Reflections on and reactions to the Rev. Billy Graham’s life are an indication of the power and truth with which the evangelist spoke.
READ: 10 Celebs Whose Lives Were Completely Transformed by Billy Graham
With that in mind, it’s no surprise that one of Graham’s most powerful quotes about heaven began circulating and going viral within the first few hours of his death.
“Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it,” Graham once said. “I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.'”
It’s a powerful message of hope surrounding the existence of the eternal human spirit — and one worth revisiting today as many mourn and remember the life of a man who helped millions of people across the globe better understand the gospel.
"Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God." Billy Graham
— David Platt (@plattdavid) February 21, 2018
In the wake of Graham’s death, his son, Franklin Graham, also shared another message that his father had delivered about heaven.
“My father @BillyGraham was once asked, ‘Where is Heaven?'” Franklin Graham tweeted. “He said, ‘Heaven is where Jesus is and I am going to Him soon!'”
Franklin Graham went on to say that his father, who was 99, “departed this world into eternal life in Heaven, prepared by the Lord Jesus Christ” and noted that his dad had passionately shared the gospel for 80 years.
My father @BillyGraham was once asked, “Where is Heaven?” He said, “Heaven is where Jesus is and I am going to Him soon!” This morning, he departed this world into eternal life in Heaven, prepared by the Lord Jesus Christ—the Savior of the world—whom he proclaimed for 80 years.
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) February 21, 2018
As Faithwire previously reported, the renowned evangelist was known for his deeply held Christian beliefs. He traveled the globe over a span of seven decades. The preacher ministered to nearly 215 million people through his “Crusades” and other public appearances, visiting more than 185 countries along the way.
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, his official organization, estimates that hundreds of millions more were reached through TV, video, film and webcasts. This means that Graham likely ministered, both directly and through popular media channels, to more people than anyone else in history, according to Biography.com.
Read more about Graham’s phenomenal life here.