STANDING FIRM IN CHRIST

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NIV

Now it is God who makes both both us and you stand firm in Christ. He annointed us. 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

What do you think of when you think of the word firm? The greek word here for firm is “bebaios (beb-ah-yos)” meaning “to walk where it is solid” “firm and unshakable” “absolutely dependable” “giving guaranteed support”

We know our foundation, where we stand as Christians in Jesus our Savior, is firm. We stand on the unshakable rock, The Cornerstone. But why do I personally feel so shaky while standing on such a firm, unshakable foundation? How can I stand firm as the woman of God that he has called me to be and not be the devil’s doormat when I’m under attack? How do I know that I am an overcomer and can do all things through Christ? This verse gives us three things we need in order to be immovable and unshakable and able to accomplish whatever the Lord sets before us.

ANOINTED

It seems to be human nature to think that some people are more anointed by God than others. When we look at the life of Billy Graham, it seems that people have the thought process that he was more anointed by God than you are. When we look at the life of Smith Wigglesworth, we have the same tendency to look at him as a man more anointed by God than others our ourselves because of his accomplishments in his spiritual life. However, if you were to speak to either of these amazing men, they would be more humble than the rest of us spending their time giving glory to God only. Thanks to the ascension of Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, every believer is anointed by God.

To be anointed by God means to be set aside for His use. The priests in the old testament were anointed with oil to set them aside, they were called by God and anointed physically, which was a type and shadow of the indwelling, or anointing of the Holy Spirit now. Today, each and every believer is anointed and called because God sent his spirit for each and every believer. So, what are you anointed for? 1 Peter 2:4-5 and 9 (NIV) says “As you come to Him the living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him 5. You also like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 9. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

A priesthood-you have been, every one of us who are believers and followers of Christ, are priest, anointed and called offering spiritual sacrifices and declaring his praises. In the old testament, only the priests were allowed to make sacrifices unto God. And each priest was given a specific job in the temple. But now, we may all declare praises to him, we may all make sacrifices (spiritual) to him. And when you praise you are inviting God into your situation! When you are sacrificing you are giving to him your problems, your sins, your sickness and disease and saying, not mine but thine o Lord. The Holy Spirit indwells within you as the Holy of Holies! You ARE the temple of God here on earth! That thought alone is mind altering. To know that you personally have direct access to God himself because you are washed in the blood of the ultimate sacrifice, the Lamb of God, Jesus Himself. You are clean and presentable, consecrated and anointed before God. As in the day of Esther, His scepter is always extended for you to approach the throne with any request.

HE SET HIS SEAL OF OWNERSHIP ON US

This seal, the Greek word is sphragizo’ (sfrag-id-zo), that is used here is referring to the seal that was used in Paul’s day for a contract. It was both the first installment on a loan and the guarantee of it’s complete payment. Seals are mentioned throughout the Bible. In Matthew 27:66 the tomb of Jesus was secured by sealing it. Revelation 20:3 God throws satan into a pit and seals it so he doesn’t escape. Romans 4:11 Abraham’s circumcision was a sign and seal of the righteousness he had by faith and in Revelation 7:3 the seal of God is put on the forehead of God’s servants to protect them from the coming wrath. And in Song of Songs 8:6 Jesus invites us to place him over our hearts like a fiery seal of love, the jealous flame of God that burns continually in our hearts.

You woman of God are sealed for God! When evil looks at you he see’s you as the bride of Christ, a woman set aside as royalty, a woman who is not to be touched by anyone else. Does this make him stay away? No. It makes him send the strongest demons he has to attempt to break through the barriers Christ has placed around you. This doesn’t mean you won’t walk through problems and have issues and storms that try to destroy you, it means that you have all the authority in Christ to walk through those problems and issues and storms. It means that you can declare your victory before the battle even begins. You have been raised up above the pestilence, the sickness and the sin that so easily besets you. It means that God fights for you. But what happens when you forget who you are in Christ? When you forget what status you hold in the spiritual realm? When you allow satan to speak into your life and you begin to listen to him instead of your savior, you slowly are allowing him to break that seal that God placed upon you. This is how adultery happens in a marriage. One angry moment, two angry moments, years of no communication, then a supportive ear for one of the spouses. This is how your seal is broken with Christ to the point where you have your salvation, you know you’re going to heaven, but you have opened yourself up to all the attacks of satan. Sin is an effort to feel secure in anything other than God. What sin is it you continue to receive satisfaction from? Maybe it’s the desire of your flesh to fear. Maybe it’s the desire of your flesh to be prideful or have a sharp tongue. Maybe, it’s the feeling that grief gives you when you allow it not to just pass but to settle in for a long winters nap. All these things are sins. All of these things make you feel secure in something other than God. All of these things begin to slowly break the seal of God on your life. All of these things set you up for defeat. But praise the Lord, even when this seal is broken in places, God will always repair it as you begin to remember who you are in Christ, a priest, offering those spiritual sacrifices so that your spiritual praises will be heard and God will once again be invited to every situation you have.

