Holy Spirit Life

Do you know the hymn with key verse, “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back.”?  If not I also ask the question, do you have the Holy Spirit within you? These are questions showing saving faith as a Christian. You can be sure you have the Holy Spirit of God living within you. Scripture is very clear about it. I am now borrowing some structure to this thesis of Spirit applied salvation from Pastor James McDonald of Harvest Bible Chapel and a prolific writer.

Paul in his letter to the Ephesians begins telling of being included in the chosen of God in v. 13-14, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession- to the praise of his glory.”  He is telling us that when we listened and heard within our heart and beleived the true gospel message from the Word of God, the Bible, we received the Spirit.  God has revealed his truth to us through his Spirit (1Cor 2:10).  Verse 14 says, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

So how do we know for sure that we have the Holy Spirit?  There is a test through scripture:

1.     Galatians 5:22 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” In other words our lives will show or produce the fruit from God in growing and changing measure by the power of the Holy Spirit. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the sinful nature with its passions or desires. We must live by the Spirit and keep in step with the Spirit if we are in Him.

2.     The gifts of the Holy Spirit are delineated in 1 Cor 12, Romans 12,  1 Peter 4 and elsewhere. These are supernatural gifts from God for the Kingdom of God. They are not for us alone but for the edification or building up of the Body of Christ or the church. We all have at least one gift and it will become more and more evident through the Holy Spirit if we are indeed in Him.

3.     There will be a conviction of sin and along side confession and repentance of sin to God. John 16:8 says, “When he comes (speaking of the Holy Spirit) he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.”

4.     He, the Spirit will be your guide. “But when he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you in all truth.” (John 16:13).

5.     He will also lead us. “but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit, are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14). Also Romans 8:6 reminds us that the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. That is certainly something to strive for by the power of the Spirit, not in our own power, but weakness.

6.     The Spirit of God will testify or bear witness on our behalf. Incredibly, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

So there is the test. Now Paul in 2 Cor 13:5 says, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you- unless, of course, you fail the test?

I hope you do not fail the test. But if you do, go back to step 1 and ask for the Holy Spirit to fill you (Ephesians 5:18).