What Charismatic’s enthusiasts say is when the Spirit comes upon you it will overcome you with power, slaying you. Today this has become the common denominator of the Spirits presence with power and is sought after as proof of receiving the anointing. With such people as Benny Hinn, Rod Parsley, Richard Roberts and a host of others who have developed it to be a trademark of their meetings. This is not to discount that the Holy Spirit can do unusual things, however before we put a stamp of approval on a practice to be a normality instead of the unusual, we need to see if it is promoted as such in the Scriptures.

What do we find? We do not see any of this practiced or even hinted in the Scripture. When the Spirit came upon Jesus at His baptism He came up out of the water; He didn't collapse and sink down! The Lord Jesus had power to heal even the worst cases of disease, blindness and crippled limbs, and yet no one who Jesus ever touched fell over “slain.” Nor do we find Peter or John touching people and causing them to fall over. They did not ask other disciples to stand behind those they were going to lay hands on, to catch them as they toppled backward by the power. The New Testament has no people lining up waiting for the “anointing” to be passed on from another, not even the Apostles. Can you picture any of the Apostles running up to people and slapping them on the forehead, or lining people up to be slain? No soft music or repetitive choruses were sung to set an atmosphere for the anointing to fall. No one yelled repetitive phrases like, “Fire!” or “touch” or “More, Lord!” So where does this all come from ?

Those who advocate this practice need to consider what they are really attributing to the Holy Spirit. There is no Biblical precedent for being “slain in the Spirit” as we see practiced today.

Jesus is the baptizer, who anoints with the Holy Spirit. The power really comes only from Christ, just what are people receiving through this experience? Do these displays of power become the convincing proof of God’s presence? John 10:41-42 records, “Then many came to Him and said, ‘John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.’ And many believed in Him there.” John convinced the people without a display of miracles. It was the truth that converted them and made them into followers. It is by knowing the truth (the Word) that keeps people following faithfully, not displays of power. We don’t need to be slain “in the Spirit”, but cut “by the Spirit,” the Word (John 6:63; Hebrews 4:12). One way is by expositional preaching the other is offered by experience. One comes by the Word that is objective, that teaches and convicts through the Holy Spirit, the other is subjective, by a person touching you or imparting a power. The Word is Biblical, the other is not.

The Old Testament has many examples of saints who fell to the ground. In Genesis 15:12-18 when Abraham was put to sleep horror and great darkness fell upon him, but it was not pleasant. This was a special event signifying God’s covenant with Abraham as God told about his offspring’s future. This act was not repeated for any of his descendents. Notice the passage indicates that the experience was not enjoyable. Genesis 17:3 Abraham falls on his face, but this does not describe an involuntary act of being slain in the Spirit as some claim. Abraham fell face forward toward the ground on his own accord, in reverence, in an act of fully conscious worship.

Scriptures used to validate this as Biblical are:
Gen.15, 17:1-3; Josh.5:13-15; Ez.1:28,43;1-5, 44:4; Mt.17:5-6; Rev.1:7, 7:11, 11:16-17; Acts 9.

Many fell backwards in Scripture, but it was not a blessing! In 1 Samuel 4:18: Eli fell off his seat backwards on hearing of the death of his sons and the capture of the Ark and he died. Isaiah 28:13 the prophet speaks of God’s Word sent to refresh, but if not heard it became a judgment “that they may go and stumble backward, and be broken.” In all these examples it is a judgment, not a blessing! In 1 Samuel 28:20 we read of Saul immediately collapsing “full length” on the ground upon hearing of his impending death from Samuel after consulting the witch of Endor.

2 Chronicles 5, describes God’s glory filling the newly completed Temple. It says, “The priests could not continue ministering ... for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God” (v.14). This cannot be made into a normative occurrence for today’s Church, as many have tried to do. This was a celebration because the temple was completed, the ark was brought in and Solomon had the priests assemble inside the most holy place. Inside the glory manifested physically as cloud in a contained place, the rest of Israel was still standing outside. In 2 Chronicles 7:2 and I Kings 8:11 the priests could not enter the temple or perform the priestly duties of the LORD because the temple was filled with the glory of the LORD.

In Ezekiel 1:28 and 2:1 the prophet is overwhelmed by the vision he saw and falls forward in worship. Those who are holy fall forward in conscious submission to God’s Holy presence. They do not become dazed and confused, as in some spirit services today. Those who are enemies fall backward when confronted with God’s true power. Philippians 2 says every knee will bow. Those who are conscious of who they serve bow forward, willingly and fully conscious. Those who fall backward overwhelmed, show a lack of submission, and rebellion.

Daniel, in 10:4-11 encountered a powerful angel and said, “I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale, and I was helpless... I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.” Daniel fell on his face; he fell forward. This was not without purpose. Daniel, a prophet, was receiving revelation that would become Scripture. Since in the Old Testament those who were affected in this manner were not born again, indwelt permanently by the Holy Spirit, this experience cannot be used as normative for the Church today. When John saw Jesus glorified in heaven (Revelation 1:17) he describes that, ‘“I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.” John was overcome with fear; he did not recognize Him as the Jesus He knew on earth.

What about Saul on the road to Damascus in Acts 9? Those who promote the “slain in the Spirit” phenomenon cite Saul’s encounter with the appearance of the Lord on the road to Damascus in Acts 9:3-4 for Biblical support. Saul was an unbeliever on his way to his next extermination. He was knocked to the ground by a light (the Sheckinah glory) and he had a revelation of Christ. When Saul fell, no one touched him and no one was there to catch him. The Scripture doesn’t actually say how he fell, but the Greek language seems to indicate he went to the ground on his own volition. Jesus does not appear to be the source of Paul’s falling to the ground, Jesus did not allow Paul to remain on the ground, but told him to “arise and go into Damascus.” Remember Saul was unsaved at the time, so this does not provide any justification for regarding it as a model for believers to practice today. He was consciously carrying on a conversation with the Lord. In Acts 26:14 Paul, recalling the event, states all who were with him saw the light and fell to the ground, but only he heard the voice (Acts 22:9). This was an extreme measure designed to get Paul’s attention, as he was on his way to kill Christians. The others with Paul who also fell were unbelievers and stayed in their unbelieving state. Therefore, this incident involving falling to the ground (being slain by the Spirit) cannot be used to support the idea that it is a spiritual blessing, as commonly said today.

In examples from either the Old Testament or the New, the men affected did not have a permanent indwelling of the Spirit. When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, in John 18:4-6 He reveals His power in a unique way. He identified himself to the soldiers who were arresting him and they “drew back and fell to the ground.” Jesus first revealed Himself by saying His divine name, “I Am,” making it clear who it is they came for. When He identified Himself to them, they fell to the ground in judgment. These pagan sinners did fall -- backwards. They did not experience revelation or receive an anointing, or conversion, they got right back up and arrested Jesus. There was no change in them; they were still enemies of Jesus. Also, none of Jesus’ followers fell down during the arrest. Certainly none of this represents a pattern for the Church. Those who practice the artful ritual of being “slain in the Spirit” today deny or ignore these Biblical facts in order to embrace an experience that is not endorsed in the whole New Testament.

This is even stated in the Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic movements “There is no mention of the Spirit here (Jn.18:1-6) and John portrays no relationship between Spirit and power and Jesus. The text remains enigmatic, especially since John offers neither explanation for, nor effect of their fall.

Those who are in rebellion to God seem to fall backward in Scripture. This just may be a sign today, not as a blessing but to show that these people are not submitting to His Word; so it is a sign of judgment. The idea that God is doing a “new thing” is without any biblical precedent. Their attempt to justify and defend this practice is by going to texts from the Old Testament. and yanking them out of their context and background. Trying to use the few incidents in Acts one cannot make them normative for the Church (believers) today.

The power is suppose to get people up not put them down and out. At the gate Beautiful Peter said to the blind man, “silver and gold I have none, but in the name of Jesus, RISE UP and walk.” Most of these new anointed dispensers of power can’t say the same because silver and gold they have abundantly. The power of God got people up, those who were thrown to the ground shaking and having convulsions were not possessed by the Holy Spirit but often demon-possessed in need of deliverance. They were not reacting from receiving God’s power they were in need of God’s power for it to stop.

