Receiving the Spirit. How do you know?

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shittim

Senior Member
Dec 16, 2016
13,606
7,643
113
#41
Salvation is the start, making Him Lord of our lives is the goal we spend the rest of our lives walking out, ever becoming more conformed to the image of the Son.
Jesus said "My sheep know my voice", He didn't say "my sheep read my Book", He reaches us through His Word quite often to start us off, He will grow us as much as we will allow.
His command to be His disciple was to heal, raise, cleanse, preach, these go beyond mere salvation.
 

Robo36

Active member
Nov 27, 2019
186
58
28
#42
Do you believe Jesus is God in the flesh, born to a virgin, who suffered, was crucified, died to pay your sin debt, and rose to life 3 days later?


If so, YOU have the Spirit living in you.

He will also manifest in your life by the love you show to others. So test yourself.
I believe all you have posted here. Will I hear the voice of our Lord as you?
 

Robo36

Active member
Nov 27, 2019
186
58
28
#43
I did have a very powerful experience when I was saved. I remember it like it was today, instead of 40 years ago. God spoke to me, and told me he was the Saviour of the Word. It was stunning! God also told me to read my Bible every day, and to repent of my sins..
I’ve believed in our Lord Jesus since I was a pre-teen, I’m now 84 years old. All of my life I’ve heard Christians say Jesus/God spoke to them. I pray, I listen, if our God has spoken to me I have failed to recognize his voice. I stress to know God hears me. I fear I disappoint him. I know not that I’m saved. When I weep I hope it’s the Spirit in me, when if ever will I hear and know it’s the Lord?
 
S

Scribe

Guest
#44
I’ve believed in our Lord Jesus since I was a pre-teen, I’m now 84 years old. All of my life I’ve heard Christians say Jesus/God spoke to them. I pray, I listen, if our God has spoken to me I have failed to recognize his voice. I stress to know God hears me. I fear I disappoint him. I know not that I’m saved. When I weep I hope it’s the Spirit in me, when if ever will I hear and know it’s the Lord?
I suggest reading some of the puritan writers. Many had the same testimony of finding assurance of salvation through the indwelling witness of the Spirit. They are all in the open domain. Google John Owens, Thomas Brooks. William Bridge, John Bunyan, William Law,
 

shittim

Senior Member
Dec 16, 2016
13,606
7,643
113
#45
Job- c33-v14- He speaks first one way, then another.
Once we perceive it is Him, we grow tremendously.

Salvation is the beginning, growing and perceiving His guidance, voice and direction with His confirmation comes after. So many stop at salvation when we are required to grow into the image of the Son.
bless you brother
 

shittim

Senior Member
Dec 16, 2016
13,606
7,643
113
#46
This is John Wimbers testimony, first part of a series he did sharing how the Holy Spirit desires to work through us, it is a lot of fun to take in and I have found it to be very profitable, and God has used it, still does, to grow me, in fact i am enjoying it again as I share this. What God does for one He will do for another, He loves us that much, bless you friends-
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
19,173
2,536
113
#47
How do you know when the Spirit is in you? What does it feel like to receive the Spirit? Do you hear the Spirit? If so, what does the Spirit sound like? How can we receive the Spirit?

I’d like to read personal accounts of Christians who know for sure they have received the Spirit.
The only reason I knew that I had the spirit was because when I was saved it was an experience I had only heard of. I woke up in the morning full of life, not energy or anything life itself I am not a morning person at all and need several cups of coffee to wake up but I woke up that morning full of life and what seemed like a blazing fire inside me and all around me there was actual power in it as if this unseen fire was a combination of wind fire and God's life and power I jumped out of my bed and literally danced around my room in joy and just kept thanking God in joyful tears.

I haven't experienced that again but I do know he is there there is something different inside me it's like even if I am by myself I never really feel alone because I can just talk to him and there is an actual connection as I do. Hearing his voice is actually one of my favorite things to talk about I made several threads on it it amazes me still how he speaks to us
His voice is very rarely ever loud and clear it is almost always in a small subtle voice or whisper because you have to really learn to listen closely but once you do this eventually you know and learn his voice almost instinctively.

Look at the flowers of the earth, they are passed by everyday and people like them but they do not see or hear his voice in them and God takes great pride and pleasure in using the small subtle things overlooked to speak his secrets.
A flower is fragile and short lived but shines it's beauty to it's fullest a tulip doesn't compare itself with the rose rather it shines it's own beauty to it's fullest even with such a short life.

