I read this Scripture this week, and oh my, did it ever speak to me! I felt floored! Then my soul felt elated! As I studied the words, it was like great, beautiful, colorful fireworks bursting around me! Even though I have read this verse many times, and sort of know this truth, I have never experienced the full effect of it until now. As I read, these firework words hit me full force and my heart burst with joy at the realization of what these Words truly mean. Here is this verse:
“In Him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14
Okay, on the surface, as you gloss over these words, you may be thinking to yourself, “I don’t get it, what’s the big deal?” Well, hang with me here, I’ll lay it out, step by step.
First, the word that got me is “sealed.” What do you think of when you hear the
word, sealed? Closed securely like the flap on an envelope? A wax seal that stamps and secures something? Yes. And what is the purpose of this seal? To protect the contents from falling out or from being opened by the wrong person. And the wax seal might declare the name or crest of the owner.
So, I love to use the The CSB Study Bible For Women, when reading and studying Scripture. One reason I love it is because it gives expert commentary on the verses, including the original Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek root word of key words or text in the verses. This helps a lot in understanding the author’s original meaning when he wrote these verses. Reading the commentary on this verse, oh my Goodness, there is so much more to this verse than first meets the eye! Here is The CSB Study Bible for Women’s commentary:
“This passage in Ephesians discusses a particular ministry called the sealing of the Holy Spirit (see 4:30; 2 Co 1:22). To be sealed (GK. esphragisthete, “marked with a seal, certified”) In Christ with the promised Holy Spirit is to be authenticated, proven to belong to God. With sealing comes ownership and security; It conveys the sense of being secured from Satan, to whom the seal would identify you as off limits. The Holy Spirit is the down payment (GK. Arrabon, “earnest money, first installment, deposit, pledge that full payment will follow”; cp. 2Co 1:22; 5:5) or assurance of the inheritance to come and completion of the transaction.”
Wow! Oh wow! What did you get from that explanation? What stands out to you?
What stood out to me most, and what floored me is this: we are sealed! Did you catch that? We are sealed by God, and his Holy Spirit! We are protected! We have security in knowing and understanding that we are off limits to Satan! Satan is the wrong person to “open” us and cannot have us once we believe in Jesus and the work he did on the cross! Nope, he cannot have us! He can try, but since we are sealed and protected and secured by the Holy Spirit, we know that we are safe from Satan’s destruction of our souls! Oh, Glory hallelujah!
We Are Sealed!
We Are Protected!
We Are Secured!
Oh, can you just imagine what the world would be like, what we all could accomplish as Christians if we lived like we believed that?
If we lived out our belief in Jesus, if we lived sealed, if we lived like we were off limits to Satan, imagine the power we would hold! Imagine the good we could do and accomplish!
Wow, my mind can’t even begin to fathom all we could accomplish in our lives. If we walked, talked, lived as if we were off limits to Satan. We could each one embrace our calling, and boldly step up and live it without fear! Oh, imagine that! The peace and beauty we could bring about in this world is staggering to think about.
Goodness gracious, this excites me so much! How about you? Oh my goodness sakes. I just can't wrap my brain around this right now! The knowledge of this is just too good to behold!
Wrapped Up and Simply Put
Just like the seal, and the hearts of love that protect the seal on this beautiful, gold envelope, so does the love of our Lord, seal and protect His beloved children – you and me! Woohoo!
The love of Jesus provided the Seal of the Holy Spirit when he ascended into heaven after his life here on earth. Click these links to read about this:
When we believe in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and apply this belief to our lives and live for Christ, then we are given this incredible Holy Spirit Seal. Oh my Goodness! And the love of our Father in Heaven protects the sealing of us and makes us off limits to Satan!
Holy Moly! Isn’t that a mind-boggling truth? Isn’t it a super great relief to know that no matter what, when we live for Christ, Satan has no power over us that God can’t protect us from. From the moment we truly and sincerely give our hearts to Jesus, Satan can never take us away from God, nor our Heavenly home that is awaiting us! Ahhhhhhhhh this knowledge is too great to fully comprehend, but oh my Goodness, I sure will try! How about you? Thank you, Jesus!
I AM sealed!
I want to live Sealed!
How about you - are you sealed? If you don’t know for sure, or if would like to be, please know that you can be – if you’ll just give your heart to Jesus. Pray this prayer with me now:
“Dear Jesus,
I believe in you! I believe you are God’s only son. (John 3:16), I believe you came to earth and then died for my sins, and then were resurrected by God to live in Heaven with God, as the living sacrifice for my sins. Thank you for dying for me so that I can live, and have a personal relationship with you and God, our Heavenly Father. Thank you that I can be sealed forever, by God’s Holy Spirit, and be off limits to Satan, and be with you forever. Please, Jesus, come live in my heart and guide my life forever. I now know and believe that I am saved and sealed forever! I now boldly confess and proclaim,
I Am Saved!
I Am Sealed Forever!
Hallelujah!
In Jesus’s Name I pray,
Amen”
Did you pray that prayer? Yes? How do you feel? Are you SAVED? Are you SEALED? Are you PROTECTED forever? Glory Hallelujah! Stand up, raise your hands and say it with me,
"Glory Hallelujah! I Am Saved! I Am Sealed Forever!"
Aaahahahahaha! Woohoo! Party and celebration day!
I know this is a long post today, however, I just can't help my excitement over this beautiful Scripture! To understand fully that I am sealed and protected by God, and off limits to Satan, that I can claim that power, in Jesus's name, and Satan has to flee from me, is a huge mood lifter and game changer for all of us indeed! I will live in this joy and power to the best of my ability, forever!
How about you?
Let me know your thoughts on this! And please let me know if you prayed that prayer - in the comments, or contact me here. I would sure love to celebrate with you and answer any questions you may have.
Love and mega blessings always,
Mindy 💗
Added this morning:
