Hands Shaking During Prayer: Does the Holy Spirit Make you Shake?

[Presbyterian Continuist]

When we look closely at the New Testament, we see no description of shaking, falling over, or any of the other ecstatic experiences that modern Charismatics and Pentecostals manifest and say that what they are experiencing is the influence of the Holy Spirit. There is no actual New Testament evidence that these things are the influence of the Holy Spirit.

So, what can we say about these things then? I wonder if people believe that these things are a sign of superior spirituality. This is what the Corinthians believed and Paul told them they were of the flesh and not of the Spirit!

Take notice of who has these manifestations. In my experience, after 40 years of observation, I have seen all sorts of people having all sorts of manifestations, but the one thing I have noticed is that none of the pastor or leaders have been observed as having them. I have not seen one pastor or leader fall over, or have shaking or any other manifestation, although I have seen them prophesying, having words of knowledge, etc. Why is that?

If the manifestations are really of the Spirit and show superior spirituality, why is it then that those who you would think are more mature don't have them?

Makes you wonder, doesn't it.

I doubt the authenticity of the manifestations for these two reasons then:

1. They are not mentioned in the New Testament
2. Mature Christians don't have them.

 

[COLIN RICHARDS]

Hello All

The shaking and tears continue. I seem to shake each week in church and at different times away from chuch but not always tears.

I was at a friends place in the northern suburbs of Adelaide worshipping one night. The shaking was so intense it went on for about 20 minutes and in the car afterwards.

In church today during worship the tears flowed and the shaking of the hands continued. Sure I am a Penticostal in Adelaide South Australia.His presence is not as strong as when I was serving full time. I would expect that. Wouldnt you ?

...sometimes its hard to explain when you are being led by God to do something ....you know you just have to do it! You dont know why. Its so strong. You just do it. Its called being led by the Spirit. Its great when that voice you know so well speaks to you or seems to and no matter how much noise is going on around you you can still hear it.

I am nothing special yet His presence can be next to me at my desk at work or when leaving work and it feels like He is walking next to me at times.

The pressure of work or other things in this world can distract us all away from Him. It happens to me but I know He is still there.

This is available to everyone who opens their heart wide to Jesus and let him come in.

Kind Regards to All
Colin

 

[FuegoPentecostes]

When we look closely at the New Testament, we see no description of shaking, falling over, or any of the other ecstatic experiences that modern Charismatics and Pentecostals manifest and say that what they are experiencing is the influence of the Holy Spirit. There is no actual New Testament evidence that these things are the influence of the Holy Spirit.

So, what can we say about these things then? I wonder if people believe that these things are a sign of superior spirituality. This is what the Corinthians believed and Paul told them they were of the flesh and not of the Spirit!

Take notice of who has these manifestations. In my experience, after 40 years of observation, I have seen all sorts of people having all sorts of manifestations, but the one thing I have noticed is that none of the pastor or leaders have been observed as having them. I have not seen one pastor or leader fall over, or have shaking or any other manifestation, although I have seen them prophesying, having words of knowledge, etc. Why is that?

If the manifestations are really of the Spirit and show superior spirituality, why is it then that those who you would think are more mature don't have them?

Makes you wonder, doesn't it.

I doubt the authenticity of the manifestations for these two reasons then:

1. They are not mentioned in the New Testament
2. Mature Christians don't have them.

I don't know where you have been the past 40 years, but they don't sound like real Pentecostal churches.
A real Pentecostal church gives liberty to the Holy Spirit so that He may do as He pleases. In my church, and every church that I've ever visited, I've seen church elders, leaders, pastors, etc all feel the Holy Spirit. Dance in the spirit, shake, fall out (with no one laying hands on them may I add). My own pastor I've seen multiple times experiencing the touch of the Holy Spirit.

Then again, I associate only with holiness churches. I don't trust any kind of manifestation in any type of liberal church, to be blunt.

We see that in Holiness Pentecostal churches you have people that are praising God and living lives of obedience to the Word. God will not give something bad to someone asking for something good. We are asking for His Holy Spirit to take control, to glorify Himself, to move in our midst, and that's exactly what happens. Shaking, dancing in the spirit, whatever you want to call it has nothing to do with superiority spiritually speaking. It is simply the reaction to the overpowering presence of God.

