Author: David Diga Hernandez
Slain in the Spirit
I, like any other minister of the gospel, have my fair share of critics. Skeptics and believers alike will speak negatively of both my message and methods. That's to be expected and I accept it without hesitation. The fact that people are "Slain in the Spirit" during the time I minister brings a good portion of the criticisms I receive. So, in love, I would like to present my Biblical view on the topic.
But before I begin to present "Why" I believe, I must be clear on "What" I believe. I mean that it's important to know what I'm defending. Communication requires clarity of terms, so let's explore a few ideas. There are many different terms coined for the manifestation of which I write: Slain in the Spirit, Falling Under the Power, overwhelmed in God's presence, etc.
Many believe that the phenomenon is either purely psychological or, on the more extreme view, demonic in nature. But before I go into defending this supernatural manifestation, I want to make it completely clear that I do not make this a priority in my ministry - the "Slain in the Spirit manifestation" is in no way central to my core beliefs about Jesus Christ. Rather than it being the primary reason for seeking God's touch, I believe it to be a side effect of God's touch. Being "Slain in the Spirit" can occur during a spiritual encounter with God, but if someone is not "Slain in the Spirit", that doesn't mean that there was no encounter with God. So I write about this simply as a response to the many questions I receive about it.
The Definitions
I want to define what I mean by "Slain in the Spirit".
Here is my definition: A temporary, physical response to a spiritual encounter with God that involves the inability to stand.
But you have to realize that there are people who fake these encounters or who simply allow themselves to fall in an almost ritualistic fashion. There's the genuine, there's the real and then there's the ritualistic. Don't confuse the three. The one of which I write is the real one - I mean the one that holds truest to the definition I presented.
Ritualistic Slain in the Spirit
You see, some people voluntarily fall out of reverence, because they sense God's presence. In some cases, it's not that they are trying to fake an experience but rather that they are, in their known traditional way, responding with respect to the presence of God. You can tell the difference between when someone falls out of reverence and when someone falls as a result of being touched by God. Someone could experience the presence of God, and, even though they re perfectly able to stand, fall out of a reverence. It's almost a tradition in Pentecostal some circles. With people who grow up in a church culture that is accepting of the "Slaying of the Spirit", sometimes, the falling over when a preacher lays hands on them becomes just as much a part of their tradition as bowing their head when they pray. In many cases, it's not that an experience is being faked, but, rather, a tradition is being upheld. I must digress to go as far as saying that these people are not deceitful or evil. Is bowing out of reverence evil? Is closing your eyes when you pray evil? Do those who practice this do so with the motive to fake an experience? The ones I'm writing of don't. And that is the "Traditional" Slain in the Spirit. For them, it is not that they are trying to fake an experience. They are simply being ritualistic as their tradition has taught. This "Ritualistic Slain in the Spirit" is not evil or deceptive; but this is not what I want to defend.
Fake Slain in the Spirit
Then, of course, as with anything good, you have those who intentionally fake the experience. Some people, when they feel absolutely nothing, act as though they are having a "Slaying Occurrence" with God, when they are not. These people, too, can be spotted in an obvious way. These are the ones who are being emotional or deceitful (sometimes a little of both). Sometimes, they are not trying to deceive others, but they are emotionally deceiving themselves. Other times, they may be so desperate for a "Slain in the Spirit" occurrence that they work themselves into a frenzy. Perhaps wanting to be regarded as "Spiritual" or perhaps being starved of attention, some people deceitfully fake a holy and pure Spiritual experience. I do not wish to defend this either.
True Slain in the Spirit
What I am specifically writing of is the genuine encounter with God that causes your physical body to react. I am writing of the effect God's presence has on an earthly vessel.