What does this speak? we as believers and people in general always compare ourselves with others we try to be like the other flowers but God made us as tulips not roses because a tulip has a kind of beauty that the rose cannot mimic and just as the flowers we are short lived but that is why we must shine forth our own beauty that God created to the fullest

This is what he spoke to me on my daily walk as I passed by a tulip
 

Angela53510

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2011
11,780
2,937
113
#48
I’ve believed in our Lord Jesus since I was a pre-teen, I’m now 84 years old. All of my life I’ve heard Christians say Jesus/God spoke to them. I pray, I listen, if our God has spoken to me I have failed to recognize his voice. I stress to know God hears me. I fear I disappoint him. I know not that I’m saved. When I weep I hope it’s the Spirit in me, when if ever will I hear and know it’s the Lord?
This post breaks my heart. You say you have been following Christ since you were a pre-teen till now, at 84, yet feel you've never heard God speaking to you. Or known if he has heard you!

I implore you to forget about feeling. It's like you want to put God in a box, bring him out when you need to "feel" something. God is not a tame lion! (Read the Narnia stories. They express the gospel so well! )

I want to tell you what you have, that I don't! You were saved very young. I will bet you never got drunk over and over, did you? I bet you never did elicit drugs, or slept with a lot of women who were not your wife. I assume you starting reading your Bible and it kept you on the straight and narrow. I am sure you lived for God, never getting beat up in brawls. Maybe you helped kids or the poor. You probably faithfully did your ministry. I hope you loved the least of these!

In other words, your whole life, you were safe and protected. You never had to wake thinking there was no God, like I did for about 8 years, wondering how I could go on, without some kind of God. You never damaged your mind and soul, like I did playing music professionally in bars for a living. (And all that entails).

In other words, although you weren't perfect, you had a good life living for God. You didn't spend nights weeping, crying out to a God that wasn't there, because of your own vanity and arrogance. When God saved you, he just grabbed you, shook your hand and said, "Welcome home."

God had to battle for my soul. He sent people to pray for me, to witness to me. I needed a supernatural experience to believe. And to start healing from all the things I had done to myself!

God loves you, and he trusts you. It took God 25 years of me being saved, probably to reach the Christian maturity you were as a pre-teen. God doesn't love me more because I was stubborn and selfish. He didn't think I was better because he had so much to do shaping me into the image of Christ. God relied on you to keep serving and loving him, when he was pulling me back from the edge. (Not that Gid couldn't do both at once!)

God loves you, because you are a faithful servant. I'm more like a project that God has to keep working on. As I said before, my husband never heard God speaking, and it's been hard for him. Yet he has been faithful and upright. He knows God is real, even during the times he struggled. God needs both kinds of Christians, and perhaps a lot of other types, too!

"Heavenly Father I pray for this person that you would renew the joy of your salvation, and help him remember is commitment to you. Help him to let go of expectations for what he thinks his relationship with you should be, and show him instead, the reality of his lifetime commitment to you. Give him peace and comfort, ease his mental and physical pain. Encourage him as he continues to walk this narrow road. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!"

PS. Do you keep a prayer journal? I did for years. I wrote down important prayers, and then I wrote down when they were answered. Only small things were answered at first. I kept dating the day those prayers were answered. One day, I realized almost all my prayers were answered. Except my father and sister getting saved. My father was 83 and dying of Congestive Heart Failure. I had prayed for him for 31 years, my grandmother all the years since he was born. God saved him in 2011, and he died 5 months later. My father had witnessed to my sister, but her heart was cold. Two years ago, she started telling me about going to church with a neighbour. I finally approached her about her relationship with God. God was gracious to save her, even though I had almost given up.

When you see prayers being answered, you realize God is hearing you, over and over. Now, I pray daily for my children and grandchildren, for my sister's husband, and for my mother. I am confident my prayers will be answered, just like the other prayers God has answered over the last 40 years. I will keep praying for you. Not for signs and wonders, but for you to have peace that God hears your prayers, and he is speaking to you, with the small still voice Elijah heard.
 

Funkus

Active member
May 20, 2020
199
71
28
#49
The Spirit responds to love
The greatest commandment is to love God
If you love God then the Spirit can be felt responding to that love
This is the witness of worship singers. They are our true role model and the true pastors
 

Bingo

Well-known member
Feb 9, 2019
8,282
4,384
113
#50
"A ' spiritual transformation ', and this being essential."
'Praise God'


enact - Copy - Copy (23) - Copy - Copy - Copy - Copy - Copy - Copy - Copy - Copy - Copy - Copy...jpg :)
 

Robo36

Active member
Nov 27, 2019
186
58
28
#51
This post breaks my heart. You say you have been following Christ since you were a pre-teen till now, at 84, yet feel you've never heard God speaking to you. Or known if he has heard you!

