Divine Sealing: The Gift of Faith and Transformation

Devotional

Day 1: Divine Mystery of Faith and Sealing

The relationship between faith and the sealing of the Holy Spirit is a profound mystery, intricately woven into God's sovereign plan. This divine orchestration is not a result of human effort but a divine initiative that occurs through faith, which itself is a gift from God. The passage from Ephesians 1:11-14 invites believers to reflect on the journey from unbelief to belief, emphasizing that both faith and sealing are intertwined in God's purpose. The sealing of the Holy Spirit is not merely a consequence of human decision but is deeply rooted in God's initiative, highlighting the divine nature of our spiritual journey. [01:37]

Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV): "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."

Reflection: Consider a moment in your life when you felt God's presence guiding you. How can you acknowledge and embrace the mystery of His divine plan in your current circumstances?

Day 2: Faith as a Divine Gift

Faith is not a human achievement but a divine gift, as emphasized in Galatians 3:5. The Spirit is supplied through hearing with faith, not by works of the law, underscoring the idea that authentic belief in Jesus as Lord is only possible through the Holy Spirit. This perspective challenges the notion of faith as a product of human effort, inviting believers to recognize the divine origin of their faith. The human heart, in its natural state, is incapable of authentic belief without divine intervention, highlighting the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life. [02:27]

Galatians 3:5 (ESV): "Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?"

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you relied on your own efforts rather than trusting in God's provision. How can you shift your perspective to see faith as a gift from God in your daily life?

Day 3: Transformation of the Heart

The human heart, in its natural state, is incapable of authentic belief without divine intervention. Acts 16 and 1 Corinthians 12:3 illustrate that the call of God transforms the dead, fleshly, blind, and natural heart into one that can believe and embrace Christ as Lord. This transformation is a testament to the power of the Holy Spirit, who enables believers to experience faith as a welcoming of Christ for all that He is. The call of God is akin to Jesus calling Lazarus from the tomb, where the call itself creates the response, highlighting the miraculous nature of spiritual rebirth. [03:59]

1 Corinthians 12:3 (ESV): "Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says 'Jesus is accursed!' and no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except in the Holy Spirit."

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you feel spiritually stagnant. How can you invite the Holy Spirit to transform your heart and renew your faith in this area?

Day 4: The Call of God

The preaching of Christ crucified is perceived differently by those who are called. This calling is akin to Jesus calling Lazarus from the tomb, where the call itself creates the response. The call of God transforms the heart, enabling it to experience faith as a welcoming of Christ. This transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit, who grants life, spirituality, and sight, allowing believers to embrace Christ as Lord. The divine call is a powerful reminder of God's initiative in the believer's journey, emphasizing the importance of responding to His call with an open heart. [06:42]

1 Corinthians 1:23-24 (ESV): "But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."

Reflection: Think of a recent sermon or message that challenged your understanding of Christ. How can you respond to God's call in your life with openness and willingness to be transformed?

Day 5: Sealing and Praise of His Glory

The sealing of the Holy Spirit is experienced as faith, a miraculous new birth that leads believers to praise the glory of God's grace. This divine orchestration culminates in the praise of His glory, the ultimate goal of all things. The sealing is not merely a result of human decision but a divine initiative that occurs through faith, which itself is a gift from God. This perspective invites believers to reflect on the purpose of their faith journey, recognizing that it ultimately leads to the praise and glory of God. [10:24]

Ephesians 1:14 (ESV): "Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."

Reflection: Consider how your faith journey has led you to praise God's glory. What specific steps can you take today to live a life that reflects His grace and brings glory to His name?

Sermon Summary

In our exploration of Ephesians 1:11-14, we delve into the profound relationship between faith and the sealing by the Holy Spirit. This passage invites us to consider the divine orchestration in our journey from unbelief to belief. The text does not explicitly clarify whether faith leads to sealing or vice versa, but it emphasizes that both are intertwined in God's sovereign plan. The sealing of the Holy Spirit is not merely a result of human decision but is deeply rooted in God's initiative. This divine sealing occurs through faith, and faith itself is a gift from God, not a product of our self-determining will.

