As believers, our first step on the path to growing our gift is to be able to discern the presence of the Holy Spirit. He has a tangible presence and we should recognize him when he comes.
We should also invite his presence. One of my pastors, Pastor Quanidos, says, “The Holy Spirit is a gentleman. He won’t come in if we don’t ask.”
The fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, and peace,[1] and that is what he brings with his presence.
Sometimes there is an stillness that comes, an intense stillness.[2] Sometimes the air will feel thick (in a good way.) Sometimes you will smell a fragrance along with his presence,[3] or you might feel a wind.[4]
Sometimes people can see the presence. I was just talking to someone in my church last week who shared that she had once seen a cloud, the Shekinah glory.[5] Not everyone at the service saw it, but several people did and confirmed it.
You may be in a situation where you feel the presence of the Holy Spirit and other people don’t experience the same thing. This can be because, as I mentioned before, we are all unique and God relates to us as individuals.[6]
But it also might be because they are spiritually closed off, either because they have unconfessed sin in their life[7] or because they just aren’t open to experiencing God in a tangible way.[8]
God won’t force on us something that we don’t want.
But for someone who is an unbeliever, the presence of the Holy Spirit can be a completely different experience. It may bring conviction, or it says that it can be like a foul odor to those who don’t believe.
Again, it is very important as you are growing in your spiritual gift to be around people who are on the same path.
Discerning of Spirits Resources
Seeing the Supernatural by Jennifer Eivaz On Amazon”>
Seeing Angels and Demons by Susan Merritt On Amazon
Discerning of Spirits by Francis Frangipane On Amazon
Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide On Amazon
The Gifts of the Spirit by Derek Prince On Amazon
Releasing Spiritual Gifts Today by James Goll On Amazon
The Seer by James Goll On Amazon
Endnotes
[1] Galatians 5:22-23. New International Version. Biblegateway.com
[2] Psalm 46:10. English Standard Version. Biblegateway.com.
Trader, Alexis. Two Kinds of Stillness: Be Still and Know That I am God.” Ancient Christian Wisdom. 3 March 2013. Accessed 11 August 2013.
1 Kings 19:11-13. King James Version. Biblegateway.com.
[3] 2 Corinthians 2:14-16. New Living Translation. Biblegateway.com.
Murphy, Reverend Jim and Carolyn. The Works of the Holy Spirit in the Believer Part 2. Hundredfold Ministries International. Accessed 11 August 2013.
[4] John 3:5-8. New Living Translation. Biblegateway.com
[5] Exodus 13:21-22. New Living Translation. Biblegateway.com.
Exodus 40:34-38. New Living Translation. Biblegateway.com.
[6] Psalm 139. English Standard Version. Biblegateway.com.
[7] Isaiah 59:1-2. New International Version. Biblegateway.com.
[8] Hebrews 10:26-27. English Standard Version. Biblegateway.com
Hi greetings in jesus Name hope fine Aserving lord and hoever iwill be gland to hear from you hope for holyspirit Thank you be blessed
I have felt and sensed a particular disliking in my spirit about something in the house but i have never really been able to put my finger on it and i have always prayed and anointed my room and commanded any unclean spirit to leave.
You might try looking at the objects in the room and ask the Holy Spirit to identify anything to which they might be attached. I had masks in my living room bought from World Market which I just thought looked cool. One day my Dad commented on them, they always troubled his spirit. So I looked up the history of the masks and those types of masks were used by Balinese tribes to channel the spirits of their ancestors. I threw them out as well as a print that had occultic symbols in it. My parents both said that it felt better when they came back.