Renewed Life with the Holy Spirit

Scripture: Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to people far in the future — all who have been called by the Lord our God.” Acts 2:38-39

After His resurrection, Jesus promised to send His Holy Spirit to teach and guide His followers. We who follow Him today have inherited this promise: the Holy Spirit lives within us, guiding us in God’s new life each day.

Who or What Is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is one of the three persons of God: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. God sent the Holy Spirit to Christians to teach us and to remind of Jesus’ instructions. The Holy Spirit guides, comforts, and nurtures us. The Bible also refers to the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of God,” “the Spirit of Christ,” and simply “the Spirit.”

How Do You Receive the Holy Spirit?

God made it easy to understand when the Holy Spirit enters a Believer’s life. The Apostle Paul wrote,“When you believed in Christ, He identified you as His own by giving you the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13). Believers receive God’s Spirit when they believe in Jesus Christ and repent of their sins. Repenting is agreeing that your sin is wrong and asking for forgiveness. Paul further explains, “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ” (Romans 8:9); so if you belong to Christ, you have the Holy Spirit.

How Does the Holy Spirit Help You?

God instructs Christians to “follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives” (Galatians 5:25). In your old life, you would seek after sinful desires. But with your new life in Jesus Christ, you will find the Holy Spirit helping you live in God’s ways, so you develop “desires that are the opposite of the sinful nature” (Galatians 5:17). You can be sure that you are letting God’s Spirit direct your life when you behave with the Fruits of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).