The Holy Spirit - can I have some please?

[chloe_fantastic]

Okay - this may seem a bit odd for me to say this now. I've been on Worthy for over a year, and I keep hearing people talk about the Holy Spirit - "the Holy Spirit told me this", "the Holy Spirit told me that", "the Holy Spirit guided me to..." and so on.

But why don't I have the Holy Spirit? I don't feel anything. What is it supposed to feel like?

 

I have absolute faith in God. I don't doubt his existence for one moment - there's too much proof around me for that. I pray and confess my sins and I think that he hears me, although to be honest, I don't think that he's answered one prayer yet, and if he has it seems to be just a coincidence.

As for this Holy Spirit stuff, well all I can say is, "what Holy Spirit?" I never felt anything enter me, or change me. If I get the Holy Spirit, how would I know? I've not experienced it, so how can I tell if I have it?

Unless of course, it's that warm, fuzzy peaceful feeling that I get sometimes after praying, and if it is, I'm worried. Because I used to get that same feeling before I was saved. I got it on any number of occasions when I felt comfortable and safe.

So, am I saved or not? I definitely believe in God, but I'm worried that he doesn't believe in me.

If you're a believer, you do have the Holy Spirit living on the inside of you. It has nothing to do with feelings or emotions. There's nothing wrong with you if you didn't "feel" anything when it took place. Some people feel it. Some don't, and both are ok. I didn't feel the Holy Spirit come into me when I got saved either, but I know it took place because that's what Scripture states.

 

Scripture also states He hears our prayers and answers them, and gives instruction on how to pray in such a way that we know our prayers are answered. Just because we don't get what we ask for when we pray doesn't mean our prayers weren't heard or answered. "No" is an answer, albeit one our flesh doesn't like very much.

 

The Bible is ripe with answers to these questions. If I were you, I'd do a study on the Holy Spirit, and then one on prayer. You'll find so much comfort in what the Word has to say to you on these matters.

[OakWood]

Thanks for all the replies, everyone.

[ABMF]

You can have the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. It is a separate event like 1 Salvation 2 baptism in water 3 baptism in The Holy Spirit with the initial Evidence of Speaking in new languages(tongues). It is an important step in your walk with God. It is real. If you want it you can have it. I have had the privilege of leading a few to this experience and some even received it over the Internet after receiving the instructions of how from the word and then praying.

[Fez]

Thanks for all the replies, everyone.

For me it is a feeling of peace. If I have prayed about something I know it has been answered when I have a peaceful certainty. If I feel that knot in the stomach, the indecision or uncertainty I know it is not of the Spirit.

So for me, being filled with the Spirit is more of a peaceful certainty. And one more thing! When I am filled with the Spirit I have no room for the normal fears, distractions, impatience, etc of everyday life. There is no room for them.

It's like I am a bucket with a leak. The leak is caused by the world, work, confrontations, etc. but filling the bucket with the peaceful certainty of the Holy Spirit means that there is no room for the other bad stuff. I keep it filled through the word, my church, the fellowship I have, and I know when the leak is gaining on my input because I start feeling dry and empty and useless and unwanted.

It happens because I am only human and I don't pay enough attention to my spiritual needs at times and put work etc before them.

[missmuffet]

[ARose88]

OakWood,

 

I realize this reply is quite long, but you asked a very good question, and I want to do my best to answer it in full to the best of my ability.

 

 

Let's start with, What/Who is the Holy Spirit?

 

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead (therefore, one with God Himself, just as Jesus is one with God). The Holy Spirit was present from the beginning (in Genesis 1, the Spirit of the Lord moved upon the face of the waters), He had a role in the creation of the world (God said, "Let US make man in OUR image" The reference here is not God and the angels, but God and the Spirit and the Son, all present at creation. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each have a different role-- in scripture we know God to be the Divine Creator and the Planner; Christ is the Word, the Blood; the Holy Spirit is spoken of as the work agent, the One who gives us power (if you would like verse references let me know).

 

In the Old Testament we read about the Holy Spirit resting upon the kings, priests and prophets. We also see that when a sacrifice was accepted in God's temple a cloud appeared over the alter as a sign that the sacrifice had been accepted by the Lord-- this is a form of the Holy Spirit (sometimes referred to as the Shekinah Glory, though that term itself is not in scripture)-- again, if you need references, please ask.

 

But, it is important to note that it was not possible for any person in the Old Testament to have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them, because their sins were still in their consciences (See Heb. 9:6-9 & 10:4). This is why in John 14 Jesus tells his disciples, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (v16,17)  Jesus states that the world cannot receive the Holy Spirit, because the world does not know God, they are in their sins, He also says that the Spirit dwells with the disciples, and will in the future be in them. This is important. Again, the reason the Spirit could not dwell in the disciples was because their sins were only covered under the OT, they were not yet removed by the blood of Christ.

 

After Christ is crucified and raises from the dead, he breathes on his disciples and says "Receive ye the Holy Ghost" (John 20:22). It would seem natural to assume this is where the disciples received the indwelling or baptism of the Holy Spirit, but we need to look at what else Jesus said to his disciples before ascending to the Father. I will explain this in further detail in a moment. For the time being, I will state that this was not the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised, this was, however, the promised cleansing from sin.  When we are saved, it is the Holy Spirit that washes our sins away (Titus 3:5), but that is not where His work ends. So what else did Jesus say before he departed from his disciples?

 

"And, being assembled together with them, [Jesus] commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the father, which saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. ... But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these thing, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." Acts 1:4-5, 8-9

 

Jesus told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit spoken of by John. This means that when he breathed on them in John 20, they did not receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but salvation, the "washing of regeneration" mentioned by Paul in Titus 3:5.

 

Quick history lesson:

 

In the OT there were many holidays and feasts. I would like to talk about two major feasts/celebrations-- Passover, to commemorate Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Jesus was crucified during Passover week-- appropriate, since He delivered us from slavery to sin. The other is Pentecost (or Shavuot), this was a time of giving gifts and offerings. It is linked to the giving of the Ten Commandments. Pentecost is celebrated 50 days after Passover, and for both holidays Jews were required to come from wherever their homes were to Jerusalem to observe it.

 

We read about the first Pentecost after Jesus' resurrection in Acts 2. "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (v 1-4)

 

Those who heard them speaking in other tongues supposed that they were drunk (v 13), "But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:'" (v14-18)

 

Peter is quoting from Joel 2, stating that on that day it was fulfilled. This was also the fulfillment of what Christ told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Remember, Jesus said that they would receive "power". It's no coincidence that we have Peter, who in the gospels was so often well-meaning but misled, stand boldly and proclaim truth after receiving the power of the Spirit. It is also at this point that we see the disciples beginning to work miracles for the first time since Christ's resurrection. Shortly after this, they also go forth and begin to bring the gospel to other parts of the world, as Jesus commanded. I strongly suggest reading through the entire book of Acts for a clear understanding of the Holy Spirit, but I will try to point out some key verses.

 

"Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost." 8:14-17  Note that the people of Samaria were saved (they were baptized in the name of Jesus), but did not have the Holy Spirit. Why is this? Because they are two separate experiences (just as Passover and Pentecost were two separate celebrations) Salvation is the cleansing away of our sins, making our temple clean, so that we can then invite the Holy Spirit to come live within us. The world can receive salvation, but Jesus said the world cannot receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Why? Because before God can live in us, sin must be removed from us. God is light, and will not dwell in darkness. We must, after we are saved, ask the Holy Spirit to fill us. Then, as scripture indicates multiple times, we will begin to speak in other tongues. This is the initial evidence that we have received the baptism, just as it was for the disciples on Pentecost. What is the purpose of speaking in other tongues? We are limited in our human understanding, we don't always know what to pray, or how to pray, so when we run out of words in our known language (English for me), we can begin to pray in the Spirit the perfect prayer to God for the needs we can't see or know (Romans 8:26,27). There are many, many more verses, but I'll sum it up with one more instance from Acts 19...

 

Paul is in Ephesus, and finds there certain disciples (v 1). Then "He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied." (v2-6)

 

So, yes, you are saved, you have a relationship with God, but my question to you, Oakwood, is this: Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? He is not a warm fuzzy feeling in your heart, He is not just a burst of confidence or joy in the Lord, He is literally God dwelling within you. I encourage you to seek this out for yourself in the scriptures, there are so many verses about it, ask God to help you, and decide for yourself what is truth.

 

Blessings as you seek.

 

ARose

[OakWood]

OakWood,

 

I realize this reply is quite long, but you asked a very good question, and I want to do my best to answer it in full to the best of my ability.

 

 

Let's start with, What/Who is the Holy Spirit?

 

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead (therefore, one with God Himself, just as Jesus is one with God). The Holy Spirit was present from the beginning (in Genesis 1, the Spirit of the Lord moved upon the face of the waters), He had a role in the creation of the world (God said, "Let US make man in OUR image" The reference here is not God and the angels, but God and the Spirit and the Son, all present at creation. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each have a different role-- in scripture we know God to be the Divine Creator and the Planner; Christ is the Word, the Blood; the Holy Spirit is spoken of as the work agent, the One who gives us power (if you would like verse references let me know).

 

In the Old Testament we read about the Holy Spirit resting upon the kings, priests and prophets. We also see that when a sacrifice was accepted in God's temple a cloud appeared over the alter as a sign that the sacrifice had been accepted by the Lord-- this is a form of the Holy Spirit (sometimes referred to as the Shekinah Glory, though that term itself is not in scripture)-- again, if you need references, please ask.

 

But, it is important to note that it was not possible for any person in the Old Testament to have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them, because their sins were still in their consciences (See Heb. 9:6-9 & 10:4). This is why in John 14 Jesus tells his disciples, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (v16,17)  Jesus states that the world cannot receive the Holy Spirit, because the world does not know God, they are in their sins, He also says that the Spirit dwells with the disciples, and will in the future be in them. This is important. Again, the reason the Spirit could not dwell in the disciples was because their sins were only covered under the OT, they were not yet removed by the blood of Christ.

 

After Christ is crucified and raises from the dead, he breathes on his disciples and says "Receive ye the Holy Ghost" (John 20:22). It would seem natural to assume this is where the disciples received the indwelling or baptism of the Holy Spirit, but we need to look at what else Jesus said to his disciples before ascending to the Father. I will explain this in further detail in a moment. For the time being, I will state that this was not the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised, this was, however, the promised cleansing from sin.  When we are saved, it is the Holy Spirit that washes our sins away (Titus 3:5), but that is not where His work ends. So what else did Jesus say before he departed from his disciples?

 

"And, being assembled together with them, [Jesus] commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the father, which saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. ... But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these thing, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." Acts 1:4-5, 8-9

 

Jesus told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit spoken of by John. This means that when he breathed on them in John 20, they did not receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but salvation, the "washing of regeneration" mentioned by Paul in Titus 3:5.

 

Quick history lesson:

 

In the OT there were many holidays and feasts. I would like to talk about two major feasts/celebrations-- Passover, to commemorate Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Jesus was crucified during Passover week-- appropriate, since He delivered us from slavery to sin. The other is Pentecost (or Shavuot), this was a time of giving gifts and offerings. It is linked to the giving of the Ten Commandments. Pentecost is celebrated 50 days after Passover, and for both holidays Jews were required to come from wherever their homes were to Jerusalem to observe it.

