Receive The Holy Spirit
The Truth About How to Receive the Holy Spirit
The truth on how to receive the Holy Spirit is contrary to what we may have seen or heard about. Many believe that the Holy Spirit is some weird way of behaving in Christians. There is a lot of teaching about the various ways to receive the Holy Spirit. Is there only one way or are there several ways? We will look at them today.
The Holy Spirit comes through “love” and “obedience to God’s word.” The passages of scripture below taken from the King James (KJV) and the “Good News Translation” (GNT) explain. In short, if we love Jesus, we will obey and if we obey; and if we obey, He promises to send us a helper, the Holy Spirit.
There has been much debate on whether a person has the Holy Spirit if they do not speak in tongues. The bible tells us the purpose of the Holy Spirit and makes it clear on how the Holy Spirit comes to a person. This is what we should go by.
Love is the beginning of miracles. No miracles can be done without it. It is important that we learn how to love if we want to see change happen in us and around us. Love can be “seemingly uncomfortable,” but its results are immediate. Our belief that love is difficult is a deception of the enemy. Love is doing. It is not forceful, deceitful, or manipulative. Love considers others first and is genuine with no hidden agendas. Lastly, love is not something you feel. It is something you do.
The first step to receiving the Holy Spirit is to “want to” receive the Holy Spirit. All it takes is a sincere desire, then we will be led into the truth that will enable us to receive the Holy Spirit. The scriptures below talk about how to receive the Holy Spirit. Read these, meditate and reflect on them. Ask God to help you to understand them and welcome the Holy Spirit into your presence.
Acts Chapter 19: 1-7 – Laying On Of Hands To Receive The Holy Spirit
We can ask to receive the Holy Spirit and have hands laid upon us to receive the Holy Spirit just as the disciples did.
1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
7 And all the men were about twelve.
John Chapter 14: Love And Obey To Receive The Holy Spirit
12 I am telling you the truth: those who believe in me will do what I do – yes, they will do even greater things, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask for in my name, so that the Father’s glory will be shown through the Son. 14 If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
15 If you love me, you will obey my commandments. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will stay with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God. The world cannot receive him, because it cannot see him or know him. But you know him, because he remains with you and is in you.
21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. My Father will love those who love me; I too will love them and reveal myself to them.
22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said,
“Lord, how can it be that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?”
23 Jesus answered him, Those who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and my Father and I will come to them and live with them. 24 Those who do not love me do not obey my teaching. And the teaching you have heard is not mine, but comes from the Father, who sent me.
The Holy Spirit: Our Teacher, Helper and Comforter
26 The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you.
27 Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.
John Chapter 15:
In verses 1 – 6, Jesus uses a tree(vine) and fruit relationship as an analogy to our relationship with him. Fruit not connected to a tree eventually dies. Branches that are cut off a tree are used as wood for fire. It is burned up and consumed. If we are disconnected from Jesus, we die… we are consumed by fire.
Answered Prayer By Abiding in Him
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then you will ask for anything you wish, and you shall have it. 8 My Father’s glory is shown by your bearing much fruit; and in this way you become my disciples.
How to Love
9 I love you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
Remaining in His Love Gives You Complete Joy
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
This is the truth about how to receive the Holy Spirit. It is not some ritual you have to go through. It isn’t wrong if people lead you and guide you through the process, either. However, it really is as easy as following God’s word about obeying and walking in love to receive the Holy Spirit.
Galatians Chapter 5 – Discipline Develops The Holy Spirit In Us
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
In this passage of scriptures from verses 16-24, we are shown how the spirit is reflected in our lives when it is present. After a period of discipline in God’s word, we begin to see certain results. Contrary, if we re not in God’s word, we see negative results. In order for the spirit to be present in us, it has to be developed.
We develop the spirit in us by practice. This means we do not do what we want to do. We have to practice doing right until we get good at it. Not many people like to live a strict life of discipline when it comes to exercise, but those who do see good results. In the beginning, you may not want to exercise 3 time a week, but forcing yourself to do so makes you want to continue doing so. In addition, you begin to see results and it makes you want to continue doing the same thing that you did not like at first in order to get those good results.