Let’s break this down into three key areas:
- Is being slain in the spirit found in Scripture?
- How do we view experiences in the church?
- How should we evaluate the work of the Holy Spirit?
1. Slain in the Spirit – Is It Biblical?
Let’s begin by looking at a passage often used to support being “slain in the spirit” (1 Samuel 19:18-24 NIV). In this passage, Saul is pursuing David to kill him. David flees to Samuel in Naioth. Saul sends men to capture him, but something unexpected happens:
- When Saul’s men arrive, the Spirit of God comes on them, and they begin to prophesy.
- Saul sends more men—same thing happens.
- Finally, Saul himself goes—and the Spirit of God comes on him too. He prophesies, strips off his garments, and lies on the ground all day and night.
People often use this to say, “Look, Saul was slain in the spirit!” But let’s take a closer look.
Saul was not exactly in a good place spiritually. Earlier, in 1 Samuel 19:9 NIV, we read that an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. He was disobedient, emotionally unstable, jealous, and spiritually distant.
Saul’s emotional instability made him vulnerable to being carried away by the environment. He was the kind of person who was easily swayed—whether by public opinion, pressure from his soldiers, or fear of losing his throne to David.
This moment in Naioth was less about the move of the Holy Spirit and more about what we might call religious excitement or emotional frenzy. Saul wasn’t transformed — his behaviour remained the same. In the very next chapter (1 Samuel 20:31 NIV), he is back to plotting David’s death.
Compare this to David and Samuel, who were also in the same environment but were calm and composed. They were not caught up in the emotional wave. They were steady because they were grounded in their relationship with God.
So, what happened to Saul was not the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in his life — it was an emotional reaction, likely stirred up by the environment and by spiritual confusion.
The idea that the Holy Spirit would knock people down or make them act out of control is simply not supported by Scripture.
But What About 2 Chronicles 5:14?
Another verse often used is:
2 Chronicles 5:14 (KJV) – “The priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.”
Some interpret “could not stand” as people falling. But modern translations clarify:
NIV – “…the priests could not perform their service…”
NLT – “…the priests could not continue their service…”
The Hebrew word used here means “to remain” or “to stay.” It simply means the priests could not carry out their duties, not that they were falling.
Experiences in the Church
What should a Sunday service look like?
Let’s look at what Scripture teaches.
- Worship
Psalm 95:6 (NIV), Hebrews 10:25 (NIV) - Teaching and Preaching the Word
2 Timothy 4:2 (NIV), Colossians 3:16 (NIV) - Discipleship and Growth
Ephesians 4:11-13 (NIV), Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
These are the biblical pillars of a church service — not falling, but standing firm in God’s Word.
How Do We Evaluate the Work of the Holy Spirit?
- Don’t Use Signs and Wonders as the means of evaluation
Matthew 16:4 (NIV), Signs and wonders are not the litmus test for the Holy Spirit’s presence. Even false prophets can perform signs.
- Look for the Fruit
Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
Notice: self-control. The Holy Spirit doesn’t lead people into chaos but into maturity and emotional stability.
- Emotional Maturity
The closer you walk with God, the more emotionally stable and discerning you become.
We may see people in church who are frequently overwhelmed by emotion—falling down, weeping, or showing outward signs of spiritual experiences. But if that person’s life outside the church doesn’t reflect a Christlike character—if they continue living in worldly ways—then what we’re seeing isn’t true transformation, but a temporary emotional response. We must be careful not to mistake emotional displays for genuine spiritual maturity.
Final Thoughts
Joseph Excell said:
“The degree in which religious emotion overpowers the body is generally proportioned to the ignorance of the mind or its estrangement from God.”
Let’s be rooted in the Word of God, not chasing after emotional highs or spiritual theatrics. Let’s seek true transformation — a heart aligned with God, a life filled with the fruits of the Spirit, and a faith that remains steady no matter what environment we’re in.
Let’s be like Samuel and David — grounded, steady, and truly led by the Holy Spirit.
