Brother Michel Lankford
The Answer Can be Yes… or No. It Depends
“Question: Do You Need the Holy Spirit to go to Heaven?
The answer could be YES or NO. It truly depends on what you mean by, “Having the Holy Spirit.” If You mean it one way, then the answer is NO. If you have another meaning in mind when you ask the question, then the answer is most definitely, YES! This is one of those instances where what you have in mind when you ask the question makes all the difference between the answer being yes, or the answer being no. I will explain.
It depends on what you mean, and the beliefs that you have in your head when you are asking the question. For example, there are many groups of Christians out there who carry the FALSE teaching that supposedly, the proof that you have the Holy Spirit living and working in you is that you can speak in tongues. In fact, some Pentecostal groups go so far as to teach FALSELY, that the proof that someone has the Holy Spirit is that they speak in other tongues, and any person is supposedly not truly saved, if they do not speak in tongues. If you are looking for a particular manifestation gift of the Holy Spirit, as proof that you have the Holy Spirit, and you are looking to that gift as proof that you are truly saved in Jesus Christ; if that is the belief behind your question, then the answer is 100% NO. Such a belief is false teaching. It is heresy, and it is anti-Scriptural.
By the way, the reason that I know that what I am saying is correct, is because Jesus the Messiah Himself specifically taught against this false belief, in the gospel according to Matthew. We will highlight the importance of Messiah’s statements as we continue with this teaching. This is absolutely crucial, because according to Messiah Himself, there will be many people who manifested gifts of the Holy Spirit, but they will still go to hell in the end. Yes, you heard me correctly. According to the Messiah it is entirely possible for people to be manifesting the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and they will still go to hell. Many will not be going to heaven, according to Messiah, (e.g. Matthew 7:21-23). That is why it is NOT SAFE to depend upon the manifesting gifts of the Holy Spirit as alleged proof that you are saved and going to heaven.
So, no, having a specific manifestation gift of the Holy Spirit, (such as speaking in other tongues), is NOT proof that you are saved and going to heaven, because according to the Messiah, it is entirely possible to have the manifestations of the Holy Spirit and still go to hell.
On the other hand, if you are asking whether or not having the Holy Spirit living inside of us in the general sense is required to go to heaven, then the answer is absolutely YES. Having the Holy Spirit living inside of us, and producing the FRUIT of the Holy Spirit, IS required to go to Heaven. Having the gifts of the Holy Spirit is important. However, producing the FRUIT of the Holy Spirit is FAR MORE important than the gifts are.
Many People Who Work in The Gifts of the Holy Spirit Will Still Go Hell.
How do I know this? Jesus said so:
As It Is Written: ““Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21–23 NKJV)
- Please take notice that we are required to do the Heavenly Father’s Will in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, (Matthew 7:21).
- Many who claim Jesus as their Lord and Savior who will not be going to heaven, because they did not to the Heavenly Father’s Will.
- Please take notice that according to the passage, there will be many people who will have walked in the Holy Spirit’s Gift of Prophecy; (which literally means to prophesy, to speak in tongues, and to interpret tongues as described in 1 Corinthians 12). So, speaking in tongues cannot be a sign and that you are right with God and going to heaven automatically.
- Please take notice that according to the passage, there will be many people who will have walked in the Holy Spirit’s Gifts of healing and deliverance; (casting of demons in the Name of Messiah); yet they will still go to hell, because they did not do the will of the Almighty Father, but they practiced lawlessness.
- Please take notice that according to the passage, there will be many people who will have walked in the Holy Spirit’s Gifts of performing many miracles and (doing many signs and wonders in the Name of Jesus); yet they will still go to hell, they will not go to heaven, because they did not do the will of the Almighty Father, but they practiced lawlessness.
All the fantastic works described in the passage are manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit. None of those manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit will be a guarantee of someone’s entering into the Kingdom of God. According to Jesus, many people who walk in those fantastic gifts, will still go to hell; because they practice lawlessness, and they do not do the Will of the Almighty Father. That’s not just my personal opinion. Jesus the Messiah is the one who said it. So, if you don’t like what I’m saying, then wrestle that out with Messiah, because He is the One Who declared it. You either believe Jesus, or you don’t. It’s up to you. Whether we like it are not, it does not change the fact that Messiah said what He said.
Yes, We Must Have the Holy Spirit
As It Is Written: ““Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. (Matthew 21:43 NKJV)
It is the Holy Spirit living and working in us that empowers us to produce the fruit of the Kingdom. We cannot do it otherwise.
We Must be Born Again through the Holy Spirit
As It Is Written: “Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:5 NKJV)
As It Is Written: “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (Romans 8:11 NKJV)
We will not be resurrected to Eternal Life, unless the Holy Spirit that resurrected Jesus Christ from the dead is also living in us. So, yes, we still need the Holy Spirit to go Heaven.
- The Holy Spirit confirms us to be a Child of God, (Romans 8:15-17).
- The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, (John 16:9). So, we cannot recognize, confess, repent, turn away from, and overcome sin, unless we have the Holy Spirit helping us do those things successfully.
- The Holy Spirit empowers us to obey God, and to do the Will of God, (Ezekiel 11:19-20; Ezekiel 36:25-27). That is part of the function of the Holy Spirit. We’re not going to be able to do the Will of God on any persistent basis, without the help and the empowering of the Holy Spirit.
- The Holy Spirit empowers as to overcome our sinful nature. We cannot do that without the Holy Spirit, (Galatians 5:16-25).
- It is the Holy Spirit that empowers us to hold firmly to our confession of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, (e.g.1 Corinthians 12:3).
In conclusion, YES, we must have the Holy Spirit transforming us, and living inside of us, and empowering us to do the will of God, in order to go to Heaven. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not a guarantee the are saved, but you still need a Holy Spirit, because you cannot get to heaven and be resurrected to Eternal Life without the Holy Spirit.
Thank you for your kind consideration and attention.
Brother Michel Lankford