How do we know if we have YHVH’s Spirit in us?

YHVH is Spirit and He has been from the beginning and will be forever. In the beginning YHVH’s Spirit moved over the waters, through His Spirit everything was created as He spoke everything into existence.

Psalm 33:6
⁶ By the word of YHVH the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host.

The word that was translated as “breath” is “ruah”

YHVH created everything through His Spirit, His Ruach. We, as humans with our finite understanding often translate what we read, wrongly, just in order to aid in our understanding. For example, it is taught that it was the frequency of YHVH’s voice that created everything. This is flawed, for it was through YHVH’s power, His Spirit that everything was created. We cannot diminish what YHVH did to some physical or scientific terms, just because it is easier for us to understand. For this reason, it is with great reverence that we write about YHVH’s Spirit.

In this article, we will look at the role of YHVH’s Spirit in our lives. We will also look at what was written about the Holy Spirit in the Tanakh and the Apostolic writings. We will focus on whom He was upon and how He was given. We will also explore what it looks like if somebody has YHVH’s Spirit upon them. In scripture, YHVH’s Spirit is referred to as the Holy Spirit. We may also refer to His Spirit as the Ruach or the Set Apart Spirit.

We shall start off by looking at the role of YHVH’s Spirit in a believer’s life.

YHVH’s Spirit, our Helper

Y’shua said YHVH would send us a Helper.

John 14:16–17
¹⁶ “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; ¹⁷ that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

The father would give another Helper. The word “another” makes for an interesting word choice, but it makes sense because Y’shua was also a Helper to us as He was our example, He modelled how we are to live.

The Greek word that was translated as “helper” is “parakletos”

We need YHVH’s help and guidance every day, He gave us His word, but we need understanding in order to apply it in our lives. YHVH’s Spirit gives us that understanding and guides us on our way.

Guiding us into all truth

The Word says He will guide us into all truth.

John 16:13–15
¹³ “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. ¹⁴ “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. ¹⁵ “All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.

Teaching us all things

Have you noticed when reading a passage of scripture you may have read many times before, you suddenly notice something that answers a question you may have had. Or another passage comes to mind as you read about something that piqued your interest. That is the work of YHVH’s Spirit. That is one way He guides and teaches us, gently and when we are ready.

John 14:26
²⁶ “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

1 John 2:27
²⁷ As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

Teaching us what we ought to say

He will also give us the right words to speak at the right time.

Luke 12:11–12
¹¹ “When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; ¹² for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Helping us to pray

How often don’t we have the right words to pray?

Romans 8:26
²⁶ In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

This will only be true if our hearts are focused on YHVH.

Renewing us

Titus 3:5
⁵ He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

From all these passages we learn that it is essential for us to have YHVH’s Spirit if we want to function in this world and live according to YHVH’s ways. Before we go deeper into how this is possible, let’s make a study of how the Holy Spirit was depicted in Scripture.

We will first look at the role of the Holy Spirit in the Tanakh

The Holy Spirit in the Tanakh

There are many references in the Tanakh of YHVH’s Spirit coming upon people. In the Tanakh, the Set Apart Spirit was sovereignly given and the giving of the Spirit was associated with a special task or office.

The Spirit of YHVH was upon Moses, and later, YHVH took of the Spirit that was upon Moses and placed Him upon the seventy elders. Thus a structure of sub-leadership was created and they were empowered to do their task by YHVH’s Spirit upon them.

Numbers 11:16–17
¹⁶ YHVH therefore said to Moses, “Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. ¹⁷ “Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone.

Another example is Bezalel. He was filled with YHVH’s Spirit in order for him to have wisdom, knowledge and understanding, skill in all kinds of craftsmanship.

Exodus 31:3–5
³ “I have filled him with the Spirit of Elohim in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, ⁴ to make artistic designs for work in gold, in silver, and in bronze, ⁵ and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in the carving of wood, that he may work in all kinds of craftsmanship.

The people who helped him were endowed (filled) with the spirit(Ruach) of wisdom (skill)

Exodus 28:3
³ “You shall speak to all the skillful persons whom I have endowed with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister as priest to Me.

