Last night I dreamt that I was standing with my friend's son. We were looking at a scene straight out of a massacre movie. There was about 50 people all laying in a square. Legs and arms overlapping each other, heads on each other's stomachs. Unlike a massacre movie, there was no blood. Each person was dressed head to toe in a woven burlap material that was pure sparkling white. Every one of them looked as if they were in a deep peaceful sleep. One of those people was this boy's mom, and very good friend of mine. I was struggling with an explanation of what was happening. I was trying to explain, but couldn't really find words. Then, like a wind sweeping in, I heard "Slain in the Spirit." The wispy voice repeated itself several times until I awoke chanting it in my head.
While I thought I knew what being "slain in the Spirit" means, this dream sparked my interest and I decided to do some more digging on the subject...
It is most commonly believed that being "slain in the Spirit", is when a minister or preacher lays hands on you. This action or movement is believed to cause the Holy Spirit to come over you and knock you to the floor- hence being "slain". This reminds me of those TV Evangelists who get you to call in and write them a check for all you have. You know, the ones who put their hands on the crippled old lady right before she flies backward. Next thing you know, she is up walking and jumping and dancing with the crowd. Hmm. Skeptical.
Now I am not saying that God isn't big enough to perform these kinds of healing miracles or that He can't overtake someone enough to knock them off their feet. What I am saying, is that with all things of this nature- we need to take to scripture to find the truth.
Revelations 1:17 ESV
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me saying, "Fear not, for I am the first and the last,..."
Ezekiel 1:28 ESV
Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking....
Daniel 8:17-18 ESV
So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.” And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground.
1 King 18:39 NLT
And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”
Matthew 17:6 ESV
When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.
Here is the way I see it... God, therefore the Holy Spirit, is a gentleman. He doesn't force any of us to love, adore, or worship Him. Yes, there will come a day when "every knee will bow", but I believe that will be because when you come upon the Lord and see Him with your own eyes, you will be forced to acknowledge that He truly is God. You will probably be filled with fear and awe. You will probably want to hide as many did in scripture. I can't imagine what it will actually be like, but I assume falling to my knees and laying my face flat on the ground will be the only thing I will want to do. To worship, to glorify, to praise, to be overwhelmed in His presence.
With that being said, I do believe we can be "Slain in the Spirit". I am not talking the hype for TV that gets people to open their checkbooks. I am talking about those quiet and vulnerable moments when you genuinely surrender yourself to the Lord of the universe. When you give complete control over to Him and submit wholly to His will. Then you can be honored and privileged enough to actually feel his presence. To be so overwhelmed by the weight of His love that you get weak in the knees and crumple to the ground. Laying there, you bask in His glory and it is so good. You become like those in my dream. Feeling a true peace like nothing else. Pure contentment so deep that you lose your time and place. I welcome that slaying.
No comments:
Post a Comment