Wake up, Church: This may startle you, but the Holy Spirit doesn’t cause people to fall. The Holy Spirit is not violent or wild; it does not cause people to pass out, laugh, and thrash around violently, as you see people doing today.

Created: Thursday, January 25, 2024

Startling: The Holy Spirit Doesn’t Cause People To Fall

STM Bible Snack

2 Corinthians 11:4 [read 2 Corinthians 11:1-4 (4)]: You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. (NLT); KJV: For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Jesus warned us about false prophets

Matthew 24:24 [read Matthew 24:15-28 (24); compare Matthew 24:3-14 (11); Mark 13:3-23 (22); and Luke 21:17-19]: False messiahs and false prophets will come and do great miracles and wonders [amazing acts done by Satan’s power], trying to fool the people God has chosen, if that is possible. (ERV); KJV: For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

False apostles

2 Corinthians 11:13 [read 2 Corinthians 11:5-15 (13)]: Those people are false apostles. They do not work in an honest way. They try to make people think that Christ has sent them as his apostles. (EASY); KJV: For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

Slain in the Spirit; Move of God

There are biblical examples of people falling to the ground while in the presence of God or an angel. However, there are very important differences between what is happening today and what we see in the Bible. But the Holy Spirit doesn’t cause people to fall, so what spirit caused them to fall?

They did not have the Holy Spirit living in them.
It was not the result of someone praying for them. There are no examples of people falling backward when prayed for in the Bible.
Most importantly, they fell forward and not backward. So, they were not passing out!

Seeing God or an angel

Wake up, church. Some will use these scriptures to justify what is happening today: ‘slain in the spirit’ or ‘move of God’.

Genesis 17:1-27 (3): “Abram fell on his face.”
Joshua 5:13–15 (15): “Joshua fell on his face to the earth” after seeing the captain of the host of the LORD.
Ezekiel 1:1-28 (28): “I (Ezekiel) fell upon my face.” (3:23) “I fell on my face.”
Daniel 8:15–27 (17): “Gabriel came to where I was standing.” “I (Daniel) bowed facedown on the ground.” These are two quotes from the International Children’s Bible.
Daniel 10:5–18 (15): “A certain man clothed in linen,” “I set my face toward the ground.”

NOTE: Falling on one’s face

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary: the attitude of profoundest reverence assumed by Eastern people. It consists in the prostrate body resting on the hands and knees, with the face bent till the forehead touches the ground. It is an expression of conscious humility and profound reverence.

Seeing Jesus or hearing God’s voice

Matthew 17:6 says, “When the disciples heard it (God’s voice), they fell on their face.”
John 18:6 “They (the disciples) drew back and fell to the ground.” (RKJNT)
Acts 9:4 says, “He (Paul) fell to the earth and heard a voice.” Note: if he heard a voice, then he did not pass out.

What caused people in the gospels to fall

Wake up, church. The only scriptures, excluding the eight listed above, that I found of anyone falling to the ground resulted from evil sources.

A demon threw the man to the ground

Luke 4:35 [read Luke 4:31-37 (35)]: Jesus interrupted him, saying. “Be quiet!” Then he ordered the demon, “Come out of him!” Throwing him to the ground right before them, the demon left the man without injuring him. (FBV); KJV: And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.

The devil threw a boy down

Luke 9:42 [read Luke 9:37-42 (42)]: As the boy was still approaching, the demon knocked him down and threw him into severe convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. (CSB); KJV: And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.

A departure from the faith

2 Thessalonians 2:3 and 9 [read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 (3 and 9)]: 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, because the Rebellion (the end-time) must come first, and the lawless man be revealed, the one whose end is destruction. 9 He (the lawless one) comes to do Satan’s work, having all kinds of powers, using miracles, and performing amazing but deceptive displays. (FBV); KJV: 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

When Jesus Laid Hands on People and Prayed

Jesus would be the most capable person to show power by praying and placing their hands on someone. So what happened when He prayed for little children?
Matthew 19:13 and 15 [read Matthew 19:13-15 (13 and 15)]: Jesus placed his hands on them to bless them. Then he went on from there. (NIRV); KJV: And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

He healed them and cast out demons

He didn’t blow on them, wiggle, lift His leg, or do anything to make anyone pass out! His demonstration of power was their healing and demons made to leave!
Luke 4:40-41 [read Luke 4:40-41]: After the sun had set, people with all kinds of diseases were brought to Jesus. He put his hands on each one of them and healed them. 41 Demons went out of many people and shouted, “You are the Son of God!” But Jesus ordered the demons not to speak because they knew he was the Messiah. (CEV); KJV: Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. 41 And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.; Sadly, people want to show more power than God! The worst part is that people believe it.

So remember, the Holy Spirit doesn’t cause people to fall! Falling only happened when someone saw God or an angel, or when a demonic force threw them down. Thank you for taking the time to read this Bible snack. I urge you to make full use of it. Blessings to you and your loved ones—♥ Tim. ☺