• When God created Eve, He first caused Adam to go into a deep sleep:

  "So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh." (Genesis 2:21)

  Adam's body physically reacted (by falling into a deep sleep) when God manifested His power.

   

   

• When God made a covenant with Abram (later to be known as Abraham), God apparently caused Abram to go into a deep sleep:

  "As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years."" (Genesis 15:12-13)

  This doesn't sound like it was very pleasant for Abram, but the point is that Abram's body physically reacted (by falling into a deep sleep) when God manifested His power, just as Adam's body did.

   

   

• God also put King Saul and his men into a deep sleep:

  "So David took the spear and water jug near Saul's head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep." (1 Samuel 26:12)

  The bodies of King Saul and his men physically reacted (by falling into a deep sleep) when God manifested His power, just as Adam's and Abram's bodies did.

   

   

• When the guards at Jesus' tomb saw the glory of God which was revealed in the actions of an angel of the Lord, they were so frightened that they shook and fell over:

  "There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men." (Matthew 28:2-4)

  This wasn't a pleasant experience for the guards, but the point is that their bodies had a physical reaction at the manifested glory of God, and they fell down "like dead men."

   

   

• When Judas led the soldiers to Jesus so they could arrest Him, Jesus confirmed His identity by using the divine expression, "I AM" (see Exodus 3:13-14). The soldiers and Pharisees physically reacted to this pronouncement of Jesus' glory by falling to the ground:

  "So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?" "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground." (John 18:3-6)

  The NIV has "I am he" in this passage, but if you look in a Greek/English version of the Bible then you'll see that Jesus actually said "I AM."
  
  Here's what some Bible commentaries say about this passage:

  "Fell to the ground (epesan camai). Second aorist active indicative of pipto with first aorist ending (-an). This recoil made them stumble. But why did they step back? Was it the former claim of Jesus (I am, ego eimi) to be on an equality with God (John 8:58; John 13:19) or mere embarrassment and confusion or supernatural power exerted by Jesus?" (Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament)
  
  "[They were] struck down by a power such as that which smote Saul of Tarsus and his companions to the earth (Acts 26:14). It was the glorious effulgence of the majesty of Christ which overpowered them." (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary)

  So why did the soldiers and the Pharisees recoil or "draw back" when Jesus said "I AM"? After all, if they had come for Peter then it's doubtful that they would have recoiled in that way when Peter identified himself. Somehow there was divine power or glory involved when Jesus said "I AM," and the soldiers and Pharisees physically reacted to that manifestation of God's glory by recoiling or stepping backwards. Perhaps that caused them to stumble and fall, or perhaps it was the glory of God itself which caused them to fall.

   

   

• When Jesus revealed Himself to Saul of Tarsus (later to be known as the apostle Paul) and his companions, it caused them to fall to the ground:

  "About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'" (Acts 26:13-14)

   

   

• The Bible says that Peter went into a trance when God was about to give him a vision:

  "About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners." (Acts 10:9-11)

  What was Peter's physical body doing while he was in this trance? If this had happened in modern times then we might say that he was "slain in the Spirit," or that he had "fallen out under the power of God" (or something equivalent).

   

   

• The apostle Paul also fell into a trance when God was about to give him a vision:

  "When I [Paul] returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance and saw the Lord speaking. 'Quick!' he said to me. 'Leave Jerusalem immediately, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'" (Acts 22:17-18)

  What was Paul's physical body doing while he was in this trance? If this had happened in modern times then we might say that he was "slain in the Spirit," or that he had "fallen out under the power of God" (or something equivalent).

   

   

• The apostle John said that he was "in the Spirit" when he was given visions of the future, which he wrote down in the book of Revelation:

  "On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet" (Revelation 1:10)

  What was John's physical body doing while he was in this trance? If this had happened in modern times then we might say that he was "slain in the Spirit," or that he had "fallen out under the power of God" (or something equivalent).

   

   

• The apostle Paul was "caught up to the third heaven," and he didn't know if it was with or without his physical body:

  "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know--God knows. And I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows--was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. ... To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me." (2 Corinthians 12:2-4, 7)

  Based on 2 Corinthians 12:7 (above), Bible teachers tend to believe that it was Paul himself who was caught up to the third heaven. If Paul was not physically caught up into heaven then what was his physical body doing while he was having this experience? If this had happened in modern times then we might say that he was "slain in the Spirit," or that he had "fallen out under the power of God" (or something equivalent).

