Someone asked me recently…
“I know we receive the Holy Spirit when we are baptized but how is that supposed to feel? How do we know He is dwelling in us?”
As Christians I’m not sure we talk about the Holy Spirit often enough. I’m sure we’ve not done enough study to give us a complete understanding of all that He does for us. In other words, there’s a lot that is up for debate and requires much more study. At least in my own life that is the case. Perhaps you have mastered the topic but for those of us who are still trying to figure Him out and understand the “how, what, when, where, why,” here is a little help that I think can give us a basic understanding of His work and how we know we have Him dwelling in us. For this I like to turn to Galatians 5. This passage answers this question in a powerful way.
First, we need to understand that the presence of the Holy Spirit is not just a feeling or an emotional moment in our life. He is evident in a life that is being transformed. Paul helps us to understand this by describing what I life looks like when we are not walking by the Spirit and when we are.
Secondly, we need to understand that there is a war that goes on inside of us. A battle within where the worldly flesh pulls us in one way and the Spirit pulls us in another. Paul says, “The flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh (Galatians 5:17). This internal conflict is not there because the Spirit is absent but is actual proof that He IS there. When you feel convicted of sin or when you desire to do what is right when it’s difficult to do so then that’s the tug of war between sinful desires and God’s will for you. That’s the Spirit at work!
Thirdly, Paul demonstrates the difference in the “works of the flesh” and the “fruit of the Spirit”. Paul is a man of lists and this first list (verses 19-21) is what it looks like when God is not present in your life. The other list (verse 22) is what your life can be when the Spirit is in control and is producing fruit. Notice that Paul does not say “fruits”… he says “fruit”. This is one unified character that the Spirit is in us. This one way how you know you have Him dwelling in you.
Ask yourself:
Am I more loving than I used to be?
Do I have jot that is found in being content and not based on circumstances?
Is peace growing and being spread in my life and to others?
Do I show patience and self-control even when I could loose it when under pressure?
It’s not about being perfect, it’s about growth. Fruit takes time to ripen so give it time and then it will be there and you will see what the Spirit can produce and know you have Him dwelling in you.
I hope this helps!
In Christ alone,
Alexander Mills