NOT FOUND IN EXPERIENCES OR FEELINGS. IT IS FOUND ONLY IN THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Why then do we do it???

IMO it is because men seek a sign to be convinced of what they believe. That of course is also not Biblical.

Romans 14:23.....
"Whatsoever is not of faith is sin".

Now there is no need to argue or be confrontational about any of these Biblical points made. You can disagree with me and we will still be friends. It would be nice to have a conversation without tension and conflict.
If you disagree with what is posted here......fine with me.
 
I don't know what being slain in the spirit or drunk in the spirit means exactly, but I instinctively don't trust it. People like Benny Hinn use it to make money, that's all I know.
 
I have to agree that this issue of apparently being 'slain' in the Holy Spirit does seem to be problematic as regards examples in the Bible. This is NOT new though, it has been happening since at least the 1920's when the most current Pentecostal revivals started. As Major pointed out above, the one instance in the NT is John 18:6, where the soldiers FELL to the ground. That this was after Jesus spoke would not, in my view, constitute what happens when people are touched by the Holy Spirit. Having been Pentecostal ALL my Christian life, some 40+ years, I have never been 'slain' in the spirit, but have seen others go down so hard they should have had concussions hitting the cement floor with a thin layer of carpet and padding on it. Then again these type of services can be very emotional and I quite frankly see no reason why the Holy Spirit would have to knock down people to get their attention. I will not rule out that it does or can happen, but I do think a lot of it is emotional and psychosomatic.
 
I will not rule out that it does or can happen, but I do think a lot of it is emotional and psychosomatic.
I agree it can and has happened. Unfortunately, this is way too easy to fake. As for psychosomatic, they may be reacting the way the believe they should.
 
I agree it can and has happened. Unfortunately, this is way too easy to fake. As for psychosomatic, they may be reacting the way the believe they should.

Good morning HMS.

I agree completly with you and in fact that is the center of my statements.

Those who are in rebellion to God seem to fall backward in Scripture. I am not makeing that a dogmatic comment, just my observation. This just may be a sign today, not as a blessing but to show that these people are not submitting to His Word; so it is a sign of judgment. The idea that God is doing a “new thing” is without any biblical precedent.

The power of God is supposed to get people up not put them down and out. At the gate Beautiful, Peter said to the blind man, “silver and gold I have none, but in the name of Jesus, RISE UP and walk.” Most of these new anointed dispensers of power can’t say the same because silver and gold they have abundantly. The power of God got people up, those who were thrown to the ground shaking and having convulsions were not possessed by the Holy Spirit but often demon-possessed in need of deliverance. They were not reacting from receiving God’s power they were in need of God’s power for it to stop.

Many people travel to crusades to get this anointing from the anointed mediator who dispenses it. What is the purpose of someone being knocked to the floor and they are picked up and the whole procedure is repeated over and over. Was not the first time enough to receive an anointing. What is the purpose of this experience all about? Who is getting the attention at the time? We are not to be drawing attention to the ourselves but to the Lord Jesus Christ who is working through the Holy Spirit. Is the first anointing that he places on people not enough?

I am amazed at how easily we forget Biblical truths when we want to do something. We must never forget that the Holy Spirit DRAWS ATTENTION TO JESUS BECAUSE THE HOLY SPIRIT NEVER SPEAKS OF HIMSELF.

John 16:13
King James Version (KJV)
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
 
We must also take each event at face value, Holy Spirit does from time to time overpower people, but i have never seen it happen in the way in which like of Benny Hinn zaps people.

Instead my experience shows that its no real fuss or drama. The only thing resembling a drama so to speak I witnessed was during a prayer session we are all standing up a couple of people rush to the side of a very elderly woman, she then just goes limp and has to be helped back into chair. She remained with a very peaceful smile on her face asleep for next half hour. The people were told before hand by Holy SPiirt to go to her side, there was no falling no catching as such.

Quite a few people from time to time end up being taken over completely during other prayer sessions, seem that they as always they are kneeling on floor or even laying prostrate while praying, they go limp and end up looking like they are asleep, then they wake up a few mins later with a very happy cheesy smile on their face.

In my church we all know this is good and genuine Holy Spirit, there is a tendency to brand anything and everything as "false" these days, but we must learn discernment and be careful to know what is the genuine thing and not to be fooled by showmanship and spectacle, which is often down to false spirits sucking people in to play along. I know people who go to Benny Hinn just to see people being zapped and to hope have it done to them. This is not what God is about and certainly not the actions of Holy Spirit.
 
Instead my experience shows that its no real fuss or drama. The only thing resembling a drama so to speak I witnessed was during a prayer session we are all standing up a couple of people rush to the side of a very elderly woman, she then just goes limp and has to be helped back into chair. She remained with a very peaceful smile on her face asleep for next half hour. The people were told before hand by Holy SPiirt to go to her side, there was no falling no catching as such.
This is how the Spirit works. No fanfare, just a gentle word to those who would hear it.
 
Here is biblical account of being slain by the Holy Spirit.

Acts 5:3-5

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and tokeep back some of the price of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not [a]under your control? Why is it that you have[b]conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it.

Blessings,

His servant
 
i think a good indication of the fallacy of falling face up when the Holy Spirit comes upon one is outlined in
the bible by each always falling prostrate (face down) before the LORD.

Blessings,

His servant
 
Just curious. Do you guys believe Paul was on horseback or walking at the time of his encounter en-route to Damascus?
 
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