HE HAS PUT HIS SPIRIT IN YOUR HEART AS A DEPOSIT GUARANTEEING WHAT IS TO COME

Our Heavenly Father has given us everything He has in order for us to be firm and immovable in our walk with Him. He gave out of His very essence, his love, to create man and when man corrupted that, He gave the law to protect man and man corrupted that and then He gave His only Son and man tried to destroy that. But, Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice for us rose from the dead, conquered satan, the motivator for every man’s corruptness, and was raised to sit at the right hand of His Father. And then, as if that wasn’t enough, He gave us His very own Spirit so that we may walk in all authority here on earth knowing this is not our home. In The Passion Translation, the author says, “We are born of the Spirit, sealed with the Spirit, indwelt by the Spirit, baptized in the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, made one in the Spirit, given gifts of the Spirit and given ministries by the Spirit. he is a promise, a seal and a guarantee of receiving our full inheritance.”

The NIV says the Holy Spirit was given as a deposit. NASB says a pledge. Complete Jewish Bible says a guarantee. The Greek word for guarantee is “arrabon (ar-hrab-ohn’). It’s the earnest money given as a partial payment in advance as security that the whole will be paid afterwards. If you’ve ever bought or sold real estate you know all about earnest money. In this case, another definition is engagement ring. What happens when you put a contract with earnest money on a home or an engagement ring on a finger? The house or the woman is taken off the market. You are no longer available to anyone else. And our God is a jealous God. He is so adement about this he mentioned the same thing three times in the Word. In our text here, 2 Corinthians 1 and then again in 2 Corinthians 5:5 and the again in Ephesians 1:13-14. The reference in Ephesians says, “Having the promised Holy Spirit who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.” And if you read on it goes on to explain in 15-23 why the Holy Spirit is given to us. “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms , 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come, 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”

For this reason you were given:

Wisdom and revelation so that you may know Him better. We can see this in Provers 2:6 “For the Lord gives wisdom and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding”. It’s His word becoming a part of you as you gain His knowledge and His understanding. As you gain that you have hope. Hope is brought on because you have begun to know him better and you have his knowledge and understanding growing within you. This further illuminates the calling he has placed in you and the other saints as His inheritance. The greatness of God’s power comes which is for us who believe. This power is like the working of His mighty strength THROUGH us! It’s the same power that raise Jesus from the dead and seated him at his Father’s right hand. This power is far above all rule and authority power and dominion and every title that has been or will be. God has put everything beneath the authority of Jesus Christ, who has the highest rank above all others. The head of the church, his body. The church being the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. In other words, We, the church, are those who are filled (completed) by Christ, we also complete (fill) him. What a wonderful and humbling thing.

The process of God’s working power through us works when we are in order. Jesus fills us first and we fill or complete him. When that happens with our very being, we can flow in the power and authority of Christ. The head is telling the body and the body is moving the head. A head all by itself can not get anywhere on it’s own. It requires a body to get where it needs to go. When we as the body of Christ are moving in fluidity with the head, the power and authority is over and above any attack of satan through the Holy Spirit himself who has been placed in us as a deposit. Just imagine if this is just a deposit what the whole thing will be like!

The 8th chapter of Romans talks about life through the spirit, living our lives allowing the Holy Spirit to have control so we can understand how to walk in accordance with God’s will in our lives. Verse 26 “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” The Greek word here for the spirit to intercede is “hupererentughkano” . It means “super or hyper intercede or plea”. The author of TPT bible says “we can only imagine how many blessings have poured into our lives because of the intercession for us before the Father by the Holy Spirit”

God did not create us to leave us to the wolves here on earth. He’s given us everything He has for us to be able to accomplish what He created for us for. Every tool, every weapon we need is available to us through His very Spirit who resides within us. This deposit, this seal that’s been placed within us is not just for show. He’s here to work for and through us to make us more than conquerors so when we feel weak we can declare, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” “I am a daughter of the most high king and I have all authority here on earth, in this mortal body, through the wonder working power of the Holy Spirit to blaze a trail for Jesus!” Woman of God, you have been anointed, you have been sealed and you have been guaranteed your redemption and inheritance. The same spirit that raised the Son of God Himself from the dead lives within you waiting for you to walk in accordance with Him so the Father may richly bless you. You are spirit, soul and body. Let’s walk today in confidence allowing the Holy Spirit Himself to direct our spirits to know the perfect will of God for our lives and to be the bride of Christ we have been called to be.