Joshua also had YHVH’s Spirit in him

Numbers 27:18
¹⁸ So YHVH said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;

Deuteronomy 34:9
⁹ Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as YHVH had commanded Moses.

The Hebrew word “hakmah” was translated as “wisdom”

In the book of Judges, we often read how the Spirit of YHVH came upon one of the judges in order for him to deliver the people from their enemies (Judg 3:9,10; Judg 6:34; Judg 11:29; Judg 14:6; Judg 14:19; Judg 15:14) The Kings also had YHVH’s Spirit to guide them (1Sam 10:6,10; 1 Sam 11:6; 1 Sam 16:13; 1 Sam 19:20; 1 Sam 19:23) and so did the prophets.

Nehemiah 9:30
³⁰ “However, You bore with them for many years, And admonished them by Your Spirit through Your prophets, Yet they would not give ear. Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

It was prophesied by one of these Spirit-filled prophets that the fullness of YHVH’s Spirit would rest upon Y’shua.

Isaiah 11:1–5
¹ Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. ² The Spirit of YHVH will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of YHVH. ³ And He will delight in the fear of YHVH, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; ⁴ But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. ⁵ Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist.

And it was so…

The Holy Spirit in the Apostolic writings

Y’shua was full of the Holy Spirit

Luke 4:1
¹ Y’shua, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness

Y’shua was filled with the fullness of the Holy Spirit, with wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge and the fear of YHVH. Nobody else in Scripture was filled with the fullness of the Spirit. When we read about people filled with the Spirit, they had wisdom, knowledge or skill. They were enabled by YHVH’s Spirit for a task or position. With Y’shua it was different.

Before Y’shua’s ascension, the Holy Spirit was still given to specific people in order for them to fulfill YHVH’s will. The disciples were given “authority” over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to heal.

Matthew 10:1
¹ Y’shua summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

The word “authority” can be translated with “power.” This power is through YHVH’s Spirit.

John the Baptist, who was filled with the Spirit from the womb, prophesied that Y’shua Who would come after him, would baptize with the Holy Spirit. His mother, Elizabeth (Luk 1:41) and his father Zechariah (Luk 1:67) were also filled with the Spirit.

We have learned in a previous article The Significance of the Blood of Y’shua that those who believe in Y’shua will receive the Holy Spirit. This promise was fulfilled after Y’shua ascended to heaven.

Luke 24:49
⁴⁹ “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

And it was so…

Acts 1:4–5
⁴ Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; ⁵ for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

They did what Y’shua told them to do and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:2–4
² And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

There were people there who were unbelievers

Acts 2:38
³⁸ Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Y’shua Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

These words are very important, it answers one of our questions: what do we have to do to receive the Holy Spirit? We are to repent and be baptized in the name of Y’shua Messiah, then we will receive the Holy Spirit. Y’shua, through his death, resurrection and ascension, made it possible for every believer to receive the Holy Spirit. We will look into this in more detail later.

Let’s look at how the Holy Spirit was given and see if we can deduce from this what we have to do in order to receive the Holy Spirit.

Receiving the Spirit

We have seen in the previous section that we will receive the Set Apart Spirit if we repent and be baptized in the name of Y’shua Messiah for the forgiveness of our sins. So, if you become a believer by repenting and believing in Y’shua, you need to be baptized and will receive the Set Apart Spirit.

On Shavuot the Holy spirit was poured out on believers.

On Shavuot the Holy Spirit was poured out

Acts 2:2–4
² And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

The assembly, at this time, consisted of hundred and twenty people (Act 1:15.) The same hundred and twenty were together celebrating Shavuot (Pentecost). This was the first time the Holy Spirit was given. There were other people there, as they were most likely gathered in the Temple, who were not believers in Y’shua yet. After Peter spoke to the people, explaining, some asked what they are to do.

Acts 2:38
³⁸ Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Y’shua Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

On that day many were baptized, about 3000 souls (Act 2:42).

The Spirit fell on them before baptism

In another passage, Cornelius, who was a gentile and his household received the Holy Spirit. This time it happed before they were baptized.

Cornelius received a vision from YHVH to invite Peter to come to him. He was a devout believer in YHVH, even as gentile. Peter received the vision of the sheet with unclean animals to prepare him for this. This was necessary because of the belief that Gentiles were unclean and should therefor not be associated with.

