Holy Spirit

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Permalink Reply by AAG Netguy on March 24, 2009 at 8:35am

Mark,

The thing to keep in mind is that God treats each of us as the unique individuals He created us to be. Not all of us have the same gifts, not all have the same experiences, not all have the same feelings (Ephesians 4:11-12; I Corinthians 12). So some people have all kinds of "feelings" and dramatic experiences, others have none of those. Frankly, some of the same people that claim all kinds of feelings and supernatural experiences are the same people that are living in disobedience to God and His Word.

Don't let people put you down and don't feel like a second-class Christian because you are not having these "feelings". At times I feel very close to God and spiritual and other times I feel very far away and un-spiritual. In reality, it has more to do with how much sleep I got the night before, how things are going at work or my brain chemistry on any given day. In other words, feelings come and feelings go. They seem like the most important thing, but they are not. The important thing then is not the feelings or the experiences, but the daily, consistent, obedient walk with Jesus that you are striving for. Keep studying God's Word and living obedient to what it says. Keep passionately seeking God and he will reward you with a deeper understanding and love for Him and power to do all that He commands. That is the true Spirit-filled life.

Grace be with you!
Greg

Here is a good article from www.gotquestions.org that helps answer your question:

Question: "Is a believer supposed to be able to feel the Holy Spirit?"

Answer: While certain ministries of the Holy Spirit may involve a “feeling,” such as conviction of sin, comfort, and empowerment – Scripture does not instruct us to base our relationship with the Holy Spirit on how or what we feel. Every born-again believer has the indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus told us that when the Comforter has come He will be with us and in us. "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:16-17). In other words, Jesus is sending one like Himself to be with us and in us.

We know the Holy Spirit is with us because God's Word tells us that it is so. Every born-again believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but not every believer is "controlled" by the Holy Spirit, and there is a distinct difference. When we step out in our flesh, we are not under the control of the Holy Spirit even though we are still indwelt by Him. The Apostle Paul comments on this truth, and he uses an illustration that helps us to understand. "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). Many people read this verse and interpret it to mean that the Apostle Paul is speaking against wine. However, the context of this passage is the walk and the warfare of the Spirit-filled believer. Therefore, there is something more here than just a warning about drinking too much wine.

When people are drunk with too much wine, they exhibit certain characteristics: they reel, their speech is slurred, and their judgment is impaired. The Apostle Paul sets up a comparison here. Just as there are certain characteristics that allow us to see that someone is controlled by too much wine, there should also be certain characteristics that allow us to see that someone is being controlled by the Holy Spirit. We read in Galatians 5:22-24 about the "fruit" of the Spirit. This is His fruit, and it is exhibited by the born-again believer who walks under the control of the Spirit.

The verb tense in Ephesians 5:18 indicates a continual process of being filled by the Holy Spirit. Since it is an exhortation "be being filled," it follows that it is also possible not to be "filled" or controlled by the Spirit. The rest of Ephesians chapter 5 gives us the characteristics of a Spirit-filled believer. "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God" (Ephesians 5:19-21).

Therefore, the born-again believer should not be controlled by anything other than the Holy Spirit. We are not filled with the Spirit because we "feel" we are, but because this is the privilege and possession we have in Christ. Being filled or controlled by the Spirit is the result of walking in obedience to the LORD. This is a gift of grace and not an emotional feeling. Emotions can and will deceive us, and we can work ourselves up into an emotional frenzy that is purely from the flesh and not of the Holy Spirit. "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:16, 25).

Having said that, we cannot discount that there are times when we can be overwhelmed by the presence and the power of the Spirit, and this is often an emotional experience. When that happens, it is a joy like no other. King David "danced for joy" (2 Samuel 6:14) when they brought up the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Experiencing joy by the Spirit is the understanding that as children of God we are being blessed by His grace. So, absolutely, the ministries of the Holy Spirit can involve our feelings and emotions. At the same time, while the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives can include a “feeling,” we are not to base the assurance of our possession of the Holy Spirit on how we feel.

Recommended Resource: The Wonderful Spirit-Filled Life by Charles Stanley.

Permalink Reply by Linda on April 29, 2009 at 2:18pm

As a new Christian. I have found that the Holy Spirit comes to me through the thoughts that come into my thinking. Some call it a conscience, others call it the Holy Spirit. By saying you don't want to sin as much, that is the Holy Spirit working through you. It is that "little voice" people say they have. I feel the Holy Spirit pulling at me.....it brought me to Him in the forst place. God draws you to read His word every day and talk to him through prayer. Just listen and pay attention...the Holy Spirit is definitely there for you. As far as your "emenies"...just pray for them. Love them as Christ does. The rest is up to Him. I struggle too as a newly Baptized Christian. Pride gets me in trouble every time. I just ask for stength and forgiveness. I am going to a Bible Study tonight. I will pray for you when we are there.

Permalink Reply by Stephen S. Smoger on May 4, 2009 at 6:47am

Continue to pry to God for help. When my daughter was borne I prayed over and over for God to soften my heart so I could become a good father AND he answered my prayer

GBU