Counsels on Wellness

Counsel #9 — Spiritual Helper

Picture: Counsel #9 — Spiritual Helper CWe 19.1

If a person is baptized by water only, no heart change can take place. However, being baptized by the Holy Spirit ensures a spiritually transformative experience that empowers an individual to live a life guided by God. CWe 19.2

Jesus promised His followers that the Holy Spirit would come upon them, giving them the power to heal and convince people to turn away from sin. While each person receives spiritual gifts through the baptism of the Holy Spirit,^[16] the true evidence of His presence is a transformed life. A person who was once an adulterer, liar, or thief becomes a person filled with love, selflessness, and obedience to God. You can see that the Holy Spirit is working in that person’s life. CWe 19.3

If you want to experience a new life in Christ, seek God through prayer, worship, and surrender. Ask for the Holy Spirit to empower you to overcome sin—to have a new heart—through His strength and love.^[17] CWe 19.4

“And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” John 1:33 NIV CWe 19.5

“The influence of the Holy Spirit is the life of Christ in the soul.” Ellen White in Counsels on Health, p. 289 CWe 19.6

Reflect: Have you grown through the Holy Spirit’s work in your life in the last year? What is the evidence? CWe 19.7