The Arguments Against Being Slain in the Spirit
So what are some of the arguments against being "Slain in the Spirit"? There are many, but I want to touch on the foundational arguments. For the most part, the arguments resemble the following:
#1 - Being "Slain in the Spirit" is Not Biblical
#2 - It Can Be Faked and Duplicated in Other Belief Systems
#3 - It's Purely an Emotional Experience and Yields No True Results - It Has No Purpose
#4 - It Brings Glory to Man, Not to God
#5 - It Leads to More Foolish Acts
So, now, I address the arguments:
#1 Being "Slain in the Spirit" is Not Biblical
"And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD."
-1 Kings 8:10,11
"They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground."
-John 18:5-6
"At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."
-Acts 26:13-14
In the instances above, those who fell at God's glory did not do so voluntarily and did not do so out of reverence. They did not faint, and they did not collapse in fear. In each of the instances above, they fell because that is what the glory and presence of God caused to happen. It is very clear, from the scriptures above, that God's manifested presence (different from the omnipresence and indwelling presence) caused the physical human body to react.
They did not fall back out of surprise. They were simply unable to stand in the presence of God.
Some would argue, "But in the Bible, they fell forward, not backward the way we see now days at so-called revivals". And they would be correct in speaking of other references besides the ones above. In the scriptures above, they fell backwards and were unable to stand. It is obvious from scripture that the manifested presence of God causes physical and emotional reactions. In the case with the priests, they were unable to stand. And would you honestly expect otherwise in God's presence? Do you really think being in the manifested presence of God would not cause a human reaction? Now THAT would be un-biblical.
But I don't even think that's the issue. The effects of God's presence on a human are both plainly seen and often seen all throughout the Old and New testament.
I don’t think your question is "Is it Biblical for a person be "slain in the spirit"? (again, remember my definition) Your real question is "Can a person be slain in the spirit through a human vessel?" I think, for the most part, that the effects of God's manifested presence are obvious. People have no problem with this. It's when we say that this manifestation can come through a human vessel that people get bothered. But we've already seen that it's God's Spirit that causes these manifestations. So look at these verses:
"That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us."
-2 Timothy 1:14
"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."
-Romans 8:9
"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."
-Romans 8:11
It is obvious that the Holy Spirit dwells in us. The Holy Spirit of God lives inside of us. And, spiritually speaking, gifts can be transferred through the laying on of hands.
"Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands."
-2 Timothy 2:16
Also, the Holy Ghost can be received through the laying on of hands.
"Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."
-Acts 8:17
So we see, from scripture, that spiritual things can be transferred and given through the laying on of hands. So spirit can be transferred through human touch. That's a whole blog in itself.
And what happens when the Holy Spirit is present? In some cases, people are unable to stand. We see the reactions to the glory of God all throughout scripture. "But you can't feel God's power; it's by faith", the critic would say. Look at this verse where Jesus felt the power of God.
"And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that oplague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?"
-Mark 5:29-30
Jesus felt the virtue go out of him. Many of you already know the translation for that word, "Virtue".
So we take Biblical principles and apply them to "Slain in the Spirit". You won't see that term in the Bible, but neither will you see "rapture" or "Bible" in the Bible. But the word expresses a principle, which we do find in scripture. This isn't twisting scripture. This is following a very basic line of foundational truths. So follow the truths.
Premise A. God Manifests His Presence
Premise B. God's Manifested Presence Sometimes Causes a Physical Reaction
Premise C. The Spirit Dwells in Us
Premise D. The Spirit Can Be Transfer Through Touch, Along with All Effect
Conclusion: Therefore, my defintion of "Slain in the Spirit" is Biblical.
Just because it's not specifically mentioned, chapter and verse, does not mean that the foundational principles for it are not. The question is not "Is it in the Bible" but "Is it in God's Nature?" And, if someone were to disagree, they would have to deny one or all of the premises above.
