Even though God’s great power is available for every believer in Christ Jesus, yet it’s possible to be saved, but yet not be empowered. This is evidence in the lives of most believers today.
At salvation, anyone who truly surrender to Jesus Christ receives the Holy Spirit within us as a token of our inheritance in Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14). It is this spirit within us that bear witness with our spirit that we’re God’s children (Romans 8:16). And It is this confirmation of the spirit that bring peace and joy to the heart of a believer (Romans 15:13).
In other words, if you claim to have given your life to Christ and has neither at the point of salvation nor later experienced this confirmation of the spirit, then you probably aren’t saved yet. You need the Spirit to bear witness with your spirit that you’re a child of God because your Christian journey will depend on it. This is very important.
For instance, I have had some persons asked me “how can I hear the voice of the Holy Spirit?”, And the question that immediately comes to my mind to them is “How do you know you’re saved?“. The same way the Holy Spirit bore witness with your spirit that you’re now a child of God is the same way He’ll speak to you. This was why I said that confirmation of the spirit is very important.
Please note that this confirmation of the spirit is not the same as our feeling. Our feeling works more with our emotions but the Holy Spirit works by God’s word and with your spirit. So, you may not feel you’re saved but if the Holy Spirit bear witness with your spirit, then you’re saved and that joy and peace will be there in your spirit even though you may not feel it.
But it doesn’t end there. Receiving the Holy Spirit within you at salvation signifies your admission into sonship in Christ and qualifies you to receive God’s power, but it doesn’t confer that power on you yet. Although it is very possible to experience salvation and empowerment at the same time. But for most persons, that Empowerment of the Spirit will have to come later after the Holy Spirit has found them fit and prepared to receiving it.
Please note that the same spirit that works within us is the same that brings about the empowerment. Yet, the same experience may not happen to every new convert simultaneously. If Jesus tarries, we will by the help of the Holy Spirit examine the possibility of salvation and empowered simultaneously.
Posted by: Taiwo Divine
