I heard, “I will do all My Pleasure!”

Yes, Discovering Christ in Ephesians.

We saw in our last discussion that we have been predestined according to God’s Purpose and that He is currently working all things after the counsel of His Own Will.

Then the apostle continues;

“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.

This is a detailed explanation of what happened to the Church at Ephesus during Paul’s encounter with them as recorded in the nineteenth chapter of the book of Acts, where they were baptized in The Holy Spirit.

The above verse and the next carry tremendous revelation as to the detailed work of The Holy Spirit.

There are two things mentioned in the above verse worthy of note.

First, we hear “in whom also after that ye believed….” First they heard the word of Truth, the Gospel of their Salvation to which they became believers.

Observe the statement “after that ye believed….” After they had believed there was something nearly too good to be true done for them.

The apostle did not leave them at being believers, but after their becoming believers a deeper work was done upon them.

Second, we hear, “ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise….”

Sealed with The Holy Spirit? What an incredible declaration. The second thing done to these believers is that they were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

The Greek word used above for sealed is the word σφραγίζω — sphragizō — meaning to stamp for security or preservation, to keep secret to attest (Strong’s Concordance G4972). The Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words defines Strong’s G4972 σφραγίζω — sphragizō — as an emblem of ownership, security and destination.

Three things come alive from these definitions of to seal; Ownership, Security, and Destination.

This ‘sealing’ means that we are sealed as God’s Own Property, we are secured, and then we are being carried to his own destination.

Now, observe again that it does not say your head was sealed, neither is it stated that any part of you was sealed but you. Your entire life was sealed by The Holy Ghost.

This sealing goes deeper to explain that the believer became swallowed up, vacuum packed, you became encased in The Holy Spirit the moment you are baptised in The Holy Ghost.

The reason being for ownership, security and to carry you to God’s destination.

This is why we are told in the book of Luke, when The LORD was about to be taken up in Glory as he gave definite instructions pertaining the sealing of The Holy Ghost, we heard him say;

“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high,” Luke 24:49.

The word used above for ‘endue’ is from the Greek word ἐνδύω — enduō — which means to invest with clothing (Strong’s Concordance G1746).

It means to be sunk into a garment, to be clothed upon.

“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high,” Luke 24 :29 NIV.

So the baptism in The Holy Ghost otherwise called ‘sealing’, means that you are sunk into the Spirit. You become vacuum packed, encased in the Spirit of The LORD who now exercises ownership over you, secures you and carries you to your destiny in him (the power to become a witness, that is to fulfill your ministry).

This is what Paul was explaining to these believers, the divine work that was done upon their lives during his encounter with them as recorded here in Acts:

“And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received The Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of The LORD Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, The Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied,” Acts 19:1-6.

When you read this and observe the order as written in Ephesians 1:13 it is an incredible explanation.

First the apostle asked them, “Have ye received The Holy Ghost since ye believed?”

They had believed in The LORD but they were not sealed with The Holy Spirit of promise yet.

So after they had believed, we hear “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, The Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied….”

Thus they were sealed. Which is what he explains here in Ephesians 1:13:

“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.

You see, there are two kinds of sealing the scriptures affirm when it comes to matters of salvation.

First, you are sealed when you receive the testimony of Jesus. When you believe that Jesus is the Messiah, The Son of God, that he is God manifest in the flesh you are sealed. This sealing is for all those who believe and receive the word of God,

“He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true,” John 3:33.

But the baptism of The Holy Spirit is the full evidence of the favour of God upon a man.

The difference between the two is that, the first sealing guarantees you are a citizen of heaven but you can live here powerless, without direction and battered as you go fast to heaven.

But the the second seal which is the baptism in The Holy Ghost takes you deeper into God, where the power of God which comes after The Holy Spirit has come upon you, guarantees your security and the fulfillment of God’s purpose upon your life here on earth until The LORD Jesus comes to redeem our mortal bodies.

Which is why we hear the apostle declare:

“Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His Glory,” Ephesians 1:14.

Yes, The Holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance, the guarantee of our inheritance until the day of complete redemption.

The Greek word used above for earnest is the word ἀῤῥαβών — arrhabōn — meaning a pledge that is part of the purchase money or property given in advance as security for the rest (Strong’s Concordance G728).

Yes, to put the definition together in one word it means he is a guarantee of every promise God has made upon us.

We are not the Guarantors but The Holy Ghost.

He is God’s gift to us. He has sealed us, we are encased, vacuum packed, invested in The Holy Spirit and he is guaranteeing the promises.

Our works are not the guarantee but The 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,” Ephesians 1:14 NIV.

This is why, if you desire the full evidence of God’s favor on this side of life you have to get baptised, sealed by The Holy Spirit.

But if you are already sealed, be rest assured The Spirit has you sealed, you are secure as He is guaranteeing every promise of God upon your life.

Confession:

Father I thank you loving me.

What a wonderful thing you have done for me.

Today I am born of God, Sealed with The Holy Spirit.

My entire life is secured in The Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit you are my life guarantor.

Father, as your own child, I am living and walking in The Holy Spirit as He secures and guarantees my destiny in You.

Praise God!.

In an encounter with The LORD, I saw a Child of God, I saw you executing an assignment. As I pressed in to know why The LORD was showing me this, I heard, “This is my plan and I AM fulfilling it”

Coming out I was led to:

“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure,” Isaiah 46:9-10.

Then The LORD said, “Remember this My Child, I AM God, even your God, and outside of Me there is none else. Do not be afraid, no one can stop My Counsel for there is no one like Me.

This has been my plan for you even before you were formed, I have placed you in this, this My Plan and I AM fulfilling it.

Do not be afraid neither give thought to why you doing what you are doing, for you are not following a vain cause. My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My Pleasure”

 

Blessings in Christ,
~ Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church.

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Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua is the founder and lead pastor of Living Hill Christian Church headquartered in Nigeria, which has a vision to restore the earth with the gospel of God’s grace. Called to be a pastor, he functions in the Healing/ Prophetic/ Teaching/ Music and Writing Ministries. He releases Prophetic Words to encourage the body of Christ on the Church’s blog.

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