Holy Laughter??

[sk8brdkd]

Have you ever experienced 'holy laughter' in a church? Its not biblical as I looked it up but, the church i was at which is a very charismatic church said that holy laughter comes right before there's a revival and that's when the holy spirit is working deeply in people. But, for me, it was the strangest and Most Extremely Uncomfortable experience I've ever had bc of everything I was hearing all around me. It wasn't just laughing, but hysterical laughing and hysterical screaming, moaning, 2 people behind me were saying these words repeatedly (Hey Hey, Ho, Hey, Hey, Ha, Ha, Ho), and then giggling and repeated continuously for over an hour. 1 person almost sounded demon possessed bc of the noises they were making. They were laughing but it was like an evil/maniac laugh. That all lasted about 1 hour during worship. What do you make of it? What kept me put w/o running out the door during that was that i strongly felt the holy spirits presence in me during that time + I did experience a healing touch which I explained in my previous post.

Has anyone else experienced holy laughter and if you have, can you share your own experiences of it because I don't understand it.

 

[sandman]

I have seen it ...when I was checking out different churches years ago ...Because of that and some other things that took place ...I walked right out.
I had come from a background of worship ...but from the side of darkness ....I know when things are from the true God or from another source. They may not have been possessed, but certainly spiritually influenced ....Not from the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Have you ever experienced 'holy laughter' in a church? Its not biblical as I looked it up but, the church i was at which is a very charismatic church said that holy laughter comes right before there's a revival and that's when the holy spirit is working deeply in people. But, for me, it was the strangest and Most Extremely Uncomfortable experience I've ever had bc of everything I was hearing all around me. It wasn't just laughing, but hysterical laughing and hysterical screaming, moaning, 2 people behind me were saying these words repeatedly (Hey Hey, Ho, Hey, Hey, Ha, Ha, Ho), and then giggling and repeated continuously for over an hour. 1 person almost sounded demon possessed bc of the noises they were making. They were laughing but it was like an evil/maniac laugh. That all lasted about 1 hour during worship. What do you make of it? What kept me put w/o running out the door during that was that i strongly felt the holy spirits presence in me during that time + I did experience a healing touch which I explained in my previous post.

Has anyone else experienced holy laughter and if you have, can you share your own experiences of it because I don't understand it.

Oh my. I cant believe this is still in some churches. I thought by now these children will have grown out of these flesh driven manifestations. Anyhow, your right my friend, this display of irreverence is not one of the fruits of His Holy Spirit. Now what are you going to do? I suggest finding a more biblically sound Charismatic congregation.
Blessings

 

[Brian Mcnamee]

Hi the Bible is quite clear on the manifestation of the gifts of the spirit and and manifestations too.
A presence of God like in acts 2 had some scoffers saying these men are drunk, now Peter stood up and said these men are not drunk but they are speaking forth the mighty works of God and you are all hearing them in your own languages. So to those who did not speak other languages it sounded like Babel but they were speaking in other tongues and those who knew these other languages understood those who were speaking in their own tongue. Elsewhere we are told that everything in church should be done decently and in order and that no more than 2 or 3 should speak in tongues and not without an interpreter. The idea that an outsider would come in and think you were all nuts is given as the reason for order in God's house. There are many who have looked into these kinds of manifestations including things like being slain in the spirit and they can show that these experiences are common and parallel in Kundalini yoga. There is certainly an experience and I would stay away from that. In heaven we see the clear message of praise is expressed and never some freak show.

 

[sk8brdkd]

I have seen it ...when I was checking out different churches years ago ...Because of that and some other things that took place ...I walked right out.
I had come from a background of worship ...but from the side of darkness ....I know when things are from the true God or from another source. They may not have been possessed, but certainly spiritually influenced ....Not from the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

so you don't believe holy laughter is from God? What about being slain in the spirit? Just curious bc although ive never seen anyone slain in the spirit yet at that church, the pastor had mentioned this apostle catherine who he said slayed him in the spirit. I've seen videos of that at churches but i don't agree with it.

