Genuine Tears, Sacred Encounters

2 Timothy 1:3-5 “I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day,  (4)  greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy,  (5)  when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”

In this section, we will discuss the phenomenon of people weeping as they encounter the power of the Holy Spirit. Unlike all the phenomena discussed in this series so far, there is only one manifestation in this area:

• People weeping in the Spirit.

Unlike laughter, people do not pretend to weep in the Spirit, as the flesh has no desire to do so. It is also noteworthy that demonic powers do not manifest in this way either. You will never hear “ministers” of the gospel encouraging people to begin weeping “by faith” in the natural, so that the Spirit of God can eventually take over and cause the believer to weep in the Spirit. This phenomenon should not be confused with people weeping in the natural due to emotional stirring or with saints weeping before the Lord as they are burdened in prayer.

So why do people weep in the Spirit? Weeping in the Spirit operates on the same principle as speaking in tongues. In the natural, they have no idea why they are weeping, just as when they pray in tongues they have no understanding of what they are saying. It is the spirit of the believer that is weeping, expressing the power of the Holy Spirit. In the natural, people either weep for joy or sorrow. In the Spirit, people weep for the same reasons, with the difference being that it is the believer’s spirit that is weeping, and in most instances, the believer has no understanding in the natural of why they are weeping.

In the above passage of scripture, the Apostle Paul speaks about Timothy’s weeping and links it to an expression of Timothy’s genuine faith. This confirms that this particular phenomenon, when experienced in the Spirit, is initiated by the Holy Spirit and no other source. I have wept many times before the Lord in prayer but have only experienced weeping once when encountering the power of the Holy Spirit. However, I have witnessed numerous saints weeping as I laid hands on them to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and they encountered the power of God coming upon them.

Michael E.B. Maher

Holy Spirit Encounters

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