If you are a believer in Jesus, an amazing gift lies within you, for Jesus said,

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth." (John 14:16-17a)

The word translated "advocate" in this verse is the Greek word paraklétos. The role and meaning of a paraklete in the time of Jesus was to be an advocate, intercessor, consoler, comforter, or helper. All of these things are what the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us by the Father, has been sent to us by Jesus to do for us.

When Does a Christian Receive the Holy Spirit?

Each Christian receives the Holy Spirit when He comes to faith in Jesus:

"For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body--whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." (I Corinthians 12:13)

If you have placed your trust in Jesus, then you have been given the Spirit to drink. Jesus spoke of that drink when he said to the woman at the well,

"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)

What Does it Mean to be Filled With the Spirit, and to be Baptized With the Spirit?

We are commanded in the Bible to be filled with the Spirit.

“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18–19a)

Being filled with the Spirit means to be led, guided by, and empowered by the Spirit to live for God.

Being baptized with the Spirit is the first time that you are filled with the Spirit to overflowing, to such an extent that you become immersed in Him, and it is often evidenced by the Holy Spirit granting one or more spiritual gifts to you. (You can read two lists of these gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:1–11 and Romans 12:4–8.) After that, we are commanded to be continually be being filled with the Spirit. It is through being filled with the Holy Spirit that we are able to fulfill the following words that Jesus spoke:

"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." (John 14:12)

Allow yourself to be filled with the Spirit to overflowing.

What Is the Secret of Living for God?

How many of us are empty? How many of us are dry? Or living like a plant that is receiving only just enough water to stay alive, with drooping and yellowing leaves? Or constantly falling back into sin?

Just what is the secret of living for God?

The answer is so simple that it escapes far too many of us. There is no great secret or method, unless you consider receiving a free gift to be some kind of a mysterious secret. You see, the ability to live for God comes from receiving a free gift. That gift is the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. To receive it, you must but let the Spirit of God flow into you and allow Him to do his work in you. Don’t get in his way by trying to do His work all by yourself (as far too many of us are prone to do), for you cannot overcome the flesh with the flesh.

You can only overcome the flesh by the Spirit. Only He can renew your spirit. Only He can create a clean heart within you. Only He can renew and transform your mind.

How do We Keep From Sinning?

"I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16)

To walk by the Spirit is to be sensitive to His leadership, keeping in step with Him.

Do Not Grieve the Spirit

The Spirit is gentle. He will not force you to obey Him. However, He is sensitive and easily hurt. Do not sadden Him by intentionally sinning:

"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30)

Drink Deeply!

Suppose you had dinner at a good friend's home, and he made the kind gesture of honoring the friendship between the two of you by opening an extremely expensive bottle of wine and pouring you a glass. Would you refuse Him?

Hasn't Jesus poured out for us a drink that is even more precious? Don't refuse the Holy Spirit by blocking His flow. Drink.

Drink deeply, and quench your thirst.