In Acts 10, we see in the case of Cornelius: 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

How did they know the Holy Spirit was poured out? There was a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. They spoke in tounges and praised the Lord. The Holy Spirit moved. I know the Holy Spirit moves in my church when people speak in tounges and there are other manifestations of the Spirit. My pastor feels the Holy Spirit, the leaders feel it - more so than the younger generation if you ask me, as they truly give freedom to the Holy Spirit while the youth are usually more weary.

I'm sorry, but I felt the need to respond because I find it amazing that after visiting churches for 40 years you've never seen a church leader or pastor dance in the spirit, shake, or do anything of the sort. I'd like to know where you've been visiting because that certainly doesn't sound like the Pentecost I know!

 

[tturt]

Realize that shaking isn't the same as falling. But there are Scriptures saying they fell - in all directions. Here's some of them -

2Ch 5:14 "So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God."

Rev 1:17 "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:"

Eze 44:4 "Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD: and I fell upon my face."

 

[Alithis]

When we look closely at the New Testament, we see no description of shaking, falling over, or any of the other ecstatic experiences that modern Charismatics and Pentecostals manifest and say that what they are experiencing is the influence of the Holy Spirit. There is no actual New Testament evidence that these things are the influence of the Holy Spirit.

So, what can we say about these things then? I wonder if people believe that these things are a sign of superior spirituality. This is what the Corinthians believed and Paul told them they were of the flesh and not of the Spirit!

Take notice of who has these manifestations. In my experience, after 40 years of observation, I have seen all sorts of people having all sorts of manifestations, but the one thing I have noticed is that none of the pastor or leaders have been observed as having them. I have not seen one pastor or leader fall over, or have shaking or any other manifestation, although I have seen them prophesying, having words of knowledge, etc. Why is that?

If the manifestations are really of the Spirit and show superior spirituality, why is it then that those who you would think are more mature don't have them?

Makes you wonder, doesn't it.

I doubt the authenticity of the manifestations for these two reasons then:

1. They are not mentioned in the New Testament
2. Mature Christians don't have them.

hi.. thats quite a well worded intellectual assessment.
it caused me to wonder a couple of things.
The first is an obvious but fair question (imo) .Have you been baptised in the Holy Spirit accompanied by any manifestation of the gifts,tongues or other?

The second- do you you believe/acknowledge that the physical world/body can be effected/influenced by the spiritual realm?
if not ,upon what scripture would you base that.
if so,are you then suggesting God..who is Spirit(Holy/most high)
cannot do what lesser spirits(fallen/unholy) can do?

the last for now-upon what do you base the assumption that mature christians do not experience such things?

 

[COLIN RICHARDS]

Spot on. I was going to reply but dont wish to cause a "stir". We should all pray for those who need His presence upon them. Once you have this you want more and more of Him.

Love you ALL just the same
Colin Richards South Australia

 

[Alithis]

Spot on. I was going to reply but dont wish to cause a "stir". We should all pray for those who need His presence upon them. Once you have this you want more and more of Him.

Love you ALL just the same
Colin Richards South Australia

well u suppose its fair to say i would consider my self somewhat mature christian ,am hoping so after 30 years..not that years always mean a hill of beans..
but i on occasion still experience the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit,though how i respond has changed with maturity...
i used to get so excited, i wanted every one to see its happening lol...
and when younger i certainly fell into the error of thinking it gave me some kind of spiritual superiority...to my great shame..
the lord dealt with that misled arrogance through what i call my"nebuchadnezzar" years.
these days i so love his anointing upon me but iv learned to trust him and am ever learning to be less attentive to my fickle bodys reaction and more
attentive to the Lord Jesus.

 

[eagle48]

In my church some people do feel the movement of the Holy Spirit more than others. I move more than others during praise and worship. I would be careful when accusing people of not being mature or faking it. You haven't walked in their shoes and do not understand what they have been delivered from.

There is a lady in church that sometimes rolls on the floor when we are gathered at the front during praise and worship and prayer time. I know to give her room so I don't get knocked over like a bowling pin . A lady in church told me that she was faking it. She is not faking it; the lady rolling on the floor is from Nigeria and had seen a lot of witch craft and evil there. During ladies prayer she is slaying and binding evil spirits like a warrior. She has led many people to the Lord with her witnessing. I wonder how many people that are judging these people have brought people to the Lord. If I were possessed with an evil spirit I would want her to lay hands on me. Evil spirits don't want to battle with that sister.

