The Witness of the Spirit.

     The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

     By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
                     1 John 3:24, 4:13 NASB

     As Christians, God has set our bodies apart to be temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19). It is His purpose for us to abide in Him, and He in us.
     Paul tells us that the love of God is poured out within our hearts, by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). Think of your life before you met Christ. At some point you felt the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, as He showed you your sinfulness, and need for the Savior (John 16:7-11; 1 Thess 1:5). I can remember the unrest and turmoil as I struggled against the Holy Spirit's work in my life before I surrendered to Him.
     An amazing thing happens as we repent, and by faith cast ourselves upon God's mercy through Christ Jesus. We have peace. The condemnation we felt is now gone (Romans 5:1, 8:1). Once we are forgiven, and the Holy Spirit enters our hearts, He bears witness with our spirits that we are now children of God (Romans 8:16; Galatians 4:6).
     Now instead of convicting of us our sin, instead of driving us to the cross for mercy, the Holy Spirit comforts us, brings us peace, fills our hearts with love, and confirms to us that we belong to God as His children.
     It is a wonderful thing to have a clean heart, a conscience at rest. When we felt the guilt of our sin we had no faith. We were unable to approach God with confidence, but now this has all changed (1 John 3:21).
     I ask you, "Do you have this witness of the Holy Spirit, that you are a true child of God?" You can have this witness, and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are indeed born again.