I've been to many different churches over the years but never seen nor experienced that. Thing is, since I'm very sensitive to the spirit, I can usually tell when things are demonic, but, I didn't get that type of sense from that service especially since I received peace and had a strong sense of the Holy Spirit. I've been to that church around 7 times and each time I went, I felt the strong presence of the Holy Spirit there. One thing I do like about the church is their prophetic ministry. I've had 3 people give me a prophetic word and each one coincided with something I'm going through, and the holy spirit spoke to me thru them, so besides this holy laughter, I know they are a spirit filled church but not everything they do makes sense

 

[aiki]

Have you ever experienced 'holy laughter' in a church? Its not biblical as I looked it up but, the church i was at which is a very charismatic church said that holy laughter comes right before there's a revival and that's when the holy spirit is working deeply in people.

You're right: "Holy laughter" is not of God. There is nowhere in all of the Bible that teaches such a thing. Certainly, as you know, the idea of the Holy Spirit affecting people with hysterical, uncontrollable laughter is utterly absent from the New Testament.

When the Holy Spirit is working deeply in people, they come under conviction (John 16:8), pressed by the Spirit powerfully about the sin in their lives and the strife and division it has caused within the Church. The first work of the Spirit in revival is to purify the sinful believer and return them to a place of holiness before their God which place is absolutely necessary to "seeing God" (Hebrews 12:14) and walking rightly with Him (1 Peter 3:10-12).

But, for me, it was the strangest and Most Extremely Uncomfortable experience I've ever had bc of everything I was hearing all around me.

I can imagine! Yikes!

It wasn't just laughing, but hysterical laughing and hysterical screaming, moaning, 2 people behind me were saying these words repeatedly (Hey Hey, Ho, Hey, Hey, Ha, Ha, Ho), and then giggling and repeated continuously for over an hour. 1 person almost sounded demon possessed bc of the noises they were making. They were laughing but it was like an evil/maniac laugh. That all lasted about 1 hour during worship. What do you make of it?

It is exactly as you've characterized it: demonic. There is nothing of God in what you've described, but, rather, sensuality run amok, the flesh being given free rein, exhibiting a lack of control that always marks devilish things.

Galatians 5:22-24
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Paul distinguishes the life of the Spirit in part by the self-control the Spirit imparts to the believer which he contrasts with the passions of the flesh. Passion, as you know, is not marked by control. When we say "So-and-so was in a passion of rage," we mean so-and-so was out of control with rage; when Bob tells Suzie he "loves her passionately," he means he has an over-riding desire for her that he wants desperately to express. Always, then, we can discern the influence of the Spirit by things being done "decently and in order," as Paul described to the Corinthian believers (1 Corinthians 14:40), not out of a sensual passion that is characteristic of the flesh and demonic influence.

2 Timothy 1:7
7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

What kept me put w/o running out the door during that was that i strongly felt the holy spirits presence in me during that time + I did experience a healing touch which I explained in my previous post.

Do you know what the "mob mentality" is? It's a very powerful psychological effect that occurs only within large groups of people, encouraging behavior and feelings that would be very difficult to generate and sustain in isolation from the group. The mob mentality creates an enormous suggestibility in the individual, a huge pressure upon him/her to conform in some way to the group. The power of this pressure can be seen in the astonishingly bizarre conduct of those under its influence who, in hyper-charismatic "revival" meetings, fall to the ground and convulse without concern, or giggle endlessly like a maniac, without shame, or cry and moan like a sick cow and feel they are having a really spiritual moment. Caught up in the mob, otherwise sensible people will let loose and conduct themselves in humiliating, irrational ways; if they were to do so alone, generally, they would be considered - rightly - to be off their nut.

I think what you likely felt was the force of the mob mentality disposing you toward having an unusual experience like everyone else was having.

Has anyone else experienced holy laughter and if you have, can you share your own experiences of it because I don't understand it.

Having "holy laughter" is not a predicate to understanding it. See above.

Be careful, sister.

