Do you have the Holy Spirit?

[Jesus4Ever]

One must have the Holy Spirit to be saved.

If you have it, how do you know? And what did it feel like when you found Jesus? How did your life change?

 

[faroukfarouk]

One must have the Holy Spirit to be saved.

If you have it, how do you know? And what did it feel like when you found Jesus? How did your life change?

Romans 8 is very relevant. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His".

At Pentecost (Acts 2) the Holy Spirit came to dwell with those who by faith trusted the Lord Jesus Christ and formed the church.

 

[Joy]

I would like to say The Holy Spirit is a Person, not an it.

This verse in the Amplified version gives a lovely description of who the Holy Spirit is.

In John 14:16 Jesus says And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) to be with you forever

 

[pescador]

I was born in New York City during World War II and was brought up on a
small suburban farm in lower Connecticut in the 50s and 60s. My parents
were members of a Reformed Jewish temple but they had no spiritual
awareness. They had a conflicted marriage that ended in failure and I
had a very unhappy childhood. I was Bar-Mitzvah at age 13 and, being
considered a full congregation member, diligently sought to follow the
Jewish holidays, traditions, and customs. I wanted to know YHWH, the
God of my people, but found him inaccessible through what I was
practicing: the keeping of the Sabbath, the lighting of the candles,
prayer, observance of the holy days, etc. Because nothing changed in my
life for the better, I became very disappointed and sadly accepted the
fact that there was no God. I had never read or heard John 14:6, “I
am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through ME”, so from the age of seventeen on, even though I was a Jew, I
was an argumentative, cynical atheist.

Eight years later I met my wonderful wife Debbie in Vermont; we were
married there on June 23, 1969. We lived a comfortable life with our
goats and pigs in the so-called Northeast Kingdom and had our first
child in 1973. However, we found that we were unable to find
satisfactory solutions to the difficulties that confronted us,
particularly the depression that had continued since my childhood. We
moved to a 40-acre farm in central Minnesota in 1974 but it proved to be
too difficult an undertaking for us. I was frequently ill with
bronchial asthma and was hospitalized twice during the fall of 1976.
Since I was so sick Deb often had to do all the chores by herself.

During those years the pastor of a local Pentecostal church visited us
regularly to tell us the gospel of Jesus Christ. As soon as she would
arrive my wife would go off to the barn but I remained in the house to
argue with the pastor, trying to prove to her that her Christianity was
nothing more than the synthesis of ignorance, superstition, and fear.
I was hospitalized a third time in March, 1977. This time the doctor
was unable to stop the asthma attack and I became extremely weak and
extremely depressed. The pastor who had been coming to our farm came
to visit me in the hospital. My wife tried unsuccessfully to dissuade
her from seeing me because she didn’t want me to get into another heated
religious argument in my condition. The pastor came into my room and
read me some scripture including Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you
who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon
you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will
find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Hearing those words, faith came alive within me. She put her hands on
my chest and simply prayed “Jesus, heal this man”. I was instantly
healed in spirit, soul, and body! It felt physically like a t-shirt was
being ripped apart from my chest. An overwhelming, intense feeling of
supernatural love and joy surged throughout my body, the unbreakable
bronchial spasms in my chest broke, and I knew beyond any doubt that the
God I had earnestly sought years earlier was real. I immediately
confessed Jesus Christ as my savior on March 19, 1977.

Mark 15:38 and 39 best describe what happened to me: “The curtain of the
temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who
stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this
man was the Son of God!”” The doctor insisted that I remain in the
hospital for several more days, so I had a glorious time reading the New
Testament, getting to know the Lord and practicing my new faith. Two days later a friend came to the hospital and asked if I had received my prayer language. When I said no, he said to ask God for it. Immediately I began speaking in tongues.

My wife was totally confused about the change she saw in me. She went back to
the farm and asked God to give her a sign if my whole experience had
been real. Immediately a crow flew very slowly at eye level right past
the window where she was seated. She grabbed my young daughter by the
hand and headed for church.

Our life underwent an immediate change. We joined the local church and,
on August 21, 1977, we were baptized together in a local lake. A few
weeks later we sold our farm, animals, and equipment and moved to
Minneapolis to attend a two-year bible school at a non-denominational
Christian fellowship. Along with taking classes I traveled with other
students and teachers to churches throughout the region preaching and
teaching the word of God with joy. About that time Deb gave birth to
our second child. Since that day almost 40 years ago, in good times and in bad times, I have lived in God’s grace, always thankful that he sought to reach out and save a depressed, angry Jewish man and give him a Christian life that has been blessed in more ways than I can possibly imagine.

