Many are confused about when we are “saved”.
To the unchurched, that means when do we receive the Holy Spirit?
When is the Holy Spirit received? At Salvation.
When did the early church receive the Holy Spirit in the Bible?
—At salvation
—and in John 20:22
—and in Acts chapter 2
—and in Acts chapter 4
This could mislead you to thinking that the Holy Spirit comes and goes.
What is being described here is no contradiction, because at salvation you receive Him, and the rest of your life is the release of Him.
When the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in you, He comes to dwell in the fullness of His Power.
There is no “portion” of the Holy Spirit.
There is no “spiritually elite.”
You get the same Holy Spirit that the disciples had; that Jesus carried when He walked upon this earth.
The same Holy Spirit in them is the same Holy Spirit in you.
The Holy Spirit is not a reward for being spiritual.
He’s your only hope of “being” spiritual.
Many believers think that when they make a mistake, the Holy Spirit leaves.
Not so.
Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
Here’s a breakdown:
- “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God”: The Holy Spirit is a person, the third person of the Trinity, and has the capacity to feel emotions like sorrow. Grieving the Spirit involves actions or attitudes that cause Him pain or distress.
- “by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption”: The Holy Spirit is the mark of ownership and security, guaranteeing believers’ final salvation and deliverance from sin. This seal is a promise of God’s faithfulness and the believer’s future redemption.
What does it mean to grieve the Holy Spirit? Grieving the Holy Spirit can be understood as actions or attitudes that contradict the Spirit’s nature and purpose, which is to empower, guide, and transform believers.
So, when you make a mistake, the Holy Spirit doesn’t leave; He grieves.
He abides in you to convict you of your sin and help you get it right.
What sense would it make for God to remove from you your only chance of being Holy as a punishment for you not being Holy?
So saved… not saved… saved… not saved, for every mistake you make?
No! The Holy Spirit abides, and He remains, and He helps you to get it right!
All power, all love, all peace, all boldness, all righteousness, all holiness.
ALL OF IT DWELLS IN YOU IN FULLNESS AND IN COMPLETION, THE VERY MOMENT YOU ARE BORN AGAIN.