 

[sk8brdkd]

Oh my. I cant believe this is still in some churches. I thought by now these children will have grown out of these flesh driven manifestations. Anyhow, your right my friend, this display of irreverence is not one of the fruits of His Holy Spirit. Now what are you going to do? I suggest finding a more biblically sound Charismatic congregation.
Blessings

I started going to this church Sunday nights. They have these services called Encountering God Services and its a 2 1/2 worship service where they Usually just sing and often times people go up to the altar for prayer and sometimes a person will have a prophetic word (happened for me 3 times where what these different people told me things but they coincided with what I was going thru and also it was what the holy spirit was speaking to me too.

I go to a regular modern non denominational church too. I go to Liquid Church Sunday mornings and Resting Place House of Prayer Sunday nights <---- resting place is the prophetic and holy laughter church. You can check out their services on fb or youtube

 

[Blade]

Not sure why we are just picking this one out..well there are many other things we say believe and wait there is no verse for it. What we think laughter comes from Satan? So with some verses there is no word HOLY.. well tell God that

Genesis 21:6: “And Sarah declared, ‘God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me.’”
Job 8:21: “He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.”
Psalm 2:4: “But the one who rules in heaven laughs.”
Psalm 30:11: “You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy.”
Psalm 37:13: “But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming.”
Psalm 42:5: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again.”
Psalm 65:12-13: “The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy. The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. They all shout and sing for joy!”
Psalm 96:12: “Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy.”
Psalm 98:4: “Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy!”
Psalm 126:2: “We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, ‘What amazing things the Lord has done for them.’”
Proverbs 15:13: “A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.”
Proverbs 15:15: “For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.”
Proverbs 17:22: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”
Proverbs 31:25: “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.”
Ecclesiastes 3:4: “A time to cry and a time to laugh.”
Ecclesiastes 8:15: “So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.”
Isaiah 55:12: “You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!”
Jeremiah 31:13: “The young women will dance for joy, and the men—old and young—will join in the celebration. I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing.”
Matthew 2:10: “When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!”
Luke 1:14: “You will have great joy and gladness.”
Luke 2:10: “But the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.’”
Luke 6:21: “God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now for in due time you will laugh.”
John 15:11: “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”
1 Peter 1:8: “You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.”
1 Peter 4:13: “Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.”

So just to pick one out.. Who was Job talking about "He will once again fill"? Is HE not holy? Is HE not the one doing it? Now I have to stop and wonder.. when you say holy laughter and the "he he ha ha". Are you talking about doing just that? Then I would agree that is not of God. Holy laughter to me is.. when His presence comes and there are times you can't stop laughing! Such great joy and ALL you think about worship and Him. But when I have experienced that no one started it. So forgive me if I miss understood.

One could flip this you know? No offense but what about Churches where you go in and come out and nothing changed. Its lifeless inside. I know a Church right down the street BIG Church and we would watch them leave (well there is a light right there so you have to wait) and.. I am always shocked at how sad almost every one was. Next time you go to Church.. think about what Christ said.. where two or three are gathered in His name..now get this because I KNOW we don't give this enough thought "I AM THERE". Yeah Hes there.. you can't see Him but Hes there. Now try to just sit there. There are things in heaven we have no name for and angels that do nothing but sing HOLY HOLY HOLY.. creation worships Him. Israel of old.. haha..yeah man could they worship.. they would dance and .. praise GOD glory to JESUS.

 

[sandman]

so you don't believe holy laughter is from God? What about being slain in the spirit? Just curious bc although ive never seen anyone slain in the spirit yet at that church, the pastor had mentioned this apostle catherine who he said slayed him in the spirit. I've seen videos of that at churches but i don't agree with it.

I've been to many different churches over the years but never seen nor experienced that. Thing is, since I'm very sensitive to the spirit, I can usually tell when things are demonic, but, I didn't get that type of sense from that service especially since I received peace and had a strong sense of the Holy Spirit. I've been to that church around 7 times and each time I went, I felt the strong presence of the Holy Spirit there. One thing I do like about the church is their prophetic ministry. I've had 3 people give me a prophetic word and each one coincided with something I'm going through, and the holy spirit spoke to me thru them, so besides this holy laughter, I know they are a spirit filled church but not everything they do makes sense

I am not out to quench anyone’s excitement for the Lord… but if it can’t be backed up by scripture you cannot claim it to be of Godly design..... I am not saying God cannot go beyond what the Word says. But when actions or experiences elevate themselves beyond to contradict the Word we need to take a look at what the source is. Keep in mind …that experiences are no guarantee for truth.

I do believe slain in the spirit is real….. I have seen it ~However~ it is not from God…at least the true God
What I read in the Bible is that “all things are to be done decently and in order”. (1Co 14:40)

There is nothing decent and in order about someone blurting out uncontrollably, or running around the church screaming during service…. or falling down in the aisles …rolling around speaking in tongues. The speaking in tongues “could be” genuine…. but the slain in the spirit is either being faked or it is coming from a source other than …..The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Anytime our freedom of will is infringed upon or overstepped it is from a different source other than the true God, and that is the majority of what I see with the “slain in the spirit”….. as the name would indicate.

The scripture references given for “being slain in the spirit” are a huge stretch… and worse.
With the scriptures that people are using…. it would appear that well-meaning Christians are trying to validate an experience not based in truth, by wrenching scripture out of context to fit their beliefs.

If well-meaning believers feel their experiences hold more truth… than truth itself… that is a tough one to argue against, because you have no boundaries…. And anything goes as long as you feel it’s right. I on the other hand have limited my boundaries to the truth between Genesis and Revelation, and with such I take my stand

The true God does not possess, does not control and does not knock people down, if He did you wouldn’t be getting up anytime soon.
The god of this world on the other hand does possess, does control, and he does knock people down. He will do whatever it takes to counterfeit the true God… to confuse Gods people….and hinder the movement of God’s word. (FYI true speaking in tongues cannot be counterfeited by the adversary)


1Co 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.


1Co 14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.→Not the other way around.


1Co 14:33 For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

I Cor 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

"Holy Laughter" experienced this once, it was just the physics of spinning around too much, and falling to the ground. It's actually natural to laugh when that happens, nothing special about it.

 

[tturt]

Laughter improves our immune system and has other benefits.

Discernment is really good but discerning of spirits is better and different.

The manifestation of spiritual gifts includes
"another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:" (I Cor 12:10).

It comes from the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, it's our opinions.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Have you ever experienced 'holy laughter' in a church? Its not biblical as I looked it up but, the church i was at which is a very charismatic church said that holy laughter comes right before there's a revival and that's when the holy spirit is working deeply in people. But, for me, it was the strangest and Most Extremely Uncomfortable experience I've ever had bc of everything I was hearing all around me. It wasn't just laughing, but hysterical laughing and hysterical screaming, moaning, 2 people behind me were saying these words repeatedly (Hey Hey, Ho, Hey, Hey, Ha, Ha, Ho), and then giggling and repeated continuously for over an hour. 1 person almost sounded demon possessed bc of the noises they were making. They were laughing but it was like an evil/maniac laugh. That all lasted about 1 hour during worship. What do you make of it? What kept me put w/o running out the door during that was that i strongly felt the holy spirits presence in me during that time + I did experience a healing touch which I explained in my previous post.

Has anyone else experienced holy laughter and if you have, can you share your own experiences of it because I don't understand it.

