"CONNECTIONS"
Answers to questions:
How do you know the Holy Spirit is truly in you? How do you keep the faith?
Great questions; the Bible reveals the fact that believers are sealed. That is, anyone who has genuinely trusted Christ Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior is eternally and completely saved. The very moment that an individual trusts Christ they are indwelt with the Holy Spirit, sealed, and becomes a new creature.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Cor. 5:17
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 1 Cor. 6:19
In Christ we become liberated; no longer a slave to sin. The Holy Spirit begins to transform us into the likeness of Christ. This is a lifelong process; and although we stumble at times, and sin; The Comforter is always there to see us through.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
This is the joy of the believer; Our greatest desire is to please Him, and when we fall short it pains us but, we are forever thankful that He keeps on cleansing us from all sin. How wonderful!
As for keeping the faith? We cannot live the Christian life; we must have the Holy Spirit's leading. This is a great mystery; as believers we were saved (born again), are being saved (renewed day by day) and will be saved (perfected in incorruption); either when our Lord returns or in the afterlife.
Therefore, we aren't keeping the faith; we are being kept in the faith. To the extent that we are able to yield to The Spirits leading determines the degree of joy we have in Christ. Notice (below) where the power comes from that enables us to be faithful in this wicked world:
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. John 10:29
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Philip. 1:6
To God be the glory.
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