Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Holy Spirit – Ephesians 1:13-14 – A Deposit Guaranteeing – Growing As Disciples
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised 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 1:13-14 (NIV)
Included
I am included. I heard your word of truth. You called me to come to you. You helped me to respond to you. Yes, I did. What a miracle that was. Why is that? I was so stubborn. I was so self-sufficient and self-reliant. I lived as if I were an island. I did not want or need or accept anything from anyone. I was so full of myself. How did that work out for you? Not well, not at all. How so? I went left when I should have gone right. I went right when I should have gone left. I went ahead when I should have stopped. I stopped when I should have started. I walked a crooked path and bounced around from one meaningless thing to another. I sought comfort and peace and hope in all the wrong places. I lived a bruised and battered life. I used people. People used me. I tried to prove my worth. I tried to earn my acceptance. I was never good enough. I could never accomplish enough. I could not measure up to my or anyone else’s expectations. Finally, I reached rock bottom. I saw no way out. I was filled with discouragement and despair. Life was not working out for me. I saw that.
What did you do when you reached rock bottom? I looked up. I cried out to you. I asked you to show yourself to me. I asked you to forgive my sins. I asked you to come into my life. You came to believe in me? Yes, I did. But, I now know that you were pursuing me. You were watching over me. You were drawing me to you. Yes, I was. I deserve none of the credit for my coming to you. You rescued me from a life without you. You pulled me off the path that led away from you. You pulled me out of the pit of discouragement and despair. You set me on solid ground. You became my firm foundation. You reached out to me. You loved me before I first loved you. You forgave my sins and cleansed me of my unrighteousness. You adopted me into your family. You made me to be your child. You have redeemed my life and given me an inheritance in heaven with you. Yes, I have done all these things for you.
How do you know it’s all true? How do you know for sure that you are redeemed and have an inheritance in heaven with me? What make you so certain? I have your promise. I have your guarantee. How so? You placed your Holy Spirit in me. The Holy Spirit living me in is your promise and guarantee that I am redeemed and that I have an inheritance in heaven with you. That’s true. That’s right. Yes, He is. For that I give you my undying thanks and praise. I love you with all my heart and mind and strength. I am so glad that I am all yours. I am your possession. That is very good.
Father, I do believe. I am marked with a seal. I give you thanks for the Holy Spirit as an wonderful deposit, promise and guarantee of my coming day of redemption and inheritance in Christ. Thank you for marking me in Him and making me your possession. Amen
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