Have you been "Slain in the Spirit"

No. It's not Biblical.

I used to believe in it when I got caught up in the WoF cult as a new Christian. Thank God for getting me out of there.

I like GotQuestion.org's explanation. That's a great site. I plagiari....er, I mean consult them all the time. What they say about enemies of God falling backward, while the people of God fall forward is true, but it's not exactly a compelling argument.

 

I don't buy it. If it's truly the Holy Spirit's power, you don't need a preacher to push them back.

 

Especially when you have the Spirit pulling them to their feet....

Then He said to me, "Son of man, stand on your feet that I may speak with you!" And as He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me.
Ezekiel 2:1-2 NAS77
　
The Spirit then entered me and made me stand on my feet, and He spoke with me and said to me, "Go, shut yourself up in your house.
Ezekiel 3:24 NAS77

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What she said!

 

A couple of decades back I attended a small Charismatic church revival in which Jesse Duplantis was preaching. I was open-minded to the possibility that it was genuine at the time and I went forward with a specific problem to pray about. No one ever asked what my prayer concern was. The preacher anointed me with oil and laid hands on me but in spite of the pushing and the mighty exhortations to surrender, I did not fall out. I was not being stubborn, nor was I there to prove anyone wrong. In fact I made a point of surrendering to whatever the Holy Spirit chose to do and thus not resisting, but I was not going to fake anything either.

That said, there have been times at an Alter where God answered prayers in startling fashion. One example is about a year prior to that I was instantly healed of a very fresh nervous breakdown when a dear Elder who I know is a sincere man of God prayed for me and with me. But I have never been “slain in the spirit” and even when I was a Pentecostal I saw it an unnecessary and unfortunate diversion from what our focus should have been during those times of prayer. And yes, God has answered prayers in less instant fashion though just as startling, after praying and surrendering issues at a Baptist “alter”.

 

I haven't. I am skeptical that those things happen today.

 

Sometimes people slay me.

Sometimes the Spirit overwhelms me.

But this? No.

 

I once saw a Japanese "master" of kikoh (called chi gung in Chinese) on TV . This is the Taoist art of training the chi (Taoist inner strength), mostly through breathing exercises. At any rate, this guy waved his hands and all his followers fell over, much like the "slain in the Spirit" practice. However, those who were not the "master's" disciples were not affected at all.

I suspect the same thing occurs in the Charismatic version. If you really believe in the practice and that the "evangelist" has the "power" you'll fall over when he waves at you. But it's certainly not Biblical. Maybe it's like way back when the Beatles came to America and a bunch of young girls fainted just to be near them.