For us to live according to God’s will, we must have His Holy Spirit in us.  The evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work in us will be revealed in our attitudes, desires, and convictions.  If we do not have notable changes in these areas indicates something is not right and deserves some examination.

The Holy Spirit never speaks and boasts of Himself and will always speak of Jesus and His word, so beware of circles that do this; John 16:12-15.  Jesus explained that the Holy Spirit would be sent to His disciples to teach them what they need to know; John 14:15-18, John 14:26.  We are given new life in Jesus Christ, and so stand forgiven by God no longer under condemnation.   We are instructed in Acts 2:37-38, to repent and be baptized – so we may receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  2 Cor 7:10 tells us that we must have a godly sorrow to be repentant of heart. It is when we see and are sorry for how we have sinned against God that we see our need for Him.  To repent means we turn away from sin/self and move towards God in agreement with what He says; Rom 6:6-8.

The baptism that is commanded for the church I believe has been reduced into a mere empty ordinance void of its power and meaning.  Baptism essentially is the outward act of what is going on in us that as we are immersed underwater we are declaring ourselves dead and as we rise out of the water it is to new life.  Col 2:11-15.

For some, the Holy Spirit comes immediately into them, and for others they need to ask Him.  In Luke 11:9-13, Jesus exhorts His followers to ask, seek and find God, and for those who are persistent God gives to them His Holy Spirit.  We must remember that if we do not desire God, He will not give to us His Holy Spirit.  I hear people say things like, ‘I’ve asked and it doesn’t work!’ only to learn that their attitude and actions reveal that they want nothing to do with God.  As our lives as believers it is up to us to seek after God, and for a great many they qualify their ‘seeking’ as words they pray and more of mental assent.   Jesus explains it well in John 7:37-39;

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

We read that to want God, we have to see that we are thirsty for Him.  In Jesus’s counsel, we see that we must do certain things to receive what He has to give us. We are also told that we must come to Him and that we must drink.

I believe that it is most important to understand that to receive anything from God requires honesty as well as sincere and humble hearts.  God sees our heart and we cannot fool Him.

To be one who would have the indwelling of the Living God is not a small thing, counted as nothing.  It is deserving of respect to have this gift and in 1 Cor 6:19-20 we are reminded;

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s

It is required of us (which means this is not optional) to offer, yield, and dedicate our bodies as instruments of righteousness so God may dwell in us; Romans 6:12-14.  Our mouth is a good indicator of what lies in our heart see Matt 15:11, James 3, Matt 12:34.

The Holy Spirit is the very power of God that works in us to accomplish His will as we cooperate with Him.

In summary, to receive the Holy Spirit into our lives there are certain things we must do, they are:

1. Repent
2. Be baptized
3. Ask
4. Be thirsty
5. Come to Jesus
6. Drink, receive
7. Present our body as His temple

“Lord Jesus, I am thirsty for the fullness of your Holy Spirit, I present my body to you as your temple, and my members as instruments of righteousness especially my tongue.  Fill me I pray and let your Holy Spirit flow through my body so I may bear good fruit and my lips be flowing in rivers of praise, blessing, and worship!”