The seal of the Holy Spirit
There is among some believers the erroneous idea that the seal of Holy Spirit is characterized by the manifestation of tongues. This false doctrine cause some people to go through extreme frustration, feeling rejected, some through their entire lives, unnecessarily.
The Spirit of the Lord – the Holy Spirit - has been with the people from the beginning of times. The prophets, elders and other leaders in the Old Testament have been endowed with a portion of the Spirit. See Exodus 35:31, Numbers 27:18, Judges 3:10, 2 Chronicles 15:1, and many other references.
This dispensation however was not done to all of Israel. At the beginning the people of the Lord were instructed to follow directions given by Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and other leaders. Once the Lord delivered Israel from slavery, then the Law became the guiding instrument for the people. This Law was administered by Moses, his successors, elders and judges. At that time only a few men and women of the Lord were endowed with the Holy Spirit. The others followed these leaders.
With the coming of Jesus Christ on earth this situation was completely changed: during His stay He preached, instructed, but above all He saved, healed, forgave, and resurrected many. Before His departure, He made us a promise: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” John 14:26 (NASB). The Holy Spirit then started to be endowed to all that believe, and its function is to illuminate, remember, and teach us the words and deeds of our Lord Jesus.
A person can only believe in the Lord as our Savior, if he/she has received a portion of the Holy Spirit: “Therefore I make known to you that…no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit”. 1 Corinthians 12:3 (NASB).
The Holy Spirit manifests itself in different manners in the life of a person: at first by giving us the power to believe – Faith – and then with other manifestations. I Corinthians 12:5-11. (NASB).
Concerning the gift of tongues, that is undoubtedly one of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, but as most other gifts, with its own function. It is used by the Lord to mostly edify our souls individually (“…the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words..”), and, if there is interpretation, for the edification of the Church. See 1 Corinthians 14: 4 and 27-28, and Romans 8:26.
A seal always represented a sign of power and authenticity. The seal of the Holy Spirit is with all of those that received the message of the gospel, and believed: “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise..” Ephesians 1:13 (NASB).