February 26 Devotion - We are established, anointed, sealed by God

Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, ²² who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

2 CORINTHIANS 1:21-22

 

ولكن الذي يثبتنا معكم في المسيح وقد مسحنا هو الله

22 الذي ختمنا ايضا واعطى عربون الروح في قلوبنا.

 

What Paul is saying is that we need to trace all the grace we have received to God, and to prevent the appearance of self-confidence, or of boasting. It was customary to anoint kings, prophets, and priests on their entering on their office as a part of the ceremony of inauguration. It is applied often to the Messiah as being set apart, or consecrated to his office as prophet, priest, and king - that is, as appointed by God to the highest office ever held in the world. It is applied also to Christians as being consecrated, or set apart to the service of God by the Holy Spirit - a use of the word which is derived from the sense of consecrating, or setting apart to the service of God. The word sealed is important here, because once we acknowledge Jesus as our Saviour and let Him dominate over our lives, we are saved and our salvation is sealed and cannot be taken away from us.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. Thank You Lord that I am a child of God and I am established, anointed, and sealed by God. Abba Father thank You that You redeemed me and granted me forgiveness of my sins, according to the riches of Your grace. LORD, thank You that You established me with you in Christ and that You anointed me and also sealed me and given me the Holy Spirit in my heart as a guarantee. I rejoice that as a believer I am being consecrated, or set apart to the service of God by the Holy Spirit. God, I pray that out of Your  glorious riches You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I can continue to declare to the world that I am established, anointed, and sealed by God. In the Holy Name of Jesus I pray. To Him be the glory and the power and the dominion forever and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein