The Holy Spirit… What does He do, and how do you get Him?
A while ago, I had a conversation with someone who got these huge “negative vibes” from a song she heard in church. Something was off, totally off, but she couldn’t put their finger on what wasn’t right. It made her uneasy; there was something wrong with that song, but what? It made her so uneasy that she couldn’t even sing the song and was looking for what was wrong with it. We went through the lyrics together, and sure enough, the song was false. The deeper we dug into the lyrics, the worse it got. So, her “chills” were right! But where did those chills come from?
To explain that, we looked at the following Bible verses. First, we took a look at what happens immediately(!) when you become a Christian:
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14 NASB)
In other words, as soon as you become part of God’s family, you are (as that verse says) sealed with the Holy Spirit. You don’t have to do anything for it; He comes into you as soon as you become a Christian. (Period) You don’t need to jump through a burning hoop or do anything else. The Holy Spirit comes directly, and He is a seal. So, what was a seal in the time when those verses were written?
Seal as proof of ownership: In those times, a seal was often used to mark ownership. The seal of a king or important person would be stamped on documents or goods to indicate that they belonged to that person. In Ephesians 1:13-14, the Holy Spirit is described as the seal that marks us as God’s property. It means that God has accepted the believer, and the believer now belongs to God.
Seal as protection: The seal also served as protection. A sealed document or object couldn’t be opened or altered without breaking the seal, which meant the property was secure. Similarly, the believer is protected by the Holy Spirit, who is a guarantee that the relationship with God will not be broken. The seal is therefore a guarantee of God’s protection and care.
Seal as a guarantee of a promise: The seal in Biblical times was also a pledge or guarantee of a promise. In Ephesians 1:13-14, the Holy Spirit is also described as the “pledge” of our inheritance, meaning He is a guarantee of eternal life and the final redemption that the believer will receive. The presence of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life is a sure sign that God’s promise will be fulfilled.
Seal as identification: The seal was also a mark of identity. A sealed document or object was recognizable and clearly indicated the person who owned the seal. In the same way, the Holy Spirit is a sign of our identity as children of God. He helps us live according to God’s will and confirms in our hearts that we are part of God’s family.
So that’s pretty clear. Asking God, as a Christian, if He will send the Holy Spirit into you is wrong. Because, if you’re a Christian, you already have Him. Imagine you just gave someone a nice gift, but then, after giving it to them, they ask you if you would give them that gift again. That’s odd, right? You’ve already given it to them, done deal, no more questions.
So, as a Christian, you’ve received that “seal,” so what happens next?
Now, let’s look at a verse from John 16:8-11, where Jesus talks to the disciples about who will come when Christ returns to heaven. The disciples aren’t sure about this. Jesus is leaving, so what now? Where will our guidance come from? How will we know what’s right or wrong? Jesus knows what they’re thinking and explains what will happen when He goes. Because when He goes… the Holy Spirit will come!
And He, when He (The Holy Spirit) comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. (John 16:8-11 NASB)
In other words, when Jesus left, He didn’t leave the disciples (or us) on our own to figure out what’s right and wrong. No, He gave each one of us, every Christian, the Holy Spirit to tell us what sin, righteousness, and judgment are.
So those “vibes”… that immense unease about that song… that was given to you by the Holy Spirit. He convicted you that something was absolutely wrong = sin.
Is that all the Holy Spirit does? No, there’s much more (we could talk about it for hours), but let’s touch on one more thing:
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (the Holy Spirit), that He may be with you forever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-17 NASB)
The Spirit of truth (as that verse beautifully says) is always in you, forever (so you can’t lose Him), you know Him, and He comforts you. Even when you feel uneasy about vague songs.
Because He ensures you don’t fall into sin, that you know what’s right and wrong, even if you can’t always pinpoint exactly why. That brings peace, that brings comfort. No matter how dark things may seem, the Holy Spirit is with you, always.
