We know from the Bible that not all miracles come from God.
Jesus said: “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24).
Jesus also said: “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign…” (Matthew 12:39).
Unfortunately, many churches (including Charismatic and Pentecostal ones) crave for signs. Instead of being strong in knowing and practicing the Bible, these churches are focused on signs and wonders. It is because of this unhealthy skew toward signs and wonders that opens up these churches for attacks from the enemy.
The Bible tells us that in the end times, even the Antichrist and false prophet will perform signs (Revelation 13:13). The Bible also tells us that the evil one disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). So it is no wonder that these enemy workers are inside the church trying to distract people from God and doing His will with wonders and material enticements.
Let’s go deeper into some of the phenomenon that are happening in these churches.
Slayed in the spirit
There is a practice in many churches called being slayed in the spirit. This is when supposedly the Holy Spirit comes upon a person mightily and the person is spiritually slayed (overwhelmed and faints). However, this is not what is actually happening.
Slaying in the spirit is unbiblical. As believers, we belong to Christ and have the Holy Spirit within us. We do not need to be pushed or pulled down onto the floor or have some spiritual force over us that would spiritually push us over. Such acts have their roots in hypnosis.
In stage hypnosis, for example, a hypnotist could quickly cause a person to sleep or lose consciousness. The person would fall to the floor or slump over in his chair. Then he would wake up to do what the hypnotist suggests.
So the initial technique to cause a person to lose consciousness rapidly is actually being used in slaying in the spirit in churches.
Sometimes the “pastor” holds a person’s head or arm and physically pushes him down or causes him to lose balance so that he falls down. However, in the majority of cases, the person agrees to the act, being deceived and not knowing that it is sorcery.
When a person agrees and cooperates in this act, he surrenders control of his body. The “pastor” knowingly or unknowingly works with an evil spiritual force to cause him to lose consciousness.
This is not from God but from sorcery and magic, which is forbidden in the Bible (Deuteronomy 18:10-11).
As children of the Most High, we are to conduct ourselves in dignity and possess our own vessels in sanctification and honor (1 Thessalonians 4:4).
The Holy Spirit is gentle and kind. He would never force a person to the floor or cause him to lose control of his bodily functions. Instead, the Bible tells us to have self control always.
“Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8)
So we are never told to cede control of our body to another, but to have self control, avoid sins, and love one another. We are not to focus on signs and wonders, but to practice what the Bible says in our own lives. This is the true knowledge of God, not some fake miracle.
“Holy” laughter and uncontrollable dancing
Likewise, phenomenon such as “holy” laughter and uncontrollable dancing are demonic activities.
“Holy” laughter is uncontrollable laughing without any reason to do so. A person under the influence of this is often bent over double and laughs out loud continuously. The person has trouble straightening up and is continually pushed down in a bent position by an unseen spiritual force.
Uncontrollable dancing is when a person dances without stopping. This is similar to what happened in 1518 in Strasbourg in the Holy Roman Empire. During that time, a woman stepped out onto the street and started dancing uncontrollably without music. Others joined her and the group danced continuously for days without stopping for water, food or rest. Some people died of exhaustion, stroke, or heart attack. Authorities eventually banned the dancing and this event became known as the Dancing Plague or Dancing Mania.
Other evil phenomenon include rolling and writhing on the floor, barking like an animal, and roaring and growling. These are not the work of God but the work of evil spirits. Similar practices are seen in Hindu cults and other pagan spirituality.
Again, the Holy Spirit would never cause a person to growl, bark like a dog, roll around on the floor, or laugh or dance uncontrollably. But people who don’t know God, pretend to be teachers, and mislead Christians.
“Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.” (Titus 2:6-8)
We are to live out God’s words and be models for good deeds. Any act that is not dignified dishonors God and dishonors the person who falls victim to these evil influences.
The leaders who teach these false doctrines are knowingly or unknowingly blaspheming the Holy Spirit, because they teach what is false about the Holy Spirit and dishonors Him.
Oil, feathers, coins, gold and diamonds
The enemy often uses objects to entice us. Things like anointing oil, feathers, gold dust, coins and diamonds lead people away from focusing on God’s word to focus on magical objects and the desire for wealth.
We need to understand that fallen angels were once good angels who learned from God. Some of God’s creative powers and ability to work miracles were learned by these angels before their fall. After their fall, this knowledge did not disappear. But our enemies use this against us now.
They can use their ability to perform miracles and cause oil to flow from hands, and gold dust and diamonds to be sprinkled around, so that Christians are distracted by these unimportant things and do not focus on God’s word.
During the time of Moses, sorcerers and magicians were able to perform some of the miracles Moses and Aaron performed. They were able to turn sticks into snakes (Exodus 7:12) and replicate the plague of frogs (Exodus 8:7).
But God did not teach the angels everything. As God performed more miracles through Moses, the magicians themselves acknowledged God’s surpassing power (Exodus 8:19).
These objects of oil, gold, feathers, coins and diamonds are used to try to convince people to follow them (the objects) instead of God. The oil makes people think they are spiritual. The feathers symbolize protection. And coins, gold and diamonds point to wealth, which are the enticing items of a prosperity gospel.
Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord
Would God do this? No.
Jesus said: “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” (Matthew 8:20). This means Jesus often didn’t have a place to sleep at night while He was on earth.
And Jesus taught His disciples: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Matthew 6:24).
All of Jesus’ disciples lived frugally.
The apostle Paul said: “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ ” (Acts 20:33-35).
So the rich should share what they have with others (1 Timothy 6:17-19) and no one is to love wealth.
Do not be distracted by false miracles. Read God’s word and practice it, because that is the mark of a true Christian.
Go to a better church
In light of all this, please consider going to a church that has the right focus.
The true test of a good church is whether that church treats the Bible as holy and practices what the Bible says. If a church disregards parts of God’s word or teaches falsehood, it is not a good church to go to.
The Bible tells us to not grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). Many churches are truly grieving the Spirit of God by teaching things that are not right and misleading many people.
Because false doctrine can be very subtle, it is best to not play with fire.
Proverbs advises:
“Can a man take fire in his bosom
And his clothes not be burned?
Or can a man walk on hot coals
And his feet not be scorched?” (Proverbs 6:27-28)
Ask God to help you find a good church. It is best to avoid places that could deceive us and lead us astray.
Q: I took part in some of these things. What should I do now?
The author of this article also naively participated in some of these things. I went to a Charismatic church for several years and witnessed first-hand what was happening. When I realized these errors, I repented of the false doctrine and practices. I came out of that church and started to tell others to also avoid similar false teachings.
You can do the same. Repent before God of the false doctrine and practices that you took part in.
God will forgive you, especially because you didn’t know what you were doing (Luke 23:34, 1 Timothy 1:13).
Now that you know, take action to make things right. Since these things devastate many lives, leave them behind and don’t participate in them again.
Read Revelation 13 in the Bible.
See other false teachings Christians should avoid.