Each Sunday during Lent I have talked about something special we have because in faith we belong to Christ. So far we have looked at: Salvation, Christ’s Righteousness, Our home in Heaven and the ability to approach God in prayer. Today, I want to look at the sealing we have in the Holy Spirit.
Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am sealed by the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13-14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. This amazing Biblical truth gives me assurance of my salvation and hope for today and a future with Christ. It also assures me of where and to whom I belong through my faith in Jesus. Paul also spoke of this guaranteeing seal in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” 2 Corinthians 5:5 “Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
What does a seal do? A seal protects the contents (us) from harmful things getting in and it marks it as authentic. By being sealed with God’s Holy Spirit we are insulated or protected from the power of Satan over us and His Spirit marks us as belonging to Him, we are His- authentic believers in Christ. His seal gives me assurance that I belong to Him for eternity and is evidence that He is working within me. What a wonderful promise to claim in Christ!
What about you? Do you feel His Spirit within you? Do you listen when He speaks and leads you away from wrong choices? Scripture says in Romans 8:16 “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” God will give you assurance and hope that you belong to Him through His indwelling Holy Spirit. Believe it, embrace it, and cling to it today. As a believer, you belong to God and are sealed by His Holy Spirit and NOTHING can change that! His Holy Spirit gives us an eternal promise with hope for now and into eternity. Thank you Jesus!
In yesterday’s passage from Isaiah 10, we saw a promise God gave to His people that there would always be a remnant of believers. That is encouraging to us today, as we can be assured that the world will never be without believers. God wants His people in the world witnessing to Him and telling others. Specifically, God was sending a message to the people of Israel that whether they were the remnant after an invasion or after return from exile, there was hope. The hope He was sending would be the Messiah who would come from the line of King David. Since David’s father was named Jesse, this descendant is known as coming from the root of Jesse. Isaiah 11:1-5, 10 gives a beautiful picture of the coming Messiah, Jesus.
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— 3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; 4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.
In verse 1 it states this coming Messiah would be a descendant of David, shoot of Jesse. Matthew 1- 1″This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:,6 and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.”
The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon Him in verse 2 was fulfilled in Matthew 3:16 “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.” This is recorded in all 4 gospels. John 3:34 adds the extent of Jesus indwelling “34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.”
The Messiah, Jesus, would be full of understanding and power, verse 2. Luke 2:42, 46-47 “When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom.” 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.” Hebrews 1:3 adds to this “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
Messiah, Jesus, would judge the earth with righteousness, verses 3 & 4. John 5:27 “And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.” 2 Timothy 4:1,8 “And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.” 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” This prophesy of Christ being the judge of all earth is still future to us and will be fulfilled when Christ returns.
Messiah, Jesus, would stand as a banner for all people, Jews and Gentiles, who would seek Him verse 10. John 12:20-21 “20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Romans 15:8-9 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed 9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.”
This is a beautiful portion of scripture that speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ when He was here on earth ministering and teaching and then later when He returns as judge and King. Seeing the prophesies fulfilled gives us assurance that all will be fulfilled in Him.
How can you apply this to yourself today? The ancient prophesies about Jesus add to our faith and give us hope and assurance that what God has foretold in His Word will indeed come to pass. It assures us that who Jesus said He was is true! It helps us know God as a promise keeping God who loves and cares for us. As we continue to see in Isaiah, Christ is the Holy one, the Only one, who can Save us.
Fearless Living 