Another example is a man who sometimes runs around the church during praise and worship shouting hallelujah. He had a cocaine addiction when he was younger and was delivered from it when filled with the Holy Spirit speaking in tongues. I have been in several different church denominations and haven't seen the results in delivering people with drug additions like I have seen in the spirit filled charismatic churches. I have felt the Holy Spirit so strong at times that I thought about running behind him but didn't because I didn't want to embarrass my husband. If there ever comes a time when I really have the urge my husband might have to trip me to keep me from running. I have a checkered past as well and know the awesome power of a forgiving and merciful God. I believe David in the bible who danced unto the Lord might would have rolled and ran as well. What an Awesome God we serve.

 

[walkinginthelightnow]

originally it signified a trembling of the flesh. The verse says, "Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling."

There is a visible manifestation when coming into the presence of the Lord. Some will quake others will curl up in fear like in a fetus position.

You can't get close the the Holy One without having some INVOLUNTARY manifestation in your flesh.

Now I say "originally" because that was the display when it happens to the person in the beginning stages of coming into God's presence. It certainly can h appen all the time however....some may try to get INTO the presence by actively, voluntarily shaking themselves into a frenzy. That is NOT good. That is mocking in a sense. I won't say who does this because I am NOT to judge and that is dangerous ground to call something of the Spirit of God something false. But knowing humans...you know there will be some who do things not authentically. But like I said...that is not our place to judge.


I say this because of what I have experienced and seen in life. There were some who confessed to mimic speaking in tongues because they wanted the gift so badly. That is dangerous ground.

 

[Alithis]

originally it signified a trembling of the flesh. The verse says, "Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling."

There is a visible manifestation when coming into the presence of the Lord. Some will quake others will curl up in fear like in a fetus position.

You can't get close the the Holy One without having some INVOLUNTARY manifestation in your flesh.

Now I say "originally" because that was the display when it happens to the person in the beginning stages of coming into God's presence. It certainly can h appen all the time however....some may try to get INTO the presence by actively, voluntarily shaking themselves into a frenzy. That is NOT good. That is mocking in a sense. I won't say who does this because I am NOT to judge and that is dangerous ground to call something of the Spirit of God something false. But knowing humans...you know there will be some who do things not authentically. But like I said...that is not our place to judge.


I say this because of what I have experienced and seen in life. There were some who confessed to mimic speaking in tongues because they wanted the gift so badly. That is dangerous ground.

oddly those who admit to mimicking tongues have never spoken in tongues it seems ..they generally are the most vocal against it -which begs the question.. are they being honest about mimicking in the first place ?
for one thing .. a person can make repetitive dub dub dib dib sounds ..but that's not even a close mimic.
but to be honest when I speak in tongues ,as the Holy Spirit gives utterance, I am aware of a very distinct lingual pattern and language an obvious tongue foreign to my own English .And a number of distinctly different languages at differing times .
but .. more to the topic .. the flesh simply does not cope well with the presence of the power of the Holy Spirit of the most high God ..
so folks quiver shake etc. .. they also become more alive ..I use that as a figure of speech .. it is what old times used to call the quickening of the Spirit ..the pulse increases the breathing deepens and the spirit of the person is more awakened and brought ,by grace, into tune to hear and speak through them what the Holy Sprit is trying to say or encourage or pray or praise through them .
its important to remember that the shaking ..is not the anointing .. the anointing is the anointing -the shaking is simply positively symptomatic of the anointing .

 

[walkinginthelightnow]

oddly those who admit to mimicking tongues have never spoken in tongues it seems ..they generally are the most vocal against it -which begs the question.. are they being honest about mimicking in the first place ?
for one thing .. a person can make repetitive dub dub dib dib sounds ..but that's not even a close mimic.
but to be honest when I speak in tongues ,as the Holy Spirit gives utterance, I am aware of a very distinct lingual pattern and language an obvious tongue foreign to my own English .And a number of distinctly different languages at differing times .
but .. more to the topic .. the flesh simply does not cope well with the presence of the power of the Holy Spirit of the most high God ..
so folks quiver shake etc. .. they also become more alive ..I use that as a figure of speech .. it is what old times used to call the quickening of the Spirit ..the pulse increases the breathing deepens and the spirit of the person is more awakened and brought ,by grace, into tune to hear and speak through them what the Holy Sprit is trying to say or encourage or pray or praise through them .
its important to remember that the shaking ..is not the anointing .. the anointing is the anointing -the shaking is simply positively symptomatic of the anointing .

