Have you ever heard it said that you received the Holy Spirit when you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord? You may have even said that statement yourself. It certainly seems plausible. After all, that is a question that the Apostle Paul asked the Ephesian disciples in Acts 19:2:
He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
But was Paul asking these 12 Ephesian disciples a doctrinal question about salvation and the Holy Spirit when he first met them, or did he mean something different? After more probing, Paul learned that they had a shallow understanding of the salvation experience and water baptism and Paul was able to bring them up-to-date in their Christian experience. Then, in verse 6, the Scripture defines what Paul meant by his original question:
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon [epi] them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.
The preposition “upon” used in this verse in Greek is epi, which refers to the Holy Spirit coming upon or over a person for ministry. The preposition for the Holy Spirit coming “in” in Greek is en, as in John 14:17, “because He abides with you and will be in [en] you.” So to be clear, what the Apostle Paul is referring to —receiving the Holy Spirit — is a subsequent experience that occurs after you are born again (salvation, conversion, etc.).
The typical pattern in the book of Acts was for a person to receive Christ as Savior (the Spirit “in”), be water baptized, and then to receive the Spirit “upon” by being baptized in the Holy Spirit, evidenced with speaking in tongues. The Christian’s spirit and heart are now fertile ground for receiving sound teaching.
So concerning the Holy Spirit, what did you receive when you were born again?
The Bible teaches that the Godhead consists of three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. Each person of the Godhead works in unity and harmony with the other two persons of the Godhead. For example, the Father and the Holy Spirit collaborate perfectly together, and the Scripture refers to the collaboration as the “Spirit of God.”
Likewise, the second person of the Godhead, Jesus Christ, and the third person, the Holy Spirit, collaborate in unity and harmony as the “Spirit of Christ.” Notice the relationship between Christ and the Holy Spirit.
You are . . in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. Romans 8:9
Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying “Abba Father.” Galatians 4:6
So regarding the Holy Spirit, what did you receive when you first believed? You received the Spirit of Christ (the Spirit of God’s dear Son) when you were born again.
Since you have received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, you now have the Spirit of Christ, that beautiful collaboration between Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit! What does the Spirit of Christ impart into you? The Spirit of Christ:
Imparts Christ-Life
In the capacity of being sent by Christ, the Spirit of Christ comes to impart the Christ-life.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2
God has given us eternal life, and this life is in the Son. He who has the Son has life. . . I John 5:11-12
Life is in the Son of God. It may be helpful to think of the Spirit of Christ as the Spirit of Life (Romans 8:2). The impartation of the Christ-life in you is the work of the Spirit of Christ!
Imparts Christ-Fruit
The Christ-life within you in your born-again spirit flows out to manifest the Christ-fruit, that is, the fruit of the Spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. . . Galatians 5:22-23
It is the work of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Christ to develop the Christ-life within you to produce various qualities – the Christ-fruit or the fruit of the Spirit.
Reveals Things of Christ
Another beautiful ministry of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Christ is the taking of the things of Christ and revealing them to you.
. . .for He shall take of Mine and will disclose it to you. John 16:14
If you will listen, the Spirit of Christ will glorify Christ by taking these “things of Christ” and revealing their wonder and beauty to you.
Activation Prayer
Heavenly Father, I believe and declare that I have received the Spirit of Christ when I received Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for that beautiful collaboration of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit who resides in my spirit giving me a born-again spirit. The Spirit of Christ continually imparts the Christ-life from my born-again spirit to my mind and heart. The Spirit of Christ also imparts the Christ-fruits – the fruit of the Spirit — into my spirit as seeds to sprout, grow, and blossom in my life. Finally, the Spirit of Christ in me reveals the things of Christ by opening my eyes to the wonder and beauty of Jesus Christ and who I am in my born-again spirit. In Jesus Name, Amen!