What does it mean, to be in the Spirit?

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Awakened

Awakened

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#1
Dec 4, 2016
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#1
Revelation 1:10 (KJV)
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet

By him saying, he was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, I'm guessing he wasn't always in the spirit. Do we have to be in the Spirit when we pray and if so, how?

John 4:24
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth
 
Grace777x70

Grace777x70

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#3
Nov 22, 2015
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The new creation in Christ - the inner man of the heart is always "in the spirit". It is a position. We are joined as one spirit with the Lord in our spirit. 1 Cor. 6:17.

Romans 8:9-10 (NASB)
[SUP]9 [/SUP] However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

[SUP]10 [/SUP] If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.



I think there are times that we are more aware of spiritual things then our own bodies especially when we are having visions like John did in Revelation. For example - when Paul was caught up into heaven - he said he didn't know if he was in the body or out of the body.

I believe that praying "in the spirit" is both - praying in tongues as 1 Cor. 14 talks about and also praying under the direction of the Holy Spirit on our spirit - and we could pray in our own language then too.
 
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trofimus

trofimus

Senior Member
#4
Aug 17, 2015
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In the context of the Revelation it probably means "to have a prophetic vision".
 
Joidevivre

Joidevivre

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#5
Jul 15, 2014
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You are in the Spirit when you let Him lead you in prayer.
You are in the Spirit when you ignore your "flesh" and act on the right thing to do according to God's will.
You are in the Spirit when you truly worship God.
You are in the Spirit when your behavior towards others is based on unconditional love - a choice regardless of feelings.
You are in the Spirit when you have clear moments of how much you are loved by God.

We always have the Holy Spirit indwelling us from the time we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, but there are specific times when we just know we are "in the Spirit". When we realize that glorifying God is the important thing. It is not so much about our needs being met - but it is about how God is revealed through our actions or responses.

There is so much to say about being in the Spirit. Mostly you just know! I always get the feeling that I'm not really doing something - I feel carried along.
 
S

Stunnedbygrace

Senior Member
#6
Nov 12, 2015
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Hello awakened. ☺
I have thought that it could mean he was taken by the Spirit to a future time sort of. And could see what was going to happen on the Lords day, as in: the day/season of the end. Does that come across making any sense? It's like, another way to say it would be like...I was taken by the Spirit to that coming Day of the Lord and was shown things to come at that future time.
 
Joidevivre

Joidevivre

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#7
Jul 15, 2014
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In specific answer to your question, I have had moments of "visions" when I'm praying. I suppose you could say I was in the Spirit at that time. I'm not always in the Spirit when I pray. Sometimes I'm crying out from my own problems or hurts. But there will be those times when you get a vision or picture as you pray. Sometimes you will even get a "word of knowledge" to help you in your praying.

Sometimes you will even hear music as you pray. But when you read to worship in spirit it always calls me, at the very least, to put my complete attention and heart to worshiping.
 
KJV1611

KJV1611

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#8
Nov 23, 2013
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Awakened said:
Revelation 1:10 (KJV)
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet

By him saying, he was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, I'm guessing he wasn't always in the spirit. Do we have to be in the Spirit when we pray and if so, how?

John 4:24
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth
Click to expand...
Something like an out-of-body experience I think.
 
dcontroversal

dcontroversal

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#9
Dec 12, 2013
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To be spiritually minded and led of the spirit.....To be spiritually minded is life and peace....as opposed to being carnally minded (worldly) is death (separation).....just so happens that John was worshipping God on the Lord's day, which can be any day....This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us be glad and rejoice in it.....just sayin.......
 
S

Stunnedbygrace

Senior Member
#10
Nov 12, 2015
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Yes. One man even says somewhere something like...I saw s
KJV1611 said:
Something like an out-of-body experience I think.
Click to expand...
Yeah. And a man said elsewhere that he was taken to the third heaven and shown things and wasn't even certain if he was in his body or not at the time. He couldn't really articulate it, just that he was taken.
 
resurrection33

resurrection33

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#11
Dec 19, 2009
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Awakened said:
Revelation 1:10 (KJV)
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet

By him saying, he was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, I'm guessing he wasn't always in the spirit. Do we have to be in the Spirit when we pray and if so, how?

John 4:24
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth
Click to expand...
We should constantly be in prayer (as Paul teaches us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17). The Lord is always with us and reading our thoughts.
 
G00WZ

G00WZ

Senior Member
#12
May 16, 2014
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#12
He was more then likely praying in tongues and in a heavy worship session to the point where his spirit is put on while the carnal flesh/mind has to take a back seat.
 
