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For 30 years, Christian leader and spiritual adviser Billy Graham has been offering advice to the thousands of readers who share their problems ...
Read more about By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services.
For 30 years, Christian leader and spiritual adviser Billy Graham has been offering advice to the thousands of readers who share their problems ...
Read more about By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services.
How Can I Be Certain God Gave Me the Holy Spirit?
By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services
Q: I have asked God to give me the Holy Spirit, but how can I be sure
He has? Maybe I don't understand why God promised to give the Holy
Spirit to us. -- J.R.R.
A: One of the Bible's greatest truths is that when we come to Christ and commit our lives to Him, He comes to live within us by His Holy Spirit. In fact, the Bible warns, "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ" (Romans 8:9). If you know Jesus, the Holy Spirit already lives within you -- whether you feel His presence or not.
Why has He been given? The Bible gives several reasons -- but behind them all is our need for God's help. The Holy Spirit, the Bible says, "helps us in our weakness" (Romans 8:26). He convicts us of sin, He opens our eyes to God's truth, He grants us spiritual gifts, He counsels and guides us -- all these and more would be impossible without His help.
Never forget that the Holy Spirit isn't an impersonal force or power (like electricity or gravity); He is God. Think of it: God Himself now dwells within you if you know Christ! Jesus said, "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever -- the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16-17). Because He lives within us, we can ask God to help us in our times of need, and to give us the courage and strength to live as we should.
Don't try to live the Christian life in your own strength; if you do, you will only fail. Instead, trust the Holy Spirit to give you the wisdom and strength you need.
========
Send your queries to "My Answer," c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM, or visit the Web site for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: www.billygraham.org.
(c)2008 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
This news arrived on: 09/16/2008
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Posted Comments:
09-16-2008 13:01
Granny Pam wrote:
the Holy Spirit
You know, I have often wondered about the speaking in tongues. We are members of an Assembly of God. Now, some of the Assemblies do get really involved in the tongues....but only once in a while a person will speak in tongues during the service.....then someone interprets what they said. My question has always been, how does the other person know what the person speaking in tongues said? If it is the Holy Spirit that is helping the other person to interpret..then why doesn't everyone else understand what is being said. I have been a child of God for as long as I can remember but, let's face it, even when you grow old you still have questions.
09-16-2008 08:45
BE CARFUL wrote:
BE CARFUL
But speaking gibberish is not The Holy Spirit, it is emotionalism. My friend does this and it makes me sick some church taught her to do it and she has become rude and ugly in and out...... I stay a long way from her she wants me to do it also she stomps on the floor and yells and wants her way all the time pray for her to get out of the large cult it is so sad :(
09-16-2008 08:34
Revmark wrote:
The Holy Spirit
I am Pentecostal. And I can tell you that the Pentecostal churches I have been involved with have taught that when you are filled with The Holy Spirit, you will immediately begin to speak in tongues.
Please don't allow anyone to pull you into that. Each time you sit down with The Bible, ask God to guide you in understanding His word, through His Spirit, and as you begin to understand His word you will see the evidence that He is there.
See, back in the Apostle's time, they needed to speak in tongues, as you see in Acts chapter 2, which allowed them to speak, The Word, to those of other languages, as Acts 2:5-12 shows.
But speaking gibberish is not The Holy Spirit, it is emotionalism.
Even Paul told the Corinthians that it causes confusion when all speak in tongues, as in 1 Corinthians chapter 14. And in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 Paul shows what the different ministries of The Holy Spirit are, and notice it says, to some, different kinds of tongues, 1 Corinthians 12:10. To some, not all, different kinds of tongues, meaning languages, not gibberish.
God will reveal His indwelling to you, through His Word.
Hope this helps.
God Bless
Please don't allow anyone to pull you into that. Each time you sit down with The Bible, ask God to guide you in understanding His word, through His Spirit, and as you begin to understand His word you will see the evidence that He is there.
See, back in the Apostle's time, they needed to speak in tongues, as you see in Acts chapter 2, which allowed them to speak, The Word, to those of other languages, as Acts 2:5-12 shows.
But speaking gibberish is not The Holy Spirit, it is emotionalism.
Even Paul told the Corinthians that it causes confusion when all speak in tongues, as in 1 Corinthians chapter 14. And in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 Paul shows what the different ministries of The Holy Spirit are, and notice it says, to some, different kinds of tongues, 1 Corinthians 12:10. To some, not all, different kinds of tongues, meaning languages, not gibberish.
God will reveal His indwelling to you, through His Word.
Hope this helps.
God Bless
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