Guided Question

Have I truly experienced the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, or am I relying on tradition, emotion, or head knowledge to define my faith?

Summary

This message challenges believers to discern whether their faith is authentic by examining the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. While many claim Christianity by upbringing or verbal confession, true salvation is marked by the indwelling Spirit. The Holy Spirit alone illuminates Scripture, produces spiritual fruit, convicts of sin, and assures us of our relationship with God. Without Him, even the most disciplined religious life remains empty. Dr. Lewis concludes with a call to self-examination and surrender, emphasizing the Spirit-led life over rote religious practice.

Outline

I. Introduction: Surface-Level Christianity
- The Word of God cannot be fully grasped without the Spirit.
- New believers often exhibit a spiritual hunger that signals true faith.
II. A Testimony of Real Conversion
- A man uninterested in church suddenly desires the Bible after salvation.
- His hunger reflects the Holy Spirit’s work, not mere human curiosity.
III. What Marks True Salvation?
- Outward confession alone is not the biblical evidence of salvation.
- Jesus did not trust all who claimed belief (John 2:23–25).
- Nicodemus believed in Jesus but still lacked the Spirit (John 3:1–7).
IV. The Holy Spirit: God’s Seal and Guide
- The Spirit is God’s down payment and assurance of redemption (Ephesians 1:13–14).
- The absence of the Spirit means one is not Christ’s (Romans 8:9).
- The Spirit leads, confirms our adoption, and gives us intimacy with God (Romans 8:14–16).
V. Counterfeit Faith Exposed
- Cultural or passive faith can mimic genuine faith but lacks transformation.
- True faith includes repentance, desire to know God, and fruit of the Spirit.
VI. Academic Religion Without the Spirit
- Even seminary or Bible teaching can become dead without the Spirit’s presence.
- Intellectual pursuit does not equal spiritual transformation.
VII. Final Call: Examine Yourselves
- Paul calls believers to test whether they are truly in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).
- Signs of the Spirit include fruit, conviction, guidance, and internal witness.

Key Takeaways

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the clearest evidence of genuine salvation.
Verbal confession or church involvement does not equal spiritual rebirth.
Only the Spirit can bring Scripture to life and guide us into God's will.
Intellectual knowledge without the Spirit leads to spiritual dryness and pride.
Believers should regularly test their faith and examine whether spiritual fruit is evident.
True Christian living flows from the Spirit, not performance or habit.

Scripture References

John 2:23–25 – Jesus did not entrust Himself to superficial believers.

John 3:1–7 – Nicodemus is told he must be born again by the Spirit.

Ephesians 1:13–14 – The Holy Spirit is the seal and pledge of our inheritance.

Romans 8:9 – Anyone without the Spirit does not belong to Christ.

Romans 8:14–16 – The Spirit leads and testifies that we are God’s children.

2 Corinthians 13:5 – Believers are commanded to examine themselves.

Galatians 5:22–23 – The fruit of the Spirit as the evidence of transformation.

1 Corinthians 2:10–16 – The Spirit reveals and interprets the deep things of God.

Recorded 6/28/81