“Now we have received…the Spirit who is from God.” (1 Corinthians 2:12)
The Bible says the Holy Spirit begins dwelling inside someone the instant they accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Their bodies become a tabernacle where He can reside (1 Cor 6:19), but some people do not perceive that indwelling. They question whether the Holy Spirit is there at all. But the Bible provides many assurances, beginning with the sealing of His presence within us.
When we put our faith in our Savior Jesus Christ, God immediately seals us with the Holy Spirit.
“In whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance.” (Eph 1:13)
The Greek word for “having believed” in Ephesians 1:13 is pisteuo (pist-yoo-oh). It indicates someone fully persuaded or committed in their trust in someone or something. Biblically speaking, it is someone who entrusts their entire spiritual well-being to Jesus, i.e., they come to faith in Him. That new faith opens the door for the Holy Spirit to come in.
At that moment, God seals them with His Holy Spirit, placing His stamp of love and promises on them. Such stamping or sealing plays a vital role in a believer’s eternal future by proving that we are children of God.
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Rom 8:16)
The Father has adopted us into His family. As His children, we become joint heirs with His Son Jesus (Rom 8:17). We inherit what He inherits from the Father. The Holy Spirit then confirms the adoption through the spiritual fruit we produce.
The Holy Spirit’s immediate indwelling at the moment of our salvation proves that we are God’s children, and we can have confidence in God’s grace as joint heirs of the eternal kingdom.
Spirit of Truth
“The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He dwells in you and will be in you.” (John 14:17)
At His arrival, the Holy Spirit works in our lives in multiple ways.
Almost immediately, our perspective of the world begins to change. We no longer see things as the world sees them and stop pursuing our own truth or truth as culture dictates. With the help of the Spirit of Truth, we desire God’s eternal truth instead. As we seek it, the fog of the enemy’s lies fades away, and we see the world more clearly through God’s holy lens, developing a godly perspective that sees things in terms of love, kindness, mercy, and justice.
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” (1 Cor 2:12)
“But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need…anyone [to] you. But as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” (1 John 2:27)
God alone is the source of all truth, and we cannot perceive it without the Holy Spirit.
A Helper, Comforter, and Guide
Before He went to the cross, Jesus prayed that the Father would provide “another Helper.”
“And I will pray [to] the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.” (John 14:16)
The Greek word for “another” is allos, meaning “another of the same kind.” The Holy Spirit is the same as Jesus. Additionally, the Greek word for “helper” in John 14:16 is parakletos (par-ak-lay-tos), indicating someone who counsels and guides us, helping us to choose and act righteously and wisely in different situations and comforting us during difficult times.
By definition, the Holy Spirit is someone who walks beside us through our lives. But He is not like Jesus; He is Jesus! They are “of the same kind (allos).” As part of the triune godhead, the Holy Spirit is the unseen spiritual manifestation of the Savior, who promised never to leave or forsake us (Deut 31:8).
Holy Spirit, the Advocate
“And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1)
Aside from “helper,” parakletos also means “advocate”—someone “who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy.” The Holy Spirit supports us and pleads our cause before the Father, campaigning for His grace when we sin or have a need.
Though Satan accuses us of our sins, Jesus the great High Priest (Heb 4:14), through His Spirit, advocates for our acquittal. He bears witness as our great defender that we are His redeemed children.
The Intercessor
As an advocate, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf, especially during hard times.
“Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Rom 8:26)
When we experience difficult and heartbreaking times, we do not always know what to pray. We want to pray, but the words are not there. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit steps in to intercede.
Romans 8:26 says He “makes groanings,” meaning He makes unspoken appeals to the Father. When we grieve or deal with anger and frustration or any other deep, overwhelming feelings, He presents our secret prayers. Even when we do not know what to say, He says it for us.
The Teacher
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26)
Speaking to the disciples, Jesus assured them that the Holy Spirit would teach them everything they needed for their impending ministries. They did not have complete understanding, but upon the indwelling of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), their spiritual minds blew open. Such supernatural revelation is why they could preach the Good News, establish the early church, and record the gospels and other New Testament Scriptures.
Fortunately, God’s teachings are not limited to the disciples or those in positions of church authority; They are for all believers. Regardless of the situation—pleasant or difficult—the Holy Spirit reveals spiritual principles and truth so that we can walk in His purposes for our lives. But He most especially desires to help us remember His Word on the hard days.
When people or circumstances challenge our faith, the Holy Spirit remains in us, helping us lean on God’s Word and all He taught us. Further, as the Spirit of Truth, He reminds us of the truth of His promises and love so the enemy cannot deceive or lead us astray.
Evidence of the Spirit
Clearly, the Holy Spirit helps us in many ways, but where is the evidence of it? How do we know He is alive and dwelling inside us?
Galatians 5:22-23 lists all the ways to know that He is with us.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control.”
Evidence of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling appears in our spiritual fruit. He enables and compels us to respond to the world with love, joy, peace, kindness, etc. Evidence of His presence appears in our actions and reactions. But we are not to be simply responsive. God calls for us to give our fruit away.
“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Gal 5:25)
John 15:1-8 tells us that God is the vine, and we are its fruit-bearing branches. However, if the fruit stays on the vine too long, i.e., if we do not share it, it will wither and die. It becomes useless, which is why we must give it away so it can further His kingdom and new fruit can grow. If we do not, the Bible tells us He will prune the fruitless branches (v6).
God expects His children to perpetuate His love and faithfulness and spread the truth of His Word by sharing Galatians 5:22 fruit with others. If we do not, the Bible says Jesus will turn His face away from us on the Day of Judgment, saying, “I never knew you; Depart from Me (Mt 7:23),” and cast us into the lake of fire (Rev 19:20).
Sharing our fruit is not a command unto its own. People who love God want to share their fruit. They have a longing for it. It is not a chore but a pleasure to reflect God and reveal His character to others along with the promise of salvation He offers.
Drawing Closer
Another way to know that the Holy Spirit dwells inside us is by a new longing to be closer to God. We suddenly hunger for His Word and new desires to know Him better. Examples might include,
- A yearning to go to church
- A hunger for reading the Scriptures and other inspiring materials
- Listening to Christian music and actively praising and worshiping Him
- Seeking quiet times for prayer
- Fellowshipping with other believers, perhaps in a small group study
- Sharing our time, talent, and treasure (see Parable of the Talents, Mt 25:14-30)
His indwelling persuades and encourages us to sit at His feet like Mary (Lk 10:39), soaking up His every word, growing, learning, and simply spending time in His presence. He inspires us to draw closer and remain in His will.
When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, the presence of His Spirit becomes quite evident if we have truly surrendered to Him. We begin to change from the inside out. The person we used to be slowly fades, and we become new creations in Him, seeking to be holy as He is holy (1 Pet 1:15).
If you have experienced any of these beautiful changes in your life, be assured that the Holy Spirit is with you. But if you struggle to recognize it, consider examining your heart and rededicating your life to Jesus. His mercy and love wait for you, no questions asked, and your new life can begin.