#2 It Can Be Faked and Duplicated in Other Belief Systems
This next argument is a rather weak one that seems to be based more-so in fear than in scripture. The argument is that because it can be faked or duplicated, it must therefore be unacceptable. But think of the concept of the anti-Christ. If Christ's identity can be faked then is Christ Himself therefore a fake? Of course not! My point is that the existence of the fake does not prove the absence of the real. In fact, the enemy duplicates all sorts of God's manifestations:
1. Moses vs. Egyptian Sorcerers
2. Prophets vs. Psychics
3. Word of Knowledge vs. Divination
4. Tongues vs. Satanic Tongues
5. Christ vs. Anti-Christ
6. Gospel vs. False Gospel
7. Church vs. Cult
8. Prayer vs. Incantation
9. Angels vs. Demons
You can counterfeit even the purest of things. This is why we are to judge with righteous judgment, according to the Holy Spirit.
"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."
-John 7:24
"For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:"
- 1 Corinthians 12:8-10
The church has been given the gift of discernment. We are to judge between the real and the fake. We have the Holy Spirit to guide us in these matters:
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
-John 14:26
In this scripture, we see the two-fold work of the Holy Spirit. He reveals and He reminds. He guides us in the new and happening. And He grounds us in the foundational truths at the same time. He is our guide in all these things. So don't let the fake discourage you from experiencing the real. Don't be afraid but trust the Holy Spirit.
Having discernment doesn't mean that everything you're uncomfortable with is wrong. Simply quoting scripture doesn't make your point correct. You have to show how your view aligns with scripture.
#3 It's Purely an Emotional Experience and Yields No True Results
Now this argument is more of an opinion than a matter that can be refuted with scripture. I have already shown that being "Slain in the Spirit" is Biblical, but, for this argument, I will use the principles already established to form my point.
It's not being Slain in the Spirit that changes an individual, just as it's not the anesthetics that help a person in surgery. The surgery is what causes real change, while the anesthetics come with the surgery. The experience of God's presence causes change, while being slain in the spirit is simply a side result. We do not seek to encounter God in order to be slain in the spirit. Rather, we seek God's presence and that results in the slaying in the spirit.
And what exactly is wrong with having your emotions touched by God? Isn't He the one who created them? Just as He has given you sight to see, He has given you emotions to feel. And every aspect of our being responds to the touch of God - intellect, physical body, spirit and even our emotions. People ask me, "Should we have an emotional experience or a true encounter with God?" But I believe that an encounter with God is, indeed, an emotional experience. Please, notice how I did NOT mean, "An emotional experience is an encounter with God." Emotion can sometimes cause a pure, holy and reverent encounter to be turned into a foolish display. But, I ,argue, that even in the midst of great emotion, God can be doing a work. Just think back on all of the foolish ways God's people responded to His presence. Washing feet with tears, dancing almost naked in front of the ark, appearing drunk, etc. It seems to me that the critics focus more on the emotional aspects of it than do those experiencing it. And I thought emotion shouldn't be the focus. You're telling me.
So, yes, emotion is involved. But that's just a side effect to what's really happening. And who are we to say it didn't cause change? What if that experience encouraged the person to keep serving the Lord? What if God did a subtle work? What if God did something deep in the individual's heart that won't manifest until later? If it were purely emotional, I would agree with the critics. But, again, realize that I'm writing about the real slain in the Spirit. It's true that some people only experience emotional hype. But that's not what I'm defending here.
#4 It Brings Glory to Man, Not to God
All throughout scripture, a consistent theme is found. God uses men. He uses former murderers, liars, fornicators, prostitutes, deceivers, thieves and rebellious men of all sorts. God uses people. There is no debate about that. It is amazing to me how weak the arguments are against "Slain in the Spirit". The Bible teaches us of the nature of God. And it is perfectly within his nature (e.g. speaking through visions, causing deep sleeps, causing trembling). It is perfectly reasonable to believe that God is involved enough to manifest His tangible presence in our lives. And it is no great leap to say that those manifestations cause physical reactions on our part.
