I have been confused about the Holy Spirit quite awhile. A few months ago I believed that the Holy Spirit comes and goes, but then a few people told me you receive the Holy Spirit when you become a Christian (accept Christ into your life.) I go to a Pentecostal church and I don't really have a choice (I'm 17) otherwise my mother doesn't really give me the choice of going to another church because she doesn't trust that i'll be out there searching for God. I still try to go along with her church but the whole speaking in tongues and Holy Spirit confuses me. I hear about people receiving the Holy Spirit and I feel so confused because in my mind I say "but I thought you receive the Holy Spirit when you become a Christian." I was already explained about tongues, but I don't know how the Holy Spirit has anything to do with speaking tongues at all or if they have any connection! The church confuses me, and it has many surprises that scare me. I wanted to know because the church sometimes makes me feel confused because the pastor doesn't speak much about the bible but more emphasis on the Holy Spirit and what God has told her for the rest of the people in Church.
So, what is the Holy Spirit exactly? what is it to receive the presence of the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit do?[/quote
ok first of all look at different examples of when people of when people recieved the Holy Ghost in the book of acts. people will tell you that you receive the holy ghost when you believe or accept Christ but it doesnt matter what people say it matters what the bible says in act ch 19
Act 19:1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
Act 19:2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
Act 19:3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
Act 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Act 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Act 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
As you can see these people believed and they didn't have the Holy Ghost. Then they accepted Christ when they were baptized. However, they still did not have the Holy Ghost. They received it when Paul laid his hands on them. It is a totally separate, distinct experience from believing, baptism, and accepting Christ.
This is the story of how I received the Holy Ghost:
I received the Holy Ghost on May 18 2008 around 10 at night. I was at the 2008 Atlantic district youth convention.
Let me describe what this convention was like. It was 3 days long 2 services Friday 2 Saturday and three Sunday. There is somewhere around 3000 youth and everyone is worshiping their hearts out jumping, shouting, and really seeking Jesus.
It was the third service on Sunday, the last one of the convention. They started with music as normal, but within the first song people just started worshiping, getting out of their seats, praying on their knees. At that time I had never been to a service so intense so I was nervous, but I felt convicted to go seek God. Many of the pastors and elders were walking around in the crowd of people laying their hands on the youth and praying them into the Holy Ghost (Just like in the book of Acts). My pastor saw that I was seeking God and he came to pray with me, there were others also but I was so focused on God that I don’t know who they were. I had my hands lifted up and repented, asking God to forgive me for my sins. I was picturing bowing before Jesus, I was shouting out to him telling Him that I love Him and I need Him. I was praying for about 15 min when I felt this awesome presence of God overwhelming me and I began to lose control of my tongue, the words I wanted to say were not coming out but another language. It felt so good, I felt God’s love all around me.
Don't get discouraged, and keep seeking after God!