I implore you to forget about feeling. It's like you want to put God in a box, bring him out when you need to "feel" something. God is not a tame lion! (Read the Narnia stories. They express the gospel so well! )

I want to tell you what you have, that I don't! You were saved very young. I will bet you never got drunk over and over, did you? I bet you never did elicit drugs, or slept with a lot of women who were not your wife. I assume you starting reading your Bible and it kept you on the straight and narrow. I am sure you lived for God, never getting beat up in brawls. Maybe you helped kids or the poor. You probably faithfully did your ministry. I hope you loved the least of these!

In other words, your whole life, you were safe and protected. You never had to wake thinking there was no God, like I did for about 8 years, wondering how I could go on, without some kind of God. You never damaged your mind and soul, like I did playing music professionally in bars for a living. (And all that entails).

In other words, although you weren't perfect, you had a good life living for God. You didn't spend nights weeping, crying out to a God that wasn't there, because of your own vanity and arrogance. When God saved you, he just grabbed you, shook your hand and said, "Welcome home."

God had to battle for my soul. He sent people to pray for me, to witness to me. I needed a supernatural experience to believe. And to start healing from all the things I had done to myself!

God loves you, and he trusts you. It took God 25 years of me being saved, probably to reach the Christian maturity you were as a pre-teen. God doesn't love me more because I was stubborn and selfish. He didn't think I was better because he had so much to do shaping me into the image of Christ. God relied on you to keep serving and loving him, when he was pulling me back from the edge. (Not that Gid couldn't do both at once!)

God loves you, because you are a faithful servant. I'm more like a project that God has to keep working on. As I said before, my husband never heard God speaking, and it's been hard for him. Yet he has been faithful and upright. He knows God is real, even during the times he struggled. God needs both kinds of Christians, and perhaps a lot of other types, too!

"Heavenly Father I pray for this person that you would renew the joy of your salvation, and help him remember is commitment to you. Help him to let go of expectations for what he thinks his relationship with you should be, and show him instead, the reality of his lifetime commitment to you. Give him peace and comfort, ease his mental and physical pain. Encourage him as he continues to walk this narrow road. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!"

PS. Do you keep a prayer journal? I did for years. I wrote down important prayers, and then I wrote down when they were answered. Only small things were answered at first. I kept dating the day those prayers were answered. One day, I realized almost all my prayers were answered. Except my father and sister getting saved. My father was 83 and dying of Congestive Heart Failure. I had prayed for him for 31 years, my grandmother all the years since he was born. God saved him in 2011, and he died 5 months later. My father had witnessed to my sister, but her heart was cold. Two years ago, she started telling me about going to church with a neighbour. I finally approached her about her relationship with God. God was gracious to save her, even though I had almost given up.

When you see prayers being answered, you realize God is hearing you, over and over. Now, I pray daily for my children and grandchildren, for my sister's husband, and for my mother. I am confident my prayers will be answered, just like the other prayers God has answered over the last 40 years. I will keep praying for you. Not for signs and wonders, but for you to have peace that God hears your prayers, and he is speaking to you, with the small still voice Elijah heard.
Thanks Angela, your heartwarming post touches my heart. I'll thank my Lord for your caring witness. I only wish I had been as in touch with God all my life as you think I have been. Actually, I see some correct correlation to my life as you present, but there has been many sinful & ignorant periods since my pre-teens to have shame for. I mostly ignored God most of my younger years. I had many doubts about the truth of a living loving God, even to this day I have doubts. However I've never really rejected the truth of the living, loving God. The coward that I am revived God in me when I feared for my life with a quadruple heart bypass in 2001. I promised my Lord I'd pray every day if I survived the surgery, a promise I've kept. The older I got the closer I've felt to God then my worse nightmare happened to me. I lost the love of my life, my wife Oct. 5 2019. At first I thought I'd be OK with it, everybody dies. I quickly found out just how much I really did love my wife and missing her has taken a toll on me. It has been a blessing to me though in another way, it's brought me closer to Jesus.

My every sin has passed before the eyes of my mind as I pray for the Lords forgiveness. Sometimes I think I've heard the Lord's voice in me, but if so, he sounds exactly like me. I determine I'm just hearing my own voice saying things I only hope Jesus or the Spirit would say to me & that's why I seek fellowship here & expect for more than I suppose I deserve. My understanding is weak, my faith leaves much to be desired. uncircumcised, never baptized and struggling to find favor with my Lord, to know he hears me. To know he accepts me. To feel his Spirit in me & the very strong desire to be eventually reunited with my sweetheart wife but fearful I fall short and I've only lived to die.
 
Mar 23, 2016
6,732
1,630
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#52
Sometimes I think I've heard the Lord's voice in me, but if so, he sounds exactly like me.
Elijah was a great prophet, a great believer ... here is a record from when Elijah heard God:

1 Kings 19:

10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave ...


Sometimes God speaking to us is just a still, small voice.
 

