God has a program, of three simple steps: hear, believe, and then you are sealed forever.
Satan's program we should be aware of is, to deceive. Revelation 12:9; Matthew 24:11; Romans 16:18; 1 Corinthians 10:19-20; Rev. 9:11.
The devil's program is to deceive, defile, and to destroy. Our Lord said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
1. THE FIRST STEP IN GOD'S PROGRAM: HEARING. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17); 1 Peter 1:23; Romans 10:14; Acts 1:8; Proverbs 11:30. God's program is for His people to win souls.(Mark 16:15)
2. SECOND STEP IN GOD'S PROGRAM: BELIEVING. To believe means, “to trust.” “who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted…” (Eph. 1:12-13); Acts 16:31. The Bible says, “prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12).
3. THIRD STEP: SEALED. So being sealed means we are secure in Christ. A salvation that is not eternal is not Biblical (John 3:16). John 10:27-28; Eph. 4:30; Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 1:4-5; John 14:16-17; 16:7. Romans 8:23 says, “even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”
When we are sure that we are saved and in the Lord's hands, we dare to attempt big things for God. And we do not have to worry about falling into hell because we “were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13). |