Do all Christians have the holy spirit inside of them?

Do all Christians have the holy spirit inside of them?

If they do, why do we see in Acts 19:2-6 that Paul asks if the believers have received the holy spirit?

he said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. Acts 19:2-6 King James Version (KJV)

 

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Romans 8:9 — King James Version

 

We see Rom 8:9 , that if you belong to Christ, the holy spirit is in you. So how do we reconcile Romans 8:9 and Acts 19:2?

 

In order to understand this, I think we need to have things line up in its proper context. Like a sentence with words, if we do not put the words in its proper order, the message becomes incomprehensible.

 

So lets look at the two verses, and ask which verse has a more global application? It would be

Romans 8:9 As it says If “ANY” man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. So how do we read Acts 19? Because it looks like Paul is speaking of two possible scenarios, concerning people who has believed,

1)     One that has received the holy spirit

2)     One that has not received the holy spirit (where this is for instance)

 

so the question is how can that be the case in light of Romans 8:9. Where believers has to have the Holy spirit inside of them.

 

It is a “believe” issue, which is based on a “knowledge” or lack of knowledge issue. When you believe in Christ what are you actually believing? The people in Acts 19, didn’t even know there was the holy spirit (some context, the new testimony letters were not even written back then, they can’t google this), So they believed in the “message/knowledge” of what John the Baptist preached. That Jesus is the savior. but they didn’t know there was the holy spirit given to man. And once they knew, they were able to receive.

 

Were they save? Another Good question, what defines being saved? If they are believing Jesus is Lord, and confessed with their mouth, as per romans 10:9, According to God’s word, they are. And if we apply Romans 8:9 to this, as they are saved, then they have the Spirit of Christ in them.

So now we go back to the problem of Acts 19. How can they have the spirit of christ in them, but yet have not received the Holy Spirit? I think that might be the answer! Which is the spirit of Christ is in them, but they have not “received” it.

 

Are there a difference?

 

Lets think of the apostles. Between the time that Jesus has been raised, and Pentecost. Were they saved? You would think yes? did they have the holy spirit inside of them yet? No, as they have not been filled with the holy Spirit yet.  

 

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. Luke 24:29

 

So is there a difference of just having the spirit of Christ, and receiving the holy spirit? I think the defining factor is in the manifestation of the Holy Spirits supernatural Power. “until ye be endued with power from on high” and “the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied”

 

When we received Jesus, his spirit is in us. But until we believe, and receive that the spirit gives us supernatural powers Luke 24:29. We don’t operate in it. Its like the believers in Acts 19, they believe in the Lord, but they don’t know there is the Holy Spirit, and hence they could not walk in its power. Its like when we believed in Jesus, We got the Holy Spirit credit card, we can swipe all we want with it. But if we don’t know what this little piece of plastic does, we won’t use it, and we can’t be effective with it.

 

By supernatural powers, I mean it is not a carnal thing, that we do out of our natural self. It is supernatural, in that, we can hear the voice of God, we have visions, and we have dreams, God tells us the future, we have the power to caste out demons, manifest healing, miracles, speak in new tongues..

 

Why does it have to be supernatural powers? Are we focusing on the wrong thing? I don’t think we are, because in John 14:17, we see that the apostles knows the Holy spirit. And you may ask how do they know? What are the “markers” or “distinction” of when the Holy Spirit was on them?  According to the word, The world can’t see him (it was not directly possible to observer him with our 5 senses) The Holy Spirit like the wind, is observable by its manifestation, and that is one of supernatural power. ie healing the sick, knowing things supernaturally.

 

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you.

John 14:17

 

So does all Christians have the holy spirit in them? According to Romans 8:9 yes. Do we all manifest the Holy Spirit? No, at least not always, because we don’t “receive” him, by don’t receive him, I mean we don’t allow him to manifest / work via us. And you may ask why don’t we allow him to work through us? Like the people in Acts 19, it might be a knowledge issue, we don’t know how he works, and don’t know how to work with him. or in some cases it might be an unbelief issue, ie we know what the bible says, but we just can’t believe it? We don’t trust he is going to pull through. Ie when we lay hands on the sick. We just don’t believe by doing that the sick person will recover.