Seal of the Living God

 

Do You Belong to God?

Do you own anything with a brand name on it? Maybe an iPod or Nike shoes or LEGO bricks? When you see the name or logo on something you immediately know something about it. First, you know what company made it. Perhaps you also know it’s really well made, fun for kids, or just cool. Sometimes people make “knock-offs” of these products. It looks the same, it even has the same name and logo on it, but it’s not the real thing. The original company did not make it. It might look real, but it’s a fake.

 

Just like there are fake Nike shoes, there are fake Christians. You can’t always tell just by looking at them or talking to them. Luckily we don’t have to decide who’s real and who’s faking it. God knows the heart and He knows who belongs to Him. All through history God has been marking those who belong to him, and very soon before Jesus comes again, all people on earth will receive a mark – either the seal of God or the mark of the beast. It will tell the angels who to pour out God’s wrath on, and who to protect.

Revelation chapter 7 says that God seals the servants of God. Rev. 7:1-3 He marks those who belong to Him, before he lets the four winds of the earth loose. Four winds symbolize judgment over all the earth (Isa. 66:15-16). And trees often symbolize people in the Bible (Psalm 1:1-3; Jer. 17:7-8). 

Our wonderful, merciful God wants to protect you from the great plagues that will fall upon the earth at the end of this world. Wouldn’t it be good to know what this seal of God is and how we can be sealed? Let’s examine some clues to find out.

Seal of the Living God

A seal is a sign of ownership or authority. If you have God’s seal, it means you have given your heart and life to Him completely. Sealing also means to decide something forever. When God seals his people for the final time, their destiny will be sure. They will never turn back from God.

To find out what this seal is, let’s look at some important verses.

“In whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance…” Ephesians 1:13-14 (NKJV)

 

“And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30

 

“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

What do these verses say the seal of God is?

Yes, the Holy Spirit!

Being sealed by the Holy Spirit is the sign of a genuine Christian who belongs to God.

 

Chapter 6 of Revelation ended with the question, “Who shall be able to stand?”

Chapter 7 answers, those who have been sealed with the Holy Spirit, God’s sign of ownership, will be able to stand in the final great crisis of this world’s history.

Just like the Israelites were saved from the final plague of death that fell on the Egyptians by putting the blood of a lamb on their doorposts (Exod. 12:21-23), the Holy Spirit will protect Christian’s who are marked with the seal of God from the last deadly plagues to fall on earth. They will be washed in the blood of the Lamb – that’s Jesus’ blood that washes away our sins when we repent. This does not mean we will be whisked away and not see the destruction all around us. The Bible says we come out of the great tribulation (Rev. 7:14). To come out of a tunnel, you must first go through the tunnel. If you ever start to feel nervous or scared about this time of trouble, read and then memorize this wonderful Bible promise.

“A thousand shall fall at thy right side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” Psalm 91:7-10

How Can I be Sealed With the Holy Spirit?

Jesus promises to give you the Holy Spirit if you do one thing. You may not believe how simple it is. Read this: 

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:13

Wow! We just need to ask with a sincere heart. Many people read a few verses earlier where is says, “Ask and it will be given to you” (Luke 11:9) and think they can ask for anything they want and God will give it to them. Then they wonder why God isn’t answering their prayers. But now you know!  God wants us to ask for the Holy Spirit. When you ask for the Holy Spirit, God promises to answer your prayer!

When God sends you the Holy Spirit in answer to your prayers, the Spirit will start leading you to want to do things like pray and read the Bible. The Spirit will also start to show you where you might not be following God fully. The Spirit always nudges you to obey God and surrender fully to Him.

The Spirit also leads you to more truth and starts to expose the lies of Satan. This is a good thing! Don’t resist the Spirit when he starts speaking to your heart through the Bible. This is why the Bible says, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Eph. 4:30) and “But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.” (Isa. 63:10) 

Right now we can either receive the Holy Spirit or resist the Holy Spirit. But there is coming a time when everyone will be sealed with God’s seal or the mark of the beast once and for all. After that there will be no second chances (Rev. 22:11). Pray today for God to send you the Holy Spirit and decide today that you will follow where the Spirit leads you. Then you will be sealed with the seal of God!