My marriage has almost completed our fifth decade, my children are happily
married, and I have two of the most beautiful grandchildren ever. Every
day I have shalom, the peace of God that passes all understanding, and
continue to live for him, in his presence, through Christ, by the Holy
Spirit, now and forever.

-> edited to include speaking in tongues.

 

[Roseonathorn]

My mom and dad belonged to a pentecostal church, and I felt when I grew up that the Holy Spirit existed also outside those walls since I had many christian friends that belonged to other denominations. However I always felt saved and always believed in God, Jesus and His Holy Spirit but there came a time when I felt my spiritual gift was not speaking in tounges so I questioned that and a few other things. Still I have friends in that church too as well as in other churches. I do think one can have the Holy Spirit without having the gift of speaking in toungs. Toungs should be interpreted it says in the bible and it is a spiritual gift, a language. I have heard of those that have had it as a real gift as a language but it is rare. To me the Holy Spirit is light and warm, if I feel an inner voice or nudge telling me to speak a certain thing to a certain person sometimes I think afterwards I am not that clever, perhaps the Holy Spirit helped me get the right words out.

 

[LilShepherdBoy]

This is not really addressed to the OP, but I'm answering her questions for everyone to see and for their benefit.

One must have the Holy Spirit to be saved.

This is absolutely 110% correct. No one can be saved without having the Holy Spirit in them. Jesus lives and works inside our heart as the Holy Spirit, spending quality time everyday transforming us into His image (sanctification).

What makes Jesus' way the only way to God and salvation is the Holy Spirit. No other religion offers the Holy Spirit, meaning you're basically trying to save yourself on your own. With Christianity, you have Jesus leading you from within.....everyday.

If you have it, how do you know?

Other than the initiation, the day when the Holy Spirit came upon each of us who has it. You also know by a gradual change in your heart, the new characteristics Paul described in Galatians 5:22-23 gradually develops and becomes apparent. When you have the Holy Spirit, others will be able to see the fruits you produce regularly, even daily for some. Matthew 7:16-17, Matthew 5:16.

Galatians 5:22-23 New King James Version (NKJV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.​

The people, even Christians, that do not have the Holy Spirit, these are their characteristics, the fruits of the flesh.

Galatians 5:19-21 New King James Version (NKJV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.​

Now it's very possible for Christians that just received the Holy Spirit demonstrate more characteristics of the flesh than the Spirit because sanctification is a process over time which Jesus works inside of us to change our behavior.

But a person filled with the Holy Spirit WILL absolutely change inside overtime. To think otherwise and think one's save while not demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit regularly nor rid themselves of the flesh are really saying Jesus is a failure. Some people really need to think about this that swear salvation is by faith alone.

You will absolutely know them by their fruits. The Holy Spirit is what empowers us to show it's fruits for all to see (especially by God) through our good deeds towards others.

Matthew 7:16-20 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

John 3:16-21 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”​

For anyone uncertain if they have the Holy Spirit, pray daily asking God to send you His Holy Spirit. You can expedite this by going out trying to do good deeds towards others as Jesus tells us in the parable of the young rich man, Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, Luke 18:18-30, and in the parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37.

When God sees you trying to do good, He will then send you His Holy Spirit to help you do greater works that you were not able to do on your own. The HS will empower you to do His will, His good deeds towards others.

John 14:12 New King James Version (NKJV)
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.​

One other very important note, thinking good and doing good are two different things. God will not send anyone the HS for merely thinking good deeds, you have to do it and do it first, Romans 2:13, James 1:22-23. And no one goes to heaven without the HS in them. No one can be allowed into heaven still covered in sin.

 

[pescador]

This is not really addressed to the OP, but I'm answering her questions for everyone to see and for their benefit.



This is absolutely 110% correct. No one can be saved without having the Holy Spirit in them. Jesus lives and works inside our heart as the Holy Spirit, spending quality time everyday transforming us into His image (sanctification).

What makes Jesus' way the only way to God and salvation is the Holy Spirit. No other religion offers the Holy Spirit, meaning you're basically trying to save yourself on your own. With Christianity, you have Jesus leading you from within.....everyday.



Other than the initiation, the day when the Holy Spirit came upon each of us who has it. You also know by a gradual change in your heart, the new characteristics Paul described in Galatians 5:22-23 gradually develops and becomes apparent. When you have the Holy Spirit, others will be able to see the fruits you produce regularly, even daily for some. Matthew 7:16-17, Matthew 5:16.

Galatians 5:22-23 New King James Version (NKJV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.​

The people, even Christians, that do not have the Holy Spirit, these are their characteristics, the fruits of the flesh.