We further explore this concept by examining Galatians 3:5, where Paul highlights that the Spirit is supplied through hearing with faith, not by works of the law. This underscores the idea that faith is not a human achievement but a divine gift. Acts 16 and 1 Corinthians 12:3 reinforce this by illustrating that authentic belief in Jesus as Lord is only possible through the Holy Spirit. The human heart, in its natural state, is incapable of such belief without divine intervention.

Paul's teachings in 1 Corinthians 1 reveal that the preaching of Christ crucified is perceived differently by those who are called. This calling is akin to Jesus calling Lazarus from the tomb, where the call itself creates the response. The call of God transforms the dead, fleshly, blind, and natural heart into one that can believe and embrace Christ as Lord. This transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit, who grants life, spirituality, and sight, enabling us to experience faith as a welcoming of Christ for all that He is.

Ultimately, the sealing of the Holy Spirit is experienced as faith, a miraculous new birth that leads us to praise the glory of God's grace. This divine orchestration culminates in the praise of His glory, the ultimate goal of all things.

Key Takeaways

1. The relationship between faith and the sealing of the Holy Spirit is a divine mystery, where both are intertwined in God's sovereign plan. The sealing is not a result of human effort but a divine initiative that occurs through faith, which itself is a gift from God. [01:37]
2. Faith is not a human achievement but a divine gift. Galatians 3:5 emphasizes that the Spirit is supplied through hearing with faith, not by works of the law. This underscores the idea that authentic belief in Jesus as Lord is only possible through the Holy Spirit. [02:27]
3. The human heart, in its natural state, is incapable of authentic belief without divine intervention. Acts 16 and 1 Corinthians 12:3 illustrate that the call of God transforms the dead, fleshly, blind, and natural heart into one that can believe and embrace Christ as Lord. [03:59]
4. The preaching of Christ crucified is perceived differently by those who are called. This calling is akin to Jesus calling Lazarus from the tomb, where the call itself creates the response. The call of God transforms the heart, enabling it to experience faith as a welcoming of Christ. [06:42]
5. The sealing of the Holy Spirit is experienced as faith, a miraculous new birth that leads us to praise the glory of God's grace. This divine orchestration culminates in the praise of His glory, the ultimate goal of all things. [10:24]
** [10:24]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:16] - Introduction to Ephesians 1:11-14
[00:33] - Hearing and Believing
[00:47] - Sealing with the Holy Spirit
[01:18] - God's Initiative in Sealing
[02:09] - Galatians 3:5 and the Supply of the Spirit
[03:01] - Acts 16 and Authentic Belief
[03:28] - 1 Corinthians 12:3 and the Role of the Holy Spirit
[04:19] - The Gift of Faith
[05:18] - Preaching Christ Crucified
[06:19] - The Call of God
[07:12] - Transformation of the Heart
[08:09] - The Role of the Holy Spirit in Faith
[09:28] - Sealing and Believing
[10:24] - To the Praise of His Glory

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Ephesians 1:11-14
Galatians 3:5
1 Corinthians 12:3

---

Observation Questions:

According to Ephesians 1:11-14, what is the relationship between hearing, believing, and being sealed with the Holy Spirit? How does the passage describe the sequence of these events? [00:33]
In Galatians 3:5, Paul contrasts two ways of receiving the Spirit. What are these two ways, and which one does he affirm as the true method? [02:09]
How does 1 Corinthians 12:3 explain the role of the Holy Spirit in declaring Jesus as Lord? What does this imply about the nature of faith? [03:28]
What analogy does the sermon use to describe the call of God and its effect on the human heart? How does this relate to the concept of faith as a gift? [06:42]

---

Interpretation Questions:

How does the sermon describe the interplay between God's initiative and human response in the process of faith and sealing by the Holy Spirit? What does this suggest about the nature of salvation? [01:37]
In what way does the sermon suggest that the human heart is transformed by the call of God? How does this transformation enable authentic belief in Jesus as Lord? [07:12]
How does the sermon interpret the phrase "to the praise of His glory" in Ephesians 1:14? What is the significance of this phrase in the context of the passage? [10:24]
What does the sermon imply about the relationship between faith and works of the law, particularly in the context of receiving the Holy Spirit? [02:27]

---

Application Questions:

