Two Common Myths about the Spirit-Filled Life
Many Christians believe the myth that ‘Spirit-filled’ or even ‘spiritual’ must indicate something or someone a little strange. Depending on how much exposure people have had to the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement, they might associate the words ‘Spirit-filled’ with people who claim to be inspired by the Spirit to bark like dogs, scream, or roll around on the floor. Such people exist–I’ve seen them!
Eccentric Prophets
Some people try to justify their conclusion that it is spiritual to act strange by pointing to the eccentric behavior of prophets in the Old Testament. For example, Isaiah walked around naked (Isaiah 20:1—4)–some scholars say, wearing only an undergarment–and Ezekiel lay on his side for 430 days (Ezekiel 4:4—6). Some also point to Saul, who “changed into a different person” when the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he prophesied (1 Samuel 10:6, 10).
These examples, however, don’t prove that one should expect to act strangely if one is to be truly spiritual. First of al…
