How do I know for sure if I have the Holy Ghost? What is the evidence? This is a good question and worthy of a solid answer. Some claim that you automatically possess the Holy Spirit the minute you profess, receive, or accept Christ. Others say you have to display the “fruit” of the Spirit. (See Galatians 5: 22, 23) But what does the Bible actually teach? John 3: 8 (NIV) The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. Jesus compared the birth of the Spirit to a wind that blows where it wishes. He said you can HEAR the wind, but you cannot see it. In other words, you will hear some “evidence” that the wind has blown, although you never actually saw the wind. A perfect example of this would be wind chimes – the only evidence needed that the wind is blowing is the wonderful tune in your ears. So it is with every person who is born of the Spirit… (Read Acts 2: 1 – 21) Once again, we visit the birth of the Church. This time our focus is on the Holy Spirit baptism. God confirms his assertion that the birth of the Spirit would be evidenced by something that you can hear. This “sound” was the supernatural experience of speaking with other tongues, as the Spirit gave the utterance. The people could not see the Spirit, but they could hear the evidence of its arrival. As stated earlier, Peter proclaims this phenomenon as the fulfilment of Joel’s prophecy. (See Joel 2: 28 – 32) Acts 10: 44 – 48 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. This is the account of New Testament Salvation coming to the Gentiles. Cornelius and his household eagerly listened to the gospel as Peter preached the Word of God. (See Acts 10: 34 – 43) Notice that the evidence of the Holy Spirit baptism is that “they heard them speak with tongues”. In this passage, we also see the need for water baptism in Jesus’ name. This is a complete account of people being born of water and of the Spirit. Cornelius was as sincere and devout as they come. (See Acts 10: 1 – 3, 30 – 33; 11: 13, 14) However, he was not saved. (See Acts 11: 14) He needed to be born again. It cannot be overlooked that the only thing that took Cornelius from a state of being “unsaved” to a state of being “saved” was the infilling of the Holy Ghost and water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. Cornelius did not become any more devout, sincere, or charitable. He was simply baptized in Jesus’ name and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking with other tongues. (Read Acts 8: 14 – 20) Here we see the gospel being preached in Samaria. These people had already believed and been baptized in Jesus’ name, however they had NOT received the Holy Spirit. This eliminates the theory that you automatically receive the Holy Spirit when you believe in Christ. Although this account does not plainly state that they spoke in tongues when they received the Spirit, verses 18 & 19 allude to the fact that there was indeed some type of evidence of a supernatural experience. If there was no outward evidence of an inward infilling, why would Simon the Sorcerer have offered money in return for this “gift”? Obviously, something took place. Based on what we have learned, it is extremely likely that the audible evidence of speaking with other tongues was the gift that Simon tried to purchase. @Back on Track Bible Studies - Rick Flores (Excerpt from The Spirit of Truth)
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 10:00:00 +0000