Who is the Holy Spirit?
September 2, 2025
How Do You Know If You Have the Holy Spirit?
September 2, 2025
When we become Christians, we do not have to try to live the Christian life on our own. God gives us the Holy Spirit, who comes to live within those who belong to Christ.
But what does the Holy Spirit actually do in a believer’s life?
This is something many Christians wonder about. We may hear people talk about being “led by the Spirit,” feeling the Holy Spirit’s presence, hearing from God or experiencing spiritual gifts, but sometimes it can be difficult to know what the Bible actually teaches.
The Holy Spirit is not simply a feeling, an emotion or an invisible force. He is the Spirit of God, and Scripture describes Him as actively working in the lives of believers.
He teaches us, guides us, convicts us, helps us understand God’s Word, strengthens us in our weaknesses, helps us pray, produces spiritual fruit in our lives and reminds us that we belong to God.
The Holy Spirit does not simply give us spiritual experiences. His work is much deeper than that. He changes us from the inside and helps us become more like Christ.
The Holy Spirit Lives in Believers
One of the first things we need to understand is that the Holy Spirit lives within those who belong to Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is not only present when we are praying, worshipping or attending church. His presence is with us in everyday life.
John 14:16–17 — The Spirit Will Be With You Forever
“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.”
Jesus promised His followers that the Holy Spirit would be with them forever.
That means the Christian life is not something we are expected to manage by ourselves. God has given us His Spirit to help us live, grow and remain close to Him.
The Holy Spirit Is a Helper
Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the Comforter or Helper.
That tells us something important about His role. The Holy Spirit is not distant from the struggles of our lives. He is given to help believers as they follow Christ.
John 14:26 — The Holy Spirit Is Our Helper
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
The Holy Spirit helps us remember and understand the things Jesus taught.
This does not mean that the Holy Spirit gives us new Bible verses that contradict Scripture or private teachings that replace God’s Word. His work is consistent with the truth God has already revealed.
The Holy Spirit Teaches Us
One of the important ways the Holy Spirit works in a believer’s life is by helping us understand God’s truth.
John 16:13 — The Spirit of Truth
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”
The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of truth.
As Christians read Scripture, the Holy Spirit helps us understand God’s truth and apply it to our lives. This does not mean every thought we have while reading the Bible is automatically a message from God. We still need to read Scripture carefully and understand it within its proper context.
The Spirit will never lead us into something that contradicts God’s Word.
The Holy Spirit Reminds Us of Jesus’ Words
Jesus specifically said that the Holy Spirit would remind His disciples of what He had taught them.
John 14:26 — He Reminds Us of What Jesus Taught
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
For the original disciples, this promise had a particular importance as they remembered and testified about Jesus and His teaching.
For believers today, we can see the broader work of the Spirit in helping us understand and remember God’s truth as we read and study Scripture.
Sometimes a verse we have read many times suddenly becomes meaningful in a situation we are facing. We may remember something Jesus taught at exactly the moment we need it.
The important thing is that the Spirit brings us back to God’s truth rather than away from it.
The Holy Spirit Guides Believers
The Bible also describes Christians as being led by the Spirit.
Romans 8:14 — Led by the Spirit
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
Being led by the Spirit does not mean that we will receive a supernatural instruction for every decision we make.
God has already given us His Word, and we are expected to use wisdom, prayer and good judgment.
The Spirit’s leading is about bringing our lives into alignment with God rather than simply giving us whatever answer we want.
As we grow in our relationship with God, the Spirit helps shape our desires, convictions and decisions so that we increasingly want what is consistent with God’s will.
The Holy Spirit Convicts Us of Sin
The Holy Spirit also brings conviction.
Jesus explained that the Spirit would convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment.
John 16:8 — The Spirit Convicts
“And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:”
Conviction is not the same thing as condemnation.
Condemnation tells us that we are hopeless and beyond God’s forgiveness. The conviction of the Holy Spirit brings our sin into the light so that we can recognise it, repent and turn back toward God.
This can sometimes be uncomfortable.
There may be times when you know deep down that an attitude, decision or behaviour is not right. Rather than ignoring that feeling, we should take it to God and ask Him to help us change.
The Holy Spirit Helps Us Fight Sin
The Christian life does not mean that temptation suddenly disappears.
Believers still have sinful desires and can still fall into sin. The difference is that we are no longer meant to simply surrender ourselves to those desires.
The Holy Spirit helps us fight against sin and live differently.
Romans 8:12–14 — Put Sin to Death Through the Spirit
“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
Putting sin to death is an ongoing part of the Christian life.
We may struggle with the same temptation more than once. We may make mistakes and need to repent repeatedly. That does not mean the Holy Spirit has stopped working in us.
