The best of Christian theology says that we receive the Holy Spirit with our birth from above.  The Greek word pneuma is translated wind, breath or Spirit.  Without breath, babies cannot live.  Without the breath of Heaven (the Spirit), we cannot be born of God.  It is the Spirit that enables us to cry, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 6:15).  But those who have breathed in this Breath of God must be filled and refilled with the Spirit (Acts 2 & 4).  The mark of those who are born of the Spirit is that they hunger for more of the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of our Lord and Messiah.  Oh Christ, may we continually breathe into our beings who You are!  Amen!

“But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” Romans 8:9 (NRSV)