The indwelling of the Holy Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit’s presence within believers in Jesus Christ. When a person puts their faith in Christ for salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to reside within that person (Romans 8:9). This indwelling is a key part of the Christian life and experience.
There are several key things the Bible teaches about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit:
The Holy Spirit indwells all believers
The Bible makes it clear that every person who has trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation has the Holy Spirit dwelling within them. Romans 8:9 says “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.” Every person who belongs to Christ has the Spirit living inside them. The indwelling of the Spirit is a marker that someone is a child of God (Romans 8:14-16).
Indwelling happens at the moment of salvation
The Holy Spirit takes up residence within a person the moment they put their trust in Jesus for salvation. In Acts 19, Paul encountered disciples who had not yet received the Holy Spirit or been baptized in His name. As soon as they heard the gospel message and were baptized, the Holy Spirit came upon them (Acts 19:1-6). The Spirit’s indwelling is a result and evidence of Christ taking up residence in a person’s life at the moment of salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14).
The Holy Spirit indwells believers permanently
Once the Holy Spirit begins indwelling a believer, He remains forever. Jesus said of the Spirit “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever” (John 14:16). The permanence of the Spirit’s indwelling is in contrast with the Old Testament, where the Holy Spirit would come upon people for a time to empower them for service, but could depart (1 Samuel 16:14). But now the Spirit remains with believers because of Christ’s finished work for salvation.
The Holy Spirit indwells all parts of a believer’s being
The Holy Spirit resides not just in one part of a believer, but in the entirety of their being. In Romans 8:11, Paul says “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” He indwells the mortal body. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” He indwells the physical body. And the Holy Spirit also indwells the inner person. In 2 Timothy 1:14, Paul told Timothy “Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” The Spirit lives within the whole person.
Why the Holy Spirit indwells believers
There are key reasons the Holy Spirit takes up residence within those who have trusted in Christ:
- To transform believers to be more like Christ. “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
- To strengthen believers with power. “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (Ephesians 3:16).
- To guide and teach believers. “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26).
- To convict believers of sin. “And when he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).
- To assure believers of their salvation. “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Romans 8:16).
Results of the Spirit’s indwelling
There are many key effects and experiences the Holy Spirit brings about in the life of a believer by indwelling them:
- Bearing spiritual fruit like love, joy, peace (Galatians 5:22-23)
- Victory over sin (Romans 8:13)
- Boldness to share one’s faith (Acts 4:31)
- Gifts for ministry (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)
- Guidance and discernment (John 16:13, Acts 15:28)
- A more intimate relationship with God (2 Corinthians 13:14)
These are just some of the powerful results of the Holy Spirit living inside each and every believer. He empowers and guides Christians to live in a way that honors God and advances His kingdom.
How to experience the Holy Spirit’s indwelling
For believers who have already placed their faith in Jesus Christ, here are some ways to further experience and enjoy the Spirit’s indwelling:
- Pray to be filled with the Spirit daily (Ephesians 5:18)
- Yield every area of your life to the Spirit’s control (Romans 6:13)
- Confess and repent of any sin which could limit the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19)
- Seek spiritual gifts from the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:1)
- Thank the Spirit for His presence within you
- Ask the Spirit to make Jesus more real to you each day
For those who have not yet trusted in Jesus Christ, the way to receive the Holy Spirit is to repent of sin and believe on the Lord Jesus. In Christ “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). When we belong to Christ through faith, we receive the precious gift of the Spirit dwelling within.
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is an incredible blessing for all Christians. God Himself in the Person of the Spirit takes up residence within each believer at the moment of salvation. The Spirit empowers and guides Christians, transforming them to be more like Jesus. Experiencing the Spirit’s presence within is part of what it means to belong to God’s family. Christians can continually enjoy the blessing of the Spirit living within them by submitting to His control and depending on His empowering grace every day.
