The Book of Revelation 

In the Sprit

John said he was “in the Spirit”. Just what does it mean to be “in the Spirit”?  if one can be “in the Spirit” could there be a time when he was not “in the Spirit”?  Didn’t John receive the Holy Ghost along with at least 119 other people on the Day of Pentecost? Sure he did, he was there in that upper room with the rest of the Apostles and received the Holy Ghost just like they did.  If he was filled with the Holy Ghost, then what is this reference to being “in the Spirit”?  This isn’t the only time John speaks of being “in the Spirit” in the book of Revelation:  we also see a reference in chapter 4, Revelation chapter 17, Revelation chapter 21 and in various other places throughout the bible. 

One of the most recognizable passages of scripture is Paul’s account in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4: 

(2) I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.   

(3) And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 

(4) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 

According to Paul, this was a spiritual experience, but he was unsure of whether he was in his body or out of his body.  Was Paul full of the Holy Ghost?  Of course he was.  Was he filled with the Holy Ghost before this particular experience?  Of course he was.  How can we be sure?   Acts chapter 19 finds Paul asking other disciples whether they had received the Holy Ghost.  We find that Paul laid hands upon them and they received the Holy Ghost.   

Back to our original passage concerning Paul’s experience in 2 Corinthians 12:  Could we say that Paul was “in the Spirit”?  Yes we can.  Let’s examine some other examples. 

Ezekiel plainly declares in chapter 2 that the “spirit “ directly interacted with him .  I believe by this passage, we can see that Ezekiel was “in the spirit”, wouldn’t you say?

Ezekiel 2:1-2               

                (1) “And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee” 

(2) “And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.”

We find in this passage of Ezekiel that he was both “in the Spirit” and that he was able to see, hear, think and move while “in the Spirit”.  Ezekiel had other similar experiences in Ezekiel chapter 37 and then in the ending few chapters of the book of Ezekiel 

Daniel also had similar experiences.  We read that Daniel’s account declares he had “night visions”.  Upon examination of these “visions” it becomes readily apparent that, just like both Paul and Ezekiel, Daniel could move, hear, think and talk in his experience. 

Daniel 7:16 records:  “I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this.”   

Daniel 8:18 also records something similar:  “Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.”

Being “in the Spirit” according to the Word of God is an experience that is outside the normal Christian walk and is completely different from being filled with the Spirit of God (Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit if you prefer the term).   Look at Paul’s usage of “in the Spirit” in Romans 8:9: 

“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his”  (Romans 8:9)

“And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.” (Acts 18:5)

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”  (Galatians 5:16)

Philippians 3:3  “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”  Paul said WE are “in the Spirit” when we worship God. 

Jesus declared in Matthew 22:42-43  “...Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,...”

We see then that David was in the Spirit, Ezekiel was in the Spirit, Daniel was in the Spirit and Paul was in the Spirit, but not a single one of them was changed into anything but a man! 

The above passages literally mean “according to the spirit” or “as the spirit directs”.  This but a small sampling of the differences that may be found when using the term: “in the spirit”.  When you see the term “in the Spirit” as used in Revelation chapters 1, 4, 17 and 21 there is always some physical (or perhaps metaphysical) experience associated with it.  The experiences of Daniel, Ezekiel, Paul, and John when they were “in the Spirit” were ALL on a 3rd Party level.  They were observers to events around them.   This is EXACTLY what is happening in Revelation.  John is an observer to the things around him and was NOT a partaker of the events.  We will see this in greater detail as the study progresses. 

Again, don’t confuse the terms that Paul used in Romans with the terms used by Daniel, Ezekiel and John!   

Let’s now examine the 2nd part of Revelation 1:10 concerning the “Lord’s Day.

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