Many travel to crusades to get this anointing from the anointed mediator who dispenses it. What is the purpose of someone being knocked to the floor and they are picked up and the whole procedure is repeated up to eight times. Was not the first time enough to receive an anointing. What is the purpose of this experience all about? Who is getting the attention at the time? We are not to be drawing attention to the vessel but the Lord who is working through the instrument. Is the first anointing that he places on people not enough? Or is it for show? He sometimes has people falling together like a violent pile-up on a freeway. People are lifted off the ground resembling a martial arts movie. Nothing glorifies God with this behavior. Martial arts, Chi power, the Gurus touch people ( as in the occult), and can certainly knock them over. These are similarities that cannot be overlooked. Can someone say touch or wave their arms or point their fingers and release the anointing having someone go down. When we see Tele-evangelists blow on people they go down yet when Christ breathed on the disciples they did not. When Jesus touched people they did not fall. God has not entrusted this type of power to any man today. The biblical model is whenever the Spirit fell they were not expecting him. The Spirit is called the comforter, the helper another one like Jesus. When Jesus left he said he would send us another like himself. His role was to replace the physical Jesus by indwelling all believers giving them a relationship with God. the question we need to ask is did Jesus act this erratic and have power displays? If not then why should the Spirit act this way when he is to point to Jesus. Is this the nature of Jesus or something other then him operating? How is it the person who dispenses this power that can knock people down, can stand through it all. That they can touch people even the catchers and they don’t go down during the service. How is the same person who just was felled over by his touch can afterward be hugged and not go over. Who then is in control if it only happens at the wave of his hand or when he says the word? Why does this only occur at the big crusades and where they meet for service and it does not take place during their days chores.

The fruit of the Spirit is self-control. The question those who are open to new experiences should ask themselves is… would God offer me an experience that has me sacrifice a characteristic of the Spirit? Would He cause me to act in a way opposite to His nature and what He himself is trying to conform me to? Ephesians 5:18-19 tells us “be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” This is an ongoing command, we are to be continually filled with the Spirit. But is this to be an experience all the time, does it show itself physically? No. Paul says to be filled with the Spirit, means self control and joy, singing. The opposite of the true Biblical filling of the Spirit is to be out of control, laid out on the ground. He is making a CONTRAST. The Bibles definition simply means for us to yield and be under his control, the opposite is to be out of control as a rag doll on the ground, drunk and incapacitated. Paul says to be filled with the Spirit gives one self control. To be filled means we yield to the Lord and give Him control of our lives. He wants us active doing His work, not knocked out, numb or dumb. Being filled with the Spirit does not produce the same effects as alcoholic beverages, it is just the opposite. If it did the people who enjoy it would be coming to the church for their natural high fix. Many people say it is the joy of the Lord , but the joy of the Lord is our strength not weakness, it does not make one unable to rise off the ground.

Many incentives prepare someone for this supposed spiritual experience. First there is the anticipation of this happening; the autosuggestion of going down. They accept the experience because they are already predisposed to the idea that one falls when the Spirit comes upon them, and already accept this experience being from God. They are open mentally to this being from God. Therefore when someone touches them or points their way they comply. Another thing to consider is the peer pressure to conform to what is going on and expected in the gathering. When someone comes up in a big crowd they are expected to go down. They might be embarrassed not to fall down when everyone else is falling, or they may be considered unspiritual, and others might think something is wrong with them. Falling down at the right time becomes a learned methodology. Many people had admitted later they went down so they would not disappoint the speaker. Others may go down in hope that this might bring an experience they never had before. Still others say they were overcome by a power.

