The Paraclete indwelling operation was released for the first time only after Jesus had died on the cross, John 16:
When does a believer receive the Paraclete?
John 14:
I understand the "we" above refers to the Paraclete. However, there is not exactly one consistent precise moment for all believers when the Paraclete will dwell in them. On the day of the Pentecost, Acts2:
i.e., the Paraclete
Elsewhere in Galatians 3:
I interpret the Spirit here as the Paraclete. Here, Paul didn't mention baptism.
Ephesians 1:
What happens afterward?
Sanctification, Galatians 3:
The indwelling Paraclete is connected to our human spirit. This is our vital connection for everyday spiritual enablement as we grow in the Spirit.
From my personal experience, I list the following sequence of events:
- I heard the gospel for many years here and there but never believed it.
- One day, I heard it again and finally believed it. Presumably, the Paraclete took up residence in me at this time but I was unaware of it.
- Some days later, a Christian friend led me into the prayer.
- A few months later, I could perceive the Paraclete speaking into my conscience every now and then.
- A couple of years later, I was baptized.
- I started to read the Bible and pray daily.
- A couple of years later, I could perceive the Paraclete in me and sense peace every time at any time.
This is the role of the Paraclete in initial salvation plus daily sanctification.
When do we receive the Paraclete?
It is up to God. On our part, believe, repent, get baptized, and love and obey God.
See also
How to get closer to God and grow in faith.
I have a difficult time with this question because of my upbringing. I was raised in a rather dry and formal Lutheran church. My family was more involved than anybody in the church outside of the pastors. We were every week attenders and participated in everything from the Communion service to potlucks to Bible studies to the music. I was confirmed in my early teens, having read through the Bible.
Regardless, I became very disappointed with myself because I felt myself to be a "square," and although socially accepted I felt I was outside of "fun" society. And so I began to fraternize with "hoods," with those from broken homes or good homes who experimented with all kinds of sin.
After promising God for months and months I finally made a commitment to God to stop *all* of my sinning. It happened to coincide with the Jesus movement, with one of my friends having converted to that. I had been "dipped" in baptism as an infant, which was just a dedication service by the parents. But I decided to get rebaptized in a local lake by some Jesus friends.
While I existed summer long in total boredom just reading the Bible I came across a passage in Acts where God said "I give my Spirit to those who obey Me." Instantly I felt approved of God and was filled with the Spirit of God. I begged God not to leave me when I went to sleep that night, but first thing in the morning He was there, still recognizable in His presence. I had learned that we can expect with our obedience an infilling of God's Spirit to help us to witness to Him.
Pentecostals and Charismatics, who I fell in with, called this the "Baptism in the Spirit," but I never came to a clear understanding of either the biblical language or the theology. Over the years I've developed my own views, though it is conditioned by my own personal experience, and not by the experience of others.
I've actually "known God" to some degree since birth. But I never really walked in the Spirit or did anything moral of much significance in the way of "testimony" until I learned that what I did was related to God's Spirit infilling me. When I spoke of Jesus I could expect that the Spirit would confirm my message.
So I know that some like Apollos may have had a real knowledge of God and still lacked a knowledge of how the Spirit impacts the obedient Christian. And I think true obedience means that we fully give up our own "natural" ways to live in partnership with God through His living word.
Giving up our "natural life" means that we cease doing things independent of God's internal guidance. We pursue God's will in everything, being willing to give up carnal impulses.
Should this happen in our Christian life from day one? Yes. It just didn't work out that way for me due to my lack of knowledge. Many Christians lack this knowledge, and nobody in my orbit had told me any different for many years.
The Spirit has always empowered those who prophesy or who give witness to God's living word. It's just that now that Christ has redeemed us all, as Christians, we are all made witnesses to his eternal salvation. As such, we should know that the Spirit is made available to us from the moment we accept who Christ is. We can then give this testimony to others.
