Many Think They Do But Don't
So many believers think they have the Holy Spirit when really they do not. A big part of this is due to preachers from the flesh. The fleshly preachers will tell people the instant they become born again they suddenly get the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, naming a few verses of Paul merely mentioning to his audience they have the Holy Spirit or have the Spirit dwelling in them, and use this to justify this idea that you immediately have the Spirit dwelling in you while the baptism is a separate thing. Some people, like Catholics I have spoken to, do not even have a clue what the baptism of the Holy Spirit is and think it is just water baptism.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is mentioned in John 1:33, clearly showing it is separate from water baptism. Now when reading Acts 19, we see Paul going to Apollos, a believer, asking him, "Have ye received the Holy Spirit SINCE YE BELIEVED," Acts 19:2. Why did Paul ask if he had received the Holy Spirit since he started believing in Jesus? I thought we all received the Holy Spirit once we start truly believing in Jesus according to most pastors and teachers today? This tells us that they had not received the Holy Spirit. So then Paul told them about the Holy Spirit, prayed over them, and it says they then received the Holy Spirit. How do we know for sure they received the Holy Spirit after receiving that prayer? It says they spoke tongues and prophesied, Acts 19:6. The next verse says there were 12 people. Those 12 people were already believers. So why did they speak tongues? I thought most pastors teach us tongues is a sign for non believers? Why did the believers speak tongues then among each other? Do you know why?
Tongues is the evidence of the Spirit and His presence, as are all the 9 gifts, the manifestation of Him, 1 Cor 12:7. Even in the Old Testament, we see Moses ask God for help to judge the people. God told Moses to bring 70 elders where He will put the Holy Spirit upon them. Then when God did it, it says they all prophesied, Numbers 11:26. We are in the last days. It says in the last days God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh where the prophetic gift will move on His children and servants, Acts 2:18. We are in the last days right? So that means these gifts are still in effect, per the Lord's promise there, referred originally in Joel 2:28. So the gifts of the Spirit are the evidence of His presence. Do you think the Spirit just enters you to dwell in automatically and there is no power seen? Jesus says, "After the Spirit comes upon you, you will receive power," Acts 1:8.
So where is your power? I'm not talking your brain's thinking of what power is. I'm not talking your twisting of definitions of what power is. I'm talking about what Jesus says, about what we see the power as defined throughout the Scriptures. So if you never prophesied or spoke in tongues, then there is no evidence the Holy Spirit is in you for sure. You may try to say, "But I have changed. I am a new person, that is the evidence." No. Jesus also says, "You have been washed clean through my Word," in John 15:3. So the Word has power to help you change, right? Yes. So it is your knowledge, your prior evil knowledge slowly being purged from your mind and His wisdom through the Word slowly replacing it that is helping you grow or transform. This is through obedience. The Holy Spirit can help us, but to actually have Him dwelling in you is a separate subject. This is the power. This is seen throughout the Scriptures, as followed by evidence or signs, namely tongues or prophesying.
Most pastors today have no personal experience with the Holy Spirit. They think they do, but they really don't. This is dangerous because then they pass their flesh knowledge to the people and then they miss out on receiving the Holy Spirit too due to pride. Jesus says the world cannot receive the Spirit, John 14:17. Why? Because the worldly have pride. So why haven't many believers received the Spirit? Pride. Humbleness is the key. Apollos was humble, ready and willing to accept the truth, let alone the Spirit of Truth right then and there. He was willing and ready to receive. Are you?
Plus, if we get the Holy Spirit automatically, why does Jesus say we must ask and keep knocking? Then He says, "How much more will the Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him," Luke 11:13. So this also proves the Holy Spirit is not inside you automatically right away since you started believing in Jesus, even if you are believing in Him truly and repenting.
You need the Holy Spirit! Ask Him to baptize you and keep asking Him! Keep seeking Him so you can have power from on High to destroy the works of the devil! Be humble and willing to receive Him. Amen.
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