The Greek word for trance literally means 'standing outside' or 'being put outside' of one's normal state of mind. Thus, trance is an ecstatic state of mind that gives a person a sense of detachment from his physical surroundings. Apostle Peter had been in prayer when he 'fell into a trance' receiving the vision indicating that the Gentiles were to be included in the Christian community as well.

Peter went to the housetop at about the sixth hour to pray. He felt hungry and was looking forward to his meal, but before it was ready he fell into a trance and saw heaven thrown open and something like a big sheet being led down to earth by its four corners; its contained every possible sort of animal and bird, walking, crawling or flying ones. - Acts 10:9-12 -

While Peter was still speaking the Holy Spirit came down on all the listeners, Jewish believers who had accompanied Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit should be poured out on the pagans too, since they could hear them speaking strange languages and proclaiming the greatness of God. Peter himself then said, 'Could anyone refuse the water of baptism to these people, now they have received the Holy Spirit just as much as we have?' - Acts 10:44-47 -

In the defense to the people in Jerusalem, the apostle Paul declared that after his conversion by the Lord Jesus Christ, he fell into a trance and Christ commanded him to leave the city and evangelize the Gentiles.

Apostle Paul vision on the way to Damascus, and just before he reached the city, there came a light from heaven all round him. He fell to the ground, and then he heard a voice saying,  'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' 'Who are you, Lord?' he asked, and the voice answered, 'I am Jesus, and you are persecuting me. Get up now and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do.' - Acts 9:1-19 -

'Once, after I had got back to Jerusalem, when I was praying in the Temple, I fell into a trance and then I saw him, "Hurry" he said, "leave Jerusalem at once; they will not accept the testimony you are giving about me." Lord, I answered, it is because they know that I used to go from synagogue to synagogue, imprisoning and flogging those who believed in you; and that when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I was standing by in full agreement with his murderers, and minding their clothes. Then he said to me, "Go! I am sending you out to the pagans far away." - Acts 22:17-21 -

The trances of apostle Peter and apostle Paul involved their seeing and hearing senses. They saw and heard the Lord speaking to them. Both trances took place as they were in prayer, and both cases the recipients were awake. Neither trance was self-induced; God revealed Himself in both.

The apostle Paul experience recorded in 2Corinthians 12:2-4 - "I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago, was caught up - whether still in the body or out of the body. I do not know; God knows - right into the third heaven. I do know, however, that this same person - whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows - was caught up into paradise and heard things which must not and cannot be put into human language." - and John's experience of being "in the Spirit" are other examples of the revelation trances in the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible. - "My name is John, and through our union in Jesus I am your brother and share your sufferings, your kingdom, and all you endure. I was on the island of Patmos for having preached God's word and witnessed for Jesus; it was the Lord's day and the Spirit possessed me, and I heard a voice behind me, shouting like a trumpet.'Write down all that you see in a book, - Rev. 1:9-10 -

In the Old Testament, the word translated as blindness suggests that God caused a trance-like state to fall on the men at Lot's house and on the Syrians. Trances are experiences through which God communicates His will and purpose to man.

But the men reached out, pull Lot back and moved forward to break down the door. And they struck the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, from youngest to the oldest, and they never found the doorway. - Gen. 19:10-11 -

As the Aramaeans came down towards him, Elisha prayed to Yahweh, 'I beg you to strike this people with blindness.' And at the word of Elisha he struck them blind. - 2Kings 6:18 -

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.


HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -