Questions

[Repose]

Does a person receive the Holy Ghost only if they ask for it? Or is it something earned?

Is it possible to have the Holy Ghost, and yet not know it? Or is it possible for one to believe that they have the Holy Ghost, yet lack it in actuality?

[Deborah_]

5 minutes ago, Repose said:

Does a person receive the Holy Ghost only if they ask for it? Or is it something earned?

We are given the Holy Spirit when we believe in Jesus. We don't have to ask - it's automatic. And we can't possibly earn such a momentous gift!

 

6 minutes ago, Repose said:

Is it possible to have the Holy Ghost, and yet not know it?

I think so. When I became a Christian I knew nothing about the work of the Holy Spirit. I didn't even realise that I had become a Christian! But I very soon noticed that things in my life were changing, although it was only a few months later that I understood why. The Holy Spirit was at work in me, but without my knowledge.

7 minutes ago, Repose said:

Or is it possible for one to believe that they have the Holy Ghost, yet lack it in actuality?

I'm sure that it is. When the Holy Spirit departed from Samson (Judges 16:20,21), he only became aware of it when he tried to exercise his gift of strength and discovered that he didn't have it any more. Also, those people who take spiritual gifts (e.g. tongues) as being incontrovertible evidence of the presence of the Spirit don't always realise that many of the gifts can be faked.

[missmuffet]

1 hour ago, Repose said:

Does a person receive the Holy Ghost only if they ask for it? Or is it something earned?

Is it possible to have the Holy Ghost, and yet not know it? Or is it possible for one to believe that they have the Holy Ghost, yet lack it in actuality?

When a person asks Jesus Christ into their life, heart and mind and asks for forgiveness of their sins they are given the Holy Spirit.

[johnthebaptist]

3 hours ago, Repose said:

Does a person receive the Holy Ghost only if they ask for it? Or is it something earned?

Is it possible to have the Holy Ghost, and yet not know it? Or is it possible for one to believe that they have the Holy Ghost, yet lack it in actuality?

I think one needs to understand the Holy Spirit (Ghost). Some will disagree with this, but I believe the Holy Spirit is what we call the Lord when we are communicating with him. We always have the Holy Spirit, but we don't always listen to him. We should be in constant prayer, as Paul taught us (1 Thess 5:17).

[Riverwalker]

All Christians receive the Holy Spirit when they are saved

There is a separate baptism of the Holy Spirit, that is for the power of ministry

But the promise of the Holy Spirit comes to us all, and is one of the most sweet aspects of Christianity

 

John 14:  ¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

[Tzephanyahu]

Shalom @Repose

17 hours ago, Repose said:

Does a person receive the Holy Ghost only if they ask for it? Or is it something earned?

A person receives the Holy Spirit as a gift.  It cannot be earned, other than true repentance and acknowledging the Lord Jesus, as the son of Yahweh, and His atoning sacrifice for our sins.

17 hours ago, Repose said:

Is it possible to have the Holy Ghost, and yet not know it? Or is it possible for one to believe that they have the Holy Ghost, yet lack it in actuality?

I wouldn’t say so.  If you are unsure, as I once was, I would assume that you haven’t got the Holy Spirit with you.  Seek to be baptized with Spirit above all things.  When it does happen, you’ll know and feel different.  You will no longer be wondering about the matter.  You’ll know.  Now, it might take a day, weeks, months or years – but seek this baptism above all things.  There is nothing more important.  When the time is right, you will receive the Holy Spirit, only don’t keep seeking, asking and praying until it happens – and don’t settle until you are certain that it has happened.

Love & Shalom

[Mike Mclees]

John 19: 1 

When Paul came to Ephesus he found some new disciples. He said unto them Have you received the Holy Spirit when you believed? and they said unto them, and they said unto to him" we have not so much heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.  

They only knew of Johns Baptism. Paul said to them they needed to  baptized unto Christ and when he laid hands on them they received the Holy Ghost.

Edited August 8, 2019 by Mike Mclees

[Billiards Ball]

On 8/7/2019 at 11:55 AM, Repose said:

Does a person receive the Holy Ghost only if they ask for it? Or is it something earned?

Is it possible to have the Holy Ghost, and yet not know it? Or is it possible for one to believe that they have the Holy Ghost, yet lack it in actuality?

1) Ephesians 1 - each born again person receives the Spirit, as a guarantor of salvation

2) He is our unearned gift--Jesus earned this gift for us

3) Yes, some people become born again without realizing the promise of Ephesians 1 has been fulfilled in them

4) Yes, some insane people say they have the Spirit, and some false teachers who lie, mostly to earn money and prestige

[JohnD]

Matthew 3:11 (AV)
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:

Fire for judgment (unbelief)

Holy Ghost for belief (salvation)

John 3:16–18 (AV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Ephesians 2:8–10 (AV)
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

John 16:26–27 (AV)
26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

 

 

Edited August 9, 2019 by JohnD

[Prycejosh1987]

On 8/7/2019 at 4:55 PM, Repose said:

Does a person receive the Holy Ghost only if they ask for it? Or is it something earned?

Is it possible to have the Holy Ghost, and yet not know it? Or is it possible for one to believe that they have the Holy Ghost, yet lack it in actuality?

I dont believe that the holy spirit is earned but i do think there is a good mindset a person has to have before they can receive him. For example a person must believe he is God, and has attributes and qualities that a person feels they need. I believe there is "spiritual upgrades" and then there is the holy spirit. Elisha is an example of a spiritual upgrade to me because he received double portion of the spirit of Elijah. The holy spirit is not given in measure but upgrades can always be worked on.