Sealed Eph 1:13-14 Dec 7 25, Dr Josh Lilly

Devotional

Day 1: The Spirit Seals and Secures Believers Forever

The Holy Spirit is God’s royal signet pressed into the life of every believer, marking them as God’s own, authentic, and eternally secure. This sealing is not based on our perfection but on the value God has placed on us through the blood of Jesus Christ. Just as a seal in the ancient world declared ownership, authenticity, security, and completion, so the Spirit’s seal proclaims that we belong to God and are protected by Him forever. No matter our struggles or seasons of doubt, our security rests not in our ability to hold on to God, but in His unbreakable grip on us. If you are in Christ, you are safe and secure, sealed by the Spirit, and nothing can separate you from His love. [32:14]

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: In what areas of your life do you struggle to believe that you are truly secure in Christ, and how might remembering the Spirit’s seal help you rest in God’s unchanging love?

Day 2: Salvation Is Entirely a Work of God’s Grace

Being born again is not something we can achieve through our own efforts, prayers, or good deeds; it is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit who gives life to our dead hearts. Regeneration happens once, making us alive in Christ, and is solely by God’s grace—grace alone means there is nothing we can do to earn or maintain our salvation. This truth humbles us and calls us to examine whether we have truly looked to Jesus by faith, recognizing our need for a Savior and trusting in Him alone. The assurance of salvation is not found in our actions but in God’s gracious initiative and the Spirit’s renewing power. [25:22]

John 3:5-6 (ESV)
"Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.'"

Reflection: Have you ever tried to earn God’s acceptance through your own efforts? What would it look like to rest in the truth that your salvation is entirely God’s work of grace?

Day 3: You Cannot Lose Your Salvation—God Keeps What He Has Purchased

The security of our salvation is not dependent on our ability to maintain it, but on God’s faithfulness to keep what He has purchased with the blood of Jesus. The Spirit’s seal is a guarantee that we belong to God forever, and no circumstance or failure can undo what God has done. Even when our experiences or the actions of others cause us to doubt, Scripture assures us that those who are truly in Christ will persevere to the end. Our confidence is not in our own strength, but in the unchanging promise of God who never lets go of His children. [41:14]

1 John 2:19 (ESV)
"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us."

Reflection: When you face doubts or see others walk away from faith, how do you anchor your assurance in God’s promises rather than your circumstances or feelings?

Day 4: The Spirit Sanctifies—Transformation in the Waiting

While we wait for our full inheritance with Christ, the Holy Spirit is actively at work sanctifying us, transforming us day by day into the image of Jesus. This waiting is not a time of stagnation but of growth, as the Spirit uses God’s Word, prayer, community, and daily life to shape us. Being filled with the Spirit means submitting more fully to His rule, allowing Him to produce the fruit of Christlikeness in us. The Spirit’s presence is not partial or fluctuating; every believer has all of Him, and our joy increases as we yield more of ourselves to His transforming work. [47:50]

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Reflection: In what practical ways can you submit more fully to the Spirit’s leading this week, and how might that change your responses in daily life?

Day 5: Victory Over Sin Is Found in Christ and the Spirit’s Power

True freedom from sin and lasting transformation are not achieved by our own strength, but by looking to Jesus and relying on the power of the Holy Spirit within us. The Spirit not only saves and seals but also empowers us to overcome sin and live in the new identity we have in Christ. No sin or addiction is too strong for the Spirit’s power, and our hope is not in self-effort but in Christ’s victory. As we surrender to Him, we find that our identity is no longer defined by our failures, but by Jesus’ righteousness and holiness. [56:20]

Romans 8:11 (ESV)
"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you."

Reflection: What is one area of sin or struggle where you need to stop relying on your own strength and instead trust the Spirit’s power to bring real change?

Sermon Summary

We turned to Ephesians 1:13–14 to rejoice in the Spirit’s sealing work inside the Father’s plan and the Son’s achievement. The Father wills our salvation, the Son wins it, and the Spirit seals and guards us. To help us feel this, I pointed to Noah: God not only provided the ark; he shut the door. That picture captures what the Spirit does for everyone in Christ—he seals us in Jesus, carries us through judgment, and brings us into new creation.

I traced the Spirit’s threefold work. First, he saves. No one can make a dead heart alive; regeneration is the Spirit’s gift, not the result of prayers, tears, or moral effort. We hear the gospel, believe, and find that our believing itself rests on God’s prior grace. Second, he secures. In the first century, a seal meant ownership, authenticity, security, and completion. That’s what God has stamped on you by his Spirit: “Mine. True. Protected. Finished.” If you’ve wondered whether salvation can be lost, remember: what you did not earn you cannot keep by effort. Grace brings you in, and grace keeps you in. We must let Scripture—not our circumstances—decide our theology.

