Caitlin Lorraine,
Wooo boy, you have just opened another one of those cans of worm within Christendom!
I'll tell you of my own experiences and conclusions.

I have seen many services where people were falling down like bowling pins, where I felt almost annoyed at what I thought was naivete at best, or the result of emotionalism or hypnotic control. However I do not discount the whole thing as bogus or impossible. I have also seen services where people were rolling around on the floor howling and laughing hysterically, and I have felt an even greater sense of annoyance and even disgust. But again, I don't say a genuine experience is not possible.

I have had two such occasions, one each with falling and laughter, but it was a far gentler process than what I have experienceed with the masses.
On the first occasion, I had been told by a Gynecologist that I had a fybroid tumor the size of an orange, and that I needed a hysterectomy right away. I left the doc's office crying and called my pastor. He invited me to come over his house on the following Saturday morning and said that his wife and a few other people would be fasting and praying on that day for me to be healed. That morning we spent quite some time singing and praising the Lord and having an informal discussion of several Scriptures. Then the pastor told me it was time for me to get prayer. They put me in the center and all layed hands on me and asked God to sovereignly intervene on my behalf. I quietly pleaded with God, and told Him I did not think he had placed such a deep desire for motherhood in me only to have my womb stripped away. In the midst of hot tears burning my cheeks, I felt a great peace and was overcome by the greatness and majesty of God. The awe was so enormous that I felt myself totally removed from all my pain and circumstances, nothing mattered more than Him. I felt myself slip to the floor, but did nothing to stop it, I just wanted to bask in His presence. When I sat up, I felt as if I had been washed in pure water and detergent, light as a bubbble, and full of the greatest joy and love for Jesus Christ.
The following Tuesday, I was back at the gyn's office, this time with my gyn as well as a gyn/surgeon who would be examining me for the upcoming surgery. With the results of the tests next to them, they were shocked to find that there was nothing there. No mass, no tumor - nothing! Since they didn't have an explanation, they just fell into an embarrased silence and told me to get dressed. It would be quite some time before I got pregnant - but I'm a mommy alright!

The other experience involves the laughter. It was a difficult time for many people in 1992 in south Florida. Many people had lost their homes and lives were disrupted as a result of a major hurricane that hit the area. Everything was torn down as if giant bulldozers had torn up buildings, traffic lights, trees, vegetation, everything! Soldiers were everywhere, water and food had to be brought in by the military and there was a curfew. Multitudes had to be sheltered outdoors under military tents. Many peole found themselves under a pall of depression, and I was one of them. We had to set up church under a tent on a public park, as our church building was destroyed also. One morning an evangelist from another state came to our congregation, and many new people that had walked in to the makeshift park church were saved. (Major tragedies are a wonderful ally in the harvesting of souls) As the evangelist prayed for the new believers and the rest who had come up for prayer, he stepped up to me and just blessed me and moved along. At that point I felt another wave of warmth encompass me, and I began to laugh through my tears. I realized at that moment that I hadn't laughed in a long time. There was nothing "funny", it was just a joy that came over me so great, that it let me know that nothing that can happen to us on this earth can ever remove us from the love and care that our Lord has for us. That morning after the service I felt a renewed sense of strength, and I was depressed no more.

Although many will say that they can find no Scriptural reference for these experiences, I can not help but remember that the scriptures point out that Jesus performed many more miracles than could be recorded because it would fill up books. I can see no discrepancy between feeling overwhelmed by the greatness of God, and by the joy which is only in Him. I believe that is what I experienced and what many others have also experienced. This is not to say that I believe that the many mass manifestations of people acting maniacly, or the times when a preacher is pushing on your head to force you to go down, is in any way a 'move of God'. As always, discernment is the way to go. When God does anything, the focus will always be on Him, not on human activity. Human efforts and human fabrications are no more than just that, but God is sovereign and supernatural, and He gifts His people as He wishes whenever He wishes, and in His own time.

i have seen this in services,and don't know how to feel about it. i do think however that Mighty Power of God, when poured out on a mere human, would be an awsome experience,
Dan 10:8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.
Dan 10:9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.
ct 2:13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
Act 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
Act 2:15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
Act 2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

it looks like there was something, powerful going on here.

Gods Will, Be Done. rodney

Being slain in the spirit is an interesting concept and is only found in God's Word rarely, when the presense of God was great thusly people fell down in awe or from fright.

God chose to use the ministry of Billy Graham to bring me to Himself. Then I started regular at a pentecostal church where a friend was assistant pastor. There was much falling down in the spirit especially visiting preachers came to town. Through it all when I went forward for prayer I was pushed down by the preachers. I co-operated for a long time and then realized much of the goings on were highly emotional for the folks that were worked up during the service. God saw fit to bring me out of the "full gospel" church. I then attended a more conservative church where there was no falling out in the spirit. Still, something was missing. Some fullness was not there but I had no clue what was missing in the church or in me. It has taken years for me to be able to hear God through His Word and in prayer. I was never discipled and I think that makes a difference. I can clearly say it is not about being slain in the spirit, it is not about being conservative, it is not about our appearance or our works. Though some of those things do matter in the long run and demonstrate our walk with the Lord. But, what matters is my heart and what is in there. When I am full of the Lord's mercies and grace having spent time with Him, I am then able to worship Him as He wants. I can enter His gates with thanksgiving and I can then enter His courts with praise. Then and only then can I walk in the spirit. It is when my tank if full that I am so blessed. I fill my tank by spending precious time with the Lord. It is all about His grace and His mercy. I pray each day for the Lord to fill me with His love, grace and mercy so that I can pass it on. I have nothing to pass on unless He fills my tank. He seems to choose to fill my tank as I come to Him each morning.
Having said all that I have come full circle and am now back to being "slain in the spirit". God can and will cause folks to fall down when He chooses but I have not seen that happen where groups of people are falling out. I saw many people wanting to be blessed and some full of deception. I saw God choose to work in the hearts of men and women in the midst of the "full gospel" church. God absolutely does miracles today, it pleases Him to do good for us, He loves us and is so full of grace and mercies. It is about the goodness of God not about the goodness of us. God can do as He pleases and is not bound by our rules, desires, hopes, knowledge, self-righteousness, even by our doctrines that don't line up with His Word, etc. God is big, really big. Praise the Lord who loves us so much.
How can I have any complaints to day when I take the time to count my blessings?

My walk with the Lord shows in my faith.

Love, Sharon