Instead, we are learning to depend on God’s strength rather than relying entirely on our own.
The Holy Spirit Produces Spiritual Fruit
One of the clearest ways the Holy Spirit changes us is through the fruit He produces in our lives.
Galatians 5:22–23 — The Fruit of the Spirit
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
The fruit of the Spirit includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
This does not mean that we suddenly become perfect when we receive the Holy Spirit.
Fruit grows over time.
You may still struggle with patience, but perhaps you notice that you are becoming more patient than you used to be. You may still lose your temper sometimes, yet find yourself becoming quicker to recognise it and apologise.
That gradual change matters.
The Holy Spirit is working in us to make our character more like Christ.
The Holy Spirit Helps Us Become More Like Christ
The goal of the Holy Spirit’s work is not simply to make us feel spiritual.
He is changing us.
2 Corinthians 3:18 — Being Transformed Into Christ’s Image
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
The Holy Spirit works within believers so that we become more like Jesus.
This is why Christian growth is about more than knowing Bible verses or attending church.
God wants our hearts and our character to change.
The way we treat people, respond to difficulties, handle temptation, forgive others and make decisions should increasingly reflect Christ.
The Holy Spirit Helps Us Understand What God Has Given Us
The Holy Spirit also helps believers understand the things God has freely given them.
1 Corinthians 2:12 — Understanding the Things of God
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”
There are things about God that we cannot understand simply through human wisdom.
The Spirit helps us understand spiritual truth and recognise what God has done for us through Christ.
This is one reason the Christian life should involve regularly reading God’s Word.
We are not simply collecting information. We are allowing God’s truth to shape the way we think.
The Holy Spirit Helps Us Pray
There are times when we simply do not know what to say to God.
You might be hurting so badly that you cannot put your feelings into words. Perhaps you are confused about what to pray for, or you are so exhausted that you can barely form a prayer.
The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit helps us in those moments.
Romans 8:26 — The Spirit Helps Us in Our Weakness
“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
There is something incredibly comforting about knowing that we do not have to find perfect words before we come to God.
The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.
You can come to God honestly, even when all you can manage is a few words or tears.
The Holy Spirit Gives Us Assurance That We Belong to God
The Holy Spirit also gives believers assurance that they are God’s children.
Romans 8:15–16 — The Spirit Bears Witness
“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”
This is such an important part of the Christian life.
God does not want His children to live as though they are permanently afraid that He is going to reject them.
Through Christ, we have been brought into God’s family.
The Holy Spirit reminds us of this relationship and helps us approach God as our Father.
That does not mean Christians will never have doubts. We can have moments where our faith feels weak or where we question ourselves.
Our assurance ultimately comes from God’s promises, not from whether we happen to feel spiritually strong on a particular day.
The Holy Spirit Seals Believers
The Bible also describes the Holy Spirit as a seal and guarantee.
Ephesians 1:13–14 — Sealed With the Holy Spirit
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
A seal identifies ownership and security.
Paul’s language shows that the Holy Spirit is connected with God’s promise to His people.
This gives believers a wonderful reason for confidence. Our relationship with God is not held together by our ability to be perfect. God has acted first, and He gives His Spirit to those who belong to Christ.
The Holy Spirit Gives Spiritual Gifts
The Holy Spirit also equips believers to serve other people.
1 Corinthians 12:4–7 — Different Gifts From the Same Spirit
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”
The Bible mentions gifts such as teaching, serving, encouragement, giving, leadership, mercy, wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, discernment, tongues, interpretation of tongues, evangelism and other forms of ministry.
Not every Christian has the same gift.
God gives different gifts to different people so that the church can function as one body.
These gifts are not given so that we can feel more important than other people. They are given so that we can serve.
The Holy Spirit Gives Strength to Live for God
The Christian life can be difficult.
There are temptations to resist, people who may hurt us, circumstances we cannot control and seasons where we feel exhausted or discouraged.
God does not expect us to handle all of this through our own strength.
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to live differently.
Ephesians 3:16 — Strengthened by the Spirit
“That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;”
The Spirit strengthens us internally.
Sometimes God’s strength does not look like suddenly having an easy life. It can look like having the strength to keep going when life is difficult, the courage to do what is right, or the ability to forgive when we would rather hold onto anger.
The Holy Spirit Helps Us Live by Faith Rather Than the Flesh
Paul describes a struggle that every Christian can recognise.
We have desires that pull us in one direction while the Spirit leads us in another.
Galatians 5:16–17 — Walk by the Spirit
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”
Having the Holy Spirit does not mean you will never experience temptation.
It means you have God’s Spirit working within you and helping you choose a different way.
