Falling mystically or forcefully?

In many charismatic services, preachers claim that their message is authenticated and verified when people are “slain in the spirit.”

What does this phrase mean?

The phrase describes what many believe to be “a touch from God” that overtakes a person and sends them falling to the ground. Those who defend such practices claim it is God manifesting His presence during a church service that causes people to fall over.

People who are slain in the spirit often roll around on the floor, making animal sounds, convulsing, weeping, launching, shaking and experiencing a trance-like euphoria. Some even claim to feel some kind of electricity when the pastor touches them.

All of these experiences are being attributed to the work of the Holy Spirit as they claim He spiritually “refreshes” and “renews” broken and empty people.

However, there are conflicting claims concerning those being slain in the Spirit. It is difficult to justify the practice due to varying theories and confusion about the topic. Some claim that being slain in the Spirit is an experience resulting from the manifest presence of God the Father. Others say it is Jesus who does the slaying, while most charismatics assert that it is the Holy Spirit who is the force behind slaying people by His touch.

According to some, the only people who need to be filled with the Spirit are those who are “empty” (weak in the faith), and to get filled, they must be slain in the Spirit. Others state that it is only the overwhelming manifestation of God touching human flesh that leads to this experience and is entirely spontaneous, regardless of the level of faith.

But what evidence is there biblically to support the idea that the Holy Spirit causes people to shake, shout, laugh, bark, crawl, or convulse in the church? Do we have instances in scripture where God interacts with people and they get electrocuted? Or where do we find people that are led by the Spirit into a drunken state where their speech is unclear and the body moves uncontrollably?

It is possible that some of these charismatic experiences have a lot in common with demonic manifestations of “being slain” found in other pagan religions. Where do we draw the line between what is of God and what is not?

Didn’t Jesus slain a group of people in the New Testament?

We find in John 18:5–6 a scene at the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus faced Judas (His betrayer) and a crowd of soldiers, chief priests and Pharisees who had come to arrest Him. As soon as Jesus revealed to them who He is by saying to them, “I am He,” the crowd drew back and fell to the ground.

Some charismatic teachers incorrectly interpret this verse to justify being slain in the Spirit. However, this moment was not about a mystical experience but was intended to reveal Jesus’ divine authority, the power of His word, and His identity as the “I AM.” It also foreshadowed the ultimate submission of all creation to Him, while emphasizing His willing obedience to the Father’s redemptive plan.

Moreover, based on the details of this scene, it is evident that this verse cannot justify being slain, because of the following:

1. His enemies were not believers, but unbelievers.
2. They were not anointed by Him nor were they filled with the Holy Spirit.
3. There was no euphoric encounter or manifestation of God’s glory by barking, shaking, convulsing, or sobbing.
4. There is no mention of any of them being healed while lying on the ground.
5. There was no evidence that their hearts had changed.

We cannot remove the contextual application of this text to simply describe or teach a certain practice. What Jesus did and how the mob responded offers no support for modern day practices such as being slain in the Spirit.

Additionally, other biblical instances where individuals fall to the ground, such as Saul’s encounter on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3–4) or John’s vision in Revelation 1:17, involve unique, direct encounters with the divine and are not presented as normative experiences for all believers.

Therefore, while the Bible records instances of individuals falling in response to divine encounters, these are specific events that do not provide a prescriptive basis for the practice of being slain in the Spirit as observed in some contemporary charismatic circles. It’s crucial to interpret such passages within their proper context and not to generalize them as standard experiences for all believers.

“What Happens When People Are ‘Slain in the Spirit’?

Here are five reasonable explanations summarized from Costi W Hinn’s book Defining Deception, where he talks about his 26 year experience of witnessing those being slain in the Spirit.

Reason #1: Peer pressure

There is a lot of pressure placed upon the believer at some of the worship experiences wherein it is impressed upon the people to fall when touched by the pastor.

Some people fall because they don’t want their pastor to feel or look bad. Others fall because it is widely believed that there is something wrong with them if they don’t ‘feel’ God’s presence or display some sort of manifestation.

Costi Hinn states;

“Sadly, kids end up being the biggest loser in this forced behavior as they seek to please and soon are brainwashed into the system. In many cases, people see others falling and just follow suit. Finally, it is common for seekers who come to these services to think they have to fall down in order to get the experience that the preacher is promising.”

Reason #2: The Power of Suggestion

The power of suggestion is a form of hypnosis that is used to make complete strangers do whatever the hypnotist commands.

Costi Hinn states;

“This isn’t news to those with an understanding of psychology and social science, but many Christians are still unaware that many charismatic extremists who slay people in the spirit are experts at hypnotic suggestion and psychological manipulation. Three hours of sensual and soothing music, countless bursts of saying, “Jesus is here! He is going to touch you! You are going to feel something you’ve never felt before! Just receive it!” gets people in the mood. Then, they are ripe for manipulation.”

Reason #3: People actually want to fall down

Many followers of these movements admit to falling down because they only wanted a deeper connection with God and the anointing their spiritual leaders promise. They fall in hope and expectation of a spiritual experience.

Reason #4: People Are Faking It

Costi Hinn states;

“I [Costi] have personally interacted with friends, family, and followers who have faked it. By the grace of God people who don’t grow up in charismatic chaos like I have don’t have any idea this happens. But when you grow up with a special anointing service every week and it lasts 4 hours at a time—you start falling just to get it over with.”

Reason #5: Being Slain in the Spirit is Demonic

Now if being Slain in the spirit isn’t one of the 4 reasons as stated above then the only other explanation is that there is something demonic behind the practice.

This may sound harsh or absurd but see the following statement from Cost Hinn;

Can a false teacher, teaching a false gospel, and being used by Satan (2 Cor 11:13–15), lay hands on a person seeking God and cause them to experience the true Holy Spirit? No.

Spiritual beings are real and their powers in this world are real. Now, demonic powers cannot compete with God’s power, but when a person opens himself or herself up to demonic influence, should we be surprised that the devil takes advantage of that opportunity?”

“At best, well-meaning people are seeking an encounter with God in the wrong way through the wrong means and will end up confused and disappointed. At worst, desperate people and apostates are being overtaken by hypnosis, the power of suggestion, demonic forces, or a false spirit that they believe to be the Holy Spirit.”

If it doesn’t match the Bible, isn’t found in the Bible, or can’t be truly backed up by proper interpretation of the Bible, you’re not missing out on anything. The Holy Spirit is accessible today through the power of the Gospel, and He exists to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, not to put on His own show (John 16:14–15). If people surrender to Christ, embrace the true work of the Spirit in their life, and submit to the Bible as sufficient and final revelation, being slain in the spirit becomes irrelevant. No matter what a person’s position is on spiritual gifts today, all discerning Christians can confidently say, “I’ll pass” when it comes to being slain in the spirit.”

Excerpts in quotation taken directly from the book Defining Deception by Costi W Hinn.