P

plainguy

Banned
#13
Nov 23, 2016
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#13
Awakened said:
Revelation 1:10 (KJV)
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet

By him saying, he was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, I'm guessing he wasn't always in the spirit. Do we have to be in the Spirit when we pray and if so, how?

John 4:24
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth
Click to expand...
Matthew 22:37

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Matthew 22:37 encompasses loving and worshipping God in Spirit and in truth. The John 4:24 that you posted is from the New International Version. I'm not saying it's a bad version (I have one) .. but it does sometimes leave things vague. This is one of those occasions. That verse should read .. "must worship Him .. in Spirit and in truth". We worship Him in both when we have loved Him with all of our being. The apostle John was on the Island of Patmos when the Book of Revelations was revealed to him. Hence .. he was in the Spirit.
 
dcontroversal

dcontroversal

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#14
Dec 12, 2013
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#14
G00WZ said:
He was more then likely praying in tongues and in a heavy worship session to the point where his spirit is put on while the carnal flesh/mind has to take a back seat.
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More than likely you say.....talk about embellishing and adding something the text does not support!
 
S

Stunnedbygrace

Senior Member
#15
Nov 12, 2015
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Out of curiosity...I'm going to look for any others verses that say "on the Lords' day." I can't recall that phrasing elsewhere...I remember phrasing of "the day of the Lord" speaking of a coming time and I recall lots of phrases of "the first day" or such, but Johns phrasing is notably different here...
 
S

Stunnedbygrace

Senior Member
#16
Nov 12, 2015
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I looked for it. It only appears worded that way in Revelation. I wonder if it is just because its how it was said by the prophets in Hebrew versus how it was said in Greek...kind of like how...Spanish would translate differently in the order of words versus English, like orange juice in English versus juice of orange in Spanish...do you see what I mean? But its just guesswork because I don't know Hebrew or Greek and can't compare them like I can English and Spanish.
 
S

Stunnedbygrace

Senior Member
#17
Nov 12, 2015
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#17
Meant to say the last day in that previous post. It was always said one of two ways in Hebrew that is translated to English - either "the day of the Lord" or " on the last/ in the last day(s). So it has to just be different order of the grouped words between languages doesn't it? Although...odd that no one else in the NT, in Greek seems to have used that phrasing anywhere. Guess I've worked myself into confusion oh haha I'm good at that...
 
Awakened

Awakened

Senior Member
#18
Dec 4, 2016
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#18
I think he was filled with the Spirit.** While the indwelling of the Spirit happens at conversion, being filled is a repeated experience. Maybe it's only at the times we are filled with the Spirit, that we experience visions. Now, how to be filled with the Spirit?
 
Grace777x70

Grace777x70

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#19
Nov 22, 2015
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#19
Awakened said:
I think he was filled with the Spirit.** While the indwelling of the Spirit happens at conversion, being filled is a repeated experience. Maybe it's only at the times we are filled with the Spirit, that we experience visions. Now, how to be filled with the Spirit?
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That is a great question.

I see a few ways in scripture.

This one here is Peter standing to give a message to the Jewish people. The Holy Spirit filled him to do this. ( this happened to Paul too in Acts 13 )

Acts 4:8 (NASB)
[SUP]8 [/SUP] Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people,


This one - they were praying for boldness to speak the word of God and that signs and wonders be done and that God would extend His hand to heal.

Acts 4:29-31 (NASB)
[SUP]29 [/SUP] "And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence,

[SUP]30 [/SUP] while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus."

[SUP]31 [/SUP] And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

This one below in Ephesians seems to be - don't give yourself over to things that affect our flesh but through speaking and singing things of the spirit, giving thanks and being subject to one another in Christ. These all seem to contribute to being filled with the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18-21 (NASB)
[SUP]18 [/SUP] And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

[SUP]19 [/SUP] speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

[SUP]20 [/SUP] always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

[SUP]21 [/SUP] and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

 
Grace777x70

Grace777x70

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#20
Nov 22, 2015
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#20
Stunnedbygrace said:
Out of curiosity...I'm going to look for any others verses that say "on the Lords' day." I can't recall that phrasing elsewhere...I remember phrasing of "the day of the Lord" speaking of a coming time and I recall lots of phrases of "the first day" or such, but Johns phrasing is notably different here...
Click to expand...

That's interesting. I have heard commentaries say that "The Lord's day" meant "the Emperors Day". It was a day that those in that time designed as a holiday or special theme day to honor the Emperor or Caesar of Rome.

The Emperor had put John on the isle of Patmos and John went off the island "in the spirit" on the very day that was to recognize the Emperor and to be shown things by the real Lord. It could have been signifying that it doesn't matter what the world tries to do to Christians - the real Lord Himself has the final say about things.

I have no idea whether this is true or not. It would have meant something to those that the book was written to in their time period.
 
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