The church does not teach you this.
You have to be born again in order to be able to enter heaven. In order to be born again you have to be born of water and the Spirit. (John 3:3-5)
In order to receive the Holy Spirit you need to obey God. (John 14:16-21, Acts 5:32)
And you may need to ask to receive the Holy Spirit. (Luke 11:13)
It is in your best interest that you receive Him. He helps you to discern the truth and to receive instruction and understanding. And I am 100% convinced that He gives me great power to avoid temptation to sin that I would not be able to do in my own strength. I’m not saying I never sin, but I am saying that I believe that many believers are lacking God’s power and that plays a large part in why they struggle with repeated sin and backsliding.
Yet when I tell people to ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, they generally seem unwilling to do so, and for the life of me I can’t understand why.
The way I experience the Holy Spirit is mostly by feeling a gentle burning in my heart, like a fire, and it is the most indescribable, comforting, amazing feeling. I feel it when Jesus is telling me He loves me. I feel it when He’s opening my understanding, just like the two disciples did when He was walking with them on the road to Emmaus and helping them understand the scripture that was written about Him. (Luke 24:13-32) And I feel it when I’m doing something He is pleased with. I feel it when I pray. I feel it when I read scripture. I feel it when I serve.
So ask! Don’t be stubborn!
Luke 11:13 NASB
13 So if you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?
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