In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.
— Ephesians 1:13
In Greek and Roman times — and in certain places still today — if a package was to be dispatched to another location, it first went through a series of investigations to make sure the contents were not flawed, broken, or shattered. The sender would examine every single piece of the contents to make sure each one was whole and intact. This means the process of examining every little fragment of the contents was extraordinarily important for the one charged with sealing the shipment. If everything was whole and intact, the sender would pour hot wax on the crease of the package and then carefully push the insignia of the owner into the wax, signifying that all the contents were in perfect order. That “seal” was called a sphragidzo — the exact same word used in Ephesians 1:13, where the Bible says we were “sealed” with the Holy Spirit on the day we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
This insignia on the package was important for several reasons. It was the insignia of the owner of the package. No one would dare break into the sealed package to disturb the contents, especially if this owner was a high-ranking person, for the consequences of such an action would be severe.
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Furthermore, that insignia, or “seal,” was the guarantee that the package would be delivered to its final destination. It was like the highest postage stamp one could put on a package. The seal guaranteed that it would arrive at its ultimate destination unharmed.
Last but not least, that insignia guaranteed that everything in the package was in order — nothing was missing, broken, inferior, or shattered. Everything was whole and complete.
As I’ve noted, this Greek word sphragidzo (“seal”) is precisely the word used in Ephesians 1:13, where Paul wrote, “…In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.”
This tells us that when we believed and were born again, God examined us to make sure we were made completely new and whole, and He found no flaws, no defects, and no shattered places. God saw that we were truly a product of Christ’s own making and were complete in Him. In fact, we were so complete that, figuratively speaking, Christ poured His “wax” onto our hearts and spirits and then pressed the insignia of the Holy Spirit into us, giving guaranteed proof through the Spirit’s indwelling presence that we belong to God and will make it to our ultimate destination — Heaven.
You and I may feel that we’ve had a few bumps along the way, but the Holy Spirit is the guaranteed proof that we will eventually make it to our heavenly home! Regardless of how the devil or life may try to assail against us, the Holy Spirit is “postage-paid sufficient” to get us all the way to our Lord Jesus one of these glorious days!
MY PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father, I thank You for sending someone to preach the Gospel to me — and for giving me the faith to believe it. I am in wonder and amazement that as soon as I believed, You gave me the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s presence in me is absolute, guaranteed proof that I belong to You — and I am so thankful that You pressed the insignia of the Holy Spirit into my heart and spirit, which means “postage-paid.” Because of this precious work You’ve done in my life, I rejoice that one day I will reach my destination to be with You in my heavenly home!
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY
I confess that I am complete and whole in Jesus Christ. After I believed, God saw that I was truly a product of Christ’s own making. God made a full examination of me to make sure all parts were complete and that I was whole in Jesus Christ. Then He gave me the gift of the Holy Spirit, who will be with me all my life as a guarantee. He is the proof that I am a child of God. He is the evidence that I am born again. And His presence in my life is the guarantee that I will make it one day to my heavenly home!
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER
- According to the Bible, you received the Holy Spirit the day you surrendered your life to Jesus Christ. Can you recall the change that occurred inside you when God made you His temple and sent His Spirit to dwell within you? What were some of the immediate changes you experienced?
- When you read that God checked you out — that He investigated you to make sure you were really born again and whole — and found that you were, what does that mean to you? Think of it: God found no defects!
- If you’ve ever wondered if you will actually make it to Heaven, you can put that thought away forever if you have the Holy Spirit living inside you. He is the “postage-paid,” absolute guarantee that you will make it to your heavenly home. When you think about that, how does it make you feel?
