Manifestaions of The Spirit

[The Bearen]

When people get filled with the Holy Spirit , I was wondering are manifestations always follow i.e shaking , falling down on the floor, or even the term being drunk in the Spirit.

Are there clear examples of scripture of any of these manifestations.

This topic is a hot potatoe amoung believers.

At the same time how can we know what is of the Lord as the bible also warns of spiritual deception in the last days.

At times when people laid hands on me I am not sure if I was genuine or was it due to the pressure as everyone else was falling I would feel out of place not to.

[thebibleboy22]

Hi The Bearen,


It says in the Bible that the LORD will do nothing unless he shows it to his servants the prophets. There is nothing remotely like what we see in some charismatic/pentecostal churches in the Bible (this is not an attack on charismatics or pentecostals at all). God foretold none of these things that are being seen today. They are false manifestations - either of someones own will.......or perhaps more (but that's another topic).
Shaking, falling down, laughing uncontrolably, being 'drunk' in the Spirit..........these are not of the LORD. I mean Paul said how prudent people should be in church. He even spoke out against more than one speaking in tongues at a time, lest an unbeliever walk in and think they are out of their mind. So I hardly think Paul would advocate people writhing on the ground, laughing uncontrollably, barking, oinking, acting drunk.............I have no doubt this type of thing has turned unbelievers away from church.
I could get really really deep into this subject as it has been something I understand very well and have seen first hand - but i don't want to make this a 50 paragraph post . :laugh

For instance, falling backwards when someone touches another person (ala Benny Hinn). In the Bible, often times, people would fall on their face in worship to God willfully, but NEVER did they fall backwards out of their control. In fact falling backwards seems to be a sign of condemnation in the Bible. When the soldiers came to arrest Christ and they asked if he was Jesus of Nazareth, and he said ' I AM'. Some of the guards fell backwards. There is no passage in the Bible that shows believers falling backwards because someone touched them as you see in Benny Hinn crusades etc. This is not of God. I would say it is primarily a human emotional reaction and a physiological thing to an extent to. Sometimes it may be more than that.

We need to stand on the Bible alone and reject everything else. It is not recorded in the word and in fact it goes against the word. How could laughing uncontrollably be of the Spirit when one of the fruits of the Spirit is self control?


I could go on and on, but I'll stop :D:

These things are not of God, rely on scripture alone - if it was real God would have revealed it to his prophets. If we go outside of the word of God we will walk right into deception everytime, and in these last days since pentecost...deception abounds.


Let us strengthen and encourage eachother and point out false doctrines to eachother so that we don't get carried away by doctrines of demons.


God bless!!

brent

P.S. remember how Simon the Sorcerer wanted to pay the apostles so that he could 'give the Holy Spirit' to anyone he touched? The Spirit is not someone to be flaunted around, like touching people so they'll start laughing or falling backwards. etc. He is the gift of God to us, not something for us to weild like some mystical force , or some energy that we can throw around and knock people over with.

[gzusrulzme]

I can agree with you bibleboy. I have been a part of a pentecostal/charismatic church since childhood. I have witnessed it all--the laughing phenomena really scared me. I stopped going to that church as a result. It just wasn't right to me somehow?

I have witnessed a weak feeling, like my knees shake and I feel like I just want to fall down in worship. I usually only experience this feeling when this certain very old sweet lady is praying with me. She knows somehow what is going on with me--I dont know how really, its just that she understands and prays with me. When she begins to pray out to the Lord, I can truly feel it. I know that our message is being sent priority! I have had the moments that I just want to shout out how much I love Jesus, but I dont jump, run, scream, wail, and fall either. I have been told that maybe I am just "holding back". But I dont think so. I have a connection with my Jesus, He knows me. He knows that I want to praise Him and how much I love Him. I express my love in many ways to Him--but if I dont fall down, that doesn't mean that His spirit isn't touching me. You know where im coming from?


My mother can speak in tongues, I cant. My friend can interpret them, I cant. I can however "feel' what a person is going through. I can tell when they desperately are seeking the Lord, I can tell when someone is "hungry" for the word. I can feel their sadness. I pray for people, and thats what I can do. I listen to the word, and I study the word. I dont in any way say that what they do is not right--but some of it, doesn't feel right. I still love them all just the same.
:):

[antsinmypants]

When one finds salvation, they are already filled with the HS.

G-d can endow us with more knowledge and strength in Him, but I find it hard to believe that one can be full on one day and empty of Him on another, since we are under a renewed covenant, where Joel and the other prophets prophesied that we will be filled of the Holy Spirit..

Filled as in Full.
Filled as in "my cup runneth over".

Galatians & Ephesians 5..

We show our "Manefestation" by our fruit.

[KrispyKritter]

I've seen it all... used to go to a WOF Charismatic church when I was first saved.

Funny thing happened... I started seriously studying the Word for myself... and I have long since renounced all of that junk.

I believe many (not all... some are fake) "manifestations" are satanic.

[Wileyzmuse]

Originally posted by The Bearen
When people get filled with the Holy Spirit , I was wondering are manifestations always follow i.e shaking , falling down on the floor, or even the term being drunk in the Spirit.

Are there clear examples of scripture of any of these manifestations.



Hi Berean, I've never heard of the 'drunk in the spirit' one, but of course 'divine laughter' and 'slain in the spirit' are talked about.

The book of Acts definitely sets the precedent for the Holy Spirit 'coming upon' believers. During that time, the Bible describes various things, including (1) speaking in tongues (2) praising God (3) preaching the Word of God boldly. There is the account of Stephen who went to meet with the authorities, and his face 'shone that like of an angel.' I know that I've seen a person whose face was so alight that I could barely stand to look, but couldn't look away.

A manifestation of the Spirit of God, imo, will always glorify God and not man. I don't want to say whether God uses this or that particular manifestation, because our ways are not His ways (Isaiah 55:8 I believe.) His thoughts are above our thoughts, etc.

I believe that God can manifest himself any way He chooses (a burning bush that speaks is pretty outrageous, wouldn't you say?! Or a farm animal that talks.) God is big, and Mighty, and sometimes He causes a stir.

1. Does it strengthen or edifty the believer/church?
2. Does scripture deny or prohibit this type of behavior or situation?
3. Would it cause others to stumble if they witness it?
4. Is Jesus Lord there?
5. Do the people seek a sign or seem to need something visible to happen to believe?

I dunno, just some thoughts. We do need to be courageous and test all things.

YSIC,
Patricia

[KrispyKritter]

Having been in that movement... all I can say is that being drunk in the "Spirit", or barking like animals, or "holy" laughter... only brings attention to the person doing it. It demands the attention of everyone there.