“Slain in the Spirit”

Is it Scriptural, or is it something else?

By Larry S. Oxenham

Numbers 22:27

“And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.”

In the original Hebrew the word fell is (rabats), this word translation means to crouch or to lie down. In no instance does it mean an involuntary falling backward. To use this passage as support for such events is taking liberties above and beyond what can “honestly” be justified. The donkey simply crouched down or lay down under Balaam because of what she saw. She did not fall backward, nor is there anything here that would allow this event to be used to support such actions in the Church. It’s ridiculous to say this proves we can fall down backward in the Church.

Genesis 17:3

“And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,”

Joshua 5:14

“And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?”

Ezekiel 1:28

“As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.”

Here we have three people going down to the ground in reverence for God. This was a voluntary act of obeisance or respect in total submission not being knocked down by the Spirit or being put to sleep. In the application of Hebrew wording there is a more detailed or specific meaning upon the use of certain words. In this case the word (naphal) would need to be inserted to give the inference of falling backward. Through out the Scriptures we see that when an individual came into the presence of God’s Spirit they dropped to their knees or go down on their face in reverence to the Living God of Israel. They never fall backward in reverence. Search as you will but you won’t find one single solitary case of anyone falling backward under the power of God as a sign of “Blessing”. Scripture tells us that they fell on their faces, which is a synonym for going down to their knees to kneel and bow in fear and reverence to the All Mighty God of Israel. Reading ones own views into the Scriptures are a formula for disaster and can open one up to receive the doctrines of demons.

Matthew 17:5-6

“While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

“And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.”

Luke 17:16

“And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.”

Here again, just what was in the Old Testament passages is happening in the New Testament they are both bearing witness to the truth about what happened to anyone who came into God’s presence. The Apostles ALL fell on their faces in fear and reverence. They never fell backward in judgment.

Revelation 7:11

“And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,”

Revelation 11:16

“And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,”

To suggest that these verses out of the Book of Revelation depict someone being slain in the Spirit is an insult to the Spirit Himself and would be laughable if it wasn’t so serious a false doctrine. These verses from Revelation actually prove the opposite. Falling on ones face before God is a voluntary act of total submission in reverence to God. It is NOT the anointing of the Spirit. There is no Scriptural backing for the falling backward as a blessing for anyone found in the Bible anywhere.

Acts 9:3-4

“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?”

When we look at the Middle East today and the war raging there, it is not uncommon to see a soldier fall to his knees in surrender to his enemy. Some have even been pictured going down on their faces in a gesture of total surrender and submission and fear. We saw this in the Gulf war and in Afghanistan of late. So, how much more would it be that when Saul encountered a bright light and heard a voice coming from heaven that he would fall to his knees in fear? I don’t know anyone who would not do the same when confronted by the Living God of Israel. But this has nothing to do with being slain in the Spirit. Saul was coming in contact with Almighty God and was in terror for his life. There are many instances where a person has fallen to his knees or even to his face when coming into the presence of the Lord of all Creation in the Old Testament. A man falling to the ground in fear has nothing to do with being slain in the Spirit, but rather it has everything to do with his knowledge of his frailty before a great power, or that he is in the presence of the Almighty God of Israel, the Great “I AM”.

When we look at all of these Scriptures in context which are trying to use in an attempt to support their actions, we can only humbly conclude that not one single passage supports this unbiblical phenomenon. It is a case of one grasping at straws in order to try and rationalize ungodly actions. In none of the verses we have reviewed was there anyone “falling down backward” because of anything that happened during a worship service or Church gathering. In fact, there was no falling down PERIOD; there was a voluntary falling to their face in reverence and fear, that’s it. “Mary saw a vision, and fell to her knees in prayer.” For anyone to take from this statement that not only did Mary fall down backward, but that this gives us license to do this in the Church, is nothing short of ludicrous. These men in Scripture did not lose their senses. They were not jerking or twitching or laughing or growling like a lion or barking like a dog or clucking like a chicken. No, they were in fear and reverence and in an attitude of worship.

The only time a person has ever fallen backward after I spoke to them was a person that was demonically possessed. And I believe that the Lord was doing two things. First He was taking control of the person and judging the situation (the evil spirit inside the person). And secondly I believe He was letting me know that He was there with me to sustain me and protect me from the evil spirit in that person. After about two and a half hours of praying for that individual with another brother by my side the evil spirit(s) left the person. We both were in awe of what Jesus Christ had done and a fear of reverence fell upon us. There was no tap dancing only a sense of our own weakness outside of Christ to deal with a power that was so much greater than we were.

I love to pray for people, but I would never want to turn simple prayer into a three ringed circus where the show takes precedence over the message of salvation and our need to confront our sin. God doesn’t want us to check our brains at the door. He wants us to worship Him in spirit and in truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help us God.

In Conclusion:

Many shall come in Jesus name claiming to be anointed of God and slaying many willing Christians, having them fall backwards under the power they weld. But ask yourself this question: “If this power is not coming from God then where is it coming from and even worse who is it coming from?” I have wrestled with this issue long and hard and am convinced that it is just one more sign that Jesus is coming soon. Paul warned young pastor Timothy that in the latter (end) times some would depart from the faith and give heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. Look around you and you will quickly see that Paul’s words to Timothy need to be applied to our hearts today. In the end when all is said and done we are encouraged to STAND for Christ not fall backward for Him. As it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” I don’t want to hurt any of my brothers and sisters in Christ, or see them being hurt and led astray by what they think is real. As I said earlier I have wrestled with this whole thing for many years and it has troubled my spirit. Please pray about this issue and please pray for me. It is never easy confronting fellow believers whom you love in Christ, but I felt that I could not remain true to Christ and just ‘wink’ at what I have witnessed going on in His Church of late. As a famous man once said, “In order for evil to prosper righteous men need do nothing.”

Benny Hinn has said that if anybody criticizes him he wants, "to get a Holy Ghost machine gun and blow their head off!" 

Quoted from John MacArthur speaking of Hinn.