Is Being Slain In The Spirit Biblical?
Being slain the Spirit is a very common
practice in some churches today. It occurs when some pastors or
Christian leaders place their hands on the foreheads of some people,
or wave their hands in repetitive motions, the people will
fall backwards or are slain in the Spirit!
The term “slain in the Spirit” means people falling backwards in the
presence of God as though they are dead. Being slain in the Spirit
is not the same as being filled with the Holy Spirit, or the baptism
of the Holy Spirit. There are no biblical records of people falling
backwards when they are baptized with the Holy Spirit, or are
filled with the Holy Spirit!
However, there are some biblical examples of people falling under
the power of the Lord but they are not the same as what is happening
today.
Daniel 8:17-18
17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and
fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand,
son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.”
18 Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep
with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me
upright.
When the archangel Gabriel started to move
towards Daniel, Daniel was too frightened to stand, and he fell down
with his face to the ground.
Nobody prayed for Daniel or touched his forehead. He prostrated with
his face to the ground. His face was facing downwards and not
upwards! He dared not see the face of the archangel! Gabriel then
touched him, and raised him to his feet.
Daniel 10:7-9
7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me
did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that
they fled to hide themselves.
8 Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great
vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to
frailty in me, and I retained no strength.
9 Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of
his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to
the ground.
Daniel was alone when he saw the frightening
vision. Nobody prayed for him or touched his forehead or waved at
him. His strength
left him, and he grew pale and weak with holy fear. He fell to the
ground with his face facing downwards. Not falling backwards but
forwards!
Ezekiel 1:28
Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was
the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the
appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw
it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One
speaking.
Nobody prayed for Ezekiel or touched his
forehead. When he saw the glorious and dazzling vision, he fell
forwards with his face facing downwards to the ground. He dared not
see the amazing and wonderful light with his human eyes!
Matthew 17:6
And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces
and were greatly afraid.
At the mountain where Jesus was transfigured,
the disciples of Christ dared not see the dazzling and shining
light. They fell on their faces. Their faces were facing downwards!
John 18:5-7
5 They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also
stood with them.
6 Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and
fell to the ground.
7 Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?”
And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus on the
night the Lord was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, they asked the Lord
whether He was Jesus of Nazareth. When the Lord replied them, they
all fell backwards to the ground!
Nobody prayed for them or touched their foreheads. They were neither
dead nor unconscious. When the Lord asked them a question, and they
answered accordingly. The soldiers were not transformed or changed
by the power! And there were also no biblical records about them
becoming believers after falling backwards!
Falling backwards is moving away from the
Lord. Falling backwards also signifies a repulsion, moving away and
not drawing nearer. The soldiers fell backwards as they were repelled by the
presence of the Lord!
Acts 9:3-5
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a
light shone around him from heaven.
4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice
saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”
Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is
hard for you to kick against the goads.”
Saul was alone on the road to Damascus.
Nobody prayed for him or touched his forehead. He fell to the ground
when a sudden and brilliant light from heaven shone upon him!
He had fallen probably forwards and not backwards so as to avoid seeing the
glorious and blinding light! His face was facing downwards and not
upwards! And he was conscious as he asked the Lord who He was.
Revelation 1:17
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.
John the Apostle was alone on the island
called Patmos. He was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day (Revelation
1:9-10). And when he saw the Lord, he fell at His feet as if he was
dead. Then the Lord laid His right hand on him and said, “Do not be
afraid..."
Nobody prayed for John or touched his forehead. John fell forwards
and not backwards. He prostrated at the feet of the Lord. He threw himself
flat on the ground. His face was facing downwards and not upwards!
He was submitting out of reverence for God, having the fear of the
Lord! It was after he was at the feet of Jesus that the Lord touched
him. It happened after and not before he prostrated before the Lord!
Whether it is biblical or not, we need to be careful as there are
many false prophets and teachers moving and operating throughout the
whole world. We should not believe all who claim to have the Holy
Spirit. We need to test them to find whether they are of God or not.
1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits,
whether they are of God;
because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Just as there are fakes and counterfeits in
some
churches, there are also genuine moves of the Holy Spirit in other
churches. Now is the time for all true believers to differentiate
what is holy and what is unholy, and what is true worship and what
is ecstatic worship. If we desire the move of God in our life, we
must also have holy fear and reverance for Him. We must check and
examine the supernatural encounters carefully with the Word of God! These false prophets and teachers
are operating with supernatural powers but may not be from the Holy
Spirit. There are a lot of strange fires in the house of the Lord!
Their sources are from some New Age and pagan religions.
One of the best ways to tell is their fruits. Are the Christians
producing the works of the flesh, or bearing the fruit of the Holy
Spirit? Are they becoming more worldly or more Christlike? Are they
more rebellious or more obedient to God? Do they have holy reverence
for the Lord? Are they presumptuous, doing their own things? Have
they become more ungodly and lawless?
Another way to check is to look at their calendars. The biblical examples
are few, do not happen frequently and are not scheduled! Why do the people need to be
slain in the Spirit? Can the works of the Holy Spirit be scheduled
and planned by people? Why must it be repeated over and over again?
Why is the encounter lasting for hours and stretching for days? Is
the gospel being preached? Are the people genuinely believing in
Christ and in His Word?
Matthew 24:11-12
11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
12 And because lawlessness will abound,
the love of many will grow cold.
As false prophets are
rampant everywhere, we need to be watchful!
Written on 7 September 2021