We need to consider a possibility that if true, can be unspeakably dangerous for the participants, that is, the operation of demonic powers. Many who have studied occult phenomena in false religions find that “slain in the Spirit” is not a new phenomenon. This power is found in Hinduism, the wife of Shiva the destroyer is kali known also as Shakti the force. When a devotee receives the touch from the Guru on the forehead they can be knocked to the ground, they can laugh, shake or experience being caught up in some ecstatic illumination experiencing Nirvana and light. There are many pagan religious practices, such as “shakti-pat” by Hindu gurus, which when observed looks exactly like being “slain in the Spirit.” The only difference is that their practices came first, preceding the modern Pentecostal practice. The cults also describe the Spirit as a force. Bruce R. McConkie, who was an apostle and authority of the Mormon Church wrote, “The Spirit of God which emanates from Deity may be likened to electricity” (Mormon Doctrine, pp. 752-53). Isn’t this what we are hearing from those experiencing these manifestations?

The only way to know the true from the false is to test it. Jesus had the greatest anointing, yet, when He prayed for people they did not fall over; neither did Jesus go down when He was anointed. The Spirit came upon him as a dove, as a gentle companion. This phenomena and practice is foreign to Scripture. Can the Holy Spirit be thrown around like a force? This Spirit goes where the conductor tells Him to go. Biblically we are to submit and take our guidance from the Spirit, this is the opposite. Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit goes where He will, He chooses how He will be known in the heart and life of a believer, and it is not for any man to decide when His abiding in another is to be.  In John 3:8 we read, “The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear the sound thereof, but cannot not tell where it came, and where it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” No one knows where the Spirit comes from or where the Spirit goes. The Spirit is likened to the wind. Those who can dispense the anointing seem to tell the Spirit where to go and know where He will go next and what He or “it” will do. Think, my friend! Where do we find these experiences? Even the apostles did not have such experiences! What is operating? What is the source? Remember the Spirit is God himself who is supposedly thrown around the room. Whenever the presence came in the Old Testament all were affected but today the dispenser of this power stands strong while the participants all go down. Are they alone immune to its affects ?

The Bible commands us to test it. Mature Christians test the spirits; babies, weak and carnal Christians avoid testing, (Hebrews 5:13-14) because of naiveté or just insecurity and wanting to avoid know the truth. The result will be the same for all who do not guard their souls. They fall into destructive and non-Biblical practices that hurt their own Christian walk and testimonies. Much like the speaking in tongues as proof of the Spirits presence, this too has gone beyond the Bibles boundaries.

People have succumb to the oldest charade, in their pursuit of a blessing they have abandoned truth in place of a supernatural experience without ever testing the source for Biblical proof. Does the Bible show people line up in a church service in a row and have the power dispersed from an anointed person. There are no conduits for his power, Jesus has and always will be the baptizer of the Holy Spirit we don’t need any other mediator. Jesus is our example. When Jesus was anointed, the Spirit came upon him as a dove, not as a wild animal like a rhinoceros.

Those who participate in this practice need to consider what they are really attributing to the Holy Spirit. There is no Biblical precedent for this and need to consider the source of the activity. We are not excluding that God cannot overwhelm someone with his presence, what needs to be questioned is when it becomes a normal practice in the church that represents the Spirits work.

Truly the ancient words of the prophet Hosea ring true for us today, as it did then, “MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE REJECTED KNOWLEDGE” (Hosea 4:6)

When experience replaces Biblical knowledge, we have abandoned God’s standard. Knowledge can be painful when it corrects us, but it can cost much more to follow falsehood, which by its nature is easy to swallow and soothing to those who refuse the truth.

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While the extraordinary weekend retreat is memorable, it is usually the ordinary moments—filled with seemingly insignificant decisions, conversations and touches—that matter the most. This is where most of life is lived.

1. Because being faithful is more important than being relevant. 

Every generation fancies itself the most important one to come along, that they're going to change the world—until the vitality of youth succumbs to nursing homes and the annals of dated trends. Movements are short-term, organized campaigns led largely by youthful zeal, opposed to institutions with regular procedures for maturing and acquiring the sorts of knowledge and skills to be a competent member of the community.

In other words, ironically, calls to "revolution" or "radical discipleship" actually undercut the long-term and sustainable community at large and specifically the discipleship to which the New Testament calls us. We're too busy and distracted by the "need of the moment," to pragmatic concerns of relevance, to actually submit to someone and something larger than ourselves. 

