How do we receive the Holy Spirit

1. How do we receive the Holy Spirit? - 25th
May 2017
“You,however, are not inthe realm ofthe fleshbut are in the realm of the Spirit,if indeedthe Spiritof
Godlives inyou. And ifanyonedoes not have the Spirit ofChrist, they do notbelong to Christ.”
(Romans8:9).
The apostle Paul statesthatwe receive the HolySpiritthe momentwe receiveJesusChristasourSavior.
“Forwe were all baptizedby one Spiritinto one body—whetherJews or Greeks, slaveor free—and we
were all given the one Spiritto drink.”(1Corinthians12:13). We can also learn thatif a persondoesnot
possessthe HolySpirit,he or she doesnot belongtoChrist:“You,however, are notin the realm of the
fleshbut are inthe realmof the Spirit,ifindeed the Spiritof Godlives inyou. And ifanyone doesnot
have the Spirit ofChrist,they donot belongto Christ.”(Romans8:9). The bible also teachesusthatthe
HolySpiritisthe seal of salvationforall those whobelieve: “Havingbelieved,youwere marked in him
with a seal,the promisedHolySpirit, whois a depositguaranteeingour inheritanceuntil the
redemptionof those who are God'spossession—tothepraiseofhis glory.”(Ephesians1:13-14).
These three passagesmake itclearthat the HolySpiritisreceivedatthe momentof salvation.Paul could
not saythat we all were baptizedbyone Spiritandall givenone Spirittodrinkif not all of the Corinthian
believerspossessedthe HolySpirit. Romans8:9is evenstronger,statingthatif a persondoesnothave
the Spirit,he doesnotbelongtoChrist.Therefore,the possessionof the Spiritisanidentifyingfactorof
the possessionof salvation.Further,the HolySpiritcouldnotbe the “seal of salvation”(Ephesians1:13-
14) if He isnot receivedatthe momentof salvation.Manyscripturesmake itabundantlyclearthatour
salvationissecuredthe momentwe receive ChristasSavior.
Thisdiscussioniscontroversialbecause manyhave notclearlyunderstood the HolySpiritare hence
oftenconfused.The receiving/indwellingof the Spiritoccursatthe momentof salvation.The fillingof
the Spiritisan ongoingprocessinthe Christianlife.While we holdthatthe baptismof the Spirit also
occurs at the momentof salvation,some Christiansdonot.Thissometimesresultsinthe baptismof the
Spiritbeingconfusedwith“receivingthe Spirit”asan act subsequenttosalvation.
Therefore itisgoodto understandhowtoreceive the HolySpiritasperthe Bible.Firststepis geta Bible
and begintocheckinto receivingthe HolySpiritasinthe Bible.Youwill findthatthere are over100
referencesthere and youwill getanunderstandingaboutthe HolySpirit.The nextstepisthatwe need
to repentforone’ssinsandbe baptizedaswe findin Acts 2:38, “Peter replied, “Repent andbe
baptized,every one of you, inthe nameof Jesus Christfor the forgiveness of your sins.And youwill
receive the giftof the Holy Spirit.” "Repentmeansto“change one’smind."Inpractical terms,itmeans
to change from notseekingtodoGod's will toseekingtodoGod's will…rejectsinandsinfulnessand
welcome God’steaching intoone’slife.
The nextstepisto get baptized.Baptism isfromthe Greekword"baptizo"meanstoimmerse orto
submerge inwater.JesuswasbaptizedbyJohnthe Baptistinwaterforour example tofollow.Anyone
can baptize you,if alreadyaSpirit-filledbeliever. Althoughitisnotan absolute prerequisite,Baptismis
an importantstepof obedience foraChristian. Itisa Christiansacramentmarkedbyritual use of water
and admittingthe recipienttothe Christiancommunity. Whenwe are Baptized ,one ispurified,
sanctified,initiated,ornamedopenlyforeveryone toknow thathe or she NOW belongstoGod. Water
baptismisa ritual purification byorsubmergence inSpirit.

2. Thereafterone can ask God to give youthe HolySpirit. Jesussaid, “SoIsay to you: Ask andit will be
givento you;seek andyou will find;knock and the door will be opened to you. 10
Foreveryone who
asks receives; the one who seeks finds;andto the one who knocks, the door will be opened.11
“Which
of youfathers, ifyour son asks fora fish,will give him a snakeinstead? 12
Orif he asks for an egg, will
give hima scorpion? 13
Ifyou then, thoughyou are evil, knowhow to give goodgiftsto yourchildren,
how muchmore will your Fatherin heaven give the Holy Spiritto those who ask him!” (Luke 11:9- 13).
We ask, byprayingto God - usingyourownvoice to ask forthe HolySpirit.We needtobe preparedto
be transformed where some mayeven speakintongues bythe powerof the HolyGhost,as the early
disciples experienced.InActs2, it tellsusthat disciplesandmanyotherswhowere presentonthatday
were all filledwiththe Holy Spirit,andbegantospeakwithothertongues,asthe Spiritgave them
utterance.We can read thisfrom Acts 2:4, “All of them were filledwiththe HolySpirit andbegan to
speak in other tonguesas the Spirit enabledthem.”
We have come across instancesinthe worldtoday,where manyhave beenhealedof illnessesand
addictionsandotherproblemsof all sortsat the time of receivingthe HolySpirit. Whenone receivesthe
HolySpirit, he or she alsoreceivesthe love of Godand the powerof God to helpandheal our life and
alsoof others.The HolySpiritfillsuswithhope aswe can learnfrom Romans 5:5, “Andhopedoes not
put us to shame,because God’slovehas been poured out intoour hearts through the Holy Spirit,who
has been givento us.” These are justa few as statedabove andthere are a multitude of untoldbenefits
that come withthe HolySpiritcomingto our lives. Whenwe receivethe HolySpiritwe willbegin tolive
a good Christianlife whichisthe fruit(result)we receive fromthe Spirit. We canlearnfrom Galatians
5:22-25,“But the fruit of the Spiritis love,joy, peace, forbearance,kindness,goodness,faithfulness,
23
gentlenessand self-control.Againstsuchthingsthere is nolaw. 24
Those whobelongto Christ Jesus
have crucifiedthe flesh withits passionsanddesires. 25
Sincewe live by the Spirit,let us keep in step
with the Spirit.”
Furthermore,we needtoconstantlybe mindful toenhance ourongoingrelationshipwithGod.The
spiritassistsus by helpingustobuildandmaintainthe faithwhich he orshe has justreceived.Itdoes
not stopthere…we are alsorequiredto share the Good newsof Salvationwithasmany as we can with
whom we come incontact withon our dayto day lives. Whenwe share thismessage withothers we
needtoPray for themsotheycan be healed –physical orotherwise –for themto be opento receive
God's Spirit. We can learnwhere JesusdirectedHisdisciples:“Hesaidtothem, “Gointo all the world
and preach the gospel to all creation. 16
Whoeverbelieves andis baptizedwill be saved, but whoever
does not believewill be condemned.” (Mark16:15-16). In conclusion,we receive the Holy Spiritby
receivingthe LordJesusChristinfaithasour Savior,repentforonessinsandreceive salvation.Withthat
the HolySpiritbecomesourpermanentpossessionandstrength.