Who You Are in Christ: You Are Sealed by God

If you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, then you have been sealed by God.

What in the world does that mean? It’s easy to understand the every-day idea of a seal. In Biblical times people would use seals in for various reasons.

What is a Seal?

A seal was an engraved symbol that would represent a person and was used to indent clay or wax. Everyone could recognize who the seal represented.

Seals were used by kings as a sign of authority and authenticity. Anything that had the seal of the king was recognized as having come from Him. A great example is Pharaoh giving Joseph his seal to use in running the kingdom.

Any decision made by Joseph in his capacity of second-in-command to Pharaoh would be affixed with the seal and become the law of the land.

Seals were used as witnesses to documents. Once a deal was completed it would be affixed with the seal as proof of an agreement.

Seals were also used to seal documents which were only to be opened by specific people. An example of this in the book of Revelation is Jesus being the only one worthy to break the seven seals of the scroll in heaven.

A seal was also used by the rulers of Israel to seal the tomb of Jesus so that no one would break in and take the body. But that didn’t stop the angels and it certainly didn’t keep Jesus in.

Sealed by God

So then what in the world does it mean for me and you to be sealed by God? We’ll start at 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 in which Paul says,

Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

We get more insight as to what this means from Ephesians 1:13-14,

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth the gospel of your salvation---having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Being sealed by God in Christ with the Holy Spirit has incredible implications for your life. I pray that God will open up the truth of this revelation as I share the various aspects of your being sealed by God.

A Seal is a Sign of Ownership

The first and most awesome implication of being sealed is that you are God’s own possession. His seal upon you marks you as His. It’s a sign for any who care to look that you are God’s and God is yours. God loves you and wants you. He proved it by sending Jesus Christ to make a way for you to be His.

A Seal is a Sign of Authenticity

God’s seal also speaks of authenticity. The seal of the Spirit is an assurance that you are the real deal. You have come to Christ and God has given you the Spirit of promise to help you understand that you are His child. Romans 8:16 tells us that

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.

The Spirit of promise in your life is a proof of your adoption as a son or daughter. It’s the very thing by which you can cry out to God, “Abba, Father.” You are not Fatherless. You are not an orphan.

A Seal is a Sign of a Pledge

The seal of the Holy Spirit in your life is also a pledge by God that He will bring you into the fullness of your inheritance in Christ. The Spirit is God’s downpayment of all that is to come. You can rest assured that God will do what He says He’ll do because of the downpayment you’ve already received.

The Spirit in your life is a guarantee that God is serious about all He promises. Every time you sense the Spirit of God at work in your life it’s a reminder of the glory yet to come.

A Seal is a Sign of Authority

The seal of the Spirit in your life is also a sign of your authority. God has freely given you His authority to rule and reign on the earth. Jesus set His followers apart and gave them both authority (the right to do something) and the power (the ability to do something) to stand against the works of the enemy.

Listen to the words of Jesus as He freely gave His authority and power to His disciples,

And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. (Luke 9:1)

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. (Luke 10:19)

7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. (Matthew 10:7-8)

As a believer in Jesus Christ, you are authorized to stand against the works of the devil in your life or where ever you find him at work.

A Seal is a Sign of Protection

A final idea is that a seal is a sign of protection. God has your back. He’s the one watching over you. There is no force in heaven or on the earth that can stop the plan of God in your life. You are His and you are secure. Jesus said,

27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. (John 10:27-29) 

Did you catch that you’re in Jesus’s hand and the Father’s hand? You are secure in Jesus. Nothing, and I mean nothing, can separate you from the love of God in Christ.

May the enormity of the truths I just shared sink deep into your heart. May you rest in the knowledge that you’re sealed with the Holy Spirit. May this give you a sense of value, peace, and security.