How can I know if I have the Holy Spirit?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Holy Spirit indwells every single person who is a true Christian (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19). Scripture does not teach that our primary experience of the Holy Spirit is one of feelings, and since many things can affect us emotionally, we need to be careful about relying on emotional feelings to confirm (or deny) His presence. While His presence may be felt at times (Romans 8:16), Scripture teaches that the primary evidence of godliness within us is evidence of the Spirit. That evidence is known as the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22–23). Just like we can tell whether the inside of a tree is good or bad by its fruit (i.e., Matthew 7:16–20), so we can distinguish a true Christian from a false one by his or her fruit. Therefore, we can know we have the Spirit by examining ourselves and looking for signs of fruit (though the evidence may be slight at times, it should be there!).

Note that some teach that there’s a second or additional filling of the Spirit that comes with visible signs such as speaking in tongues. However, when the Bible speaks of being filled with the Spirit (Galatians 5:16–18), it refers to walking in faith and doing what pleases God.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit operated differently than He does since Jesus' ascension. He came upon specific people at specific times to accomplish specific tasks like leadership, prophecy, or deliverance (Judges 3:10; Judges 6:34; Judges 11:29; Judges 14:6; 1 Samuel 10:10; 1 Samuel 16:13). When the Spirit was present, He produced visible action in accordance with God’s purposes.
• The Holy Spirit was connected to transformation and obedience, especially in promises about the future. God said He would put His Spirit within His people and cause them to walk in His statutes and be faithful to Him (Ezekiel 36:26–27). The clearest mark of the promise of the outpouring of the Spirit was not mystical experience but a changed heart that increasingly desires and follows God.
• The Holy Spirit is tied to wisdom and a life that reflects His character, such as when He filled leaders with skill, courage, and discernment for God’s glory (Exodus 31:3; Isaiah 11:2).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Now that Jesus came and ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit is given to every true believer. Paul said, “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to [Christ]” (Romans 8:9). God does that as a type of down payment to seal believers (Ephesians 1:13–14). Therefore, every believer has the Spirit living in them (1 Corinthians 6:19).
• The Spirit’s work inside the believer is to transform them, resulting in good works, often called the “fruit of the Spirit.” Galatians 5:22–23 lists just such fruit, saying, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” As we see fruit in our lives, we see evidence of His transforming work.
• The good fruit is so important because we are not guaranteed a particular emotional or physical experience of the Spirit. Certainly, “the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16), which means that at times the Spirit may help us to be personally aware of our standing as God’s children. That may include an emotional response to that knowledge or a feeling of personal closeness when we obey. However, our primary evidence of Him in us is the fruit our lives are producing.
• Speaking of false prophets, Jesus warned, “You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, you will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16–20). Notice that “fruit” is the primary evidence of good and bad hearts.
• He continued by saying, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). A false believer is one who claims to be saved but does not obey the Father (cf. James 2:17–18). The one who “does the will of my Father” is the one who is walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 25).
• Some have misunderstood passages that speak of being filled with the Spirit as referring to a second or additional experience of the Spirit, often resulting in speaking in tongues. However, what the biblical authors mean is that a Spirit-filled individual is regularly walking in obedience. For example, Paul said, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Galatians 5:16–18). When one is filled with the Spirit, he or she is living in a way that allows the Spirit to transform their life toward godly living in every aspect.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to believers. If you are truly saved, then you have the Holy Spirit. However, Jesus warned that some think they are saved but are not, meaning there may be those who look like Christians but who do not have the Spirit. To illustrate this, He gave a parable about four soils that received the seeds of the gospel, with three of them initially responding favorably to it (Matthew 13:3–9, 18–23). However, only the seeds in one of those three soils, the “good soil,” persevered and produced fruit, demonstrating they were true believers. The seeds in the other two sprang up as if they were in good soil, but then the rocks and thorns killed them. In the end, they proved to be false converts. Jesus was teaching that not everyone who starts out looking like a true believer is one.

So, it’s worth examining yourself to see if you are a true believer (2 Corinthians 13:5). Since every believer has the Holy Spirit, then one of the key things to look for in your life is His fruit. Paul gave several examples in Galatians 5:22–23. In summary, a “fruit” is any observable characteristic in our lives that resembles what Jesus was like.

As we examine ourselves, we need to remember that we will never be perfect (1 John 1:8, 10) but that, over time, we should notice a general pattern of spiritual growth. If we could map our growth on a chart, it wouldn’t be a line that goes straight up, since believers often slip back into sinful habits, but it would still be trending upward over time. That is because the Holy Spirit matures believers, with the general upward movement being evidence of His transforming power, making them more and more like Christ.

UNDERSTAND

• Every true believer has the Holy Spirit because He is given at the moment of salvation.
• The primary evidence of the Spirit’s presence is the fruit (good works) He produces in a believer’s life.
• The Spirit also gives the inward assurance of belonging to God.

REFLECT

• When you examine your life, what kinds of fruit point to the Spirit’s work within you?
• In what ways have you relied on feelings or experiences rather than observable godliness in your life to measure the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life?
• How does understanding the Spirit’s role in producing change reshape the way you think about your growth and obedience?

ENGAGE

• How should passages like Romans 8:16 and Galatians 5:22–23 be held together when discussing assurance of salvation?
• How can the New Testament’s teaching on the Spirit help clarify the difference between genuine faith and false profession?
• How can we encourage believers—professed or genuine—who claim they do not see a lot of fruit in their lives?