How the Holy Spirit Dwells in the Christian

What Does it Mean to Have a Relationship with the Holy Spirit?

The most blessed of all relationships that a person can have is a relationship with the Lord God.

Matthew 22:37 (NASB) “And He said to him, “'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

Psalm 42:1-2 (NASB) “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for Thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?” - Ps. 63:1; Acts 17:26-28

Having a right relationship with God will mean that God abides or dwells in you!

God Dwells in the Christian. The Holy Spirit does dwell in the Christian (Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; 2 Tim. 1:14; James 4:5). The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit dwell in the Christian! (1 John 4:12-16; Eph. 3:17; 1 Cor. 3:16).

God Dwells in the Christian. God, in a figurative, but spiritual sense, influences him for good and inhabits or resides in him (Vine, Strong, Thayer). God dwelling in us also means He has fellowship with us (2 Cor 6:14-7:1).

The Holy Spirit indwells the Christian just as the Father and Son does. So why then the controversy, the disagreements, the often sensational to bizarre ideas about Him!?!

The Holy Spirit Does Not Dwell in Christians Today Directly or Miraculously. The promise was given to the apostles only that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit, directly and miraculously making contact with them (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:5, 8; 2:4; Mark 16:17-18). This demonstrated they were apostles who spoke the words of God (Mark 16:20; Heb. 2:4; 2 Cor. 12:12).

Miraculous spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit were for a limited time and for a special purpose. Miraculous spiritual gifts were for the purpose of inspiration, confirmation of God’s word, and edification of the saints (Mark 16:20; Acts 2:4; 1 Cor. 14:26).

Miraculous spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit were for a limited time and for a special purpose. The revelation of God has been completed (1 Cor. 13:8-10; cf. James 1:25), therefore miraculous spiritual gifts have ceased and are no longer necessary.

What About the Gift of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:38? Some people use Acts 2:38 to try to prove that the Holy Spirit directly and miraculously dwells within Christians as our personal gift!

Acts 2:38 (NASB) “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

What About the Gift of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:38? The gift of the Holy Spirit given to each and every Christian is the free gift of eternal salvation.

Acts 2:39 (NASB) "For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself."

The Holy Spirit gives Christians the assurance they need in the Word of God that they will receive this gift of salvation (Eph. 1:13-14; 2 Cor. 1:18-22).

This is the same gift that God the Father and God the Son gives us (e This is the same gift that God the Father and God the Son gives us (e.g., John 4:10, 14; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8): Eternal Life.

Romans 6:23 (NASB) “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Whatever the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit Does for the Christian Today, He Does Through the Word of God.

Whatever the Holy Spirit Does… Nehemiah 9:30 John 14:26 John 16:8 John 3:5 John 6:63 John 16:13 1 Cor 6:11; Rom. 15:16 1 Cor. 6:11 Acts 9:31 Rom. 8:16 Rom. 5:5 Eph. 5:18 Rev. 22:17 Eph. 3:16 2 Cor. 3:17 Gal. 5:21 Psalm 104:30 OPERATION Instructs Teaches Convicts Gives a new birth Revives Guides Sanctifies Saves Washes Comforts Witnesses Perfects love Fills Calls Builds up Makes free Rejoices the heart Creates

The Word Does THE WORD OPERATION Instructs Teaches Convicts 2 Timothy 3:16-17 John 6:45 Titus 1:9 James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23 Psalms 119:50 2 Thes. 2:13; John 17:17 James 1:21 Ephesians 5:26 1 Thes. 4:18 John 5:39 1 John 2:5 Col. 3:16 2 Thes. 2:14 / Eph. 1:13 Acts 20:32 John 8:32 Psalm 119:111 Hebrews 11:3 OPERATION Instructs Teaches Convicts Gives a new birth Revives Guides Sanctifies Saves Washes Comforts Witnesses Perfects love Fills Calls Builds up Makes free Rejoices the heart Creates

The word of God must be the instrument the Holy Spirit uses to do His work and dwell in Christians today!

Ephesians 6:17b (NASB) “... the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

God the Father and God the Son dwell in Christians in the exact same way, through the Word (2 John 9; 1 John 2:24; Eph. 3:17 / Rom. 10:17; Gal. 2:20 / John 8:31).

2 John 9 (NASB) “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.”

How Can Christians Know for Sure That the Holy Spirit Dwells in Them? By hearing (or listening to) God’s word, “the faith.”

Galatians 3:2 (NKJV) “This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” -- cf. Eph. 4:5; Jude 3

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB) 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Some teach that the Holy Spirit will make for us trivial everyday decisions in life through His miraculous “divine assistance.”

Can we claim to be “led by the Spirit” (Gal. 5:18a)?

Yes, but only if we are following His instructions as revealed in the New Testament.

Others suggest that an indwelling of the Spirit will empower one to understand the Scriptures: “I’ve got the Spirit!”

Ephesians 3:3-5 (NASB) 3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. 4 And by referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; -- cf. Col. 1:9; Eph. 5:17; 2 Tim 2:15

How Can Christians Know for Sure That the Holy Spirit Dwells in Them? By obeying God’s word.

Some suppose that the Holy Spirit supernaturally gives a person a dynamic, enthusiastic, and joyful personality.

The Holy Spirit will only improve our personality as we study and obey “the law of the Spirit” (Rom. 8:2).

Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

It is our conduct that will determine whether or not the Holy Spirit indwells us or has fellowship with us.

Ephesians 4:30-32 (NASB) 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. – cf. 1 Cor. 6:19-20

When Christians “walk in the truth” (3 John 4), they “walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25) and as a result the Holy Spirit dwells in them.

If You Want the Holy Spirit to Dwell in You and Save You, Then Believe and Obey the Word of God.

Ephesians 1:13 (NASB) In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise…

Ephesians 1:14 (NASB) who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.