This brings us to the second dimension of this display of the flesh, i.e. people pretending to fall under the power of the Holy Spirit when hands are laid on them. The reasons people do this are twofold. The one reason is because of learned behaviour in the church. In other words, the practice of falling down when hands are laid on individuals has become so common, that it is assumed that this is the appropriate response to being prayed for. The second reason is because people want others to think that God’s power has come upon them and that He is blessing them, when in fact no such thing is taking place. Again, this fleshly practice is almost completely done away with when catchers are removed from the equation, simply because people who fall in the flesh do not want to injure themselves and so refrain from the practice of falling to the floor when hands are laid on them. The question is then asked, but won’t people injure themselves if they genuinely fall under the power of the Holy Spirit and there are no catchers behind them. The answer to that question is that when the saints genuinely fall under the power of the Holy Spirit then the Lord’s angels are well able to ensure that they are not injured in any way. I have laid hands on numerous people who have fallen under the power of the Holy Spirit, and in all instances they have fallen straight down, never falling over backwards.
Michael E.B. Maher
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