Nobody seems to chronicle the burnouts, including leaders of these frenetic movements, much less their enthusiastic followers. On the left, people imagine (even in the church) that they're "prophetic" when, in retrospect, they were simply jumping on the bandwagon of something that the rest of the culture had already figured out. On the right, the church imagines that they are "reaching the lost" when, even statistically, they're losing the reached. 

Simple faithfulness, which may take years of practice, is more important than immediate results that bear no fruit over time. While some things are seen immediately, other fruit takes time to bear results of either good or evil in the lives of people. Relevance may seem to bear the fruit of acceptance before others and God, but in the end those who go unseen in their deeds of faith will receive the commendation of the Father.

2. Because being a real hero means embracing people instead of causes. 

The most important contributions in history have been made by people who were doing what they believed they were called to do every day rather than by those who set out to be "stars."

I know, none of this is very American. Most people reading this will think what I'm saying is, "Hey, be mediocre!" It's not. It's a call to be at our posts, doing what God has gifted us to do, for the good of actual people—not "The Poor," "America," "The World," or "History," but simply to be who we are where God has placed us in service to the people around us. This is very difficult—it's a lot easier to be committed to causes than to people, to movements than to ordinary churches, schools, callings and neighbors.

We must come to realize that being a hero means going unseen and unsung, learning to embrace people over our own schemes and plans for glory. The true heroes, the ones we actually need, often go on day by day, cleaning the bathrooms at school, fixing our lunches at home. These thankless and unseen jobs are where the real battles lie, which can become the basis for ordinary success from day to day. Through such simple faithfulness, God delights in serving us through people's ordinary callings.

3. Because God meets us in the everyday, not in the "movement." 

The cult of the extraordinary is impatient with the ordinary ways in which God works. There's a tendency in such circles to assume that God only works in the big stuff: earthquakes, healings, and other headlines. But God has always preferred the weak things. God becomes a human being in a feeding trough for livestock. 

God is so accommodating to us, in a descent of love, that we miss Him in all of our attempts to climb ladders of experiential exuberance and newsworthy activism. No, God isn't remote—He just doesn't look like what we assume. We see God enthroned on a cross, where His kingdom meets the kingdoms of this age. He did it for us. It's not our movements, but His grand movement toward us—all of us—that makes the difference in history. Through such ordinary things like water, bread and wine, normal sinners are incorporated into the life of God, His redemption, and renewed to live and love in their callings.

4. Because being faithful doesn't have to look spectacular for it to matter. 

What does this mean for our lives now? For the parents of a child with a terminal disease? For the parent who finds it hard to get out of bed because of a debilitating depression? For the children who suffered sexual abuse for years without any aid? 

For ordinary people who still hold out some hope that when they do go to church for something strange, disorienting and accessible—God in the flesh, Immanuel (God with us)—God does extraordinary things through ordinary means. 

That's the message throughout the Bible. God descends to us; we don't rise up to Him. While we're searching for God in all of the high places, He actually comes to us in the low places, where we'd least expect Him. That changes everything. Instead of trying to make God a supporting actor in our life movie, we need to submit to the "indignity" of being written by Him into His unfolding drama. It's a big story. And it makes the ordinary extraordinary indeed.

To recover the ordinary is the pressing need of our day if we are going to create a sustainable life for us and our posterity. It is not the values of the market that should pervade our strategy sessions and fill our hearts with concern, but the eternal value of being in Christ. Maybe, just maybe, if we discover the opportunities of the ordinary, a fondness for the familiar, and marvel again at the mundane, we will be radical after all and find a God who is near us.

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Every Christian needs assurance in their daily walk with Jesus. God's Word includes verses specifically to help us find the assurance we need in both our walk and in life. Please read these Bible verses on Assurance so that you can feel better about your life and live it more confidently.


The Best Insurance for the Most Certain Event in Your Life

God offers the best insurance and at a better rate. 
Jesus said it this way:
"It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. —Revelation 21:6"
Jesus Christ paid the premium for the benefit of heaven when He died on the cross for your sins and rose again.

Forgiveness and eternal life God offers “without cost” to you, but it cost Christ His life.
You must receive this gift by faith.
Then you obtain an eternal security like no other policy provides. It’s the best insurance.

