Resting in the Spirit

[kaykay]

Originally Posted by Alpha8207

You are. This is a very difficult topic for me, as is tongues. I have some dear friends that this has happened to them several times. They say, like you, that it's natural, wonderful, etc and say that it's all through scripture. I'm cautious to give it the OK or the nod of disapproval and try and just not make any judgement.

My problem with it is:

1- In scripture, it rarely(probably never) happened when it was 'supposed' to. It was spontaneous and unexpected.

2- I can't find but maybe one instance that it was something to be desired. It was usually followed by 'don't be afraid' or the people were said to tremble and it just never really looked like anything one would seek after.

Anyway, like I said, I respect your experience and can not make a judgement on something I've never been exposed to. Maybe I need to attend one of these services and see for myself.

My friends did tell me something that gave me another point of concern though....they said that it was definitely something you could resist. That you could keep yourself from falling and you could squelch the Holy Spirit in this experience. Somehow, I don't think any biblical example of this phenomena could be said likewise.

Your thoughts?

Well, Alpha, like speaking in tongues, this IS one of those spiritual experiences that I am very hesitant to mention having experienced, mentioning it in THIS venue, I mean. (I admire Hoosier_Guy for all his transparency with his life. I am not nearly that open about stuff if you know what I mean. )

But having already ventured in..."where angels fear to tread" so to speak here we go. I was raised and accepted Christ in the Baptist Church. Later in college, my husband and I attended a Bible study for college students and I heard people speaking in tongues for the first time there. Though I never knew that this occurred "today" I recognized it immediately as "speaking in tongues" as I had read about in the Bible. I'm getting off thread here.

Back to being "slain in the Spirit" let me just say that I personally, as I said, have experienced it MANY times over the years in charismatic church settings. I believe it to be a very real, rather dramatic experience when the Spirit of God is so strong physically that you are overwhelmed and fall to the floor. I think that sometimes God's presence is stronger than at other times.
At sometimes the feeling CAN be resisted, but even then, you will definitely feel it even if you don't fall down. Other times not so easily resisted.

Having said all that, let me also say that I believe this experience is real, of God, not demonic or metaphysical, not faked (though it can be) and not emotional overload or hysteria. That said, I also do NOT think you can mount a case for it based on the scripture. And because I don't think you can see it clearly in scripture, I think to "not believe in it" is certainly a reasonable stance for a Christian to assume. I DON'T necessarily think it should be "sought after." (I think you CAN make a biblical case regarding speaking in tongues, but that's another thread...already done.)

Alpha, I don't know if you like to read much, but if you do, one book I might suggest to you from one "Baptist to another" is "Surprised by the Spirit," by Jack Deere. I think it addresses some of these issues in a very thorough, intelligent way.

[Alpha8207]

Originally Posted by kaykay

Alpha, I don't know if you like to read much, but if you do, one book I might suggest to you from one "Baptist to another" is "Surprised by the Spirit," by Jack Deere. I think it addressessome of these issues in a very thorough, intelligent way.

hehehe. Before CD, I read quite a bit.

Listen, I appreciate the way you wrote that post. That's awesome. I commend you for standing up for what you believe. That post was probably the best way to explain what you feel. Thanks, kaykay!

And I'll look for that book as well.

[GausJAMS]

To me, being slain is the power of God over-taking your body. It's almost like, He puts you out, so He can touch you/Heal you/Speak to you/etc. It's a very incredible and credible thing, but nothing that people should hope for. They should hope for a real spiritual experience with the Father, not a physical experience. But, usually, a by product of being spiritually effected is having somekind of physical experience, as well. Always, always, the motives of our hearts should be to draw closer to God and experience Him, in whatever way He would choose to reveal Himself. Our eyes should look to Him, as we look through the Pastor, preacher, speaker, priest, teacher, etc.
I think it gets a bad rap, because some leaders (I even know of a Catholic priest who did this) push on people's foreheads and that isn't how it happens, legitimately.
It's the power of God and His Spirit and when it happens for real, there is no pushing, at the most a slight nudge. There is no agenda or plan or goal (shouldn't be anyway). It's like a rushing water that flows through the one person to another, but it does not (nor should not) begin with any "person", except that of the Holy Spirit.
I've experienced it and it is very real, as I know some who have experienced a faked, show of it which has reall left a wound in their heart.
It is controversial, and surely not something to become divided about. But, at the same time, it's certainly something to discover or experience for yourself when the time is right.

added: Anyone can squelch the Holy SPirit anytime they choose not to heed his leading/annointing. It can be by ending your prayer too soon (according to what God is trying to do at that moment) or thinking about a problem during Praise & Worship when your focus should be giving Glory to God - anytime one would take their eyes off Jesus, for even a split second, while the Lord is trying to minister to their heart and vice versa... But, yes, being slain can be resisted. IMHO, God isn't going to force His Glory on anyone. He wants willing vessels in which he can pour into. (that's not to say that the person who resisted isn't going to get "theirs" or that God is upset with them - He already knew where they were in their walk/heart - it just means that they could've received even more.) God is always willing to continue pouring; I think us humans are the ones who stop the flow (for all kinds of different reasons).

[yhwhshalomjr]

How sweet it is to rest in the spirit(Holy Spirit)
Where I cease from all of my fleshly longing and labor
The peace of the Lord engulfs my soul
Blocking out all of the traffic
thanks for sharing this thread
Hallelujah to the Lamb!!!
God Bless You

[pastor.o.c]

Alpha remember if Paul would not of have had the incounter he would not have wrote half of the new testament in the bible pastor o.c