Please consider the question contained in the title of this article very seriously.
For this question is not between you and me, it is really a matter between Hashem and you.
Have you received His Holy Spirit? Did you really receive it?
The reason why I am insisting so much on this point is that I have been fooling myself over 20 years, thinking that I "had accepted Yeshua as my Lord and Savior". During this period, I also thought that I had been given the Holy Spirit. I even spoke in tongues.
So how is this possible?
Actually, after having a REAL ENCOUNTER with Yeshua, I understood that I had confused my will to know Him and my interest in the historical Yeshua as well with having a true relationship with our Lord and knowing Him as a personal friend.
What about the speaking in tongues? Isn't that supposed to be a clear sign of the Holy Spirit's presence? My friends, I don't want to scare you, but even the enemy can counterfeit speaking in tongues. By the way, did you know that New Agers also speak about the Holy Spirit-in a distorted way?
How do I know that I am saved?
John 1:12
"But to all who did receive Him, He gave the right to become children of God."
It is very important that you do not live in an illusion regarding your Salvation; it could lead you to hell.
I know that I am saved because Yeshua encountered my path in July 2014. After I repented of my sins, Yeshua clearly asked me if I wanted to accept Him as my Lord and Savior.
While our Lord encounters people's paths and reveals Himself in very different ways ( because He knows us intimately), the steps that lead you to Salvation are ALWAYS the same. It doesn't matter if you are a beggar or a king, you shall:
-repent of your sins
-accept Yeshua our Messiah as your Lord and Savior
For those of you who doubt that you must be saved by Yeshua only, the verse of Acts 4:12 will dismiss any kind of doubt:
"And there is Salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Yeshua our Messiah is the key to Heaven. When you will accept Him as your personal friend, He will give you His Holy Spirit. I can tell you that I noticed the difference. When Yeshua came to live within me forever, I sensed that He was available all the time, 24/7. I called Him and He answered!
How do I know that I actually have the Holy Spirit dwelling in me?
There is one common point that all the people ( regardless of their denominations and situations)
who received the Holy Spirit do have: LOVE.
"By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35
So if you keep your old gossiping ways and are still mean with your neighbor, as usual, there are great chances you are luring yourself about having the Holy Spirit at all.
Not only will the Holy Spirit teach you all things, it will also maintain you into Yeshua's love.
If you want to know if the Spirit is dwelling within you, check your fruits.
"By their fruit you will know them. Do they gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles?" Matthew 7:16
The same criteria you are using for yourself can be applied for anybody that encounters your path.
What assemblies and Scriptures won't do for you
John 5:39
"You study the Scriptures in detail because you think you have the source of eternal life in them.
These Scriptures testify on my behalf."
If you are still very judgmental, there are great chances you never repented at all.
Let me show you a recent example of something that happened to me.
When I am confronted with people who are advocating quantities of rituals and hours of Scriptures studies, i usually tell them all (regardless of their beliefs or confession): if you spend so much time into meaningless rituals and force yourself into Bible studies, you might really miss the most important: KNOWING YESHUA AS A PERSON.
I had a few persons reacting very angrily to my comment who went as far as doubting my Salvation and who pretented that I was sending people to hell by making this truthful statement.
Dear friends who are throwing abundant biblical verses at me in order to slate me, don't you know that I can challenge you with " It is also written...", as my Lord and Savior did it in the desert?
The portions of Scriptures you are throwing at me are dead. They have no power without the help of the Holy Spirit.
I too have spent complete years imposing myself great portions of Scriptures and hours of prayers, yet my life remained unchanged, because I did not have the Holy Spirit.
Today I am reading small portions of the Bible that the Holy Spirit enlightens for me- and my life has changed tremendously. Yeshua helped me better myself.
Allow me, while I am at it, to go straight to the point that hurts.
The very truth is that people are indeed afraid to face Yeshua personally. Hiding behind a verse or an assembly is much more comfortable than looking into Yeshua's eyes.
The Truth will mirror your own soul with your own imperfections. Meeting Yeshua personally, receiving His Spirit is accepting to see who you are and, believe me, it is very humbling.
So, to the people who think that Yeshua would approach me very close and let me "walk in lawlessness", you are very wrong to make such assumptions.
When Yeshua approaches you very close as He did it for me, you are undergoing a process of purification. Getting into discipleship implies that you are going to sacrifice parts of your life for the love of Yeshua. It also implies that you will obey His commandments and keep walking in humbleness.
There is no boasting in the Holy Spirit. Receiving the Holy Spirit is a daily walk in humility, sharing the Good News with the world and doing His will by any means.
May the Spirit of Truth be with you and guide you, always. In Yeshua's Name, Amen.
Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
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