There is nothing wrong with joy and laughter in church as long as it is self controlled. Problems happen when anything become compulsive and people can't turn it off at will. Laughter isn't the only manifestation that has that problem. I saw a video clip of the worship time in a Hillsong church, where it seemed that people went into a type of trance, and when it came time to stop and have the message, it took the pastor 15 minutes to get people calmed down and back in their right minds. It was as if the type of music was hypnotizing people to be spaced out, very much like transcendental meditation.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Have you ever experienced 'holy laughter' in a church? Its not biblical as I looked it up but, the church i was at which is a very charismatic church said that holy laughter comes right before there's a revival and that's when the holy spirit is working deeply in people. But, for me, it was the strangest and Most Extremely Uncomfortable experience I've ever had bc of everything I was hearing all around me. It wasn't just laughing, but hysterical laughing and hysterical screaming, moaning, 2 people behind me were saying these words repeatedly (Hey Hey, Ho, Hey, Hey, Ha, Ha, Ho), and then giggling and repeated continuously for over an hour. 1 person almost sounded demon possessed bc of the noises they were making. They were laughing but it was like an evil/maniac laugh. That all lasted about 1 hour during worship. What do you make of it? What kept me put w/o running out the door during that was that i strongly felt the holy spirits presence in me during that time + I did experience a healing touch which I explained in my previous post.

Has anyone else experienced holy laughter and if you have, can you share your own experiences of it because I don't understand it.

I don't know if it is of God or not. But I was once in a church that presented it as the Holy Spirit, I was so desperate to have an encounter with God, and "prove my worthiness", that I worked up laughter. Looking back it was not the Holy Spirit in me, it was my flesh trying to force acceptance from God. I actually went into a pub and "worked up the laugher" to try to prove God's spirit was on me, and get people saved. Who knows what people thought, for it sure was not God. Maybe they just thought there goes another drug-affected, drunk.

 

[tturt]

Whether it's an authentic laugh or not, our bodies benefit. In "God's Prescription Book," written by a Christian neurosugeon, Dr Avery Jackson, there is a chapter on laughter. Among other benefits, it improves our immune system. It's interesting that our bodies can't tell the difference between a real laugh and when we make ourselves laugh so we still get the benefits.

Then there's laughter God gives:

"God will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." Job 8:21

"When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them." Psa 126:1-2

 

[sk8brdkd]

You're right: "Holy laughter" is not of God. There is nowhere in all of the Bible that teaches such a thing. Certainly, as you know, the idea of the Holy Spirit affecting people with hysterical, uncontrollable laughter is utterly absent from the New Testament.

When the Holy Spirit is working deeply in people, they come under conviction (John 16:8), pressed by the Spirit powerfully about the sin in their lives and the strife and division it has caused within the Church. The first work of the Spirit in revival is to purify the sinful believer and return them to a place of holiness before their God which place is absolutely necessary to "seeing God" (Hebrews 12:14) and walking rightly with Him (1 Peter 3:10-12).



I can imagine! Yikes!



It is exactly as you've characterized it: demonic. There is nothing of God in what you've described, but, rather, sensuality run amok, the flesh being given free rein, exhibiting a lack of control that always marks devilish things.

Galatians 5:22-24
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Paul distinguishes the life of the Spirit in part by the self-control the Spirit imparts to the believer which he contrasts with the passions of the flesh. Passion, as you know, is not marked by control. When we say "So-and-so was in a passion of rage," we mean so-and-so was out of control with rage; when Bob tells Suzie he "loves her passionately," he means he has an over-riding desire for her that he wants desperately to express. Always, then, we can discern the influence of the Spirit by things being done "decently and in order," as Paul described to the Corinthian believers (1 Corinthians 14:40), not out of a sensual passion that is characteristic of the flesh and demonic influence.

2 Timothy 1:7
7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.



Do you know what the "mob mentality" is? It's a very powerful psychological effect that occurs only within large groups of people, encouraging behavior and feelings that would be very difficult to generate and sustain in isolation from the group. The mob mentality creates an enormous suggestibility in the individual, a huge pressure upon him/her to conform in some way to the group. The power of this pressure can be seen in the astonishingly bizarre conduct of those under its influence who, in hyper-charismatic "revival" meetings, fall to the ground and convulse without concern, or giggle endlessly like a maniac, without shame, or cry and moan like a sick cow and feel they are having a really spiritual moment. Caught up in the mob, otherwise sensible people will let loose and conduct themselves in humiliating, irrational ways; if they were to do so alone, generally, they would be considered - rightly - to be off their nut.

I think what you likely felt was the force of the mob mentality disposing you toward having an unusual experience like everyone else was having.



Having "holy laughter" is not a predicate to understanding it. See above.

Be careful, sister.

I understand much of what you're saying but I never had heard of mob mentality before. I had gone to that church maybe 8 times and each time I went, I felt a strong presence of the holy spirit in me, so when that happened during that time, I just thought that it was another God moment even though it did make me feel extremely uncomfortable. Though what you described with the sounds the people were making, they all did sound nuts and it was funny BC when the pastor had spoken up, he was like if there are those of you who have never experienced this before, its a very real thing and the holy spirit is moving in this room. To myself I was like, if the holy spirit is moving, then why are people acting so crazy. The pastor also said if there are some of us who aren't laughing, that's OK that we aren't missing out on an experience with the holy spirit. Only that the holy spirit is touching us/ministering us in a different way

But now, if what was going on wasn't from God, wouldn't he choose to convict those that participated that what they were doing was wrong? I would say more then half the room of around 100 people were participating in that.

 

[sk8brdkd]

Whether it's an authentic laugh or not, our bodies benefit. In "God's Prescription Book," written by a Christian neurosugeon, Dr Avery Jackson, there is a chapter on laughter. Among other benefits, it improves our immune system. It's interesting that our bodies can't tell the difference between a real laugh and when we make ourselves laugh so we still get the benefits.

Then there's laughter God gives:

"God will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." Job 8:21

"When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them." Psa 126:1-2

But what was happening wasn't regular laughter. Much of it sounded evil/demonic, like something came over their body and it wasn't the holy spirit. And as I said the 2 people behind me who kept repeating these exact words for over an hour "Hey hey, ho, ha, ha, ho". They continuously repeated those words while everything else was going on. That wasn't laughter and they even began repeating those words louder and louder. It was very annoying.

I should've recorded it but I do not feel it was of God. People were laying on the floor, some people crying, wailing too. It was pure craziness

 

[sk8brdkd]

"Holy Laughter" experienced this once, it was just the physics of spinning around too much, and falling to the ground. It's actually natural to laugh when that happens, nothing special about it.

Good joke. That has absolutely nothing to do with the experience I shared which means you didn't read what I wrote. What you shared is just regular laughter from having fun.

 

[tturt]

it's not a joke I understand your experience and it's convinced you ALL those experiences was / are demonic

Since God designed us to benefit from laughter, why wouldn't He fill us with it?

Scriptures posted

 

[sk8brdkd]

Not sure why we are just picking this one out..well there are many other things we say believe and wait there is no verse for it. What we think laughter comes from Satan? So with some verses there is no word HOLY.. well tell God that

Genesis 21:6: “And Sarah declared, ‘God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me.’”
Job 8:21: “He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.”
Psalm 2:4: “But the one who rules in heaven laughs.”
Psalm 30:11: “You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy.”
Psalm 37:13: “But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming.”
Psalm 42:5: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again.”
Psalm 65:12-13: “The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy. The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. They all shout and sing for joy!”
Psalm 96:12: “Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy.”
Psalm 98:4: “Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy!”
Psalm 126:2: “We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, ‘What amazing things the Lord has done for them.’”
Proverbs 15:13: “A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.”
Proverbs 15:15: “For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.”
Proverbs 17:22: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”
Proverbs 31:25: “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.”
Ecclesiastes 3:4: “A time to cry and a time to laugh.”
Ecclesiastes 8:15: “So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.”
Isaiah 55:12: “You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!”
Jeremiah 31:13: “The young women will dance for joy, and the men—old and young—will join in the celebration. I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing.”
Matthew 2:10: “When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!”
Luke 1:14: “You will have great joy and gladness.”
Luke 2:10: “But the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.’”
Luke 6:21: “God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now for in due time you will laugh.”
John 15:11: “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”
1 Peter 1:8: “You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.”
1 Peter 4:13: “Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.”

