You might have experienced goosebumps all over your body before, while praying and wondering, is it fear? Am I cold or frightened by something? Or you may have as well asked, is it the Holy Spirit? Does He feel like goosebumps? Is something wrong with me? Well, nothing is wrong with you. You’ll find an answer to your questions on this page. Keep on reading
Does the Holy Spirit feel like goosebumps?
The answer to the above question is yes, the Holy Spirit can make you feel chills or cause goosebumps. However, He is not limited to that manifestation.
Occasionally, He burns like fire in the hearts of men, that you’ll begin to feel heat oozing out of you, as though someone is steaming oatmeal inside of you. And sometimes, might not feel anything.
Many people at different stages and events have given testimony about their experiences, of how they felt the spirit of God during worship or prayer sessions – during an online or onsite program. “I felt a sudden chill all over my body and goosebumps”, is a quintessential example of a phrase that illustrates such experiences.
However, to make this a bit simpler for you, and not only talk about people’s experiences with the Holy Spirit. I am going to share with you a few scriptures to see and understand what the Holy Spirit and His presence can feel like.
But first, you must understand that the experiences different people have with the Holy Spirit are different. He manifests himself in different ways.
What does it feel like to feel the Holy Spirit?
Job 4: 15-17 gave us a similitude of what it feels like to feel the Holy Ghost. Job 4: 15 says, Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up. Although, the “spirit” is regarded as too likely to be an Angel of God and not the spirit of God. Nevertheless, it still shows us what an encounter with the Holy Spirit can feel like sometimes.
It is crucial to point out that feelings are fickle and not dependable – they fluctuate up and down. You can’t rely on what you feel only to validate the existence and manifestation of the Holy Spirit. It is the knowledge that sustains and validates your experience with the Holy Spirit, not your feelings.
Ephesians 3: 19 says, “and to know…”, not “and to feel” the love of God that passes human knowledge. You don’t verify God’s love for you with your emotions not feelings, you just know it.
Galatians 5 also describes some of what the Holy Spirit produces in you as a believer – the fruit of the spirit. And as a result of these, it might stir up different feelings and experiences in you. You just don’t have to get familiar with how the spirit of God operates and box him up in feelings.
What causes goosebumps spiritually?
Goosebumps are known to be a natural or an involuntary reaction physically to sudden startle, cold, or feeling of excitement or fright at the contraction of the muscles at the base of the hair follicle.
And these goosebumps cause the hair on your skin to be raised, which traps air and forms a membrane of insulation against the cold. Hence, there is no intrinsic spiritual implication to goosebumps.
God is the one who created all humans. And he designed our bodies for the ability to withstand and carry out intricate functions such as goosebumps, etc.
People can experience goosebumps during intense emotional moments, spiritual arousal, unusual situations, or even in warm environments. However, there is no specific proof to indicate the spiritual importance of goosebumps.
But it is important to know that we are both spiritual, physical and emotional beings (spirit, soul and body). And all of these are interconnected mysteriously. Therefore, you can experience a physical reaction during a spiritual experience. Still, those reactions don’t prove the spiritual works of God.
What does it mean when you get goosebumps while praying?
People may experience goosebumps during prayer, maybe while the Holy Spirit is speaking to them or when he moves into their lives. Yet, some people explain it to mean, an indication that you are fully involved in the prayer you’re offering. Or that, it shows you are rightly connected to God.
As awesome and interesting as these opinions are, they still do not qualify to replace the place of exalting the word of God above your feelings during prayer. You must be conscious of the word of God which is spiritually inspired, seeing that you are engaging in spiritual activity by praying, rather than the physical.
When you pray, you must be more aware of the word, as it makes known the person of God. Your feelings only reflect what you’re experiencing physically and not God. The word of God should be your major focus and priority when you pray.
Does the Holy Spirit make you shiver?
Yes, He does. The presence of the Holy Spirit can’t be compared to any other experience in the world. The Bible calls him the power of God, which was exerted at the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead (Ephesians 1: 19-20). That’s no small power! Now, when you have an encounter with that same Spirit, His power might shake you and make you shiver. Not in fear or panic, but awed by his awesome power and presence.
Does the Holy Spirit make you sweat?
No, he doesn’t. Sweating is part of the physical reactions the human body experiences. It’s known to be the body’s voluntary cooling agency, controlling our temperature when it rises due to exercise, heat, stress, or fear. God doesn’t require our perspiration to fulfill His motive. He can’t act through us if we are nervous, fretful or seeking our agendas. You’re headed for disaster and the wrong path if you believe sweating reflects the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion
The presence of the Holy Spirit in you as a believer is to make you feel God’s love, peace, mercy, and goodness. He is to reveal Jesus Christ to you through the Bible (John 16: 13), and not make you feel natural feelings majorly. He draws you closer to God as you engage him.