Galatians 5:19-21 New King James Version (NKJV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.​

Now it's very possible for Christians that just received the Holy Spirit demonstrate more characteristics of the flesh than the Spirit because sanctification is a process over time which Jesus works inside of us to change our behavior.

But a person filled with the Holy Spirit WILL absolutely change inside overtime. To think otherwise and think one's save while not demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit regularly nor rid themselves of the flesh are really saying Jesus is a failure. Some people really need to think about this that swear salvation is by faith alone.

You will absolutely know them by their fruits. The Holy Spirit is what empowers us to show it's fruits for all to see (especially by God) through our good deeds towards others.

Matthew 7:16-20 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

John 3:16-21 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”​

For anyone uncertain if they have the Holy Spirit, pray daily asking God to send you His Holy Spirit. You can expedite this by going out trying to do good deeds towards others as Jesus tells us in the parable of the young rich man, Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, Luke 18:18-30, and in the parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37.

When God sees you trying to do good, He will then send you His Holy Spirit to help you do greater works that you were not able to do on your own. The HS will empower you to do His will, His good deeds towards others.

John 14:12 New King James Version (NKJV)
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.​

One other very important note, thinking good and doing good are two different things. God will not send anyone the HS for merely thinking good deeds, you have to do it and do it first, Romans 2:13, James 1:22-23. And no one goes to heaven without the HS in them. No one can be allowed into heaven still covered in sin.

This is an elongated way of saying that salvation is by works. It most definitely is not. There is no basis for saying that if God sees you doing "good works" he will send you the Holy Spirit. You receive the Holy Spirit when you are saved, by God's grace. Saying "God will not send anyone the HS for merely thinking good deeds, you have to do it and do it first" is false almost to the point of blasphemy.

If that was actually true, the Jews would have the Holy Spirit, since obedience to the law determines one's favor with God.

Finally, all Christians are regarded as sinless because we live, move, and have our being in Christ. God doesn't play games with salvation. Once you're adopted into his family you are there for eternity (unless you consciously choose to disinherit yourself).

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 NASB (And please don't add the words in the KJV which were added to the text centuries later.)

 

[Ron Gurley]

OP: POST #1: Q1:..."One must have the Holy Spirit to be saved..."

A1: FALSE: You have the receipt of the permanent indwelling of God the Holy Spirit "cart" before the "salvation" "horse"!

1 Corinthians 12 (ALL NASB)...SPIRITUAL BAPTISM at the time of the SALVATION EVENT and The Use of Spiritual Gifts
13 For by one (God the Holy) Spirit we (believers) were all "baptized" (IMMERSED) into one "body",(Body of Christ="CHURCH")
whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free,
and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Q2:.."If you have "it", how do you know?"...

aka

If a true Christ-Follower has undergone a SALVATION EVENT, what is the ROLE of the permanently indwelling God the Holy Spirit during the SANCTIFICATION PROCESS?

To answer the question, begin HERE:

https://www.christianforums.com/threads/god-the-holy-spirit-who-is-he.8005801/

A2: Your spirit-led life CHANGES...More in the "will of God"...More like Jesus, FOLLOWING Him and His precepts...
Less like the "old man" with his "sin nature".

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is IN Christ, he is a "new creature"; the old things passed away;behold, new things have come.

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified WITH Christ;
and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives IN me;
and the life which I now live in the flesh (SARX/SOMA=BODY)
I live by FAITH in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

 

[Ron Gurley]

RESPONSE TO POST#6
Q1:..."For anyone uncertain if they have the Holy Spirit, pray daily asking God to send you His Holy Spirit..."

Q2: ..."When God sees you trying to do good,
He will then send you His Holy Spirit
to help you do greater works that you were not able to do on your own.

A1 + A1: These statements reflect the FALSE DOCTRINES of the "Second Blessing" and "Tarrying"

SPIRITUAL BAPTISM at the time of the SALVATION EVENT is IMMEDIATE and COMPLETE without further action by the saved believer.

1 Corinthians 12 (NASB)...SPIRITUAL BAPTISM at the SALVATION EVENT and The Use of Spiritual Gifts
13 For by one (God the Holy) Spirit we were all "baptized" (IMMERSED=PAST TENSE!) into one "body",(Body of Christ="CHURCH")
whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free,
and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you (Body/Soul of believers) are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God (God the Holy Spirit) dwells in you? (now!)

2 Timothy 1:14
Guard, through (God) the Holy Spirit who dwells IN us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.(now!)

Ephesians 4:30
Do not GRIEVE the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were SEALED (past tense)for the day of redemption.