Plan Ahead:
It is certain. One day we will die and stand before God for judgment (Hebrews 9:27).

So along with the coverage for theft, flood, fire, illness, or accident, make sure you also have eternal life insurance though faith in Jesus Christ.

If we secure the best insurance only for possibilities, how much more should we insure the certainties?


Bible Verses about Life Insurance. 

Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.

1 Timothy 5:8
But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Hebrews 13:5-6 
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

1 Timothy 5:16 
If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows.

Romans 13:8-10 
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Proverbs 30:24-25 
Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise: the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;

1 Peter 2:13-17 
Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Proverbs 22:7
The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

Romans 8:28 
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Luke 16:11 
If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?

Matthew 7:24-25 
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

Romans 6:23 
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Acts 20:35
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Matthew 6:34 
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Isaiah 43:2 
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

Proverbs 27:23-27 
Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds, for riches do not last forever; and does a crown endure to all generations? When the grass is gone and the new growth appears and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered, the lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field. There will be enough goats' milk for your food, for the food of your household and maintenance for your girls.

Deuteronomy 15:7-11 
“If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

James 1:27 
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Romans 13:8 
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

John 3:1-36 
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Luke 12:42-46 
And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful.

Matthew 18:10 
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

Proverbs 1:10-19 
My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder; throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse”—

Psalm 37:25-26 
I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.

1 Timothy 5:3-4 
Honor widows who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.

Acts 4:32-35 
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

Psalm 127:3 
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.

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Jesus loves us so much that He will never keep us small. In Him, absolutely nothing is impossible: There are no limits.

Luke 1:37 is part of the angel's announcement to Mary that her old cousin, Elizabeth, who was well past her childbearing days, was six months pregnant with a boy who would become John the Baptist, Jesus' cousin. If that were not enough, Mary also had to come to terms with the declaration that she was about to conceive by the Holy Spirit and would give birth nine months later to the Son of God.

That's some news.

God doesn't have a problem with making possible what we think is impossible. He loves to shake us up, out of our small-minded thinking, and free us from doubts about this thing or that thing. He loves to blast through our assumption that, somehow, if it can't be done in earthly terms, it can't be done at all.

Remember, He loves to reshape us. He speaks truth where we've believed lies.

• You think He can't change you? He can.
• You think you have gone too far down to be rescued? You haven't.
• You think you're too old now? You're not.
• You think you have to wait until you're older? You don't.
• Nothing is impossible with Him. It's His love that changes everything.

Here's some news for you: Without Him, you'll never be good enough. I'll never be good enough. We are nothing without our God. He takes our little lives, laid down at His feet in the dirt, and He wrecks us with His love. When we see Him in all His beauty and let Him reshape us and fill us with His Holy Spirit, we no longer look at our failures and faults, because our eyes are drawn to see only Him.

Unless He fills me, everything is impossible.
When He fills me, nothing is impossible.
Nothing is impossible with God. Luke 1:37

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One of the most controversial and, sadly, most misunderstood gifts of the Holy Spirit is praying in tongues. I am convinced that there is so much antagonism aimed at this gift because of the incredible power it releases into our lives. In the same way that many reject the prophetic ministry because of abuses, misuses and bad experiences, the same approach has been taken—perhaps in greater extremes—toward praying in tongues.

Praying in Tongues Will Change Your Life Forever

1. Praying in Tongues Gives You Supernatural Understanding of God’s Mysteries

"For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries" (1 Cor. 14:2, NKJV).

Corey describes the Holy Spirit as the Google, or “search engine of heaven.” God is mysterious, yes, but the Spirit who knows everything about the mysterious, expansive, glorious God is the same Spirit who lives inside of you! And furthermore, He wants to reveal mysteries to you about God, His will, your life and the circumstances you are facing.

How do we access this revelation? Communion with the Holy Spirit on His level—in His language. Remember, Paul defines Holy Spirit as the One who “searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets” (1 Cor. 2:10, NLT). As you pray in the Spirit, you will discover things that were previously mysterious and unknown will start coming into greater focus and clarity.

