How Do I Know If I Have Received the Holy Spirit?

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 1 Cor 12:13

We get into the body of Christ by being baptized in the Holy Spirit. This is our initiation so to speak into the church of the living God. It does not come by us making a decision for Christ though there is a part in that, it is by God making a decision for us. God gives the Holy Spirit to you and then you are a member of the church not by going through new member classes and then officially joining so your name is in the church member book, but by the Holy Spirit baptism.

After the last few writings I had several people ask how to know if they have the Holy Spirit. This is a very important question to ask yourself. However, there is a fine line because many who do have it begin to question themselves based upon the fact that they still have struggles in their life that they need to overcome. Receiving the Holy Spirit does not make you a person that lives a life without any sin. John wrote in 1 John 1:8-9 that, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Sin will always be present while we are in these “vile” bodies. It is a part of the curse. We are going through a process of sanctification. “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor 3:18 Beholding the glory of the Lord is not a one time event, it is something that we do over our lifetime and it changes us from one glory to another glory. This is a process not an immediate event like salvation. But how do I know if I have it?

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Cor 5:17

The Holy Spirit baptism is likened unto a new birth by Jesus in John 3. It changes you from what you were in this sinful flesh to being a new creation, the old things of evil, wickedness and bad attitudes pass away and all things become new. God by a miracle of his Spirit turns you from walking daily in sin to walking in the Spirit of love and joy.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:21-23

The word fruit is a euphamism for results. In other words what grows from the Spirit as a fruit grows out of a tree or vine. The results of the Spirit in your life is love, joy, peace, etc. Will you still have struggles with these things? Sure. There will be a distinct transformation in your life from desires for drunkeness, envying, partying, anger, malice, backbiting, gossip, etc. to the love, joy and peace of the Spirit.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. John 16:13 Another indication of the Spirit in your life is being led into all truth. If in your life God is continuously revealing more of his word to you and you are always open to receive truth from him then this is an indication you have received the Spirit. This does not mean that you will accept any idea or be the kind of person that waffles from one opinion to another. It means you know the truth that the Spirit is revealing and you have a ready and willing mind to receive everything that the Scriptures teach no matter how hard or how much it hurts.

These are four things that can help you identify the Holy Spirit in you.

1. You are being transformed into the image of Christ from glory to glory as you behold the glory of God.
2. You are a new creature. Your life has changed completely.
3. You have the results of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
4. The Spirit of truth is guiding you into all truth.

Sometimes when you grow up in a Christian home and your parents taught you right from wrong you had a less distinct experience of becoming a new creation. If you have been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and you see the other three things manifesting in your life then just pray through to God and make sure that you know that you know you have received it. If you receive the assurance from the Lord that you have received it don’t let the devil lie to you anymore that you don’t have.