“It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—SIGNED, SEALED, and DELIVERED by the Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 1:13, The Message)
SEALED: SAFE, SECURE, AND PROTECTED!
In our last post, we learned that Jesus ratified the New Covenant with His own blood, and purchased us as God’s most treasured possession.
Once we recognize and surrender to God’s rightful ownership of our lives, we also learn that we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, marking us as God’s own, and ensuring our eternal security.
The dictionary defines “seal” in a number of ways.One of the primary meanings is “to enclose and secure something, keeping it safe from theft, harm, or contamination.”
¹⁴ “I have given them your Word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵ I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one.” (John 17:14-15)
In essence, Jesus was praying that even though we would continue to live in a hostile and dangerous world, we would be “kept from the evil one”.
Remember the definition for seal: “to secure an item, keeping it safe from theft, harm, or contamination.”
Is there a thief at work in this world?
Does the enemy seek to harm and destroy?
Is the world sin-polluted all around us?
Obviously and sadly, the answer to these questions is “YES”!
THE WOLF IS A WIND-BAG!
But the good news is: Jesus has deprived this hurtful world of its power to harm us!
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have perfect peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” (John 16:33, Amplified Classic)
The devil is a “trash-talker”. He will do his best to convince you that he’s going to kick down the door, rush into your life, steal all your finances, wreck your health, and destroy your family. He can’t! We’re sealed!
Like the “Big Bad Wolf” in the children’s story of “The Three Little Pigs” the “Big Bad Devil” rages, “Little Christian, Little Christian, let me in, or I’ll huff and puff and blow your house down!” He can’t! We’re sealed! LOL!
Go ahead, and try, Wolfy Wind-bag! You’re on the outside, powerless to harm me! I’m sealed by Holy Spirit, and I’m on the inside, IN CHRIST, and CHRIST is INSIDE me! I am protected and powerful in Him!
Holy Spirit’s seal in us creates a very clear line of demarcation, an unassailable barrier between us and the nasty, dangerous world in which we live.
What does that mean on a practical level for our daily lives?
A BORDER BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH
Several years ago I was invited to minister in South Korea. While there, my friends, who pastor a church in Seoul, took me north to the border between South and North Korea, an area also known as the Demilitarized Zone or DMZ.
The DMZ is a strip of land 160 miles long, and almost 3 miles wide, that divides the two nations. It’s the most heavily fortified border in the world, with multiple rows of concrete barriers, razor wire, barbed wire and electrfied fences, CCTV, and motion detectors.
Approximately two million soldiers, two million landmines, and 13,000 large artillery guns line this border. I would say it’s slightly ironic that it’s called a “demilitarized” zone.
Life in South Korea and North Korea presents one of the most extreme contrasts in the world.
South Korea is technologically advanced and prosperous, with freedom of thought, expression and religion. Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, South Korea is home to 800,000 Spirit-filled Christians, the largest congregation in the world.
North Korea on the other hand is isolated, from the rest of the world, a totalitarian dictatorship marked by severe poverty, strict censorship, and human rights abuses.
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Please take the time to pray for the salvation of the North Korean people!
TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CHRISTIANITY IN NORTH KOREA, CLICK THE LINK BELOW:
https://share.google/hVe4C6PU7usGVxQp3
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The border between the two Koreas is extremely difficult, but not impossible to cross. Over the years it has been breached by a few brave souls, fleeing the oppression of the North.
As I stood at the DMZ I saw a dividing line drawn, not just through the Korean peninsula, but through humanity itself.
On the one side, life, light, and freedom. On the other side, death, darkness, and cruel bondage.
The border that Holy Spirit has established in believers is perfectly impenetrable. Nothing, not sin, death, or satan can break that seal and penetrate our spirits!
SIN STOPS AT THE SEAL
The Bible says, when we’re born again, we receive a new nature, a brand new spirit, created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:24)
So naturally, when we sin we think, “I’ve messed up. I’ve contaminated my new born-again spirit. Now I’m unworthy before God.”
But remember, we are sealed by Holy Spirit. Spiritually, we are as righteous and holy as Jesus is, because it’s His righteousness and His holiness within us, not our own!
If we really were contaminated every time we sinned, our sin would also contaminate Jesus because, we are a living part of Him. We are members of His Body, and…
“… he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” (1 Corinthians 6:17)
“… as He is, so are we in this world.”
(1 John 4:17)
Sin does indeed contaminate and defile us, that is our physical and mental well-being, that’s why we want to avoid it. But sin doesn’t affect or change us spiritually.
Even after we have sinned we are still the RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD… IN CHRIST… ONE SPIRIT WITH HIM… SEALED… FREE from SPIRITUAL CONTAMINATION… CLEAN, PURE, and HOLY in GOD’S SIGHT!
These truths may be hard for many of us to embrace. We live so much of our lives in the physical and soulish realm, that we are almost totally unaware of our true spiritual nature.
That’s why we must spend time and focus our spiritual energy on renewing our minds to who we are in Christ!
“… don’t pattern your life after the culture around you; rather permit the Spirit of God within you to transform your being…”
(Romans 12:2, Ben Campbell Johnson)
As your mind is renewed, your confidence will grow that Holy Spirit’s seal protects you. and keeps you safe from all theft, harm, and contamination.
In closing, let’s look at the words of our Shepherd in regards to the security of His sheep:
²⁷ “The sheep that are my own hear my voice and listen to me; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ And I give them eternal life, and they will never, ever [by any means] perish; and no one will ever snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater and mightier than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”(John 10:27-29, Amplified Bible)
Just like Christian rapper MC Hammer said:
(Devil), “U Can’t Touch This!”
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