Evidence of the Holy Spirit

By Benjamin H. Liles

          I've been wanting to get back into talking about the Holy Spirit and how it can be evidenced. Tonight I was listening to Todd Wagner from Watermark Community Church on Real Truth. Real Quick..

          That video can also be seen --

          Based on the text in Ephesians 5, which Todd talks about a bit later in this video I am sharing with you, there are three ways fellow Believers in Christ Jesus show they have His Holy Spirit in them. When we walk in love (Ephesians 5:1-7), walk in the light (Ephesians 5:8-14), and walk in wisdom (Ephesians 5:15-21) we show this world, the community and places we live in as though we are indeed spirit-filled. 

          That first way we show the Spirit is at work in our lives is by allowing Christ Himself to live in and through us. We read, "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma" (Ephesians 5:1-2, New King James). When we see those words Paul uses here he's saying that Jesus Christ went to those who were humbled or in the process of being humbled and therefore He gave Himself for them. Considering He now sits at the right hand of God and we have access to Him through His crucifixion we can put off our old desires, our old self as well, and put on or as scripture says, "Clothe yourselves with Christ Jesus" (Romans 13:14). 

          Walking in love with and toward others means we make it a priority to not only show them the Spirit at work in our lives, but they can have Jesus Christ in them as well. Remember the words Jesus spoke, "But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you" (John 16:7, Berean Study). Without the Spirit of God in us, and at work in us we cannot do anything, not even having access afforded to us now to even be able to seek God. 

          The next thing Paul says in Ephesians is about walking in the light and he says, "Walk as children of light for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them" (Ephesians 5:8b-11). We ought to expose the wrong things and advocate for doing the right things so that others can see the better way, which can be found and seen in Jesus Christ. For Christ Himself walked in the counsel of God the Father. He said, "I assure you: The Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does these things in the same way" (John 5:19, Holman Christian Standard). 

           If I put down the word of God, the Bible, and simply lived my life as a "good" man I couldn't do it. I'd fail and fall because I'm not rooted or grounded on Him. But if I allow Him and His word to seek me out, to fill me, to show me the better way I can and will have Him. A vine branch that becomes separate from the vine cannot continue to live, but it dies. Likewise, Jesus said, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me...If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:4-7, New King James). 

          Lastly, Paul points out that walking in God's Holy Spirit makes us wise. Even then there are three things Paul points out to the believer that we are full of His Spirit: 1) We speak to one another in psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 2) We give thank always for all things to God the Father in our Lord Jesus Christ; 3) We submit wo one another in reverence of God (Ephesians 5:19-21). 

          Beloved, I write these things to you so you can be assured and know fully that God's Spirit He gives to all can be obtained. It cannot be bought as Simon the Sorcerer thought. It cannot be given as though it is as rubies or diamonds. His Holy Spirit is given when we fully turn our hearts and lives around, showing we are done with living sinful and sin-filled lives. It's as though, we like the Prodigal Son, come to our senses about the mess we are living in and desire to be made His servant. Then and only then does God the Father bestow the best He has toward us. "Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry" (Luke 15:22-24). 

           That robe God adorns us with is the robe of Jesus Christ who is lavishly put on us so we can be blameless before God. The ring He puts on our hand shows that we belong to Him as a bride does to her husband. The food given in celebration, in this sense, is the feast of being with our beloved Creator who made us to fellowship with Him. And it all happens when we put off our old ways, our old self, desiring for Him and His Spirit to be upon us. May this bless, encourage and build you up in Christ Jesus. Amen.