BIBLE
DIGEST - Number 67
January
1997
"SLAIN" IN WHAT SPIRIT?
By Allon Maxwell
|
In Pentecostal
Churches it is common to see people who answer an altar call for prayer, fall
to the ground under the influence of an experience which is called by such
names as "Slain in the Spirit", or "Falling under the
Power". Whilst under
the influence of the "spirit" causing the phenomenon, people
sometimes "speak in tongues", or laugh or jerk uncontrollably, or
just lie still in a trance. Some claim healing from sickness. Others report
visions. Others claim to wake with a new hunger for prayer, Bible reading, or
other spiritual exercises. Some even claim to have been called and empowered
with "spirit gifts" for "ministries" of various sorts. Usually the
experience lasts just few minutes. However, for some it has been known to
continue for hours, and in rare cases, for a day or more. There is no
doubt that these people experience something ....... But is it from God? WHAT IS IT? To a casual
observer, It looks very much like fainting. However it is not
anything so relatively harmless as fainting. Nor is it new!
Amongst Pentecostals, it dates back to the beginning of this century where it
made its appearance amongst the excesses at Azusa Street. And before that it
was a feature of the more abandoned "revivals" of the 19th century. A recognisable
form of the same thing is also found in some PAGAN religions, such as Voodoo. THE PUSH Amongst the
less accomplished practitioners, it is nothing more than a well-timed PUSH in
the middle of a "prayer". I have seen that happen. Indeed, on one
occasion when we had a visiting preacher who we had formerly trusted, I have
stood behind people as they were prayed for, and when the expected push came,
I pushed back, holding them up to prevent them from falling! (We haven't
invited that visiting preacher back!) THE
"CATCHERS" Some churches
increase the level of expectancy by having "catchers" standing
behind the "prayer line". And it is not uncommon to see the
"catchers" with towels draped over their arms, which are used to
cover up the nakedness of women who fall in "indelicate" positions!
(Can we really believe that the God who made those coverings for Adam and
Eve, could possibly be the author of a "spiritual experience" which
causes a woman to fall in such an embarrassing way?) HYPNOTISM The
"best" of them use a very subtle form of audience manipulation and
suggestion, which is nothing more or less than HYPNOTISM! It works best
in a large crowd, who have come in preconditioned expectation of the
spectacular, are WILLING TO BE DECEIVED, and who have been made receptive by
lots of singing, loud preaching, (and perhaps some "worship" in
tongues). It all opens the mind to suggestion. In the more susceptible victims,
it becomes very easy for the miracle working preacher to induce a deep
trance like state of "altered consciousness". Crowd
manipulation doesn't always happen only in "Christian" circles!
Hitler and other famous figures have all used their own versions of the same
techniques! It depends for
its success, on the ignorance of the majority about the real nature of
hypnotism and the power of suggestion made to receptive minds. It depends
also on the willingness of an audience to abandon control of their minds into
the hands of the manipulator. (And how can we believe that
comes from the God who commands us to worship Him alone
with ALL our mind?) Sadly, suggestions
to the victims that their "spiritual experience" is not from God,
but merely a very subtle and little recognised form of hypnotism, are usually
angrily rejected! THE OCCULT
DIMENSION However not all
of it can be written off so easily and casually, as merely the power of
suggestion. In a few cases there may well be another dimension, which is even
less understood than hypnotism. It is more than
possible that in some of the more "powerful" practitioners, there
may be a real power, which is very definitely NOT from God, but
instead belongs in the realm of the occult. Whatever it is,
it is amongst those things that God calls "abomination". (Deuteronomy 18:9-12) A CASE HISTORY I know of one
case where the person concerned acquired an appetite for the experience, and
a conditioned reflex, from some Pentecostals who are NOT on our
list of respected "ministries"! After their
"ministry", she was left with an embarrassing "falling
reflex" which occurred every time she came to church! And the original
problem for which they "ministered" to her, was still with her! In that case
God did reveal His Power! But it was not in the falling! It was in His
gracious answer to her prayer which confessed the need, forsook the
association which caused it, and asked that she be set free from the
"falling reflex". IS THERE ANY
BIBLICAL JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS PENTECOSTAL EXPERIENCE? I certainly
don't think so. It cannot be found anywhere in the Bible. However
Pentecostals tend to seize upon any and every reference they can find about
people falling asleep or falling on their faces. e.g. Abraham in Genesis 15:12 & Genesis 17:3, and Paul in Acts 9:4. These, we are
told, are the same thing as this modern Pentecostal "falling under the
power"! I have even heard the scripturally destitute claim that Eutychus
(Acts 20:9) was probably "under the
power"! (To what incredible and illogical lengths the deceived will go
in their endeavours to hold on to their deception!) You and I both
know (I hope) that these claims are a blatant abuse and distortion of the
passages concerned. However, amongst the UNREPENTANT who are willing to be
deceived (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)
that suggestion is likely to attract less than friendly reactions! Sadly,
that group seems to include most Charismatics. THE REAL
PROBLEM We must not
concentrate unduly on the deceiving experience. That must be regarded as only
a symptom of a deeper spiritual need. In John 14:15-17, Jesus did say that real
spiritual experience is reserved for those who love Him and obey
Him. Peter repeated that in Acts 5:32.
And Paul said it again in 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12! The real source
of deception is always lack of adequate
repentance and obedience ! Not the least
by far, of the many of those obedience problems, is the ego trip
of appearing to perform miracles, and the attractiveness of "having all
men speak well of us" and bow down to our
"authority" and superior "spiritual power". (Luke 6:26) THE REAL ANSWER If, instead of
concentrating on debate about the "Scriptural
validity" of the "supernatural" experience, we spent more time
evaluating the quality of repentance in those who claim the experience, we
would have a much clearer vision of their real spiritual need. Let the Sermon
on the Mount be our standard! Of course, in
order to have that clear vision of the real needs of others, we will also
first need to get the beam out of our own eyes! Otherwise, we too may well
expose ourselves to the same risk of deception! That is a possibility which
we ignore at our peril. JESUS SAID SO! (Matthew 24:24) Don't expect a
lot of success with convincing charismatics about this. It isn't always easy
to convince even the elect that they are in danger, until they have been
burnt a little! Only those who
search for God with ALL their heart are guaranteed success in their search. CONCLUSION By and large,
the Charismatic movement repeats the serpent's lie to Eve. "You shall
be like God". (Genesis
3:5) It promises the power of God without some
adequate measure of the holiness of God. Although it
uses the words "repentance" and "holiness" it denies both
their real meaning and the true Gospel which begins with the words "Repent,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17) It is my prayer
for all of you, who seek to know more about the gifts of the Holy Spirit,
that God will keep your eyes open to the dangers of false Charismatic
experience. "By their fruit you shall know them."
(Matthew 7:20) |