"Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" - Acts 19:2

A vital question! In fact, this is THE question every so-called Christian believer must ask him/herself, because it is the bedrock on which every joy, promise, assurance, and victory rests.

The gift and indwelling of the Holy Spirit is not a theological abstraction or just a Christian concept. It is a very real EVENT that :

1. Gives you a new spiritual birth; it is your birth certificate, notarized deed of inheritance, a down payment to use in this life, and it comes with 24/7 access to a round the clock manned help line.

2. His Presence increases your sensitivity to sin, to the point where it is almost unbearable. Your own continuing secret sins now are starkly revealed as counter to the Will of God and you tremble at the knowledge that even just one sin unforgiven is sufficient to damn you to hellfire forever under the unappealable and sovereign justice of a Holy impartial God. You may feel that you are forever lost, because the enemy in you will try to convince you of that, when - the exact opposite is true! What you are experiencing is normal.

3. Offsetting the terror however is a joy that cannot be described! Our eyes are now enlightened, and we have a new perspective on Creation and this world! We begin to see the beauty of Gods character, and the truth of His Word begins to resonate in our hearts. We recognize that this is a temporary stepping stone to eternal joy, that we are made perfect by sharing in our Lords sufferings. Death no longer stings, and the grave has no terrors. Victory assured, we long to be joined to our Lord! We have the joy of being perfectly loved and knowing that all of our sins can no longer estrange us from Him.

4. His presence changes our character (FRUITS) to be more like His. Increased appreciation of, and increasing acts of Love to, others in our life is the key evidence. ( "... because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Rom 5:5 ) These changes are so dramatic in some instances it is like we are a different person, and is definitely an EXTERNAL influence because we cannot change ourselves in this fashion ( we can fake it - but that's exhausting and untenable for long periods of time ).

5. His presence may come with additional capabilities to help you help OTHERS. These are not new superpowers you possess. They are acts of God working through you, with your active cooperation and control, to help His people. Because they are His actions, all of His might and strength is at the disposal of servants who seek to do only His will, however, He may be pleased to assign one or more primary focus areas to an individual based on that persons calling in the plan of God ( Gifts, Administrations, Operational modes) . Faith, Love , Service are given to all, knowledge, wisdom, miracles, healing, tongues etc. may be distributed differently.

6. Like the sound of a river flowing beside you as you walk all day, the Spirit and Word of God ( if hidden in your heart ), will guide your day to day steps, increasing your knowledge of Him, leading you into ever more truth, and perfecting you till the day you die.

If this sounds supernatural it Is!! But it is KEY to check your experience against these 6 points... I hope you come up with the right answer! If not, there is a way...
Get to your knees right now and beg Yeshua to save you. Ask for His cleansing blood to wash away your sin, and ask to be sealed with the Spirit of Promise, in whom all the promises of God are YES AND AMEN!!!!!!!!!!

May your joy be complete!!!!!

"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." - 1 Cor. 12:7