   

 

• "So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. The ark of God was captured, and Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died. That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh, his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God. When the man entered the town and told what had happened, the whole town sent up a cry. Eli heard the outcry and asked, "What is the meaning of this uproar?" The man hurried over to Eli, who was ninety-eight years old and whose eyes were set so that he could not see. He told Eli, "I have just come from the battle line; I fled from it this very day." Eli asked, "What happened, my son?" The man who brought the news replied, "Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured." When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. He had led Israel forty years." (1 Samuel 4:10-18)

  Prior to this passage, God had already judged the family of Eli the priest because he didn't properly restrain his two sons (1 Samuel 2:12, 22-36, 3:11-14). In the above passage, the Israelites had been fighting the Philistines, and in order to win this battle the Israelites decided to take the ark of the covenant to the front lines in the belief that it would bring them victory (see for example Numbers 10:35-36 and Joshua 6:6-11). At this point Eli was old, blind, and overweight (1 Samuel 2:22, 4:15, 18), and he was desperately, fearfully waiting to hear what had happened to the ark of the covenant (1 Samuel 4:12-13, above). When he heard the terrible news that the holy ark of God had been captured by the Philistines, we can understand the shock and horror that he must have felt. When people receive such devastating news, the natural reaction is to recoil in shock, and that's what the Bible describes happening to Eli. Being a heavy man, he fell and broke his neck and died.
  
  The question is, are we meant to read something into the fact that Eli fell backwards rather than falling in some other direction? The Bible doesn't say that Eli's direction of fall has any significant meaning here. Instead, this passage simply gives us a straightforward description of what happened. There's nothing here which tells us that if Eli had fallen forwards and died then we should interpret it as a sign that Eli was under God's favor, but since Eli fell backwards and died then we must interpret it as a sign of divine judgment. The only way to determine if it's significant that Eli fell backwards is if we can show that a strong pattern exists in the Bible in which people under God's judgment consistently fell backwards. However, there's no such pattern in the Bible.

   

   

• "So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?" "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground." (John 18:3-6)

  When we recoil or "draw back" and it causes us to stumble, it's natural for us to fall backwards. So when Jesus declared "I AM" and the soldiers and Pharisees "drew back," it's natural that they would fall backwards to the ground. However, we don't know what direction they fell because the Bible doesn't tell us.
  
  There are numerous people in the New Testament who brought judgment on themselves by their actions, but not one of them is recorded as falling backwards at any time. That's not a Scriptural pattern. In John 18:3-6 (above), the Bible does not say that the soldiers and the Pharisees fell backwards as a sign of judgment, so this is an interpretation which some Christians are reading into this passage. For example, notice that Jesus used that same divine expression ("I AM") after He was brought before the high priest, and notice that He was mocked, and beaten, and condemned to death:

  "But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" "I am [ego eimi]," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." The high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he asked. "You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!" And the guards took him and beat him." (Mark 14:61-65)

  In this passage Jesus was officially condemned to death, and He was spit upon, blindfolded, struck, mocked, and beaten by a number of people. These people certainly brought divine judgment on themselves by their actions, yet none of them fell backwards. In fact, no-one else in the New Testament is ever described as falling backwards. There's no pattern in the Bible to support the opinion that people are under divine judgment when they fall backwards while receiving prayer in a church service.

   

   

• ""The LORD will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines." Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel's words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and night." (1 Samuel 28:19-20)

  This is another passage which some Christians use to argue that falling backwards is a sign of divine judgment. However, this passage simply says that Saul fell "full length" to the ground. Did he fall forwards? Did he fall backwards? Did he fall to one side or the other? Did he fall prostrate on his face? The passage doesn't say. We can't use this passage to prove anything about the "direction" that someone falls to the ground.

   

   

• "Dan will provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan will be a serpent by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horse's heels so that its rider tumbles backward." (Genesis 49:16-17)

  This passage describes a characteristic of the tribe of Dan, using the imagery of a snake as a metaphor. Consider that if a snake bites a horse and the horse rears up, which way is the rider likely to fall? It would be natural for the rider to fall backwards in that situation. The rider in this passage is not a real person (it's simply used as part of a metaphor), and this passage doesn't indicate that falling backwards while receiving prayer is wrong or bad.

