Greg Morgan asks: Based on your last questions about the Spirit, is being slain in the Spirit/falling back biblical? If not, then what does the Holy Spirit do? While I can now agree that there are no verses about shaking, there are alot of verses of people falling. Thanks!

Hi Greg, 

As far as what the Holy Spirit does, the Holy Spirit convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:7-8). He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows gifts which allow men to serve God through His church (Galatians 5:22-25, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11). He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the heart of a Christian, is the guarantee that God will bring that believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ (Philippians 1:6). It is important to understand that these statement are accepted by all Christians in general as essential Christian doctrine. Anything other than this, is usually heavily debated.

As far as Christians falling back or being slain in the Spirit when being prayed for, is another practice that cannot be backed by scripture. The Bible as a whole, does not contain nor teach, a ministry of people catching others who are being prayed for. Instead, this practice is usually defended by applying verses that speak of non-believers falling (as they were terrified of God) or verses where Believers fell on there faces "as if dead". 

In the first argument of comparing verses of non-believers falling (due to being terrified of God), to Christians falling backwards after being prayed for, is an application that simply does not work. Forcing this kind of interpretation, also forces the understanding that the people who practice being slain/falling are under God's judgment (as we know God was not blessing non-believers with His presence). Here is an example of a verse wrongfully used in defense of Christians being slain in the Spirit/falling backwards. 

John 18:5-6 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

In the second argument of Believers falling on their faces "As if dead" (found in places like Revelation 1:17, Ezekiel 1:28, Daniel 8:17-18, Daniel 10:7-9), are extremely different than what is modernly practiced as "slain in Spirit". 

In other words, while the biblical fallings were a person’s reaction to what he saw in a vision or an event beyond the ordinary, in the unbiblical practice of being slain in the Spirit, the person responds to another person's touch, or motion. While the biblical fallings show people falling on their faces, the unbiblical practice of being slain carries a new ministry of people who are to catch the people falling or being slain. While the biblical falling instances happened few and far in between, and occurred rarely in the lives of just a few people, in the unbiblical practice of being slain, the instances are quite common.  They happen a plethora of times to those who practice it.

Again, this is a secondary issue. It can be debated in a healthy manner, and should not cause division unless it becomes dangerous. Hope this helps. 

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

Comments: 

Eli Perez: It should be pretty simple to understand. In my church if someone gets hurt, its not from the Spirit. If nobody gets hurt, then it is.

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: Hi Eli. That is actually a pretty dangerous doctrine to practice. The gift of discernment in the Bible doesn't work by separating who gets hurt and who doesn't. Instead, that doctrine can easily lead to a hefty lawsuit. That is the exact doctrine applied in the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus' (the church in Kentucky that practices picking up poisonous snakes). When people are bitten and suffer sickness or death, they are said to have been in sin. In cases where people hold to this view, we would consider separation.

Holly Francis: That is definitely not discernment. You can't wait for someone to get hurt in order to see if something is from the Spirit or not. That is ridiculous. 

Eli Perez: In our church, we haven't had anyone get hurt. I'm just pointing out that if someone gets hurt, then it's because it was not of the Spirit. You pointed out correctly that catching people wasn't biblical, but that is why we have catchers, so people don't get hurt and sue.

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: Eli, if your view were correct, why would you need "catchers"? Wouldn't you trust the Holy Spirit to allow people to fall without getting hurt?

Eli Perez: I guess you kind of have a point if people in the Bible were falling on their faces. This happens in our church a lot, so I guess we never questioned these things.

Greg Morgan: In our church they practice both the shaking in the Spirit, and being slain. Thanks for the answer. I am currently studying these topics, and you have definitely opened my eyes from what I was actually being taught. Thanks for letting God use you! God Bless you.

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: Thanks Greg. Glad we were able to help. God bless you.

Frank Velez: I don't agree one bit. You guys are hindering the  power of the Holy Spirit. 

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: Hi Frank, can you kindly provide us verses that show us where we are wrong? 

Holly Francis: Thanks for defending the Truth guys. I will keep you in my prayers. 

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: Thanks Holly. God bless you.

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.