What it's like having God's Spirit living in you

[Runningman]

I am going to speak about some of my testimony.

When God's Spirit is living in you, He enables you to be more powerful than you ever were before. There are many topics I could cover, but I'll focus mainly on sin and righteousness.

It is most noticeable when there is a temptation. It feels like there is an unseen force that actually compels you be be righteous and informs you about what sin you're getting near, but that's actually God's invisible Spirit. You should be able to pause and place your faith in Jesus so he will substitute his righteousness, his love, his peaceful nature, and his holiness for yours. Only Jesus could overcome all sin never give in to temptation. When we have God's Spirit in us then we are powerfully enabled to make better choices like Jesus. We can learn to access this power through experience, but at the age of 36 I have already figured it out. Glory to God.

Yes there will be many mistakes along the way, some failures, and additional repentance, but the goal is to strive to be like Jesus.

When you have God's Spirit living in you, respect for God is a real thing. You should actually take into consideration about how God dislikes sin and since you love God it should act as a strong deterrent to keep you from giving into temptation.

While God does view His born again children as sons and daughters, we're actually His servants as well. Part of serving God is obeying God all the way to the grave, if necessary, just like Jesus did.

And there's so much more than can be said, but I would love to hear from other people with the Holy Spirit in them as well. Thank you. Glory to God.

 

[persistent]

Yes there will be many mistakes along the way, some failures, and additional repentance, but the goal is to strive to be like Jesus.

Amen

 

[MsMediator]

I would also add, one worries less about the future and knows/trusts that God will provide. We are also told not to worry, as doing so does not add a minute to our life.

 

[Runningman]

I would also add, one worries less about the future and knows/trusts that God will provide. We are also told not to worry, as doing so does not add a minute to our life.

Excellent point. You intuitively know God is going to see you through whatever it is. People say “keep your eyes on Jesus.” Probably difficult to understand until you experience what that’s actually like, but I would say it’s a fairly accurate saying in my experience.

 

[MessengerofTruth]

Praise be to GOD for this precious gift! For we have this Treasure in earthen vessels!

 

[Cameron143]

Excellent point. You intuitively know God is going to see you through whatever it is. People say “keep your eyes on Jesus.” Probably difficult to understand until you experience what that’s actually like, but I would say it’s a fairly accurate saying in my experience.

And more than just intuitively, we also begin to accrue a body of evidence where that which is promised has become our experience.

 

[notonmywatch]

I am going to speak about some of my testimony.

When God's Spirit is living in you, He enables you to be more powerful than you ever were before. There are many topics I could cover, but I'll focus mainly on sin and righteousness.

It is most noticeable when there is a temptation. It feels like there is an unseen force that actually compels you be be righteous and informs you about what sin you're getting near, but that's actually God's invisible Spirit. You should be able to pause and place your faith in Jesus so he will substitute his righteousness, his love, his peaceful nature, and his holiness for yours. Only Jesus could overcome all sin never give in to temptation. When we have God's Spirit in us then we are powerfully enabled to make better choices like Jesus. We can learn to access this power through experience, but at the age of 36 I have already figured it out. Glory to God.

Yes there will be many mistakes along the way, some failures, and additional repentance, but the goal is to strive to be like Jesus.

When you have God's Spirit living in you, respect for God is a real thing. You should actually take into consideration about how God dislikes sin and since you love God it should act as a strong deterrent to keep you from giving into temptation.

While God does view His born again children as sons and daughters, we're actually His servants as well. Part of serving God is obeying God all the way to the grave, if necessary, just like Jesus did.

And there's so much more than can be said, but I would love to hear from other people with the Holy Spirit in them as well. Thank you. Glory to God.

The Spirit of God is described in several different, yet compatible, ways in scripture. In your post, you pretty much focused upon him as "the HOLY Spirit" or the one who enables us to be holy as God is Holy. That's fine, and I certainly agree with you.

My concern always arises in regard to another way the Spirit of God is described in scripture, and that way is as "the Spirit of TRUTH". I'd imagine that this topic has come up before, but how can it be that so many people claim to be born of God's Spirit across this globe, and yet there are schisms and divisions galore. Something's not right.

 

[persistent]

but how can it be that so many people claim to be born of God's Spirit across this globe, and yet there are schisms and divisions galore. Something's not right.

I don't get to talk with any Christians on a regular basis but this morning I did talk with a Baptist preacher and I told him that I associate with Assemblies of God, by phone only so far, but the Baptist preacher and I had a nice talk and there was agreement that the core focus is on Christ even though there may be other issues of disagreement. Seems some people have strong attachment to certain peripheral doctrine and maybe these Scriptures shed light on the matter. Or maybe further division? Or maybe don't apply?

Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1 Corinthians 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1 Corinthians 11:18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

 

[Runningman]

The Spirit of God is described in several different, yet compatible, ways in scripture. In your post, you pretty much focused upon him as "the HOLY Spirit" or the one who enables us to be holy as God is Holy. That's fine, and I certainly agree with you.

My concern always arises in regard to another way the Spirit of God is described in scripture, and that way is as "the Spirit of TRUTH". I'd imagine that this topic has come up before, but how can it be that so many people claim to be born of God's Spirit across this globe, and yet there are schisms and divisions galore. Something's not right.

While there many doctrinal/theological schisms, and there certainly are doctrines that are false, that normally comes from human error and imperfect understanding. While the Holy Spirit can literally teach us doctrine, quoting book-chapter-verse, it’s rare someone possesses that gift or knows how to use it. Often it seems the reason for this is that people lack the faith that God can do this for them.

