What Is the Evidence of the Holy Ghost Bible and Prophet’s Answer
The Holy Spirit is the foundation of the Christian faith and the life of the church. When a person is saved, his journey does not end at the cross but a new life begins. This new life is possible through the presence of the Holy Spirit. But the question is, what is the true sign of the Holy Ghost? Is it just speaking in tongues? Is it an emotional state? Or is it the daily manifestation of Christ's life within us? The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is the seal of God on the believer, which gives him a new birth and a transformed life.
The Seal of the Holy Spirit
Apostle Paul and Apostle John repeatedly emphasized that the real evidence is love, obedience, and the fruit of the Spirit. This is confirmed by the following scriptures:
- Ephesians 1:13: 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.
- Ephesians 4:30: And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
- 2 Corinthians 1:21-22: Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
The Meaning of the Seal
In ancient times, a seal had three major purposes, which apply to the believer today:
- Sign of Ownership: The thing on which the seal of the king or owner was placed was considered his property. When the Holy Spirit seals a believer, it is a declaration that he is now God's property.
- Protection and Safety: A seal meant that no one else could touch that object until the owner himself broke it. Similarly, the Holy Spirit keeps the believer safe until the day of redemption.
- Authenticity and Confirmation: The seal revealed the difference between the fake and the original. The Holy Spirit is the believer's true Christian identity and the proof that his salvation is real.
The New Birth and Transformed Life
Jesus taught that "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3) and "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). The new birth is not a physical birth but a spiritual birth where the old nature dies and a new nature, a Christ-like life, is born in the believer. This change is not through human effort or religious rituals, but only through the presence of the Holy Spirit.
As written in 2 Corinthians 5:17, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. This is the Conduct, Order, And Doctrine Of The Church in action.
Prophet William Branham’s Answer
Brother William Branham explained that the true sign of the Holy Spirit is neither just speaking in tongues nor just miracles or emotional experiences. Instead, it is that the life of Christ is manifested in the believer and he is fully in harmony with the Word of his day. This is The Token, the sign without which a person cannot find acceptance before God.
According to the teachings in "What Is The Holy Ghost" (1959) and "The Token" (1963), when the Holy Spirit seals you, it is a declaration that your journey is complete and you belong to God. The new birth is the Holy Spirit coming inside you and recreating the life of Christ. This aligns with the Revelation Verse by Verse — In the Light of the End Time Message and The Revelation of Seven Seals And Seven church Ages.
Comparison of Evidence and Purpose
Evidence Type: Ownership
Description: A declaration that the believer is now God's property through the Seal.
Evidence Type: Protection
Description: The believer is kept safe from the enemy until the day of redemption.
Evidence Type: Authenticity
Description: The manifestation of Christ’s life and harmony with the Word of the hour.