2. Praying in Tongues Grants You Access to Other Revelatory Gifts of the Holy Spirit

"For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit ... to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues" (1 Cor. 12: 8, 10, NKJV).

Praying in tongues actually unlocks other revelatory gifts of the Holy Spirit in your life, namely the word of wisdom, word of knowledge, prophecy and discerning of spirits. Remember, you are not praying on a natural dimension, but rather engaging on a purely spiritual one. Don’t be surprised if, while praying in tongues, the Holy Spirit gives you supernatural insight about something, leads you to pray for people and unlocks clarity over people, situations and even regions, enabling you to effectively pray for and break off the spiritual strongholds that are influencing them.

3. Praying in Tongues Opens Up the Bible in a New, Living Way as You Read It

"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak" (John 16:13).

For some modern believers, reading the Bible can feel like a life-draining experience. It’s not just history. It is not a mere record of facts. Scripture isn’t just stories. The same Holy Spirit who inspired the writing and assembly of the Holy Scriptures lives inside of you. He wants to guide you through the Bible, make the words jump off the page, give you understanding on confusing matters, empower you to apply God’s Word to your everyday life, share prophetic promises with you and help you discover your role in God’s unfolding story. Corey describes praying in tongues as a way the Holy Spirit “shines a flashlight on Scripture.”

4. When Praying in Tongues, You Are Speaking Directly to God

"For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God" (1 Cor. 14:2).

As you pray in tongues, you have a direct line to the president of the universe. Sometimes while praying in our native languages, we have the tendency to veer off and get distracted. We may start complaining. We may start going through the routine laundry list of prayer requests—and by the time we are finished reading them off to God, we feel more burdened than refreshed (because we actively thought of every single one of those circumstances as we listed them off in prayer). Tongues keeps us talking directly to God, praying in agreement with His perfect will (Rom. 8:26-28).

5. Praying in Tongues Empowers You to Engage Spiritual Warfare From the Position of Victory

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit" (Eph. 6:18).

Praying in tongues is not some magic formula that guarantees us some free and easy lifestyle of health, wealth, prosperity and all of those fixings. Jesus assured us that in this life, we will experience tribulation (John 16:33). In the same passage, the same Jesus declared that He has overcome the world. Victory has already been secured at Calvary.

In times of trial and assault, it is easy for us to become weary in the place of prayer, often not knowing what or how to pray. Praise God for the Holy Spirit! Paul reminds us "for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us" (Rom. 8:26). When in the heat of spiritual combat, it is easy to start praying prayers that agree with the size of the attack, emphasizing the problem rather than focusing on the size of the blood-bought victory that Jesus purchased at the cross. Praying in tongues empowers you to agree with God’s victorious battle plan for your life and your circumstances, no matter what is going on around you. It does not deny reality; it simply positions you to agree with the higher truth of Scripture: Victory has been purchased, and it is yours through Jesus Christ.

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“Whatever you fight, you strengthen, and what you resist, persists.” 


Do you ever catch yourself being critical, judgmental, or full of fear and worry? And do you ever worry about how many negative thoughts you have? If you do, then this post is for you.

We’re taught that negative thoughts are bad, that they’re “toxic,” they “lower your vibration,” keep you stuck, and so on.

We’re taught that in order to feel self-assured and confident, we should banish negative thoughts from our lives. Kind of like, goodbye negative thoughts, hello higher vibration, better boyfriend, nicer car, inner peace, and so on.

So what do you do with all that negative junk in your head? How do you make it stop? And is trying to jam a positive thought over a negative one really the best way to manage the situation?

The reason I’m thinking about this today is that it’s 7:30am and for the past three hours I’ve been watching Mad Men. Yep. Instead of setting myself up for the day with a restful sleep, I’ve been watching T.V. for half the night.

To be fair, it’s an unusual thing for me to do, but still, you should hear the rubbish my mind is telling me:

You’re such a lazy little missy.

You’re going to have a bad day.

You’re not going to get anywhere like this.

Yikes.

People often advise you to trade a negative thought for a positive one using techniques like affirmations. Quick, quell those negative thoughts! But is this really the best way forward?

