Does The Holy Spirit Make You Shiver?
The Holy Spirit And Its Effects in The Old Testament
The Holy Spirit is an invisible person who is immensely powerful. He performs several roles in the lives of believers ranging from convicting to transforming and empowering. His power and presence are so pronounced that even though we may not see Him physically, we can always see his effects on humans and even other living things. One beautiful thing about the presence of the Holy Spirit is that it can be felt in different ways by people in various atmospheres and circumstances.
The Holy Spirit can make you shiver, as the presence of God can cause various forms of physical and emotional reactions. Such is possible because the Holy Spirit is God’s power at work and active nature in motion. Once such power comes on you, you are bound to react in certain ways, both physically and mentally, as even non-living things are affected when touched by God’s power.
The Bible in Exodus 19:18 says, ” And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.”
Here, we see the tremendous effect that God’s power had on Mount Sinai, regardless of its strength, size, and density. There are also several instances in the Bible where the Holy Spirit elicited various forms of physical and mental reactions from people upon coming on them.
The Holy Spirit And Its Effects in The Old Testament
Even before noticing the obvious transformation the Holy Spirit brings to a person’s life, the presence of the Holy Spirit can be very tangible and alter physical arrangements and structures.
In Ezekiel 1:4, the Bible records, “And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.”
This is an account of Ezekiel’s vision of the glory and power of God.
At the end of the chapter, we see the effect of this vision on the prophet, where he testified that he fell on his face after seeing all that he was shown. So in simple words, the vision of God’s glory compelled Ezekiel to kneel and bow before God. Also, Moses’ encounter with the Spirit of God in the burning bush was a significant turning point in his life. Asides from how instrumental to Israel’s deliverance he became, the Bible records in Exo 3:2-6 that after seeing the burning bush and hearing the voice from it, Moses hid his face from God.
Finally, Isaiah’s vision of God in Isaiah 1 left a physical imprint on his mind and soul even as it marked the beginning of his prophetic journey.
According to the Bible, Isaiah cried out in verse 5 thus, “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”
From here, we can see how broken the prophet became, and this brokenness is reflected physically.
Does The Holy Spirit Make You Shiver?
Spiritual encounters also have physical reactions and reflections, including falling, shaking, and shivering. It is necessary to note that people react to the presence of the Holy Spirit in them differently. Some may experience intense physical reactions, while others may go through deep inner feelings of joy and gladness.
A classic example is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.
The Bible records, ” And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a mighty rushing wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Of course, each person would have experienced this move of the Holy Spirit differently. So even if there is no express mention of shaking or shivering in this passage, we can conclude that some of the apostles reacted this way during this encounter.
Also, the shivering or shaking you may experience with the Holy Spirit could be due to emotions like adoration, awe, reverence, or extreme joy. David, in his Psalms, writes that you should serve God with reverence and fear of God even while rejoicing with trembling. The trembling here indicates the result of the Holy Spirit in all our acts of rejoicing. John the Beloved fell on his face when he encountered the presence of God, as in
Revelations 1:17, the Bible reads, “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:.”
In the case of Apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit appears to him as a light on his way to Damascus. Acts 9:3-4 reads, “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” Upon getting this encounter, Apostle Paul not only falls from his horse but also becomes temporarily blind.
One important thing to note is that the Bible focused more on how the Holy Spirit transformed the lives of those He encountered than the physical reactions the several people had. Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit elicits physical responses when He moves or enters a place, as His presence is usually tangible.
Which is More Important; Inner Transformation or Physical Reactions?
As a Christian, you should note that as exciting as the reactions you get physically when the Holy Spirit moves, the most important thing is your encounter with God and what it does to you on the inside. You should also know that the extent of physical reaction is not a yardstick to measure spiritual depth, growth, or advancement.
This means that the Holy Spirit can powerfully touch you without you shaking, shivering, or trembling, and you can also have intense physical reactions that may not affect you internally. To this end, you should not compare your physical responses and experiences with others to avoid creating spiritual classes or folds. You should also avoid this to prevent pride or envy from creeping into your spiritual work with God.
Final Thoughts
The Holy Spirit is God’s power and presence in action and, as such, will surely leave physical proof on people or places He touches. There are several accounts in both the Old and New Testaments where people saw and felt the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit. When we encounter God, we are bound to have physical reactions like shivering, trembling, shaking, and even falling.
However, the Holy Spirit does more than make you shiver, laugh, fall, or shake. He transforms the believer from the inside and helps you shine in the world as light. So the focus should be more on your encounters with God and how He’s changing you on the inside than whether or not you shiver or shake during a meeting with him.