So just to pick one out.. Who was Job talking about "He will once again fill"? Is HE not holy? Is HE not the one doing it? Now I have to stop and wonder.. when you say holy laughter and the "he he ha ha". Are you talking about doing just that? Then I would agree that is not of God. Holy laughter to me is.. when His presence comes and there are times you can't stop laughing! Such great joy and ALL you think about worship and Him. But when I have experienced that no one started it. So forgive me if I miss understood.

One could flip this you know? No offense but what about Churches where you go in and come out and nothing changed. Its lifeless inside. I know a Church right down the street BIG Church and we would watch them leave (well there is a light right there so you have to wait) and.. I am always shocked at how sad almost every one was. Next time you go to Church.. think about what Christ said.. where two or three are gathered in His name..now get this because I KNOW we don't give this enough thought "I AM THERE". Yeah Hes there.. you can't see Him but Hes there. Now try to just sit there. There are things in heaven we have no name for and angels that do nothing but sing HOLY HOLY HOLY.. creation worships Him. Israel of old.. haha..yeah man could they worship.. they would dance and .. praise GOD glory to JESUS.

The people who were doing the hey, ha, ho things, they weren't laughing. They were slowly saying and repeating these words continuously. It wasn't like a he he he like laughing, the words were drawn out - like Heyyyyyy, Heyyyyyy, hoooooo, haaaaaa, haaaaa. Imagine hearing those same words being repeated for over an hour...

But with everyone else, to me it didn't sound like laughter that was spirit filled. It sounded like pure craziness.

 

[aiki]

I understand much of what you're saying but I never had heard of mob mentality before. I had gone to that church maybe 8 times and each time I went, I felt a strong presence of the holy spirit in me, so when that happened during that time, I just thought that it was another God moment even though it did make me feel extremely uncomfortable.

This is the danger of the power of the Mob. When people get together in large groups, they can be induced to act in ways they would not when alone, powerfully moved to feel and think things that are often quite irrational and - in some tragic cases - very destructive. What I suspect you felt wasn't the Holy Spirit but the psychological effect of the Mob (or group, if you prefer) disposing you toward an unusual experience that the leaders of the Mob, using the power of the Mob mentality, were urging you to expect. There is a reason why the person writhing about on the floor in a so-called "spiritual ecstasy" only has such experiences at revival meetings and weekend conferences, usually in careful isolation from any dissenters, where everyone is confirming and encouraging the individual person to indulge any wild impulse that takes them. Very fleshly, very demonic stuff, sister. Beware!

In the record of Scripture, we can read of many ways in which the Spirit acted: convicting people, empowering them, illuminating their understanding, comforting them, and even disciplining them. Being the HOLY Spirit, his chief work however is to make you and I holy, confronting us about our sin and urging us toward a life more and more set-apart unto God. To this end, when the Spirit "moves" upon the Church, conviction of sin, not feelings of warmth or electricity, or bizarre, uncontrolled behavior are the result. But people laughing hysterically, or chanting as you've described, or crying uncontrollably don't want changed lives, holy lives set apart from the World, the Flesh and the devil; they want sensual experiences, sensational moments, stimulating events.

Sensual Faith: Oh, God, You Make Me Feel Sooo Good!

To myself I was like, if the holy spirit is moving, then why are people acting so crazy.

Amen! Exactly. Craziness is not listed among the Fruit of the Spirit. If, though, you remain in the company of people telling you that this is not so, that craziness is a normal part of spiritual living, eventually you will conform to their influence. Peer pressure is a very potent thing.

But now, if what was going on wasn't from God, wouldn't he choose to convict those that participated that what they were doing was wrong? I would say more then half the room of around 100 people were participating in that.

Actually, God judges and disciplines by giving people what they want without His constraint upon them. He has warned that falsehood and sin always, sooner or later, produce death - death of fellowship with Him, death of joy, of peace, of contentment, of inner stability, and so on. When people insist on following false and sinful ways, God uses the bitter consequences of these things as the means of His discipline.

Read Romans 1:18-30 (or so).