But like the Jews at the wailing wall...they've adopted a form of "swaying" and some would probably say they are under a sort of spiritual manifestation. But they are swaying in hopes of a 1st coming of the Messiah. He already came so does that make their swaying in vain?

 

[Alithis]

But like the Jews at the wailing wall...they've adopted a form of "swaying" and some would probably say they are under a sort of spiritual manifestation. But they are swaying in hopes of a 1st coming of the Messiah. He already came so does that make their swaying in vain?

does their swaying result in the manifestation of tongues, prophecy, healing ,or miracles ?
..its a bit out there as far as the topic goes ..I sway when I don't eat enough
people sway in grief
lets not expand the topic beyond reasonable boundaries

 

[walkinginthelightnow]

does their swaying result in the manifestation of tongues, prophecy, healing ,or miracles ?
..its a bit out there as far as the topic goes ..I sway when I don't eat enough
people sway in grief
lets not expand the topic beyond reasonable boundaries

You are missing my intent. The point is that one can sway...jiggle...tremble voluntarily. They can work themselves up...they can even copy others to fit in.

That type of manifestation is not involuntary but voluntary. When the Spirit takes over....it comes involuntarily. From what I have experienced.

 

[Alithis]

You are missing my intent. The point is that one can sway...jiggle...tremble voluntarily. They can work themselves up...they can even copy others to fit in.

That type of manifestation is not involuntary but voluntary. When the Spirit takes over....it comes involuntarily. From what I have experienced.

hmm yeh I see what your saying .. but I think its rare when the Holy Spirit so takes over that we cant stop.. but then and i'm sure you know what I mean .. those who love his presence have no desire to stop .
but I think we can if we draw back .. but few would want to draw back .
iv learned(by error) to seek God ..rather then only the manifestation of God ..

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Well I am just glad that some of you shake. I felt the Holy Spirit ask me to share one of my testimonies in front of the church, and true to form I shook like a leaf, yet when I do evangelism I am as calm as a cucumber. It was in my opinion not due to nerves, although I have always thought that is what caused it, the shaking was just too violent. After thinking about it I wonder if shaking when sharing a Testimony is God's way of keeping us humble. We feel people will think we are silly. When God's power is displayed in us, he does not want us to take all the glory, but rather see our selves in a humble way, that we don't exult our selves above the church. People see us a weak, yet we have moved in power, so they feel confident they too can move in power.

1Co 2:3-5 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Personally I wish I did not shake, it makes me feel like a bit of a goose.

 

[HopeS746]

Hi I'm 12 and recently I went to the one event it's a christian camping weekend in Lincolnshire England and I went to the 15 - 18 worship because I we the only girl in the youth group going that weekend who was under 15

one of the nights was really spiritual and I felt like God really talked to me and I felt the holy spirits presence but I was shakin like mad my legs were trembling I could hardly stand up even an hour or two later if someone started speaking about what happened earlier or the Holy Spirit I start shaking with my hands again

 

[Dave-W]

There are any number of reactions to being in the presence of Extreme Power like the Holy Spirit. Some shake, some fall down, some pass out. Some of the reactions are cultural meaning that they have seen a certain reaction in others and respond the same way. There is nothing right or wrong with it unless it interferes with what God is doing at the time. (and then it can be wrong)

 

[tturt]

New Testament --there's probably more but here's a couple - folks fell & others were shaken
"Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?
5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. 6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground." John 18

"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." Acts 4:31

 

[quietbloke]

Hello,


I was wondering why do peoples hands shake sometimes when they fall under the holy spirit.



From your sister in Christ,



Destiny

I see nothing wrong if it is God that causes us to shake! God's power can make that happen or not happen whether we fall or not fall. When God moves by His Holy Spirit anything can happen but it will bring about change in our life that will glorify Jesus. God bless,'Godslilgurlalways'

 

[quietbloke]

I found this thread very interesting,' Some times it causes me to tremble,tremble,tremble..'