Charles Spurgeon mentioned a holy laughter. Many have seen or experienced such a laughter. When one who has been shamed from sin, burdened by guilt, finds the forgiveness and love of Jesus, there can be a holy laughter or joy and peace. This is good, and of God.
Jonathan Edwards observed emotions of varying types in his ministry. There was trembling, loud outcries, and agonies of soul."
John and Charles Wesley tell of a laughing spirit that needed a rebuke.
"In the evening, such a spirit of laughter was among us, that many were offended. But the attention of all was fixed on (one) poor (woman), whom we all knew was dissembled. One so violently and variously torn of the devil, one did I never see before. Sometimes, she laughed till almost strangled. Then they broke into cursing and blaspheming. Then stomped and struggled with incredible strength, so that four or five could scarcely hold her... It is important to note that prayer in the name of Jesus Christ brought instant deliverance to those under the spirit of laughter."
There are legitimate and God-inspired times of holy laughter, but there are also, devil inspired disruptions and distractions of laughter.
In 1994, at the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship, during the service, people collapsed, laughed uncontrollably. Soon crowds of a thousand packed the place. By May of the next year, 700,000 people had visited the services.
The experience became known as the "Toronto Blessing". It was a physical phenomenon manifested by continuous laughter, gutteral utterances (animal noises) for an extended time.
Some believed it was a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. It occurred during preaching of the sermon, during the altar call, at prayer times. It can afflict one, several, or the whole congregation.
There would occur laughing hysterically, some falling over, some crumbling to the floor, jerking, twitching, screaming, swaying, roaring, barking like a dog, hooting like owls, crowing, mooing, oinking, hissing, etc. noises, dancing, squirming like snakes, hopping like kangaroos.
David Wilkerson in his sermon Reproach of the Solemn Assembly as reported in Charisma magazine in October, 1999, said:
"I weep when I see these videos sent to me from all over the -country. Whole groups of bodies jerking out of control, falling on the floor, laughing hysterically, staggering around like drunkards."
Sinner and saints alike are taken in the laughing, and many a sinner has walked out, exhausted from the hysterical laughter, but still a sinner, still unrepentant. If mankind resolves sin, they receive real joy.
Psalms 51:8-12
"Make me to hear joy and gladness... restore unto me, the joy of Thy salvation."
"Holy hysteria" is the devils distraction from repentance. The adherents to this demonic doctrine say receive it first, analyze it later." Do we do that with what we put into our mouths? No... and the Scriptural truth advises spirit, we do not accept any Scripture without testing it by the Word first.
I John 4:1
"...do not believe every but test the spirits, whether they are from God..."
I Thessalonians 5:21
"Test everything, hold on to the good."
The adherents say the Christian should lose control.
Demons are enthusiastic about this, for they seek yielded vessels submitting to their control. We are to give control to God, not to demons. Self control is a fruit of the Spirit, and to yield your self control is not even what the Lord asks of us. God never takes mankind out of control.
II Peter 1:5-9
"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; to knowledge, self control; to self control, perseverance..."
