The practice of being “slain in the Spirit,” also known as falling under the power, has been a controversial phenomenon in Christian circles for many years. Those who practice it believe that the Holy Spirit causes people to fall down, sometimes motionless, when someone lays hands on them and prays for them. This is often seen occurring in certain charismatic and Pentecostal church services or healing crusades. So what does the Bible say about this experience? Let’s explore the key questions around this topic.
What does “slain in the Spirit” mean?
“Slain in the Spirit” refers to the experience of falling down suddenly after someone lays their hands on you and prays for you. It is often accompanied by a sense of deep peace, feeling the presence of God, visions, or other spiritual manifestations. Those who fall down under the power usually remain on the floor anywhere from several minutes to over an hour as they experience God ministering to them in some way.
Is there any biblical basis for being slain in the Spirit?
There are a few passages in the Bible which charismatic Christians point to as examples of believers being overwhelmed by the Spirit’s power and falling down. Some of these include:
- In Genesis 15, Abraham “fell into a deep sleep” after God made a covenant with him.
- In 1 Samuel 19, Saul’s messengers and then Saul himself fall into a prophetic frenzy after encountering Samuel and his band of prophets.
- In Ezekiel 1:28 and 43:3, Ezekiel falls on his face after seeing visions of God.
- In Daniel 8:18 and 10:9, Daniel falls into a deep sleep, with his face to the ground, after receiving heavenly visions.
- In Matthew 28:4, the Roman guards at Jesus’ tomb fall over like dead men after the angel appears.
- In John 18:6, the Roman cohort falls to the ground when Jesus declares “I am he” as they try to arrest him.
- In Acts 9, Saul (Paul) falls to the ground when the resurrected Jesus appears to him on the road to Damascus.
- In Acts 10:10, Peter falls into a trance while praying on a rooftop.
Those who believe in being slain in the Spirit say these stories demonstrate the biblical concept of people falling down due to feeling the intense presence and power of God. However, there are some issues with trying to use these stories as proof texts:
- None of the biblical stories involve someone being “slain” after another person lays hands on them and prays. The catalysts were visions, trances, or direct encounters with divine/heavenly beings.
- The biblical passages focus more on the purpose of the revelations being given rather than the physical symptoms.
- Being unconscious or in a trance was not portrayed as a blessing or something to be sought after.
- The biblical passages don’t link falling down with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, healing, or other typical modern associations.
So in summary, while there are stories of people falling down due to feeling the powerful presence of God, there are some contextual differences compared to the current practice of being slain in the Spirit.
Did this happen in church history?
There is no consensus on whether or not anything resembling being slain in the Spirit occurred in Christian history before the late 19th century and the beginnings of Pentecostalism. Some modern proponents say early church leader Martin Luther experienced something similar, but the historical documentation is lacking.
The first clear documentation of this phenomenon comes from the revival meetings led by preachers like Maria Woodworth-Etter, Aimee Semple McPherson, and Smith Wigglesworth around 1900. Charles Parham and William Seymour also reported similar occurrences in the early days of the Azusa Street Revival which launched Pentecostalism. It became a common mark of their healing evangelism ministries.
However, the earlier Holiness movement and classic Pentecostals like Parham and Seymour did not see being slain in the Spirit as a doctrine or focus of their ministry. It was more of a spillover from the sense of God’s power in their meetings. So it wasn’t emphasized or seen as something all Christians should experience like it is by some today.
What are the biblical concerns about being slain in the Spirit?
While some Christians believe being slain in the Spirit is a valid experience, many evangelicals have expressed concerns about whether this practice is truly biblical. Here are some of the key issues:
- No one in the Bible explicitly “laid hands” on people to slay them in the Spirit. This seems to be a modern addition not based on a specific biblical model.
- Paul instructs order in the use of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 14, whereas being slain can disrupt church services.
- Paul described self-control as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:23, yet being slain overrides self-control.
- The Spirit gives gifts “for the common good” per 1 Corinthians 12, but being slain focuses on personal experiences.