Third, he sanctifies. New-covenant believers are permanently indwelt; the Spirit doesn’t come in quantities. “Spirit-filled” isn’t getting more of him; it’s him getting more of us—our thoughts, desires, and choices. As we submit to him, he uses ordinary means—word, prayer, the church, daily responsibilities, and the Lord’s Table—to make us like Jesus. If you want assurance, take the fruit test: the Spirit always produces his fruit over time. And if you haven’t yet trusted Christ, come to him; the only doorway into this sealed, secure life is faith in Jesus.

As we come to the Table, don’t think of yourself as a barely-forgiven orphan. Come as one marked by God’s royal signet—the Spirit—safe, authentic, and fully his, to the praise of his glory.

Key Takeaways

1. Sealed by the Spirit forever God’s seal is his public claim: you belong to him, authentically and permanently. It is ownership, security, and completion pressed onto your life by the Spirit. What grace begins, grace guards, and grace will bring home. Rest your assurance not in performance but in God’s pledge. [35:18]
2. New birth precedes secure believing Hearing and believing the gospel ride on the Spirit’s prior work of making dead hearts alive. Regeneration is not self-started; it is God’s act, so our faith rests on his mercy, not our effort. That is why our security doesn’t wobble with our emotions. The life he gives is the life he keeps. [25:22]
3. God’s seal proclaims ownership and worth Seals were pressed onto valuable cargo, not perfect objects. Your worth is measured by the price paid—the blood of Christ—not by your past or your consistency. The Spirit’s seal announces, “Purchased and protected.” God guards what he values. [32:14]
4. Grace keeps what grace begins Religion says effort gets you in and effort keeps you in. The gospel says Christ gets you in and Christ keeps you in, so boasting dies and worship rises. When circumstances tempt you to rewrite theology, let Scripture anchor your soul in God’s keeping power. [37:58]
5. Sanctification is Spirit-led submission “Spirit-filled” means living under the Spirit’s rule, not acquiring more of him. He already fully indwells; we increasingly yield. Through ordinary means, he shapes us into Christ’s likeness and restores joy where sin has stolen it. Submission is the pathway of transformation. [47:50]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[22:12] - Father wills, Son wins, Spirit seals
[25:22] - Regeneration and the sequence of faith
[28:51] - How to receive sealing: believe Christ
[32:14] - What the biblical seal means
[35:18] - Can I lose my salvation?
[37:58] - Circumstances vs. Scripture in assurance
[41:14] - Soils, perseverance, and 1 John 2:19
[44:30] - The gift of permanent indwelling
[47:50] - Clarifying “Spirit-filled” life
[50:41] - Submitting to the Spirit’s rule
[53:00] - Ordinary means and the Lord’s Table
[56:20] - The fruit test for assurance
[59:28] - Communion: marked, secure, and his
[66:57] - Closing prayer and benediction

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
Ephesians 1:13–14
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.

Observation questions

What is the sequence Paul gives in verse 13 from hearing to being sealed? How does that sequence shape our understanding of who acts first in salvation? [25:22]
What four meanings of a “seal” were highlighted (ownership, authenticity, security, completion)? Which of those does the text most directly emphasize here? [32:14]
How does the Noah-and-ark illustration clarify what it means to be “sealed” in Christ? In what ways does that image help you picture salvation and judgment? [28:51]
What difference does the new-covenant permanent indwelling of the Spirit make compared with Old Testament examples of the Spirit’s work? [44:30]

Interpretation questions

If regeneration (being made alive) precedes believing, how should the church responsibly speak of human responsibility and divine initiative in coming to faith? What tensions need to be held together? [25:22]
How does the claim that the Spirit is the “guarantee of our inheritance” shape the expectation of future glorification and present assurance? In what ways is the Spirit both present evidence and future pledge? [56:20]
Why does Scripture warn against letting circumstances form theology about security? How does the difference between religion (effort-based security) and the gospel (grace-based security) affect pastoral care and personal assurance? [37:58]
What does “being filled with the Spirit” mean in light of the teaching that the Spirit permanently indwells believers? How does that affect how people should think about “having more” or “less” of the Spirit? [47:50]

