If you have the Holy Spirit? Just exactly what does that mean?

Question

If I or anyone else tells you we are not of the Christian belief, then why do Christians still continue to judge that my beliefs as (for lack of a better word) incorrect?
Does not your religion teach you to Judge Not? Do you ever wonder why it is that this one teaching seems to be the hardest for most to implement into their daily lives?

Answer 1

If one has the Holy Spirit it mean you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. When one has done this one also seeks forgiveness of their sins from both God and the person they have sinned against, you repent and you turn from sin. The Holy Spirit enters one when one has asked God for guidance.

Answer 2

We can't "have" the Holy Spirit, as if we possess the Spirit, as a Thing we can use. The Spirit of God "blows where it wills", as the saying goes. The Spirit enters into our soul if we are open to receive it, but we cannot force it to come, not can we force it to stay. The Spirit comes and stays where it finds no resistance in the recipient. The Catholic teaching is that the Spirit may certainly enter into and work through willing souls, whether or not they are Christian. The Spirit has often used non-Christians this way. The difference is, when this happens to a Christian, we generally recognize the Spirit and know who our guest really is. A non-Christian may have a different name for the Spirit, and a non-religious person may not understand what is happening to him at all, and find it very disconcerting. And, by the way, just having Christian theological knowledge doen't necessarily mean the Spirit will come and make himself at home in you. The hard, closed, judgemental Pharasee is shutting the door by which the Spirit might enter.

Answer 3

I won't judge you. Here is the info you wanted.

The Christian faith depends on the Trinity...three aspects of the same God.

Father is the Creator.
Son is Jesus, the Savior.
Holy Spirit is the ongoing peace that you experience by being a Christian.

Some churches also talk about GIFTS of the Spirit...speaking in tongues, dancing in the spirit, telling prophecies, interpreting them...when you think of the loud shouting and falling out? This is what it is supposed to be. This is not to be confused by being a Christian in the first place. Not doing these things doesn't mean you don't have the spirit within you. It is the kind of thing talked about in the book of Acts, shortly after Jesus went back to Heaven. These are miraculous demonstrations of the Spirit...but as you know as a person of faith, you don't have to demonstrate anything to anyone to know that it is there.

If you want more info about this kind of stuff, do some keywords about it.

Pentecost (this was the biblical period during the time Acts of the Apostles were written down)
Pentecostal Churches
Full Gospel Churches
Spirit Filled Churches

And if this isn't enough confusion for you...don't confuse GIFTS of the Spirit with FRUITS of the Spirit. This is a more ordinary way of knowing that you are blessed by God in a daily life kind of way.

http://www.spirithome.com/fruitssp.html#paul

Peace, Self-control, Patience, etc.

Answer 4

This was and is my entire problem with organized religion. I suppose you could say I've been blessed in finding a church I can attend without feeling pressure to conform. I suppose you could also say that it isn't so much the preaching that drew me in as much as the feeling of community and fellowship. Having a support system to fall back on is truly a glorious thing. It is difficult to be around those who are judgemental, especially when one takes into consideration that those who 'judge' are generally being hypocritical.

In my opinion it is not so much the fact that those who judge are assured that theirs is the only way. If you are so sure of your faith then why do you feel the need to attack another persons beliefs? Is this not really saying of yourself that you are insecure of your beliefs and therefore must silence opposing voices in an effort to make yourself feel secure? Those who are secure in their faith and/or their beliefs should not feel threatened by opposing voices.

Answer 5

Allah'u'Abha!

I am a Bahai, and as a Bahai I have heard many people try to explain to me their version of Faith,

Plenty of people have prayed for me to receive their version of the Holy Spirit.

As a Bahai we are encouraged to read ALL of the writings of God.

We call it independent investigation of the TRUTH.

which plainly said means, never take someone elses word for it,

Be your own private investigator and discover the truth on your own.

what does that mean?

It means without reading all of the information, you are drawing a BIAS conclusion.

OR Guessing.

and Personally I want the FACTS.

So when people get caught up and start throwing out comments like " I FEEL THE HOLY SPIRIT"

What they are actually doing is losing sight of God. and his words. and are getting caught up in the moment .

Because what it all boils down to is his words are our only tangible connection to HIM. We don't need to guess because he left it all here for us. and we don't need some one else to put a spin on it for us because all we have to do is read it for our selves and we will see the truth.

And the thing that I LOVE the most about being a Bahai, is that we love everyone, and accept everyone, and its ok for you to believe what you want to believe.

We believe in All of the religions, and that they are ALL the writtings of God.

Answer 6

The holy spirit is the way God communicates with us. It brings you gifts such as discernment, prophecy.. They are in the Bible if you'd like to know more. Also, the Bible says to judge a tree by the fruits it bears. Same goes for people, judge them by the fruits they bear.

Answer 7

BTW, when someone requires a detailed answered to their detailed question such as this. I should not be penalized by being drilled down to the last answer given just because I try to answer it properly. I have been corrected for this and thought it not "bad form". I will seek to answer with less detail, then add detail as I see necessary in the future.

Whew, again, many questions in one question. I will try to explain them one at a time so that you will get a sufficient answer.

"If you have the Holy Spirit? Just exactly what does that mean?"

Jesus promised to send "a Helper" who will come along side the true believer and guide him or her in the way of the Lord.

"If I or anyone else tells you we are not of the Christian belief, then why do Christians still continue to judge that my beliefs as (for lack of a better word) incorrect?"

Your are correct in saying that this is incorrect behavior. The Bible makes it very clear in 1 Corinthians 5:12 that we are NOT to judge unbelievers, but fellow believers (which, BTW is opposite in Islam). So many who profess to be believers, or those who are new to the faith, will do so. And yes, this is incorrect behavior. The Spirit will guide us in the correct way if we subject ourselves. But the Spirit will also not bypass our free will to do what is incorrect. That would not be free will.

"Does not your religion teach you to Judge Not?"

That's a scripture that many pull out and use incorrectly. 1 Corinthians 5:12 is better if you do not want to be messed with incorrectly. The true meaning of "Judge not lest ye be judged" is actually "Condemn not lest you be condemned". In other words, if you condemn someone to hell, you are placing yourself in the position of eternal judge. Basically, you are placing yourself in the position of God--in which everyone in this world is horribly unqualified. Now, based on the Word of God, we can warn that such and such actions could put you in spiritual danger and warn accordingly. That is different. But you cannot make a pronouncement of condemnation.

"Do you ever wonder why it is that this one teaching seems to be the hardest for most to implement into their daily lives?"

If a so-called believer feel insecure in their so-called faith, they seek to point to others as being "doomed to hell" so that they feel more "saved". This is about as much a lie as someone calling others ugly to be more pretty. It actually has the opposite effect.

The ONLY, and I say ONLY thing that makes a Christian different than any other person is that they have been forgiven of their sins based on what Christ has done. So they can take credit for nothing, nor can they boast in anything.

Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Answer 8

To say that you have the Holy Spirit means that you have accepted Jesus into your heart. The Holy Spirit comes to teach or govern us in everyday living and decision making. He also helps us pray and gives us insight into the scriptures.

Answer 9

It means that you accept Christ as your savior, you live in obedient service to our Father and because of this faithful service the Holy Spirit lives in you, guides you in your daily life.

Answer 10

aye it does say that, and paul also says that we are to teach the wrong doings (sin) in others... so its not judging we are simply pointing out where your belief is wrong.. that make it easier to understand?