I got a question

Acts 19:2 Paul asks some guys: " Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?"

WHAT? COME AGAIN. Today this would seem like an off the wall question to take serious. What do you mean Paul; did I recieve the Holy Ghost when I believed? You are making it sound like there should be something precievable or experiential in the scope of recieving the Holy Ghost.

I think that is precisely the point. Christianity is confirmed through the Holy Spirit of God and it is unmistakable and apparent. 

I can imagine today the Christian would answer,  sure the bible says that's what happens. Thier answer is based on the inference and not necessarily experience. It is assumed we get the Holy Ghost when we believe? For too many Christianity and the gospel has been reduced to a decesion they make instead of a life altering experience. 

I am not referring to an outward manifestation like speaking in tongues or some supernatural external occurances but nevertheless, Christians should be able to experientially affirm and confirm the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit in thier lives. God's Holy Spirit is transforming and therefore precievable and observable. Paul says in Romans 8:9b " Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his". The Holy Spirit of Christ is noticable in the Childeren of God. It is through the Spirit that we know we are childeren of God. 

Since you have set under the preaching of the gospel has God so worked in you such a work that you now hate the sin you once loved? Since you have set under the preaching of the gospel has God worked such a soverign work that you now adore and desire the God that you once ignored, hated or taken for granted? you now esteem and desire him above all things. These are experienced and observable things to the Christian. Christians should definitely be able to answer yes with experiential evidence to the question: have you recieved the Holy Ghost since you believed? 

When you know the truth about God it overflows the mind and flows into the rest of you. you don't just know it you see it.