Application questions

Assurance: The Spirit’s seal means you are owned, authenticated, protected, and the transaction is finished. Where do you most often look for assurance (performance, feelings, or God’s promise)? What would it look like this week to practice resting on God’s pledge rather than your performance? [35:18]
Fruit test: The Spirit who saves also sanctifies and produces fruit. Make a simple, honest inventory: which fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23) is most clearly growing in you, and which needs attention? What one concrete step will you take this week to cooperate with the Spirit’s growth? [56:20]
Submission not addition: Being “Spirit-filled” is growing under the Spirit’s rule, not gaining more of him. What habitual choices or patterns are you trusting instead of submitting to the Spirit? Choose one daily habit (Scripture, prayer, confession, accountability, or service) to increase your submission over the next 7 days. [47:50]
Ordinary means: The Spirit uses ordinary instruments (word, prayer, church life, daily responsibilities, the Lord’s Table) to shape believers. Which of these means have you neglected, and what is one practical way you can re-engage that means this month? [53:00]
Responding to unbelief or doubt: The only doorway into this sealed life is faith in Christ. If you or someone you love has not yet trusted Christ, what is a realistic next step you can take to invite them toward faith (a conversation, an invitation to church, to read the gospel together, or to pray with them)? [28:51]
When circumstances tempt you to doubt God’s keeping power, what Scripture verse or truth will you memorize or rehearse to re-anchor your theology? Share that verse with the group and explain why you chose it. [37:58]

Sermon Clips

at the center of ephesians 1 13 through 14stands the work of our triune god we saw together over the past few weeks that the fatherwills our salvation the son wins our salvation and what we see this week is the spirit seals and guards us forever you know the old testament is full of vivid pictures of god's saving and sealing work [00:22:05] (39 seconds) #FatherSonSpiritWork

and this is a picture of what the holy spirit does in the life of everyone who is in christ everyone who is in christ is sealed bythe spirit of god what god did physically for noah he does spiritually for all of us who are in christ he seals us in christ he shuts us in in christ and he carries us safely through judgment [00:25:12] (27 seconds) #sealedLikeNoah

in other words being born again means that you are saved through the power of god by the grace of god you hear us say often that we're saved by grace alone and grace truly alone means alone you can't do anythingto make yourself right with god yet god has done everything through his son jesus to make you right with him and he has sent his spirit to cause you to be born again [00:27:59] (35 seconds) #savedByGraceAlone

maybe you're here this morning andyou struggle with security in your faith you you look at the reality of your brokenness and the sin in your life and you think i don't know why god wouldn't tire of me i don't know why god would continue to put up with me i'm too weak i'm i'm too inconsistent i'm too stained by my past i want you to to hear me this morning seals were not placed on perfect objects they were placed on valuableobjects [00:33:11] (39 seconds) #sealsOnTheValuable

if you're in christ today the good news of ephesians 1 verses 13 and 14 is that you have been valued by god because of the blood of jesus christ and he has sealed you and will protect you and will keep you forever no matter what season you may find yourself in today and no matter what season you may find yourself in tomorrow [00:34:31] (30 seconds) #sealedAndProtected

religion says that once you've acted enough done enough fought enough loved enough and you're in you've got to then act enough do enough think enough love enough to stay in so there are so many people caught up in religion of all types and sortsbut the gospel is the good news that although you and i can't act enough do enough feel enough love enoughchrist has done it all for you the gospel of grace is the good news that just as god has done everything to bring you in to relationship with him he does everything to keep you in relationship with him [00:36:30] (55 seconds) #graceKeepsYou

you can't lose your salvation you didn't earn it you don't sustain it you can't keep it i don't like this thought but think about this for just a moment if it was possible for you to lose your salvation you would have already lost it so the good news of the gospel is that we are secure in christ forever because it is not we who keep ourselvesit's god who keeps us [00:37:26] (36 seconds) #secureInChrist

and being god's people under god's word we must make sure that what we believe lines up with what god's word saysthe good news for you and me this morning is that god's word makes abundantly clear one thing about your salvation as it relates to security you are safe forever the holy spirit has sealed you and you cannot lose your salvation [00:42:34] (32 seconds) #scriptureSaysSecure

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Sealed Eph 1:13-14 Dec 7 25, Dr Josh Lilly

Devotional

Day 1: The Spirit Seals and Secures Believers Forever

Day 2: Salvation Is Entirely a Work of God’s Grace

Day 3: You Cannot Lose Your Salvation—God Keeps What He Has Purchased

Day 4: The Spirit Sanctifies—Transformation in the Waiting

Day 5: Victory Over Sin Is Found in Christ and the Spirit’s Power

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Sealed Eph 1:13-14 Dec 7 25, Dr Josh Lilly

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