“Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;”-Hebrews 10:15-16
Has Satan ever told you: “you’re not sanctified.” Or “you’re not born again. “You don’t have salvation.” In Revelation twelve and ten the scripture calls Satan the accuser of the brethren. It’s a tricky one, because, if you listen to Satan, it will sow doubt in your mind. On the other hand, how do you know it’s not God talking to you, and telling you where you ought to be? When it comes to the salvation of our soul, we must be sure. So, how do we know we are Sanctified (I.e. saved, brought into full fellowship with God and Christ, and have the power of the Holy Ghost living within)?
We are all guilty of the same crime. We are all sinners, and we have been tried, convicted, and condemned. If it were not for Jesus Christ, we would all stay that way. However, when you repent, and believe by faith that Christ paid the penalty for your crimes then you are free from the guilt and punishment of those crimes. You are free from the sinfulness you have done. This is justification. However, while free of committed sins, you are still a slave to carnal sin. Which is the nature of sin that caused you to do it in the first place. Therefore, the indwelling of the Holy Ghost is a second, necessary work of grace. The Holy Ghost must move in and cast the old nature of sin out. We are sanctified by the Holy Ghost, and He is our character witness. If you were accused of a crime, you didn’t commit, or of a crime you did commit, and we set at liberty from; a good lawyer would start by reviewing the facts of the case. Detailing your alibi, and finally, calling in some solid character witnesses. They would come in and witness under oath that you are not guilty. In this manner, the Holy Ghost is a witness unto us. Why, he is the strongest and most powerful witness there is! He is sent by Jesus himself to testify to all accusers that you are redeemed! The Holy Ghost works in tandem with the Word of God. The sanctified will read their Bible daily and “look into that perfect law of liberty and continue therein.” As you read, you see. You see what is comely, and what is uncomely. The scripture likens it to looking in a mirror. You see what is good, and what you need to shape up (maybe the beard is getting scraggly, or the hair is out of place, those eyebrows need a trim, etc.). As you are led and guided by the Holy Ghost, and the Word of God, it conditions your spiritual ears to the call and leading of the Shepherd. Which is Jesus Christ. You become accustomed to the sound of His voice. Not an audible voice, but an internal “knowing” of His will. As sheep know the shepherd’s voice. The more you know His voice, the more foreign the voice of Satan becomes, and you recognize it right away. Herein is one of the dangers of indulging on the world (i.e. listening to ungodly music, television, social media influencers; etc.); it blurs the senses, and robs you of that keen sense of the Holy Spirit. It numbs your “knower.” The man who dies of hypothermia dies slowly and comfortably. It’s the same way when you remain in the frigid waters of the world. Furthermore, if the witness of the Holy Ghost is inside of you it will testify to the accuser day in and day out. It will testify in your disposition, dress, and decisions. It will testify in your manner of life and concern for others. The abiding change in your life, the confidence towards God; that can only be brought about by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Herein is how we know, because we have the abiding witness of the Holy Ghost. You don’t need habitual sin to keep you close to God, but a complete salvation. A salvation witnessed and imparted by the Holy Ghost.
