102. What must a person do to receive the Holy Spirit?

Ask and believe; obey and receive!

• If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! (Luke 11:13)
• Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive. (John 7:37-39)
• We are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him. (Acts 5:32)

Six times in the book of Acts the Holy Spirit is called the “gift” of God, which is given to people who believe and obey (Acts 2:38; 5:32; 8:20; 10:45; 11:17; 15:8). We must simply receive this gift from God.