I believe, generally speaking, the truth that the Holy Spirit leads into are the truths about sin and righteousness, teaching us the truth about holiness, righteousness, and love. The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit. Therefore we will obtain a divine spiritual nature, not become theological prodigies, most likely.

Regardless of doctrine, it seems most Christians agree about what is sinful and righteous, more or less. Though nowadays that’s changing it seems. Probably a sign of something…

 

[notonmywatch]

I don't get to talk with any Christians on a regular basis but this morning I did talk with a Baptist preacher and I told him that I associate with Assemblies of God, by phone only so far, but the Baptist preacher and I had a nice talk and there was agreement that the core focus is on Christ even though there may be other issues of disagreement. Seems some people have strong attachment to certain peripheral doctrine and maybe these Scriptures shed light on the matter. Or maybe further division? Or maybe don't apply?

Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1 Corinthians 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1 Corinthians 11:18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

I'm familiar with those verses, and I agree that they're all pertinent to the concern that I raised. However, here's my question to you:

Do we actually obey what you quoted from Romans 16:17 by avoiding people who teach things contrary to the doctrine which we have learned or do we regularly fellowship with them instead?

A follow-up question to this would be:

Where did we learn this doctrine from to begin with?

From the Bible, or from men?

In the days of Paul, as he addressed in his first epistle to the Corinthians, a lot of people were indeed carnal in that their focus was upon men like Paul, Apollos, and Cephas/Peter.

Is it any different today?

Everybody seems to have their favorite pastor, preacher, evangelist, author, or whatever.

Do we all truly have the mind of Christ?

Incidentally, another way the Spirit of God is described in scripture is as "the Spirit of Christ".

 

[Runningman]

And more than just intuitively, we also begin to accrue a body of evidence where that which is promised has become our experience.

Yes very true. We come to see that what the Bible says would happen did actually happen. That’s where the Bible gets credibility, though it’s counterintuitive to the way of the world. God wants faith first before the signs and wonders. The world wants signs and wonders first then give their faith.

 

[Runningman]

Praise be to GOD for this precious gift! For we have this Treasure in earthen vessels!

When one has the Holy Spirit the understand/sympathize with this clearly:

Matthew 13
44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

 

[notonmywatch]

The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit. Therefore we will obtain a divine spiritual nature, not become theological prodigies, most likely.

I had to check what forum you posted this in before saying what I'm about to say. You posted this in "Testimonies". If you had posted it in the "Bible Discussion Forum", then would you have said the same thing? I'm guessing that your winking emoticon indicates that you realize that we seemingly have more "theological prodigies" than we have those who truly possess "a divine spiritual nature", and I'm not just talking about here on this website. Before I explain what I mean by that, I need to let you know that I'm talking about myself as much as I am about anybody else, so please don't take this in the wrong way.

Just look at how we spend our time. Is too much of it spent of websites like this while the harvest is perishing in the field?

I asked myself this exact question earlier today, so I'm not pointing the finger at anybody in particular. I think that it's a question that we all need to sincerely ask ourselves before God to see which of the two camps that you mentioned we truly are in.

 

[Runningman]

I had to check what forum you posted this in before saying what I'm about to say. You posted this in "Testimonies". If you had posted it in the "Bible Discussion Forum", then would you have said the same thing? I'm guessing that your winking emoticon indicates that you realize that we seemingly have more "theological prodigies" than we have those who truly possess "a divine spiritual nature", and I'm not just talking about here on this website. Before I explain what I mean by that, I need to let you know that I'm talking about myself as much as I am about anybody else, so please don't take this in the wrong way.

Just look at how we spend our time. Is too much of it spent of websites like this while the harvest is perishing in the field?

I asked myself this exact question earlier today, so I'm not pointing the finger at anybody in particular. I think that it's a question that we all need to sincerely ask ourselves before God to see which of the two camps that you mentioned we truly are in.

I respond the same way in all forums. I’m definitely not pointing to anyone in particular and didn’t really have this website in mind when I was typing the reply. I was thinking of the various denominations, but yes this forum is a bit a of microcosm of the church at large.

 

[persistent]

I'm familiar with those verses, and I agree that they're all pertinent to the concern that I raised. However, here's my question to you:

Do we actually obey what you quoted from Romans 16:17 by avoiding people who teach things contrary to the doctrine which we have learned or do we regularly fellowship with them instead?

A follow-up question to this would be:

Where did we learn this doctrine from to begin with?

From the Bible, or from men?

In the days of Paul, as he addressed in his first epistle to the Corinthians, a lot of people were indeed carnal in that their focus was upon men like Paul, Apollos, and Cephas/Peter.

Is it any different today?

Everybody seems to have their favorite pastor, preacher, evangelist, author, or whatever.

Do we all truly have the mind of Christ?

Incidentally, another way the Spirit of God is described in scripture is as "the Spirit of Christ".

Recently a friend of mine was asking me if I would be interested in rejoining the card game group that I once attended and I declined the invite but was not consciously thinking of the verse in Romans. He and I still talk by phone and have very different views on religion.

He is Catholic and likes to inform me of his following daily readings of the work of Fenelon, which seem Bible based, and although I was raised Catholic, I have no interest in Catholicism, so the division spoken of in Romans is there in this case if the Catholic Church is Christian.

This is something that still puzzles me. To me his mind is not truly pursuing the things of Heaven as the Bible instructs. One of the others that also attended this card game meeting and also a Catholic was more in agreement with my declining to play and fellowship even though he still does on occasion.

But he bases this on what seems to be purely the money involved and not on any Bible principles. But when he and I talk he seems interested when I give him my views of the Bible and so it is possible that the guy reading Fenelon, though based on the Bible, is doctrine not in accordance with the Bible. I have never seen the book he refers to so can't be certain.