Breathe: Stop Striving. Start Living in Holy Spirit Power.Sample

Receive vs. Believe

Devotion: Here's the truth bomb: if you don't have the Holy Spirit, you're not saved. You can believe Jesus existed. You can believe He was a good teacher. Even demons believe that much. But biblical belief means receiving the Spirit.

Paul doesn't say "if the Spirit might dwell in you" or "if you're spiritual enough." He says if the Spirit doesn't dwell in you, you don't belong to Christ. Period. That's not harsh—that's honest.

The word "receive" in Greek means to actively take, grasp, or obtain. It's not passive. When someone offers you a gift, you have to reach out and take it. The Holy Spirit is God's gift to every believer, but you must receive Him.

Many Christians live powerless lives because they believe facts about Jesus but have never received the Person of the Holy Spirit. They have religion but not a relationship. Theology but not transformation. Church attendance, but not Spirit-empowerment.

Here's the good news: the moment you genuinely believed in Jesus, you received the Spirit. You didn't earn it. You didn't qualify for it. You received it as a gift the instant you trusted Christ. If you can genuinely say, "Jesus is Lord," the Holy Spirit enabled that confession. You have Him.

The question isn't "Do I have the Spirit?" The question is, "Am I living filled with the Spirit?"

Declaration: "The Holy Spirit dwells in me. I am not my own—I belong to Christ. I am Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, and Spirit-empowered. I have received what God freely gives."

Prayer: "Father, thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit. I don't just believe about You—I receive You. Fill every part of my life. Show me where I've been living in my own strength instead of Your power. I'm Yours. In Jesus' name, amen."