Acts 10:34–35
³⁴ Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that Elohim is not one to show partiality, ³⁵ but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.

Peter went to Cornelius and told him about Y’shua.

Acts 10:44–45
⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. ⁴⁵ All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

Afterwards Cornelius and his household were baptized. This is what Peter reported afterwards.

Acts 11:15–17
¹⁵ “And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. ¹⁶ “And I remembered the word of the Master, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ “Therefore if Elohim gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Master Y’shua Messiah, who was I that I could stand in Elohim’s way?”

Another way the Holy Spirit was imparted was through the laying on of hands.

Laying on of hands

We first read about this in the book of Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 34:9
⁹ Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as YHVH had commanded Moses.

Through prayer and laying on of hands the Holy Spirit can be imparted to other believers. Here are some references from the Apostolic writings.

Acts 8:14–17
¹⁴ Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of Elohim, they sent them Peter and John, ¹⁵ who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Master Y’shua. ¹⁷ Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.

1 Timothy 4:14
¹⁴ Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.

The presbytery is the council of elders. In another passage in 2 Timothy, we learn that it was not only through the elders, but also through Paul’s laying on of hands that people received the Spirit.

2 Timothy 1:6–7
⁶ For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of Elohim which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For Elohim has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

From these passages we learn that the Holy Spirit can come upon anybody YHVH wants Him to come upon. It can happen before or after baptism. The Holy Spirit can be poured out by YHVH or can come upon somebody by the laying on of hands by another believer who has the Set Apart Spirit. We can also be filled with the Spirit multiple times.

Being filled for the second time

In the Tanakh, there are many references of the Spirit coming upon the various judges more than once. Here is an example of Samson

Judges 14:6
⁶ The Spirit of YHVH came upon him mightily, so that he tore him as one tears a young goat though he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.

Judges 14:19
¹⁹ Then the Spirit of YHVH came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of them and took their spoil and gave the changes of clothes to those who told the riddle. And his anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house.

Also in Judges 15:14. It is interesting to note that after this third time, we don’t read again of how YHVH Spirit came upon him. In fact before the narrative with the harlot, and Delilah, it is written that he judged Israel 20 years. Then followed the part about the harlot, and Delilah. Interesting…

In the Apostolic writings, we read about Peter and John praying together with their companions and they were again filled with the Holy Spirit and were able to speak YHVH’s word with boldness.

Acts 4:31
³¹ And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of Elohim with boldness.

The way I understand this is that we can be filled with YHVH’s Spirit more than once. In the passage quoted above, Peter, John and their companions, were filled a second time and they were specifically enabled to speak the word of YHVH with boldness. There are other references that can allude to subsequent filling with the Holy Spirit, but this one is the strongest.

Spiritual maturity

When we are filled with YHVH’s Spirit, we are filled with the same Spirit, but the way the Spirit manifests in our lives differs, because we do not walk in the same measure of obedience. We may choose to obey the flesh rather than the Spirit, then the spirit would not be made manifest in our lives That is why some people are more spiritual than others.

Paul refers to those who walk according to the flesh instead of the Spirit as infants in Messiah.

1 Corinthians 3:1
¹ And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Messiah.

We as believers, all learn and grow and the more we yield our lives to YHVH, the more spiritually mature we will become and the less we will operate in the flesh.

Ephesians 4:11–15
¹¹ And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Messiah; ¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of Elohim, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Messiah. ¹⁴ As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; ¹⁵ but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Messiah,

Y’shua is our perfect example, He was filled with the fullness of YHVH’s Spirit and He never walked according to the flesh, always according to the Spirit. Y’shua is the perfect example of spiritual maturity and we are to follow Him. This maturity is not dependant on how long we have been believers, but rather on how much of our life we choose to yield to YHVH and our fellowship with Him.

YHVH’s Spirit is grieved by sin and when we operate in the flesh or commit sin, we grieve the Spirit and sin brings separation between us and YHVH. This intimacy is again restored through sincere repentance. However, if we choose to continue in sin, YHVH’s Spirit will leave us as He left Saul (1 Sam 16:14)

Faith in Y’shua makes this possible

Before Y’shua’s ascension, only select people received the Holy Spirit. After Y’shua’s ascension, the Set Apart Spirit is available to all that believe in Y’shua.