1 Thessalonians 5: 12-19 (NASB) Paul: CONDUCT for Christ-followers...
..Do not QUENCH (God) the (Holy) Spirit (now!)

Ephesians 5:18
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be "filled with" (God) the (Holy) Spirit, (under the control of)

 

[Ron Gurley]

Response to post #1 Q1:.."And what did it feel like when you found Jesus?..."

A1: Salvation does not produce some uniform "human emotion". CHANGED SPIRIT / salvation is per John 3 as explained in Ephesians 2 MAY produce "feelings", but Man's body/soul/spirit are like "snowflakes"...not one is identical to another. Being "slain in the spirit" is a false doctrine!

BUT there may be spiritual JOY!.

Galatians 5:22 (ALL NASB)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Psalm 16:11
You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Psalm 51:12
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.

John 15:11
These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

 

[pescador]

Response to post #1 Q1:.."And what did it feel like when you found Jesus?..."

A1: Salvation does not produce some uniform "human emotion". CHANGED SPIRIT / salvation is per John 3 as explained in Ephesians 2 MAY produce "feelings", but Man's body/soul/spirit are like "snowflakes"...not one is identical to another. Being "slain in the spirit" is a false doctrine!

BUT there may be spiritual JOY!.

Galatians 5:22 (ALL NASB)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Psalm 16:11
You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Psalm 51:12
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.

John 15:11
These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

What do you say to people like me who WERE slain in the Spirit? And don't tell me it's some false behavior that I did to myself.

 

[St_Worm2]

One must have the Holy Spirit to be saved.

If you have it, how do you know? And what did it feel like when you found Jesus? How did your life change?

Hi J4E, I believe that you've hit on a very important point, "change"! It is one of the keys in knowing whether or not you (or anyone else for that matter) has become a Christian. If, for instance, someone who claims to be a Christian continues to live (or quickly returns to living) the kind of sinful lifestyle they were leading prior to making that "claim", chances are more than very good that they never became a Christian .. e.g. 1 John 3:9.

We become Christians because God does mighty works in us/changes us 1) by changing/quickening our hearts from ones of stone to flesh and by giving us a new spirit, 2) by regenerating us from spiritual death to life/causing us to be born again and 3) by creating us as wholly new creatures in His Son .. e.g. Ezekiel 36:26, John 3:3, Ephesians 2:1-5, 2 Corinthians 2:17, 21.

Also, our desires change from wanting to please ourselves to pleasing God instead In fact, a true Christian's desires should be to please and obey God 24/7 in all that we do/say/think (though sadly, because of our old nature/old self rearing it's ugly head, this will not always the case, on this side of Glory anyway).

When we sinned as non-Christians, we were acting according to our fallen nature and its desires (our old "man" or old "self). However, when we do so as Christians, we actually act against our new nature, our new "self".

Just to be clear, the 24/7 desire to please and obey God, to live a holy rather than a sinful lifestyle, and the choices we make to do the good works we are called to do in Him (as His "workmanship" or "masterpiece" .. e.g. Ephesians 2:10), is the RESULT of being saved, NOT the cause. Salvation is all about Him and what He did (and does) for us/in us, not what we do .. e.g. John 5:24, Romans 4:5, Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5. That is, in fact, why all of these things that ACCOMPANY or RESULT from our salvation are such great indicators of our true spiritual state

As for how I felt when I first became a Christian, joyful, elated, happy and relieved doesn't do it justice, not even close, but that's the general idea. I also felt like the weight of the world (which was actually the weight of my guilt) had been lifted off of my shoulders, because I knew that God had forgiven me of it all

There is MUCH more, of course, many more "signs" that accompany/demonstrate/"justify" the fact that God has done these mighty and wondrous works in us .. e.g. James 2:24, but this is enough for now.

Yours in Christ,
David
p.s. - here is a nice contrast between what a "natural" man (non-Christian) is like (see v14 below), and some of what happens/what we are given when we become Christians instead.

1 Corinthians 2
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,
13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.
14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.
16 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.​

 

[“Paisios”]

One must have the Holy Spirit to be saved.

If you have it, how do you know? And what did it feel like when you found Jesus? How did your life change?

I wouldn't say that I have the Holy Spirit so much as that the Holy Spirit has me.

I am convinced that God has communicated directly with me on two occasions. The first was a reassurance when I was at my lowest and most needed Him; the second was a complete enveloping of my entire being with a golden warmness and experience of utter love that I believe was the Holy Spirit claiming and filling me for Himself. This experience filled me with great joy and peace and these two encounters with a very living God have left a permanent impact and changed me for the better.