Slain in the Spirit
The idea that a person who is slain in the spirit should fall to the ground and wallow and mutter is not Biblical. The reason God gives us His Spirit is to restore in us His image-not to rob us of all dignity and self control. “For God is not the author of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33).
God is not a being who either has in Himself or produces disorder, disunion, discord, or confusion. The true worship of God will not result in disorder of any kind. No one who is submissive to the leading of the Holy Spirit will be called to engage in scenes of disorder and confusion.
The worshiper will be ready to express his love and gratitude to God in prayer and testimony, but he will express it with seriousness, tenderness, and a genuine respect for the maintenance of order in the house of God, and not with a desire to interrupt and disturb the dignified worship of God.
The idea that Christians lose control when they receive the Spirit is not in harmony with Scripture. For “the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets” (1 Corinthians 14:32). True prophets had control over their own minds and could speak or remain silent at will. Inspiration does not take away individuality and free choice. The human agent expresses, in his own way and thought, the truths that have been revealed to him.
The pagan prophets of Baal on mount Carmel jumped, moaned and cut themselves. By contrast, Elijah quietly knelt and prayed reverently (1 Kings 18:17-46). When Jesus healed the berserk, demon-possessed man by the sea, the man was seen later “sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind” (Luke 8:35). God gives the faithful the spirit of sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7) that is, good sense that keeps faithful Christians from the extremes of fanaticism and wrong practices.
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
