The Seal

Ephesians 1:13-14

Introduction

Every believer who has trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. The Bible says the Spirit is the Spirit of God, and he’s also called the Spirit of Christ. The Holy Spirit has been placed in the believer’s life as a permanent occupier. The person responsible for doing the work in you and for you is the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9-11). When Christ was on earth, He limited the activity of His deity to the location of His humanity. Now that Christ has risen and gone to heaven, His presence can be everywhere simultaneously through the Spirit. Believers in Christ have the Spirit of God all the time, anywhere.

Ephesians 1:13-14 reminds us that we are sealed in the Holy Spirit. This permanency means you cannot lose your salvation (Rom 8:35-39). Guaranteed security, established ownership and reflective authority are three benefits of the sealing presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. Ephesians 4:30 reminds us that the seal is for the day of redemption. This seal of security not only keeps believers connected to God, but it is also designed to keep out contaminants to our spiritual health and cannot be destroyed by the world, flesh or the devil. In addition to guaranteed security, the seal of the Holy Spirit establishes God’s ownership of His property (Jer 32:9-41). Remember, as a believer, you have been bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20); you belong to God. The seal also establishes authority. When Jesus saved you and gave you the Holy Spirit, He gave you divine authorization to use the Spirit on your behalf in accordance with God’s Word and for His glory.

When you accepted Jesus, the Holy Spirit entered your human spirit. The Spirit informs the soul, the soul informs the body and the body responds to the direction the soul gives. God wants you to change for His glory, and that change will happen from the inside out (1 Thess 5:23). Because the Holy Spirit has infiltrated the human spirit, He gives new data to your soul as you grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is like a pledge of our inheritance—a deposit or down payment. Just like an engagement ring signifies a promise that has a waiting period before the wedding, the Holy Spirit is the symbol of a waiting period (John 14:3). His presence lets you and others know that you are spoken for and that the promise of heaven is coming. When you understand the Spirit’s presence in your life, you can more easily maintain an eternal perspective and wait with hope on the time you can unite with the Savior.

Ephesians 4:25-32 tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit. It also tells us specifically what will make the Spirit sad: unkind words, malicious thoughts and bitterness. If you grieve the Holy Spirit regularly, you will not be happy because the Spirit in you is mourning. However, as your human spirit grows—because it is magnified in wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of Him—you will experience more of His reality in your life. You will have spiritual eyes and live beyond the physical. Throughout the Bible, the wisdom of God caused people to do things outside of the norm by the Spirit’s power. If we walk in the Spirit, God is free to give us His strategy and knowledge that we need. You belong to Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit is sealed within you. God wants to unfold knowledge of Himself to you and only does so as you walk in dependence on the Spirit you already have.

Getting Started

1. What does it mean to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit? Is this a new understanding of the Holy Spirit for you?
2. The Holy Spirit is a permanent occupier in the life of the believer! How does knowing this make you feel? Does it make you feel enabled to do things or does it make you cautious?

Let’s Get Personal

1. The person responsible for doing the work in you and for you is the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9-11). Is there something in your life that you need the Holy Spirit to do in or for you? Share your answer with your group so you can pray with one another.
2. What are the three concepts tied to the sealing presence of the Holy Spirit? Share with your group which one stands out to you most and why?
3. Are others able to see positive results of the Holy Spirit working in your life? Why or why not?
4. Do people know that you are spoken for? Are you proudly proclaiming Christ through your life?

Take the Next Step

1. Knowing God wants to work from the inside out (1 Thess 5:23), what can you do to prioritize the Holy Spirit in your life?
2. Think about the ways you have grieved the Holy Spirit. To encourage your group members, share how you were able to move forward with God’s wisdom and revelation.
3. Only believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. If you have not trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, ask your group leader how you can do that. If everyone in your group is a believer, pray for at least one person you know that is not and discuss ways to encourage them with what you have learned today.
4. Want to dig deeper? Take a look at the following passages: Romans 8:9-11. 35-39; Ephesians 1:13-14, 17-18; 4:25-32; Jeremiah 32:9-41; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Matthew 27:66; Esther 8:8; Daniel 6:17; Revelation 5:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; John 14:33; Psalm 103:7; 109:17-18.

Renew Your Mind

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Ephesians 4:30