Christian Perspective: Slain in the....What?!
The subject of being “slain in the Spirit” is perhaps one of the most controversial topics among the Christian population. Even those who have been raised ‘Pentecostal,’ or ‘Charismatic,’ accepting the doctrine and belief of Baptism in the Spirit (accompanied by the initial physical evidence of speaking in tongues) are a little wary of embracing the idea of being ‘slain.’ In light of disheartening evidence provided against fraudulent Charismatic leaders such as Benny Hinn—popular for ‘slaying’ in the Spirit, it is no surprise when one encounters a nervous or even angry expression when the subject of being ‘slain’ enters in to a discussion room
That being said, I believe it is important to state a few things:
1. It has never been, nor will ever
be, God’s will to have a divisive culture among the Church that centers on beliefs
that are NOT ‘Salvation issues.’ Rather,
we are called to ‘bear with one another,’ using kindness, gentleness, and the
unity of peace as we strive to seek the Father’s heart while ‘working out’ our
Salvation as a corporate body of believers. (Ephesians
4:1-5) It is imperative to our Christian walk to keep an attitude of
humility as we strive to understand more of God’s Word in its entirety.
Understanding the ENTIRETY of the Scriptures includes developing our opinions, perspectives, and beliefs on sensitive or controversial topics (such as speaking in tongues, women in ministry, divine healing, etc.). As Christians, through prayer, discernment, and thorough study, we are called to develop our orthopraxy from the roots of our orthodoxy.
Understanding the ENTIRETY of the Scriptures includes developing our opinions, perspectives, and beliefs on sensitive or controversial topics (such as speaking in tongues, women in ministry, divine healing, etc.). As Christians, through prayer, discernment, and thorough study, we are called to develop our orthopraxy from the roots of our orthodoxy.
2. God is a Sovereign God. (1 Chronicles 29:11, Isaiah 46:9-10) In
laymens terms: He can do whatever He wants. He is all-knowing, all powerful, and
all-sufficient. We will NEVER understand the mind of God, and we will never be
able to fully grasp the entirety of the Scriptures or the fullness of His being
(Isaiah 55:9). We are simply called
to be good stewards of our faith, our heart, our souls, and our minds… choosing
to press in to the greater things of God—never becoming complacent or satisfied
with where we are at spiritually. We should always strive to know more ABOUT
God, and have a deeper relationship WITH God. (Knowing ABOUT God and KNOWING
God.)
3. God is a God of the miraculous
and supernatural— In fact, all throughout Scripture, we see instances of God performing
acts that are NOT of this natural world—He heals the sick and blind, He has
united and divided nations, He casts out demons, and He is ruler of Heaven and
Earth. All throughout Scripture, we see instances of God’s miraculous and supernatural
acts. We also see evidence of Him working TODAY. If you have ever studied a
revival, witnessed a miraculous healing, or experienced the overwhelming inner
peace that often comes during times of intimate worship, you understand: God is
a God of the supernatural and of the miraculous. (Acts 4:30, John 4:48, Romans 15:19, Exodus 4:30, Luke 8:43-48 are just
SOME examples)
Now that I have stated those three necessary truths, we can proceed with our discussion.
What Does Being ‘Slain’ Entail?
Sociologist
Margaret Poloma defines slaying in the Spirit as, “The power of the Holy Spirit
so filling a person with a heightened inner awareness that the body’s energy
fades away and the person collapses to the floor.” Being ‘Slain in the Spirit’
simply entails the act of being so overcome by the presence of God that you are
no longer able to stand.
Revivalists such as Charles Finney and John Wesley describe such situations in the revivals which took place during the first Great Awakening. Charles Finney and John Wesley both reported in their writings that hundreds of people would fall out of their pews and lay flat on the floor (under the influence or conviction of the Spirit) while they were preaching. There are also several instances of famous preachers such as D L Moody, George Muler, or John Calvin who reported ‘falling over’ under the awe and wonder they felt by the presence of God during prayer or worship time.
Revivalists such as Charles Finney and John Wesley describe such situations in the revivals which took place during the first Great Awakening. Charles Finney and John Wesley both reported in their writings that hundreds of people would fall out of their pews and lay flat on the floor (under the influence or conviction of the Spirit) while they were preaching. There are also several instances of famous preachers such as D L Moody, George Muler, or John Calvin who reported ‘falling over’ under the awe and wonder they felt by the presence of God during prayer or worship time.
