The Spirit is a gift, received through faith in Jesus Christ, not earned by works or by feelings. When you trust Christ, you are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit; and as you walk with Him, you are filled again and again.
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
1
The Spirit is received through faith, not works
Paul's question to the Galatians is the key: 'Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?' The Spirit comes by believing the gospel, the same way salvation itself comes.
I just want to learn this from you. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
He therefore who supplies the Spirit to you, and works miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
He is the gift promised to all who repent and believe
Peter's answer to 'What must we do?' was: repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins: 'and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.' The promise is not for a select few; it is for everyone the Lord calls.
Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Paul writes that having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise: the seal, the down payment of the inheritance. Jesus described the Spirit as rivers of living water flowing from within the believer.
in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified.In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
The Spirit of adoption replaces the spirit of fear. Through Him we call God our Father with the intimate confidence of a child, and He Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God. For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God;For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Receiving the Spirit is the beginning; being filled is the ongoing life. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit, and to walk by Him, and not to grieve Him. The filling is not one dramatic moment, but a continual surrender.
Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God;For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
I just want to learn this from you. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?