Why is the Holy Spirit important in the life of Christians? In some of my interactions with Christians, it seems that they see the Holy Spirit as something that happened in the early days of the Church, who has now left the scene. However, the book of Acts makes it clear that the Holy Spirit, first given to the disciples, was poured out to thousands of early Jewish believers and eventually the Gentiles, also. How important is the Holy Spirit? Blasphemy against any other member of the Trinity(e.g., the Father or the Son) can be forgiven, although blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. The Holy Spirit empowers the believer to perform acts of faith greater than their own physical capabilities. Feeling powerless these days? Tap into the Christian's power source and live the Christian life to its fullest. Be Filled! Although all believers possess the Holy Spirit, who lives in them, not all believers allow the indwelling Spirit to affect their lives. We are commanded to "be filled with the Holy Spirit. "How are we filled with the Spirit? Most important is living within God's moral directives. Paul gives the specific example of not being drunk with alcohol. However, any Christian living in sin of any kind will not experience the joy of the Holy Spirit, but will become enslaved to sin. An equally important aspect of being filled with the Spirit is being involved in spiritual endeavors. Paul gives examples of reciting Psalms, singing hymns and spiritual songs, giving thanks to God for all things, and being subject to one another.11 Part of being filled certainly involves setting our minds on heavenly things, so that we may be transformed and renewed to the will of God. Being filled with the Holy Spirit produces a sense of peace and joy in the believer. The fruit (i.e., harvest) of the Spirit is described as being joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Spirit-filled Christians are just different. The Holy Spirit lives inside the Christian and guides the actions of those who desire His presence. The Spirit empowers the believer to step outside his comfort zone to do extraordinary acts of faith for God. Being filled with the Spirit involves transforming our minds to the mind of Christ as we engage in spiritual activities. Walking in the Spirit leads to a sense of peace and joy, as we partner with God in His glorious plans. Violating our conscience through acts of disobedience lead to a loss of filling by the Holy Spirit, which takes away our joy and peace. Although God will not take the Holy Spirit away from a disciple of Jesus Christ, the continual practice of sin and a lack of spiritual activities will lead to a life that is no different than the life of a non-believer. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)