Revisit - Drunk in the Spirit Phenomenon

[Jonathan david]

Time to time, I have seen PC folks being drunk in the Spirit. Even my Sr Pastor, who is as solid and mature as they come.

I get the overall theme of being "overcome" by the Holy Spirit. How would you articulate this as an aspect of Pentecostal experience, that us NOT demonic (which some people jump on presumptuously).

Would you say it is a special case of "falling under the power" of the HS?

On the ministry side, I was thinking about Heidi Baker, who seems to get overcome in the spirit more than most while preaching.

[Colonel]

Time to time, I have seen PC folks being drunk in the Spirit. Even my Sr Pastor, who is as solid and mature as they come.

I get the overall theme of being "overcome" by the Holy Spirit. How would you articulate this as an aspect of Pentecostal experience, that us NOT demonic (which some people jump on presumptuously).

Would you say it is a special case of "falling under the power" of the HS?

On the ministry side, I was thinking about Heidi Baker, who seems to get overcome in the spirit more than most while preaching.

I've experienced being overwhelmingly filled by the Holy Spirit several times without getting emotional about it and without being unable to behave normally. A state of drunkenness isn't a prerequisite of being filled up. I'm quite sure that people can experience a state of what they call being drunk in the Spirit more than I have but in that case I believe it's a sign of a special work that the Spirit is doing in them rather than his filling them up as such.

[FireBrand]

We call it getting “wrecked”. I’ve had nights where getting off the drums after a strong worship set (2hrs+) I just cant function in my thinking and may appear drunk, yet it isnt the term we like to use. Oh yeah, I love that.

[Jonathan david]

I may have read it here, but recalling the verse "be not drunk with wine, but filled with the Holy Spirit". Some one pointed out that it does necessarily mean you have "appear" sober.

[Cardinal TT]

It's great because you have all the good feelings without the hangover and vomiting that happens when carnally drunk

God has the ability to minister to us through many varying means and this is one of those unique ways he gets our attention and does a work in a persons heart

In regard to people preaching and getting drunk/staggering/laughing....at times this is wonderful and can positively affect the listeners but if it is always happening I would ask God to stop that manifestation until you finish preaching as what is the point of preaching.

If the message is indeed from God then people should hear the message. If a preacher started speaking in english and throughout their message they also spoke in tongues without any clear purpose then it isn't edifying but confusing.

Paul who was filled with the Spirit more than most had guidelines when tongues were distracting to the listeners so I would conclude other manifestations could be a distraction

[FireBrand]

I may have read it here, but recalling the verse "be not drunk with wine, but filled with the Holy Spirit". Some one pointed out that it does necessarily mean you have "appear" sober.

I would contest that with Acts 2 and the Holy Spirit coming upon those in the upper room. The scoffers (which are not in shortage nearly 2000yrs later) accused the fire filled disciples as being drunk. Speaking in tongues was only a part of what was going on.

[fuego]

I would contest that with Acts 2 and the Holy Spirit coming upon those in the upper room. The scoffers (which are not in shortage nearly 2000yrs later) accused the fire filled disciples as being drunk. Speaking in tongues was only a part of what was going on.

No reason to think somebody speaking in tongues, and especially since they heard them in their own language would make anybody thing, "hey, they're drunk." What made them think they were drunk, and the only evidence they would have to go by, was that they were acting drunk. It had nothing to do with the tongues.

[FireBrand]

No reason to think somebody speaking in tongues, and especially since they heard them in their own language would make anybody thing, "hey, they're drunk." What made them think they were drunk, and the only evidence they would have to go by, was that they were acting drunk. It had nothing to do with the tongues.

Egg-zackly.

[Colonel]

No reason to think somebody speaking in tongues, and especially since they heard them in their own language would make anybody thing, "hey, they're drunk." What made them think they were drunk, and the only evidence they would have to go by, was that they were acting drunk. It had nothing to do with the tongues.

It could have been the sound of a rushing wind that startled them the most :

Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

6a And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together,

Then they heard them speak in tongues :

6b and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.

Then they discovered that they were rural Galileans rather than learned men from Jerusalem and shouldn't be able to speak all these languages :

7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?
8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?

Some mocked :

13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

Remember that what brought the multitude there was the sound of the rushing wind rather than people speaking in different languages. Some probably thought that some kind of a party or revelry was going on and seeing that they were just a bunch of Galileans speaking in languages they shouldn't be able to speak probably reinforced that impression.

Since there is no mention of any drunken behavior I think it's going too far when people interpret it to mean that they behaved drunkenly. That's a form of eisegesis, taking one's Charismatic experiences and simply reading them into the passage.

People accused Jesus of all kinds of things, maybe the mockers wanted it to be revelry rather than something supernatural because they didn't want to believe ? Just like people today insist that tongues are just incoherent blabbing because they don't want it to be supernatural.

[FireBrand]

I find the having to defend shaking, laughing, being bent over (called bowing by old timers), staggering, etc to be useless since most are in defense of mocking at the hands of bitter cessationists.

Yet, the one with an experience is never at the mercy of one with the argument.