“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
If someone were to ask you that question, how would you respond?
Paul thought it was an important question to ask those twelve in Ephesus, and it is an important question to ask yourself. Have you received the Holy Spirit?
Everyone who believes in Jesus receives the Holy Spirit.
Anyone who does not have the Holy Spirit is not a true believer.
Romans 8:9 says, “But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”
Having the Holy Spirit gives us certainty of a good relationship with God.
1 John 4:13 says, “By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”
When you receive the Holy Spirit should there be some kind of strange sign? For instance, should you start speaking in tongues?
Although there are examples of tongues-speaking in Scripture, it is never said that everyone who receives the Spirit always speaks in tongues.
So how can you be sure that you have received the Holy Spirit?
There are things that the New Testament says are signs that you have received the Holy Spirit. They are called the “fruit of the Spirit.” Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…”
One way to know if you have received the Spirit is if you are consistently growing in putting aside sin and putting on Christ-like character.
So have you received the Holy Spirit?
Portions of this post were taken from the notes of Pastor John’s 7/13/14 sermon.