The Christian life involves learning to surrender our desires to God instead of allowing every desire to control us.
The Holy Spirit Helps Us Know That We Are God’s Children
The Spirit’s work is also deeply connected with our identity.
Romans 8:16 — The Spirit Testifies That We Belong to God
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”
Our identity as God’s children is not based on how successful we are at being Christians.
We belong to God because of what Christ has done.
The Holy Spirit reminds us of that relationship and helps us understand that we are no longer living without God.
The Holy Spirit Brings Unity Among Believers
The Holy Spirit does not only work within individual Christians.
He also brings believers together as one body.
Ephesians 4:3–4 — One Spirit, One Body
“Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;”
The Spirit’s work should therefore move Christians toward unity rather than unnecessary division.
This does not mean Christians will agree about everything.
We can have different personalities, backgrounds, opinions and even different understandings of some secondary issues.
But we are united through Christ and the same Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit Can Be Grieved
Because the Holy Spirit is personal, Scripture also tells us that He can be grieved.
Ephesians 4:30 — Do Not Grieve the Holy Spirit
“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
This is important because it reminds us that receiving the Holy Spirit does not mean we suddenly become incapable of doing anything wrong.
Christians can still make sinful choices.
We can still say things we should not say, treat people badly, hold onto bitterness or make decisions that do not honour God.
When that happens, we should not run away from God.
We should turn back to Him.
The Holy Spirit Does Not Replace Scripture
It is important to understand this because Christians sometimes say, “The Holy Spirit told me,” when what they mean is that they had a strong feeling about something.
We should be careful with that language.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and His work will never contradict God’s Word.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 — Scripture Is Given by God
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
If we believe the Holy Spirit is leading us toward something that clearly contradicts Scripture, we should not follow that feeling simply because it feels spiritual.
God does not contradict Himself.
The Holy Spirit helps us understand and apply God’s truth rather than giving us permission to ignore it.
The Holy Spirit Does Not Mean We Will Always Feel Something
You may sometimes feel God’s presence very strongly.
You may have beautiful moments during worship, prayer or Bible study where you feel deeply connected to God.
Those experiences can be meaningful, but they are not the only evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work.
There will also be days when you feel nothing special.
You may be tired, stressed, grieving or distracted.
That does not mean the Holy Spirit has left you.
Our relationship with God is based on faith and His promises, not on whether we experience a particular emotion every day.
2 Corinthians 5:7 — We Walk by Faith
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Sometimes we have to trust God even when we cannot feel what we wish we could feel.
What Does the Holy Spirit Do in a Believer’s Life?
The Holy Spirit has an incredibly important role in the life of every believer.
He lives within those who belong to Christ, teaches us, guides us, convicts us of sin, helps us understand God’s truth, strengthens us, helps us pray and assures us that we are God’s children.
He also produces spiritual fruit in our lives and equips us with spiritual gifts so that we can serve other people.
But perhaps one of the most beautiful things about the Holy Spirit’s work is that He is changing us.
God is not simply interested in giving us spiritual experiences.
He wants to transform our lives.
Galatians 5:22–23 — The Fruit of the Spirit
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
As we walk with God, the Spirit works within us to produce these qualities.
It is a process.
You will not become perfect overnight, and there may be areas where you struggle for a long time.
But God is still working.
If you look back over your life and see that you are becoming more loving, more patient, more forgiving, more self-controlled, more compassionate or more concerned with God’s truth, that growth matters.
The Holy Spirit is not simply trying to make you look like a better Christian on the outside.
He is changing you from the inside.
The Holy Spirit Helps Us Become Who God Created Us to Be
The Christian life is not about trying to become someone you were never meant to be.
God has a purpose for your life, and the Holy Spirit helps you grow into the person He is calling you to become.
He gives you strength when you are weak.
He reminds you of God’s truth when you are confused.
He convicts you when you are going in the wrong direction.
He comforts you when you are hurting.
He helps you pray when you cannot find the words.
He gives you gifts that can be used to bless other people.
And He gradually changes your character so that your life reflects Jesus more and more.
That is why we should not think of the Holy Spirit as simply a feeling we experience during church.
The Holy Spirit is God with us and within us, actively working in our lives.
If you belong to Christ, you are not walking this journey alone.
You have God’s Spirit with you, helping you grow, guiding you toward truth and shaping you to become more like Jesus.
You may not always notice what He is doing.
You may not always feel His presence.
There may even be seasons where you feel like you are not growing at all.
But that does not mean God has stopped working.
Keep turning toward Him.
Keep reading His Word.
Keep praying.
Keep surrendering the things you are struggling with.
And keep allowing the Holy Spirit to work in you.
God is not finished with you yet.
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