Acts 2:38–39
³⁸ Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Y’shua Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as YHVH our Elohim will call to Himself.”

YHVH still sovereignly gives His Spirit to whom He wants to, to fulfill His will. There could therefore be people who do not believe in Y’shua who has YHVH’s Spirit in them.

How do we know if we have YHVH’s Spirit in us?

Mention is made in Scripture of the gifts of the Spirit and also the fruit of the Spirit. If we operate in these, we know we have the Holy Spirit in us.

The fruit of the Spirit

The general identifier in my opinion is the fruit of the Spirit.

Matthew 12:33
³³ “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.

Galatians 5:22–23
²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Colossians 3:12–14
¹² So, as those who have been chosen of Elohim, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as YHVH forgave you, so also should you. ¹⁴ Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Love is the greatest

1 John 4:16
¹⁶ We have come to know and have believed the love which Elohim has for us. Elohim is love, and the one who abides in love abides in Elohim, and Elohim abides in him.

1 Corinthians 13:4–10
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, ⁵ does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, ⁶ does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸ Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part; ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.

In 1 Corinthians, we read about some of the gifts. In the previous chapter, we find a detailed list of what can be considered the gifts of the Spirit.

The gifts of the Spirit

1 Corinthians 12:4–11
⁴ Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are varieties of ministries, and the same YHVH. ⁶ There are varieties of effects, but the same Elohim who works all things in all persons. ⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

• A word of wisdom
• Word of knowledge
• Faith
• Healing
• Effecting of Miracles
• Prophecy
• Distinguishing of spirits
• Various tongues
• Interpretation of tongues

We need the gifts of the Spirit in order to operate in the authority we have in Y’shua. Through Y’shua we will be able to cast out demons, speak with new tongues, pick up serpents, drink deadly poison without being hurt by it and we will be able to heal the sick by laying hands on them.

Mark 16:17–18
¹⁷ “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

The gifts of the Set Apart Spirit enable us to walk in this authority. The question is why don’t we?

A word of caution: confusion is not a gift or fruit of the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:33
³³ for Elohim is not a Elohim of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

You can read the whole passage for context. It is about behavior in the assembly specifically with regards to the gifts of the Spirit.

Conclusion

The Holy Spirit in the Tanakh was sovereignly given. YHVH’s Spirit came upon specific people to enable them to fulfill a task. This is still so today for some, as we have explained in the article. However, in the Apostolic writings, YHVH’s Spirit was given freely to all who believed in Y’shua, even Gentiles. This is true for us too. We can receive YHVH’s Spirit and He will guide us and teach us YHVH’s ways. YHVH’s Spirit would never prompt us to do anything contrary to His word, so, if somebody claims to have received a revelation or prophecy from YHVH and it is contrary to His word, it was not from His Set Apart Spirit.

A believer who has YHVH’s Spirit upon him or her would display the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit would also be available to him/her. This is how we could know if we have YHVH’s Spirit in us. How much of YHVH’s Spirit is made manifest in our lives is dependant on how much of our lives we yield to YHVH. Our bodies are temples of YHVH and we choose how much of this temple we make available to YHVH. If we choose to make room for idols or sin, the Set Apart Spirit can be grieved and may leave us.

The gifts of the Spirit enable us to walk in the authority we have in Y’shua and having this we will be able to cast out demons, heal the sick and many other things. The gift of faith would be required in order to do this. Without faith in Y’shua we could not do this.

You can pray to YHVH to fill you with His Spirit or you can go to another believer who has YHVH’s Spirit and let him/her lay hands on you. Faith in Y’shua is required.

We need YHVH’s Spirit to guide and teach us, a time will come when our lives would depend on YHVH’s guidance through His Spirit and it may then be too late since we have to learn to hear His voice. Y’shua said:

John 10:26–28
²⁶ “But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. ²⁷ “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; ²⁸ and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

There are many references of people being guided by YHVH’s Spirit, but that may be a topic for a later study. May you be filled with YHVH’s Spirit and may He guide us in all truth!

References

1. All quoted passages are from the New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995. We have substituted YHVH for LORD, and Y’shua for Jesus
2. Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.