Most people misunderstand this whole negative thinking debacle because they misunderstand what thoughts are in the first place.

Happiness doesn’t depend on how few negative thoughts you have, but on what you do with the ones you have.

This brings me to the first piece of good news:

1. It’s normal to have negative thoughts.

The human mind thinks about a squillion thoughts every day, and on average about a squillion minus a hundred are negative. It’s true. I Googled it.

Most of us are awash with negative thoughts. Even ones that seem positive, like I’m so great because I just got a new car, are really only negative ones in disguise, since they reinforce the belief you weren’t great before you got the new car.

And that’s the good news—negative thoughts are a normal part of human functioning.

This means you don’t have to worry about the fact that you’re having them in the first place. No matter how gnarly they get, it’s all pretty normal.

This brings me to the second piece of good news:

2. You don’t have to believe your negative thoughts!

Nope.

You don’t actually have to believe your thoughts. It’s as simple as that. Sort of. No, it is, but let me explain.

Your mind would like you to believe that all of your thoughts are correct. One of the ways it does this is by having you think that you and it are one. The truth is your mind is just one part of you; it isn’t you.


Being able to separate your thoughts from your sense of self is one of the most useful things you can do. Try this: think of yourself as being made up of four parts.

Mind
Physical body
Heart
Spiritual aspect
This means: You. Are. Not Your. Mind. Your mind is just a tool for you to use.

All of your thoughts and perceptions are filtered through your unique belief system, and it’s this filter that causes negative thoughts. The negativity is in the filter.

When you try to “heal” and “grow,” what you’re trying to do is change the filter; you’re trying to change your belief system. You are the bit underneath your thoughts, and you will never change. You can’t—nor would you want to. You’re perfect.

You don’t have to analyze your nasty critical thoughts or worry about them. They’re just thoughts. If you really want to have fewer of them, stop listening to them.

Feeling solidly peaceful and contented occurs when your mind is quiet, or in the moments, no matter how small, when you remember that you don’t have to believe your thoughts.

Or as I like to say ”I don’t feel badly; my mind does!”

One thing I find helpful for dealing with a long held critical belief is to treat it like a game.

I think to myself, what if I didn’t believe this, even for a few seconds? The result is always strangely exhilarating. I can actually feel what it’s like to not believe it. (And sometimes it does only last for a few seconds!)

So what about thinking positively—that’s good for me right?

Sure, but the trick is in how you go about it, which is the third piece of good news:

3. You can get positive about negative thoughts.

There’s nothing wrong with choosing to have a positive thought. Just know that the negative thought didn’t matter in the first place. It probably wasn’t true and it doesn’t “mean” things about you.

When you jump on “negative” thoughts and reject them in a knee-jerk way, you’re saying to yourself, “I’m not good enough. If I were good enough, I wouldn’t have had that thought in the first place.”

This is at least as negative as the initial thought.

It may seem a subtle difference, but that tiny step of noticing the thought and not believing it is where the growth lies. And the more you do this, the less “negative thoughts” you have and the easier it is to recognize them when you have them.

People think that “thinking positively” is the way to healing, but the quickest way is to first accept that the only reason you feel bad in the first place is because you’re listening to the rubbish your mind is telling you.

You could try and figure out where your negative thoughts come from—but since they’re just based on faulty beliefs, why not just ignore them?

Learning to ignore the voice inside our head telling us we’re not good enough, not worthy of love, and so on is what we’re here to do. Next time you have a thought that makes you feel uneasy, try this:

Notice your thought, as in, ah, hello thought. I know you’re not real; you are just a thought. Oh well, you can stay there if you like, but I have things to do today so I’m just going to go ahead and do them. 

Then if you want to think a positive thought, go right ahead!


Trust God's Promises
"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Is. 41:10)

"My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19)

"God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." (2 Cor. 9:8)

"'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'" (Heb. 13:5–6)

"The Lᴏʀᴅ God is a sun and shield; the Lᴏʀᴅ bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly." (Psalms 84:11)

"He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Rom. 8:32)

"Surely goodness and mercy shall pursue me all the days of my life." (Psalms 23:6)

"Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9)


"Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."" (Psalms 50:15)

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