Bible Study How do you know you have the Holy Spirit?

[thebibleworks]

How do you know you have the Holy Spirit? This question kept coming up at a Bible study. What are your thoughts? How do you recognize the Holy Spirit in your own lives? God bless.

 

[PaulChristensen]

How do you know you have the Holy Spirit? This question kept coming up at a Bible study. What are your thoughts? How do you recognize the Holy Spirit in your own lives? God bless.

The main evidence that a person is filled with the Holy Spirit is a transformed heart and spirit that causes the person to have total trust and faith in the Christ of the Bible.

A person can put on his religious Sunday suit, live a moral life, walk and talk religion, engage in the life of the church, teach the Bible, even become an elder or pastor, and yet be an unconverted hypocrite.

The problem is that by viewing the outward appearance, it is almost impossible to distinguish between a genuine godly convert to Christ and a religious hypocrite, because they conduct themselves in exactly the same way when in the company of other believers. But when they are not in the company of Christian believers at church or anywhere else, their conduct may be entirely different. This is because a hypocrite would appear very saintly at church where other believers see him, but at home with his family or at work he might be a devil conducting himself like any other unconverted sinner.

So, the evidence of a Spirit filled person is that he shows his devotion to Christ everywhere he goes, because it is in his heart and spirit and not just in his outward conduct. His family and employer will know he is a genuine convert to Christ, as well as those who attend church with him on Sunday morning. Therefore he is a seven-day, 24hour believer, not just for around two hours on a Sunday morning.

The spooky thing about this is that you cannot be sure that the person sitting beside you in church is a genuine convert or a religious hypocrite. Maybe we won't know who is true or false until we get to the Day of Judgment when the secrets of men are made manifest.

So, that's how we know a person is genuinely filled with the Spirit.

 

[JLB]

So, the evidence of a Spirit filled person is that he shows his devotion to Christ everywhere he goes, because it is in his heart and spirit and not just in his outward conduct.

Seems like a contradiction.

How does a person “show his devotion to Christ, everywhere he goes”, if not by his outward conduct?


Our lives certainly do undergo a change when we receive the Holy Spirit, as the process of transformation begins and our conduct and speech, as well as our heart attitude is changing.


However, this may take some time as we mature and grow.


The question of the thread title is how do you know you have the Holy Spirit?


This is a good question, which may have different answers from different people who may or may not agree on what this means.


What I hope we can agree on, though many don’t, is what the Bible says about receiving the Holy Spirit.



Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 8:14-19


Two keys verses stand out to me here in this passage.

• They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

• when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money

Some points to consider —


The people of Samaria had received the word, the Gospel message, and had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, had yet to receive the Holy Spirit, so the Apostles came down to lay hands on them so they could receive the Holy Spirit.


Simon was able to see that through the laying on of the apostles hands, the Holy Spirit was given.




JLB

 

[for_his_glory]

Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

When we repent of our sins and ask Jesus into our hearts we are also receiving the promise of God that his Spirit will come and dwell in our hearts and teach us of all things we need to learn. The baptism that Peter was talking about was a Spiritual rebirth through the word of God, John 3:5-7; Romans 10:9, 10. Some people think it is being dunked or sprinkled with water the way John the Baptist did as he was the forerunner of Jesus and there is nothing wrong with that for it is an outward appearance to man that you have received Jesus and the Holy Spirit into your life, but Jesus himself never baptized with water for the baptism of Jesus was for receiving the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) that helps us to know the will of the Father.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 2:39 for the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

John 14:26 but the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things back to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

The Holy Spirit will teach you things the carnal mind cannot perceive. Jesus explains the purpose of the Holy Spirit and the relationship of the believers to Christ and what relationship the believers have to the world in John chapters 14 and 15.

You will know you have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as your heart will be transformed as you become renewed in God's Holy Spirit as you stand in His presence confessing and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior​

 

[thebibleworks]

Witnessing about Christ is a big one for me. Not only is it mentioned in Jesus' final words to the apostles. It makes philosophical sense. Imagine you were running from a burning building at a "blind" school. Would you accept some of the blame if you did not warn them as they headed to the building? Food for thought. God bless.

 

[JLB]

Witnessing about Christ is a big one for me. Not only is it mentioned in Jesus' final words to the apostles. It makes philosophical sense. Imagine you were running from a burning building at a "blind" school. Would you accept some of the blame if you did not warn them as they headed to the building? Food for thought. God bless.

Amen.


I feel the same way about teaching Christians, the truth.

The teachings and commandments of Christ, and how we should live our lives as a Christian. Many people believe once they are saved, because they “believe in Jesus Christ as God’s Son”, they will always be saved, even if they don’t ever obey Him as Lord.


America is filled with Christians who have been born again, but who live in disobedience to the Lord, in which many are no longer in Christ, because they are ignorant of what Jesus taught and commanded.



And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, Hebrews 5:9


He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36 NASB


Jesus Christ is the truth. Every word that comes out of His mouth is the truth;

His Gospel
His doctrine
His commandments.


His Spirit enables, empowers us, to do what He teaches us to do. Even obeying His Gospel.


But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Acts 5:29-32





JLB

 

[for_his_glory]

“We must obey God rather than men.

Amen, which means so be it, that we believe that which has already been written.

 

[thebibleworks]

Amen, which means so be it, that we believe that which has already been written.

Some really great insights. Good to see the body of Christ working together.