- The biblical portraits of Revival (e.g. Acts 2) say nothing of being slain in the Spirit.
- Peter refused to let people bow down to him in Acts 10:25-26, yet being slain can glorify the person “imparting” the Spirit.
These concerns stem from patterns in the Bible that seem incongruent with some aspects of modern slaying experiences. However, those who are advocates don’t believe being slain violates any direct biblical command. It comes down to differing views on biblical precedence for the practice.
What are the potential spiritual dangers?
Some Christian apologists and discernment ministries have raised concerns that being slain in the Spirit could leave people open to spiritual deception. Some potential dangers include:
- False teachers or occult practitioners can mimic the practice and introduce false doctrine.
- People can become focused on the experiential feeling rather than truthful worship.
- Individuals can be physically injured or suffer psychological distress.
- Churches may cater more to people’s fleshly desires rather than sound teaching.
- Numbing euphoric sensations may substitute for repentance and spiritual discipline.
- People may falsely think they have received Spirit baptism because of ecstatic experiences.
- The practice can become spiritually addictive for some people.
Not everyone who believes in being slain in the Spirit would agree with all these concerns. But they do highlight how various problems could potentially emerge without careful oversight and wisdom in application.
How do continuationists explain the practice?
Continuationists are Christians who believe all the spiritual gifts, including signs and wonders, continue today. They generally acknowledge that being slain in the Spirit is a modern practice without an exact biblical model. However, they offer explanations such as:
- The Holy Spirit can move in new ways not specifically described in Scripture.
- It demonstrates the immense power and presence of God.
- It is simply one way God chooses to touch people’s lives today.
- It helps remove personal barriers to receiving from God.
- Falling down can represent humility before God.
- It brings healing, refreshing, and breakthroughs.
Continuationists emphasize proper order and pastoral oversight to ensure there is accountability and wisdom in practice. But they do not dismiss the validity of the experience outright based on lack of direct biblical precedent.
How do cessationists refute the practice?
Cessationists are Christians who believe the miraculous spiritual gifts like healings, tongues, and prophecy ceased with the closing of the biblical canon. They refute being slain in the Spirit and other modern charismatic practices on the following grounds:
- It depends on a flawed continuationist view of the gifts still being active.
- The Bible never connects the baptism of the Spirit with being slain.
- No one in the Bible laid hands to “impart” the Spirit in this way.
- The ecstatic feelings are not necessarily from God but natural psychological factors.
- It exalts experience over Scripture as the authority for faith.
- The practice originates from faulty theology about post-conversion Holy Spirit baptism.
- Raising people off the floor falsely claims to “impart” the Spirit.
Cessationists see no sound exegetical basis for this practice. They believe doctrinal errors behind continuationism open the door to unbiblical teachings and manipulative spiritual experiences.
How should Christians think about this practice?
With biblical, theological, historical, and pastoral issues at stake, how should Christians today approach being slain in the Spirit?
First, it must be acknowledged that there are sincere, godly Christians on both sides of this issue. Biblical arguments can be made to question the validity, but also to allow the possibility theologically. As such, Christians should exercise humility and charity when discussing it with brothers and sisters who see things differently.
Second, Christians should look carefully at the fruit and results of this practice. If being slain is bringing true repentance, godliness, faith, and understanding of the Scriptures, then it suggests the Spirit is genuinely at work. But if it leads to disruption, confusion, exaggeration, and ungodliness, then that raises cautions.
Third, churches should provide sound teaching on the work of the Holy Spirit from Scripture. This will equip Christians to use biblical discernment to identify potential excess and abuses of a practice even if they believe it has some validity in theory.
Lastly, Christians can prepare themselves to explain their perspectives graciously when asked about this controversial practice. Weighing the various pastoral, historical, biblical, and theological points is key for shedding light in a confused area.
In conclusion, the issue of being slain in the Spirit is complex with various perspectives among believers. Seeking unity in primary doctrines while allowing for different views among secondary issues strikes the right balance. When in doubt, focusing on the clear instructions and principles of Scripture provides clarity amid the uncertainty.