   

   

• "Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people, to whom he said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose"-- but they would not listen. So then, the word of the LORD to them will become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there--so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured. Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem." (Isaiah 28:11-14)

  This passage describes Israel falling into a "backward" condition in their relationship with God, which soon resulted in their capture by the Assyrian army. This passage doesn't describe anyone falling to the ground, and it doesn't indicate that there's anything "wrong" or "bad" when people fall backwards to the ground while receiving prayer.

   

   

• "For when I brought your forefathers out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices, but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you. But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. From the time your forefathers left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets. But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their forefathers." (Jeremiah 7:22-26)

  This is another passage which refers to the "backslidden" hearts of the Israelites. It doesn't describe anyone falling to the ground, and it doesn't indicate that there's anything "wrong" or "bad" when people fall backwards to the ground while receiving prayer.

   

 

1. Notice that most of the above passages don't describe anyone falling backwards. It's easy to find Scripture passages which contain the word "backwards," but we need to be careful that we're properly fitting those passages together and that we're drawing the conclusions which God intended to convey. In my article called Are You Sure You Believe what the Bible Says? I gave the example that there are several passages in the New Testament which refer to the "eat, drink, and be merry" type of lifestyle. But are we meant to put those passages together and then claim that drunkenness and gluttony are proper behaviors for Christians? Obviously not. We need to be careful about the conclusions that we draw from any patterns that we think we see in the Bible. In the above passages, there are only two possible examples of people actually falling backwards to the ground (1 Samuel 4:17-18 and John 18:3-6), which is hardly a "pattern" to use for condemning people when they fall backwards while receiving prayer in church.

    

    

2. Notice that there are no Christians who fell backwards in the above passages. Not only does the Bible never condemn nor forbid falling backwards while receiving prayer, but the Bible doesn't give us any examples of Christians falling backwards under the condemnation of God. There's no pattern in the Bible which supports the idea that falling backwards is "bad."

    

    

3. The New Testament tells us that if we sin then the Holy Spirit will convict us inwardly of our sin. The Bible never says that if Christians sin then we will experience divine judgment.

    

    

4. If falling backwards is proof of God's judgment on people when they are "slain in the Spirit" (as some people believe), then what did those people do which supposedly brought them under divine judgment? All they did was to come forward in church to receive prayer! This argument is essentially saying that God is condemning people for requesting prayer in church.

    

"Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground." (1 Samuel 17:49)

"Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?" The commander of the Lord's army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so." (Joshua 5:13-15)

"On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude. I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground. A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees." (Daniel 10:4-10)

"Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking." (Ezekiel 1:26-28)

"While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified." (Matthew 17:5-6)

"Going a little farther, he [Jesus] fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."" (Matthew 26:39)

"As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself."" (Acts 10:25-26)

"All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"" (Revelation 7:11-12)

"Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God." At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."" (Revelation 19:9-10)

(For more examples, see Genesis 17:1-4, Ezekiel 43:1-3, 44:4, Mark 5:22-23, 5:30-33, 7:25, 10:17, 14:35-36, Luke 5:8-9, 12, 8:41-42, 46-47, John 11:32, Acts 9:3-4, 16:25-30, 22:6-7, 1 Corinthians 14:24-25, Revelation 1:16-17, 4:9-11, 5:7-8, 13-14, 11:15-17, 19:4, 22:8-9)

"Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father." (Luke 9:42. This is repeated in Matthew 17:14-15 and Mark 9:20)

"Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God."" (Mark 3:11)

"When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!"" (Luke 8:27-28. This is repeated in Matthew 8:28-29 and Mark 5:2-8)

"In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, "Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" "Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him." (Luke 4:33-35. This is repeated in Mark 1:23-26)

"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!" (Acts 7:51)

"Do not quench the Spirit." (1 Thessalonians 5:19, New King James Version)

"Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request." (1 Chronicles 4:10)

"So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome." Jacob said, "Please tell me your name." But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there." (Genesis 32:24-29)

"When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?" "Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit," Elisha replied. "You have asked a difficult thing," Elijah said, "yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours--otherwise not." ... The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, "The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha." And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him." (2 Kings 2:9-10, 15)

"To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings" (1 Corinthians 9:22-23)

"He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." (Galatians 3:14)

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3)

"But eagerly desire the greater gifts." (1 Corinthians 12:31)

"Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy." (1 Corinthians 14:1)

"I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy." (1 Corinthians 14:5)

"Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church." (1 Corinthians 14:12)

"Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues." (1 Corinthians 14:39)

"do not treat prophecies with contempt." (1 Thessalonians 5:20)