 

We read about the first Pentecost after Jesus' resurrection in Acts 2. "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (v 1-4)

 

Those who heard them speaking in other tongues supposed that they were drunk (v 13), "But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:'" (v14-18)

 

Peter is quoting from Joel 2, stating that on that day it was fulfilled. This was also the fulfillment of what Christ told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Remember, Jesus said that they would receive "power". It's no coincidence that we have Peter, who in the gospels was so often well-meaning but misled, stand boldly and proclaim truth after receiving the power of the Spirit. It is also at this point that we see the disciples beginning to work miracles for the first time since Christ's resurrection. Shortly after this, they also go forth and begin to bring the gospel to other parts of the world, as Jesus commanded. I strongly suggest reading through the entire book of Acts for a clear understanding of the Holy Spirit, but I will try to point out some key verses.

 

"Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost." 8:14-17  Note that the people of Samaria were saved (they were baptized in the name of Jesus), but did not have the Holy Spirit. Why is this? Because they are two separate experiences (just as Passover and Pentecost were two separate celebrations) Salvation is the cleansing away of our sins, making our temple clean, so that we can then invite the Holy Spirit to come live within us. The world can receive salvation, but Jesus said the world cannot receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Why? Because before God can live in us, sin must be removed from us. God is light, and will not dwell in darkness. We must, after we are saved, ask the Holy Spirit to fill us. Then, as scripture indicates multiple times, we will begin to speak in other tongues. This is the initial evidence that we have received the baptism, just as it was for the disciples on Pentecost. What is the purpose of speaking in other tongues? We are limited in our human understanding, we don't always know what to pray, or how to pray, so when we run out of words in our known language (English for me), we can begin to pray in the Spirit the perfect prayer to God for the needs we can't see or know (Romans 8:26,27). There are many, many more verses, but I'll sum it up with one more instance from Acts 19...

 

Paul is in Ephesus, and finds there certain disciples (v 1). Then "He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied." (v2-6)

 

So, yes, you are saved, you have a relationship with God, but my question to you, Oakwood, is this: Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? He is not a warm fuzzy feeling in your heart, He is not just a burst of confidence or joy in the Lord, He is literally God dwelling within you. I encourage you to seek this out for yourself in the scriptures, there are so many verses about it, ask God to help you, and decide for yourself what is truth.

 

Blessings as you seek.

 

ARose

 

I often get the warm fuzzy feeling in my heart when thinking about God, but I never get any voice giving me advice or leading me anywhere as so many others claim.

I think I can spot real evil when I see it because something in my heart warns me of it, but apart from that there's very little.

[ARose88]

Oakwood,

 

Certainly sometimes we will get that "warm, fuzzy feeling" when we are thinking about God or praying/worshipping. It's a joy to serve the Lord, and nothing gives us peace like that, but we know that our walk is based on so much more than just a feeling. I have had times in my life where God felt very far away, yet I knew He wasn't, and as I prayed and pressed in my confidence grew and peace came. Also, remember that one of the ways God speaks to us is in His word. We don't always "hear" a voice from Heaven (though God does speak to people at times), and sometimes what we need to hear has already been said in the Bible.

 

God has also given us an indicator of what is good and evil-- because the truth is in our hearts-- we all have a conscience, and if we have a knowledge of God's word as well, then we are equipped to recognize evil when it comes our way. Thank God for discernment.

 

All of these are a part of living for God, but the firmest confidence we can have before Him is that we live this life in obedience to His word. When we know what His word says, and we seek His word, and we believe His word, and we obey His word, then He will work in our lives. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt. 6:33

 

If I need to clarify anything in my last post, let me know.

Edited March 10, 2014 by ARose88

[OakWood]

Thanks. I'll contemplate all of this.

[johz77]

Most of us have heard of the Holy Spirit but we don't actually know him. Yes we confess him but we don't obey him. The thing is that, we give kudos to the Holy Spirit each time we do a good work. What of when we do wrong? To know a man that has the spirit of God is when he is able to live IT. The Holy Spirit, he lives in you. You become his temple. Yes he moves you at times because you have not yet received his baptism. Jesus was given the Holy Spirit without measure, we ought to be like him. But many Christians fake it. If your life is not holy, then he is not there. When you truly desire The To know God, then he

gives you His spirit by believing in Jesus. If you need the spirit of God, ask God is the name of Jesus. It is not a feeling, but a life,