For those that don’t know what a “courtesy fall” is, it's when someone fakes falling out in the Spirit when they get prayer. They would usually do this to make the minister who is doing the praying feel good or, to show everyone that they are super-spiritual and can “receive” well…. whatever that means.

I must admit however, I have done it a few times and would imagine I’m not the only person who has. (Yes, I totally believe that getting “slain in the Spirit” is real). I would just be so hungry for God and want to be right in the middle of what God is doing, that I would just “help God out a little,” and expedite the falling down part of getting prayer.

I now firmly believe that you don’t have to fall down in order to receive from the Holy Spirit, but some people still think you do. However, some people still bring tambourines to church...

I have really started to think about how much we do this kind of stuff in church. We feel the need to “help God out,” like He needs our help! Also, we oftentimes feel that if a service or a spiritual moment doesn’t look a certain way, then God isn’t moving.

We can get so good at having a move of God, that God doesn’t even need to show up.

So why do we do this? Why do we feel like we have to help God out?

Is it a social pressure or peer pressure thing? Do we feel like we have to force a moment to happen in order to fit in our box? Or is it just the honest desire to have an encounter with God- one that we want so bad that we’ll fake it if it doesn’t happen naturally?

I think it’s a trust thing. I think we really struggle with the fact that it’s only by the grace of God that He moves among us like He does. Sure, there is a necessity to partner with Him to see His Kingdom come, but at the end of the day, God doesn’t move unless He decides to.

The worst part about "helping God out" and forcing spiritual stuff to happen is that it’s exhausting. It’s overwhelmingly draining and just not worth the effort. The spiritual kudos available to us by our peers aren’t worth the price it costs to pull off these kinds of shenanigans.

Listen, God is so real. The power of God is real. The moving of The Holy Spirit is amazing and I live to be with Him and to see Him move. However I’ve decided to work towards a greater measure of authenticity. And not just authenticity within myself, authenticity in how I approach the move of God and the things of the Spirit.

I never want to become so familiar and comfortable with the moving of God’s Spirit that I stop reverencing and honoring His presence. However, I do want to grow towards being more and more authentic in how I approach the manifestations of the Spirit.

In the church we will be soon planting, we want the real deal move of God. Not something we have to force and not something we have to “help God out” with.

But Here’s the Moment of Truth: Have you ever pulled off a “Courtesy Fall?”