( C ) SCRIPTURES OF BACKWARDS MOTION ----------------------------------------------------------------- 14. Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil. - Psalms 40:14 1. Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord. 2. Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt. 3. Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha. - Psalms 70:1-3 4. Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. - Isaiah 1:4 13. But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. - Isaiah 28:13 24. Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; 25. That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; - Isaiah 44:24-25 The common visible evidence of people who are slain in the Spirit is that they fall backward to the ground. Again let me state that this study and research is not making judgements or conclusions regarding falling down backwards in general. People who fall down whether forwards or backwards is in and of itself an occurrence with which I have no contention or argument. But rather, this study is in regard to the specific matter of the " slain in the Spirit " experience. With the only exception of Judas and the band of men who came to arrest Jesus, ( John 18:3-6 ), there is no incident within the scriptures which establish that a person in Gods' presence results in said person falling backward to the ground. What the scriptures do provide is a interesting and revealing connection of the nature of people whom are described as being backwards or having gone backward. It is important to note that within these referenced scriptures, it is the Lord who can cause wicked and evil mankind to fall or go backwards. This conclusion should not however lead a person to believe that God approves the slain in the Spirit activity. He does not. Simply because as the referenced scriptures clearly reveal, there is a direct connection of people who go backward as being a people of sin who deliberately choose to reject and forsake God and the Word of His Truth. It is the judgement of God that those who go backward are thereby proved to be characteristicly wicked and evil and have forsaken the Lord God. Scripture reveals persons who fall forward and backward are actions which can occur because of God. However, the scriptural descriptions of people who fall backwards from God are indicative of people who are wicked and children of darkness. Falling or going backwards in these instances in no manner describes a people being overwhelmed by the anointing of the Holy Spirit as is believed by many present day Christians who embrace the " slain in the Spirit " experience. The scriptural descriptions of those people who fall forward are indicative that such people are either the children of light or they are people who truly seek after the Lord rather than draw away from and reject Him and His Truth. Also, such people are examples representing the true manner of worshiping God in fear, spirit and truth, ( Daniel 8:16-19 / Ezekiel 3:22-24 / Matthew 7:5-6 / John 4:24 ). The following scriptures further reveal the connection between the characteristic wicked nature of people who are described as being backwards or having gone backward; 12. For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them; 13. In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14. And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 15. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. - Isaiah 59:12-15 23. But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. 24. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. - Jeremiah 7:23-24 6. Thou hast forsaken me, saith the Lord, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting. 7. And I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the land; I will bereave them of children, I will destroy my people since they return not from their ways. - Jeremiah 15:6-7 8. Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward. - Lamentations 1:8 5. The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. - Proverbs 11:5 In regard to those persons who fall backward, the scriptures are clear that such action involves and gives proof of a sinful people who forsake the Lord God. Isaiah writes that those who fall backwards are broken and snared and taken, ( a few other verses of broken, snared and taken people: Genesis 17:14 / Numbers 15:30-31 / Deuteronomy 7:25; 12:30-32 / Psalms 9:16-17; 10:2; 40:12 / Proverbs 11:6 / Galations 6:1 / 2 Timothy 2:25-26 ). In light of these scriptures then, are the persons ( Christians ? ) in the present day church who fall backwards ( because of a supposed result of being slain in the Spirit ) receiving an anointing and blessing of God and the Holy Spirit? The answer is no. Scripturally, it is very clear that this is not the case. It is not truth. For any child of God to believe and teach such deceit is sin and wickedness. Slain in the Spirit is a belief and practice that is darkness and not light. Are the persons who fall backwards because of being so called slain in the Spirit, visible examples which validate and prove the slain in the Spirit experience to be of God ? No. Simply because being slain in the Spirit has no scriptural foundation or proof. People physically fall in the presence of God, this I do not deny. But when a person falls due to being in the presence of God, it is by no means proof that such a person has been slain in the Spirit. Scriptures have shown that God will slay a person physically. Yet not one scripture shows that God slays a persons' spirit. Not one scripture shows that the Holy Spirit slays a persons' spirit. Much less does any scripture prove and reveal that such action is a blessing from the Lord God or has His approval. Now let us examine the forward motion of people who fall in the Lords' presence, in a true manner of honor and worship and a true seeking of the Lord and His help. Thus, such action is approved of God. --------------------------------------------------------------- n8usa@yahoo.com - Roger |