But here are some other things that people glorify man for:
1. Preaching the Gospel
2. Praying for the Sick
3. Taking Care of Orphans
4. Teaching God's Word
5. Missionary Work
6. Taking Care of Widows
7. Tithing and Giving
8. Having Faith
9. Comforting Others
The list goes on, but I believe you get my point. Man can get glory for just about anything godly. Why did God manifest His presence in an ark? Couldn't people have started to glorify the box? Imagine that - an entire cult that followed and worshiped the box!
And why did Jesus die on a cross? Won't people worship the cross? What kind of religion would that be? (I think there's actually one like that)
So just because "The Focus" can fall on a man, does that mean we should do away with anything supernatural? You might as well just throw out all the spiritual gifts in that case. In my opinion, as long as the individual being used of God gives glory to God, the Lord will continue to use that person, even if others begin to glorify him. Should we do away with all things people glorify man for, or should we just teach the people to glorify God? Yes, glory belongs to God. And, yes, sometimes people will glorify man. But does that mean we should do away with all ministry, church work and good deeds? Of course not!
In the same way, that people sometimes glorify man for it is not a good reason at all to reject the Slain in the Spirit manifestation.
#5 It Leads to More Foolish Acts
First of all, I do not consider being "Slain in the Spirit" a foolish act. The critic says, "But what else are we going to add to God's word? If we accept this, where does it stop? Who is to say what is acceptable and what is not?" And I tell you, the Holy Spirit does. In this blog, I already showed you that the guidance of the Holy Spirit is two-fold: Reminding of foundation and revealing of truth. His job is to give revelation within foundation.
But how far will people take this? Where does it end? How can we know if something is of God or of man? And this is my conclusion: If everyone followed the voice of the Holy Spirit, we would be well. No believer doubts that. The problem only comes when people, who claim to be hearing God, actually are not hearing God. But, again, we cannot let the liars discredit those who really are experiencing God's power. How far will it go? Well, those ,who follow the Spirit, will go as far as the Spirit takes them. Those ,who follow flesh, will go as far as the flesh takes them. Anyone who is swept away by a demonic doctrine wasn't grounded in the Holy Spirit to begin with. In this case, and in response to this argument, those who are led by the Spirit are the sons of God.
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
-Romans 8:14
Please, try to understand what I mean. I am not saying that anyone who claims that they're led by the Holy Spirit is truly led by Him. I am saying, simply put, that those who are truly led are truly led. It's a simple truth, but hard to accept. Many are afraid of the implications of being "Led by the Spirit", because it leaves a great deal of room for human error. But, nevertheless, God does lead each believer personally by the Holy Spirit. So, those who are truly connected with God, will be able to discern a true move of the Holy Spirit. On that, you can either trust the scripture or not.
"For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?"
-Matthew 7:8-10
Conclusion
So, as you can see, each argument against the belief of "Slain in the Spirit" is either just an opinion or a weak argument. And, even if you put all of the weak arguments together, they just make one big, weak argument. There is nothing in the Bible against it, but everything of scripture (God's nature, Biblical principles and simple study) shows us that it's not unlike God to use such a manifestation. It's more of a stretch to argue against it and really no stretch at all to see it plainly in scripture.
Some Questions for the Critic
Now, I have some questions for the critics:
Is God’s presence not strong enough to produce this effect?
Cannot God move in this way?
Is it unlike God to move in this way?
Can you prove, Biblically, that being slain in the Spirit is NOT of God?
How do you know its not truly the Holy Spirit?
Do you reject it because of true discernment or personal discomfort?
Does believing in or experience being slain in the Spirit void someone's salvation?
Can someone know Jesus and believe in slain in the Spirit?
Would you reject Christian unity because of your disbelief in slain in the Spirit?
Is rejecting slain in the spirit central to your fundamental Christian beliefs?
May God's presence visit you.
Think About It,
David Diga Hernandez
www.DavidHernandezMinistries.com
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