Reflect on your own journey of faith. Can you identify moments where you felt the divine orchestration of God leading you from unbelief to belief? How did these experiences shape your understanding of faith as a gift? [01:37]
The sermon emphasizes that authentic belief in Jesus as Lord is only possible through the Holy Spirit. How can you cultivate a deeper reliance on the Holy Spirit in your daily walk with Christ? [03:59]
Consider the analogy of Jesus calling Lazarus from the tomb. In what areas of your life do you feel spiritually "dead" and in need of God's transformative call? How can you open yourself to this divine intervention? [06:42]
The sermon highlights the importance of hearing with faith rather than relying on works of the law. How can you ensure that your spiritual practices are rooted in faith rather than mere obligation? [02:27]
How does the concept of being sealed with the Holy Spirit as a "down payment" of our inheritance impact your view of your identity in Christ? How can this assurance influence your daily decisions and interactions? [09:45]
The sermon concludes with the idea that all things culminate in the praise of God's glory. How can you intentionally live your life in a way that brings glory to God? What specific actions can you take this week to reflect His glory in your community? [10:24]
Reflect on the idea that faith is a welcoming of Christ for all that He is. What aspects of Christ's character or promises do you find most challenging to embrace? How can you work on welcoming these aspects into your life more fully? [09:12]

Sermon Clips

In him in Christ, you also having heard the word of truth, was hearing, namely the gospel of your salvation and having believed so hearing and believing in hearing and believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise who is the down payment of our inheritance unto the redemption of the possession to the praise of his glory. [00:30:08]

Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law and the answer is no, no or by hearing with faith and the answer is yes. It's a rhetorical question he expects us to know the answer and the answer is yes when we hear the word and believe. [00:29:52]

No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit you can't it can't be done because the human heart is dead to spiritual things blind to spiritual things hard to spiritual things that's what Paul teaches in Ephesians 2 and Romans 8 and 1st Corinthians 1. [00:35:84]

By grace you have been saved through faith this is not your own doing it is the gift of God so this grace through faith all of that is a gift of God the dead human heart as 2 1 says cannot produce such a beautiful living response to the word of God it must be a gift of God. [00:49:32]

We preach Christ crucified and as we preach Christ crucified some Jews regard it as a stumbling block they just can't get over and they don't believe and some Gentiles regarded as folly and they can't get over it and they don't believe but something else happens as he is preaching Christ crucified. [00:54:32]

But to those who are called now this those here is not everybody it's not those who are stumbling over the cross it's not those who are regarding the crosses folly those who are called both from the Jews and from the Greeks experience this preaching as Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. [00:59:36]

When Jesus called Lazarus who was dead for four days in the tomb and he said Lazarus come out the call created the obedience created the response and so it does the call creates he's the power of God the call creates he's the wisdom of God that's faith the call creates faith. [01:06:24]

Here's the human heart and it's it's dead according to Ephesians 2 1 it's uh fleshly instead of spiritual according to Romans 8 7. It's blind according to two Corinthians four four um it's unable it's it's it's natural which means it's unable according to first Corinthians 2 14 unable to come. [01:12:08]

Then comes the preaching of the word of God and it is heard the word comes from some spirit anointed preacher who is praying and hears the Holy Spirit God and the Holy Spirit is sent and when he comes he grants life he grants spirituality he grants sight he opens to the word of God. [01:21:36]

Faith is a welcoming of Christ for all that he is and does and promises as our trust and our treasure that experience is only possible because of the Holy Spirit no one can say Jesus is Lord Jesus is my savior Jesus is my trust Jesus is my treasure God is my father. [01:29:04]

Sealing is the coming of the Holy Spirit of promise as a down payment into our lives and we experience him I'm arguing we experience that sealing as faith and that faith is a amazing welcoming as beautiful and glorious and true and satisfying Jesus Christ and all that he is to be sealed. [01:37:20]

To be sealed with the Holy Spirit is to be granted the miracle of new life new birth experienced as hearing with faith now there's one more thing we need to do and that is to honor the climactic phrase to the praise of his glory to the praise of his glory chapter 1 verse 6. [01:42:32]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?

Divine Sealing: The Gift of Faith and Transformation

Devotional

Day 1: Divine Mystery of Faith and Sealing

Day 2: Faith as a Divine Gift

Day 3: Transformation of the Heart

Day 4: The Call of God

Day 5: Sealing and Praise of His Glory

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Divine Sealing: The Gift of Faith and Transformation

Share