Holy Spirit: the Seal, the Pledge and the Witness

(The following article is adapted from the preaching of Rev Bobby Chaw at City Harvest Church on 2 November 2019.)

Even though Jesus Christ has ascended to heaven, we are not left as orphans for the Holy Spirit is with us.

As Jesus has said in John 14:15-18 (NKJV), “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:15-18 NKJV).

Let the Presence of the Holy Spirit encourages you to keep thanking, praising and worshipping God while believing for the substance, breakthroughs and miracles that you have been praying for. 

Knowing and reminding yourself constantly about the significance of the Holy Spirit in His roles as the Seal, the Pledge and the Witness will certainly go the distance to strengthen your walk of faith in God.  

1) The Seal 

"In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise," (Ephesians 1:13 NKJV). 

The seal speaks of security in having the full backing of God as our Mighty Fortress, Deliverer and Avenger. 

For example, we can take heart of God's authority and protection like Psalm 91:1-2, 9-11 (NKJV), "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;my God, in Him I will trust.”....Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways." 

The seal also signifies ownership; it is like the imprint of a signet ring. As Jesus our Good Shepherd has said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand" (John 10:27-29 NKJV).

2) The Pledge
 

The Holy Spirit is the guarantee or "the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:14 NRSV). 

A pledge encompasses a downpayment, an obligation to complete and a sample of what is to come. Our God is faithful and keeps His promises as He watches over His Words to perform it. 

"For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee" (2 Corinthians 1:20-22 NKJV). 

We can look forward to a new and glorious body with the Holy Spirit as our pledge. "For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee" (2 Corinthians 5:1-5 NKJV).

3) The Witness 

The Holy Spirit is our witness concerning the things of God. He establishes certainty (truths), gives guidance, helps us to pray and provides assurance.

"For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” It is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God," (Romans 8:15-16 NRSV). 

"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you" (John 14:26 NRSV). 

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words" (Romans 8:26 NRSV). 

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God" (Romans 8:14 NKJV). 

"Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2 NKJV). 

Today, the Holy Spirit is still witnessing to us.