Is Being “Slain in the Spirit” Biblical?
Much
like the word “Trinity,” The Bible never uses the term ‘Slain in the Spirit.’ The
term came in to existence around the late 1700’s. However, there are many
Biblical accounts which support the idea of being ‘slain’ or ‘overcome’ by the
presence of God. The Bible gives several accounts of people falling ‘prostrate’
before God when they encountered His presence in BOTH the Old and New Testament. (Deuteronomy 26:10, 1 Samuel 1:19, 1
Chronicles 29:20, John 9:38, Acts 24:11) In these accounts, people would
either ‘fall as dead’ flat on their face before God (typically in a time of
heavy conviction), or they would become weak at the knees and need to bow to
the floor, kneel, or lay flat. There are
also SEVERAL instances in the Bible where believers encountered very strange or
obscure manifestations of the Spirit (e.g.,
Dan. 8:17,18, Acts 9:3,4. Rev. 1:17)
What
About ‘Being Slain’ Today?
In modern-day portrayals of people being Slain in the Spirit, we often see people falling straight backwards (often having a catcher, and… need I mention, ‘modesty cloth’ holders for when they fall in unflattering positions). I am not making the statement that God doesn’t overcome people by having them fall backwards. However, I am making the statement that any time the Bible mentions people falling prostrate before God or being unable to stand, it is not recorded to be an act of falling backwards or an event which is brought on under the influence of an incredibly long and heightened emotional service (As we have probably all witnessed at some junction of our Pentecostal experiences) . It is a relatively rare occurrence in which God is dealing with an individual on a VERY deep and inner-spiritual level.
However, going back to point two and three of my imperative factors in dissecting the ideology of being Slain in the Spirit… God is Sovereign, can do whatever He wants, and is in the business of the Supernatural and miraculous. If He causes a person to fall backwards under the influence of His Holy Spirit, far be it for me to tell that person their encounter with God was fraudulent. I hope we all tread lightly when it comes to the gift of ‘spiritual certainty,’ or believing we have the right to judge and discern one’s spiritual encounter if it does not go against fundamental Biblical principles.
In modern-day portrayals of people being Slain in the Spirit, we often see people falling straight backwards (often having a catcher, and… need I mention, ‘modesty cloth’ holders for when they fall in unflattering positions). I am not making the statement that God doesn’t overcome people by having them fall backwards. However, I am making the statement that any time the Bible mentions people falling prostrate before God or being unable to stand, it is not recorded to be an act of falling backwards or an event which is brought on under the influence of an incredibly long and heightened emotional service (As we have probably all witnessed at some junction of our Pentecostal experiences) . It is a relatively rare occurrence in which God is dealing with an individual on a VERY deep and inner-spiritual level.
However, going back to point two and three of my imperative factors in dissecting the ideology of being Slain in the Spirit… God is Sovereign, can do whatever He wants, and is in the business of the Supernatural and miraculous. If He causes a person to fall backwards under the influence of His Holy Spirit, far be it for me to tell that person their encounter with God was fraudulent. I hope we all tread lightly when it comes to the gift of ‘spiritual certainty,’ or believing we have the right to judge and discern one’s spiritual encounter if it does not go against fundamental Biblical principles.
Individually, I
have encountered several times in Worship where I felt the overwhelming need to
kneel or lay flat on my back or face. In those moments, I felt like I couldn’t
POSSIBLY stand another second in the presence of God. I would explain those
situations as ‘mini’ experiences of being slain, or overcome, by the Spirit. I
have also had the experience where an anointed preacher has prayed over me, and
I felt my knees start to tremble. In those moments, I was always aware that if
I let my body let go of control, I would fall to the ground. However, I am
embarrassed to say—I usually let my mind get in the way of succumbing to my
body’s response to what God is trying to do in me. In a corporate setting, I am
far too eager to remain in control of my personal appearance in worship. God
forbid I get a little to ‘caught up’ in the presence of God. I hope one day I
will overcome the fear of other’s opinions and release myself into the perfect
love, order, and peace that is available through all postures of worship
available in Christ.
Being Slain
in the Spirit in a Corporate Setting
1 Corinthians 14 makes it VERY clear that God is a God of order. He does not like chaos, and He NEVER desires we do something which could be potentially harmful to unbelievers (or even young believers who do not understand certain sensitive or charismatic topics.) We should NEVER seek out an experience of emotionalism or manipulate the presence of God to move. As believers, the Holy Spirit lives INSIDE of us… though we need to make ourselves aware of His presence and His movement, we also need to be aware that He is already with us at all times, working in us and through us. In ALL things, our faith and our expression of worship should be centered around the Truth of the Gospel… if we are seeking out an ‘experience’ with God but do not understand the depth of The Gospel and our Salvation, our efforts are in vain, and they are wrong. It is imperative to live out our walk with Christ by living in accordance with His will in our day to day lives. Heightened spiritual ‘encounters’ or experiences are not the mark of one’s Sanctification through Christ: Those encounters and experiences are a gift that is given to us for a specific time and purpose—and they should ALWAYS be edifying to the entire church body if the encounters of heightened supernatural experience (Slain in the Spirit, speaking in tongues, divine healing, etc.) are experienced in a corporate setting. Though these experiences are wonderful, valid, and important to a person’s relationship with God, they are NOT the point of our Salvation and walk of Faith. The Gospel is the point…. Everything we do should flow out of a thorough understanding of who Jesus Christ is, what He has done for us, and our purpose because of the gift we have been given.
1 Corinthians 14 makes it VERY clear that God is a God of order. He does not like chaos, and He NEVER desires we do something which could be potentially harmful to unbelievers (or even young believers who do not understand certain sensitive or charismatic topics.) We should NEVER seek out an experience of emotionalism or manipulate the presence of God to move. As believers, the Holy Spirit lives INSIDE of us… though we need to make ourselves aware of His presence and His movement, we also need to be aware that He is already with us at all times, working in us and through us. In ALL things, our faith and our expression of worship should be centered around the Truth of the Gospel… if we are seeking out an ‘experience’ with God but do not understand the depth of The Gospel and our Salvation, our efforts are in vain, and they are wrong. It is imperative to live out our walk with Christ by living in accordance with His will in our day to day lives. Heightened spiritual ‘encounters’ or experiences are not the mark of one’s Sanctification through Christ: Those encounters and experiences are a gift that is given to us for a specific time and purpose—and they should ALWAYS be edifying to the entire church body if the encounters of heightened supernatural experience (Slain in the Spirit, speaking in tongues, divine healing, etc.) are experienced in a corporate setting. Though these experiences are wonderful, valid, and important to a person’s relationship with God, they are NOT the point of our Salvation and walk of Faith. The Gospel is the point…. Everything we do should flow out of a thorough understanding of who Jesus Christ is, what He has done for us, and our purpose because of the gift we have been given.
The National Assemblies of God Fellowship Puts it This Way:
“A move of God which includes manifestations of the Holy Spirit, must always be welcome in the Church. Yet we must be careful to keep our focus and desire on Jesus Christ rather than on any manifestation. In our seeking we must willingly obey God’s Word in everything we do. We must also realize that when God creatively pours out His Spirit on a person in a way that is not recorded in Scripture, it is not intended to be a normative experience for either the individual or the church.
How can we
recognize a Spirit prompted and controlled manifestation? Does it bring glory
to Jesus and edify the Body? The confirmation that a spiritual experience is
real and biblical lies in the spiritual growth of the believer. Is there a
humility that lifts up Jesus? Is the believer becoming more and more like
Jesus? Are the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control—increased after a personal
experience in the presence of our Lord? These fruit will have a direct effect
on one’s testimony and will ultimately draw others to Christ.”
What Now?
It is my hope and
prayer that as The Church, we would earnestly desire all Spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1), but that we would
do so FIRST by striving to understand the POINT of our Salvation. May we press in
to the greater things of God wholeheartedly, embracing the move of the Spirit
while maintaining an eager desire to study and seek understanding of each
manifestation’s proper place in the life of the individual, and in the
functioning Corporate Body (The Church).
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