Rosemaryx

Senior Member
May 3, 2017
3,708
4,073
113
62
#53
I agree that God can speak in a still small voice , but notice Elijah never heard that still small voice in his head , he had to go out from the cave to hear it...
Maybe satan has you wrapped up so much in your feelings that you have your eyes on yourself to much...
Go outside like Elijah , and the way you hear Gods voice is to read His word , and if you want to hear God speaking to you , read His word out loud...
If you are truly born again , than your Faithful Lord Jesus of your Salvation has never left you , He is Faithful , we are not...
When you drench yourself in Gods word , you are putting the Armor suit on , and right now sir , you need this...
May God be with you while you seek Him with all your heart...
...xox...
 
May 19, 2020
3,050
1,275
113
#54
Elijah was a great prophet, a great believer ... here is a record from when Elijah heard God:

1 Kings 19:

10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave ...


Sometimes God speaking to us is just a still, small voice.

Most definitely God has and does speak to us in a still ,small voice.

Being immersed in the word,fasting ,etc,etc....I have heard that still, small voice......its comes natural after yrs of following God,for me anyway.

His sheep hear his voice.
 

Rosemaryx

Senior Member
May 3, 2017
3,708
4,073
113
62
#55
Most definitely God has and does speak to us in a still ,small voice.

Being immersed in the word,fasting ,etc,etc....I have heard that still, small voice......its comes natural after yrs of following God,for me anyway.

His sheep hear his voice.
John 14;26
But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
...xox...
 
Mar 28, 2016
15,954
1,528
113
#56
I would offer in regards to caves. In Hebrew 11 the chapter of faith, the unseen will that works in the believer mentioning the renown giants of Christ's faith that worked in them to both will and do the good pleasure of God. Beginning with Abel in who he had favor or grace to others well known renown of God. Then less familiar prophets are used. Moving to some who dwelt in caves .And mentions them as not worthy of the world . I private show to him.

I would think it would move u out of our caves if we are humbling us in hope we would call out to increase our faith, the strength needed to do the good will. saying come unto me I will give the rest .

Hebrew 11:37=39 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

In effect he informed Elijah; You're not all that I have more work for you to do. The rest is over. He is the best motivative speaker.
 

Webers.Home

Well-known member
May 28, 2018
5,132
953
113
Oregon
cfbac.org
#57
.
Not everyone believing themselves to be a Christian has the Holy Spirit;
hence the injunction below:

2Cor 13:5 . . Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test
yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? --
unless indeed you are disqualified.

The ramifications of disqualification are extremely grim.

"If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ."
(Rom 8:9)

I run across Christians practically on a regular basis around the internet who
haven't a clue how to test themselves in order to prove to their own selves
beyond a shadow of sensible doubt that they have the Spirit of Christ. Hence
they go thru life boasting of their association with God's son while in the
back of their minds dreading the worst.

Now, Paul's injunction places the responsibility of testing upon the individual,
in other words: this is something that each Christian has to prove to
themselves and for themselves; it's just too risky to rely upon others to
prove it for you because when all is said and done, nobody wants to hear the
dreadful words below:

"I will tell them plainly: I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers."
(Matt 7:2)
_
 

Robo36

Active member
Nov 27, 2019
186
58
28
#58
.
Not everyone believing themselves to be a Christian has the Holy Spirit;
hence the injunction below:


2Cor 13:5 . . Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test
yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? --
unless indeed you are disqualified.


The ramifications of disqualification are extremely grim.

"If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ."
(Rom 8:9)


I run across Christians practically on a regular basis around the internet who
haven't a clue how to test themselves in order to prove to their own selves
beyond a shadow of sensible doubt that they have the Spirit of Christ. Hence
they go thru life boasting of their association with God's son while in the
back of their minds dreading the worst.


Now, Paul's injunction places the responsibility of testing upon the individual,
in other words: this is something that each Christian has to prove to
themselves and for themselves; it's just too risky to rely upon others to
prove it for you because when all is said and done, nobody wants to hear the
dreadful words below:


"I will tell them plainly: I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers."
(Matt 7:2)
_


No advise on "HOW" to test one's self? Thank's for such huge inspiration!
 
Feb 28, 2016
11,311
2,972
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#59
the 'old-man doubts' - but the 'new-man knows'...
our fruits will always bear witness, if we have had a continual Spiritual Growth and Overcoming -
this will of course be a good indication/proof, for with True Conversion comes much zeal,
especially at the first!!!
 
Mar 23, 2016
6,732
1,630
113
#60
Most definitely God has and does speak to us in a still ,small voice.

Being immersed in the word,fasting ,etc,etc....I have heard that still, small voice......its comes natural after yrs of following God,for me anyway.

His sheep hear his voice.
yes ... :cool: