Thank you for taking time out of your day, for leading the way with Dr. Michael Yousap. In this episode, words about the anointing of the Holy Spirit they go beyond a religious word or practice to the comfort that He brings believers of all ages and generations. Please do keep in mind that leading the way is made possible by the generosity of listeners worldwide. Dr.
Youssef relies on your prayers and your financial support to fulfill the call to passionately proclaim uncompromising truth all around the world. Learn ways that you can join Dr. Yousuf and Leading the Way at ltw.org. More on that later. Right now, though, Dr.
Michael Youssef and his message series. Know your best friend. This week I read a fascinating story. And instead of embellishing it, I want to just read it to you as it is. It's an eyewitness of this particular story, of this true story.
And this is how he Puts it. He said um A baby rabbit fell into a quarry and concrete mixing machine yesterday. and came out in the middle of the concrete block. Yet that rabbit had the strength of digging its way free before the concrete block set in. He said, this eyewitness continues, he said, that tiny creature was scooped up with thirty tons of sand.
Then was swirled and pounded through the entire mixing process. with the mixture of cement, sand, and water. That rabbit Carried on On a conveyor built type of thing, and from there. That rabbit was swept into the machine that pounded that concrete into blocks. by a pressure of 100 pound per square inch.
Finally, The blocks were ejected on a dry floor As the dazed rabbit clawed itself free. And the eyewitness said, We picked him up. Cleaned them up. and dried him And he hopped away.
Now There are so many people. Who live their lives just like that rabbit in the story.
So many people feel that they are caught up in the big machine of life.
So many people feel that they are being pounded and swirled. with their circumstances.
So many people live feeling that they're just going through life So dazed and so disoriented and disappointed and discontented in life.
So many people feel That they are barely making it from one day to the next. But I know and you know. that this kind of life Is not what Jesus intended for his disciples to live. You know and I know. That this is not the abundant life that Jesus promised his followers.
This is not the meaningful, purposeful, and significant life that He promised us. And that is why He gave us the Holy Spirit. But here's the problem. When our lives are lived with that Consciousness. of the presence of the Holy Spirit.
When we live our lives focused on ourselves and our problems. When we live Lives that are susceptible To the world's pressures and the world's thinking and the world's system. Jesus said, If anyone wishes to follow me, let him deny himself, let him deny herself, and follow me.
Now, that's where you get the source of strength because when we don't, we get into trouble. The Bible said that believers do not own themselves. They are owned and operated by God. We saw in the previous message, beginning of the series of messages, know your best friend. In this series on the Holy Spirit, that Jesus gave us His Holy Spirit to be our best friend that we could ever have.
And I thank God for all human friends, but the Holy Spirit is the ideal friend that you dream of having. From beginning to end, the Holy Spirit is the one Who does the entire job of our salvation. He begins by bringing us under conviction. that you cannot save yourself. that you have fallen short of Of God's standards.
He brought you under conviction to realize that you can only be saved through accepting the gift of salvation that comes from the cross of Calvary. And then he tells you that you desperately need the Savior. And then, when you come to the Father through God the Son, and only through God the Son. After you do that. That gracious spirit.
comes in. And he lives on the inside of you, and he dwells in you. You know the word paraclete. which I often translate as a comforter. The word is made up of two Greek words, para, means alongside of, and then clit means come.
So that he comes alongside of us. He comes alongside of us to do what? To speak to us, he comes alongside of us to convict us. He comes alongside of us to comfort us. He comes alongside of us to strengthen us, to empower us.
He comes alongside of us to explain the word of God which he authored. He comes alongside of us to give us victory over sin, to give us victory over temptation, to give us victory over our circumstances, regardless of how hard they may be. He comes and he warns us that Satan is setting up traps for us, and he says, Don't do this, don't do that, don't go there. Satan is out setting a trap for you. You say, well, this is great.
This is just wonderful. But I don't hear that. I don't hear his warning. I don't see this. The problem is But we Got used to hearing all sorts of voices and all sorts of sounds.
And we silence the voice of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We can listen to the television, listen to the radio, we can listen to economists and talking heads all over the place. We can listen to our own flesh, even. We listen to our own fears and take counsel of them. We listen to the prophets of doom and gloom.
And silence, the only voice that God has given us, that Jesus sent to dwell in us, who can bless us, who can guide us, and who can lead us God's way. But in order to be able to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, you've got to know Him. How would you recognize the voice of somebody if you don't know the person? And that is what this series of messages is all about. That I want you to recognize, to learn, to know, to fall in love with the Spirit of Jesus, whom Jesus had given to everyone who believes in Him, everyone who is born of the Spirit of God, in order that He may bless our lives.
So I want you to know That best friend. Because he not only saves you, But the Bible said he seals you. He saves you and He seals you. It is vitally important to understand what it means to be sealed by the Holy Spirit. Because when you are sealed by the Holy Spirit and you understand that sealing, you're going to stand firm.
Let me show you what Paul said in 2 Corinthians chapter 1, verses 21 and 22. 2 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 21 and 22. Here's what Paul says. It is God who makes us stand firm in Christ.
Well, how? How does he do that? He said, by anointing us. What does this anointing mean? Paul said that you have been anointed so that you can stand firm.
The world is going to hell in a handbasket. You standing firm. They say fear all over the place. You're standing firm. Why?
Because you have the anointing. It's not going to get it or try to grab it from somewhere or buy it. No, no, no. You've got it. What does anointing mean?
It means being set aside. Anointing means that you are being given a unique place. Anointing means that you are not living in the humdrum of life like the rest of the population. that you are not caught up in that machine of this world system. And that you saw this oriented.
No. But you think differently, you are behaving differently, you are reacting differently, you live differently, you speak differently. But Because being anointed means that you stand out of the crowd. And that's your greatest testimony. Is that anointing just for preachers?
No, and a million knows. Is that anointing just for people in full-time ministry? Absolutely not. That's not what the Bible said. Paul says this anointing of God This being set aside by God, this being chosen and elected by God, is for all the believers.
How does God do that?
Well, tells you verse 22. 2 Corinthians chapter 1. by stamping his seal of ownership. on every believer. How?
By giving us the Holy Spirit. To dwell within us, to be come alongside of us, to talk to us. to minister to us, to speak to us, to convict us. In fact, Ephesians chapter 4, verse 30. which I used in the very first message in this series.
The Apostle Paul said, do not grieve the Holy Spirit. And we saw in that message what it means not to grieve the Holy Spirit. How in the world, why would we want to grieve the best friend, the most gracious friend that we could ever have? But many believers, I submit to you, are grieving the Holy Spirit and living their life while He is in a corner somewhere in their life sitting and grieving. Why should we not grieve the Holy Spirit?
Ah Because He is Our seal. He is Our seal. What is the sealing of the Holy Spirit all about? I want you to hear me right. Please listen carefully.
Because when you understand The meaning of of the fact that you are sealed by the Holy Spirit. You will live your life. In victory. Because when you understand the sealing of the Holy Spirit, you will not live your life like that rabbit caught in the concrete machine. of life.
You will not live your life in fear and dread. You will not live your life in strife and anger and frustration. You will not live your life Holding onto your past grudges, onto your past pain, and into your past grief, which we all have. Every one of us have baggages, but the Holy Spirit of God, when it comes in and seals you, you let that go, and then you walk in victory with God. Being sealed of the Holy Spirit.
is the most liberating knowledge. that you can have. It will give you Liberating joy and peace. It will give you clarity of vision for life. It will give you faith and not fear.
It will set you free from the humdrum of life. It will give you confidence of who you are in Christ. There are three things I want to tell you about the sealing of the Holy Spirit. Three things. Sealing is a declaration of ownership.
Secondly, Ceiling is a guarantee of security. And thirdly, Sealing of the Holy Spirit. is a Indication of authenticity. Let me unpack these. Sealing of the Holy Spirit is a declaration of ownership.
Back in the old days, the kings would have a golden ring or signet ring or a stamp. made of gold. And the king's ring or stamp is pressed on a hot wax. in order to seal a document. Thus, it is declaring, the king is declaring, this property belongs to the king.
No one is to touch it except by the order of the king. No one is to tamper with it except by the order of the king. As you know, it belongs to the king. You know, ownership is important to us. It has always been since the beginning of creation and will always be.
Ownership is something that we value, and that's fine, and that's wonderful. And that is why. An item is valued By who owns it or Who owned it? For example, C. S.
Lewis's Pike. For example, was sold for $1,000. Winston Churchill's desk, and the list goes on and on. Would you believe that someone shelled out $211,500 for Jackie Onassis' fake pearls? Yeah.
Fake pearls.
Well, God bless them anyway. JFK's golf club sold for $772,500. None of these items worth anywhere near that much. They have not that kind of value. What made the difference?
What made the difference? Who owned them? made the difference. And now I want you to think with me. Here you are.
Owned. By the King of Kings. And the law of lords. He said, I own you. Lockstock and Barrel, you're mine.
Just imagine that you're being owned by the Almighty God, the powerful God, the Creator God. He says, You're mine. I own you. You can even put value on that. Not all of the trillions of dollars in the world can buy you that.
Why? Because Who? owns you. Who owns you? God says you're mine.
Secondly, The sealing of the Holy Spirit guarantees our security. Ephesians 4.30. You are sealed by the Holy Spirit. For security purposes, smart translation. You know, we often talk about people who are insecure.
So well, you know, he's insecure, she's insecure. I have a a use of theory about this. Do you want to know it? We're all insecure. In some way or another, in different areas of life, we're all insecure.
What brings about insecurity in a person's life? Insecurity comes from not being sure of yourself. Insecurity comes when you don't have confidence in your abilities. Insecurity comes from feeling less uh than you should be. And and many times people project these insecurities in a variety of ways.
Um many become critical of others and and they're always criticizing others and and putting them down and and always highlighting other people's weaknesses. And they're kind of constantly popping themselves up. in order to deal with their insecurity. But listen to me. When you are sealed by the Holy Spirit of God, He is your security.
He gives you confidence in your owner. He assures you of your own as love. He reminds you again and again and again. Moment by moment. That of his grace that was given to you, he walks with you in the tough places of life.
He lifts you up when you fall. And when Satan comes in and tries to sidetrack you, sidetrack you from what God called you to do, when Satan comes in and tries to bring doubt in your life, doubt of any kind, when Satan comes in and he tries to shake your confidence, your confidence in your owner's love, confidence in your own as gift of salvation, confidence in your owner's protection of you. When Satan comes in and reminds you of your past sins of which you have repented a long time ago, that seal assures you that. Seal gives you the confidence that you are secure in Christ. And you can say I am sealed.
And that seal gives me all the security I need. But there's something here that's of vital importance I don't want you to miss, and please remember. Remember this. Because that's where the vast majority of us stumble. I want you to remember this.
This seal that is given for your security. is not dependent on on how you feel. Because your feeling changes from day to day. This seal is not dependent on your emotions, which can go up and down. This seal is not dependent on your moods, which is very changeable.
This seal is not dependent on whether you feel spiritual or you don't. has nothing to do with that. That seal is guaranteed for life because it was sealed by the King of Kings. Not only that, the seal of the Holy Spirit declares God's ownership. Of you.
Not only That that seal of the Holy Spirit guarantees your security. But thirdly, This seal of the Holy Spirit. indicates Authenticity. Indicates Authenticity. You know, when the Apostle Paul was writing to the Ephesians and he said to them, You are sealed by the Holy Spirit.
They understood exactly what he's talking about. They understood it instinctively. They understood the importance of authenticity of a seal. Let me tell you why. Ephesus was a seaport.
which shipped, among other things, The highest quality of timber. The highest quality of wood anywhere in the world was in Ephesus and from Ephesus. If you lived in the Roman Empire back then, Man, and your house is built with timber from Ephesus, you made it. I mean, you are somebody. You made it.
Because it was the highest quality of timber. But human nature the way it is. Cheaters and imitators will sell you cheap wood on the high seas And tell you that's an Ephesian word. It's an Ephesian timber. They're cheaters.
You see, what the Ephesian merchants The Ephesian manufacturers of timber dead. They created a seal that cannot be duplicated. And they didn't just put that seal on the bulk of the timber. They stamped it on every single beam. They stamped it on every single log.
As an Ephesian timber. That way it cannot be confused and cannot be confused with the false ones. That is the real deal, and you cannot cheat it. And that seal was the mark of authenticity, and Paul is telling them that. And beloved, you know and I know.
That we live in a time where there are so many people out there who claim to be Christians. There are so many people who are redefining what a Christian is. They're redefining what Christianity is. But only those who are sealed by the Holy Spirit of God are authentic Christian. He said, How do I know?
Well, Michael, You got me all worked up now on how do I know? that I am sealed. for authenticity. Let me tell you very quickly, I'm coming close to the end. You know, you're sealed by the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit confirms to your spirit.
That Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. that all the other ways are fake. All the other ways are not real. They're imaginary and will never lead to heaven. That Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father, is the only way to heaven.
That through Jesus and Jesus alone you receive salvation. Anyone can have salvation, and salvation is possible only through Christ. And that Holy Spirit confirms that to your spirit, that no name under heaven by which any men, any women, any boys, any girls can make it to heaven except the name of Jesus. Having that confidence. you daily desire to please your heavenly father.
So let me ask you this. Are you an authentic Christian? Are you an authentic Christian? If you're not. You can be today.
You can begin today. Come to the Father. through the only way, the Son Jesus Christ. He had it made possible for you to come to him. Acknowledge that only his death and payment For your wages of sin on the cross, the only payment that is acceptable to God the Father.
In that moment, you become sealed. By the Holy Spirit. And that can be truly Truly the beginning. of a wonderful relationship. Do you have questions about your spiritual journey?
Most of us do. And if so, maybe a conversation with one of Leading Lui's pastors or counselors would help. You can start that conversation at ltw.org/slash. Slash Jesus. You know, we often mention that leading the way is listener supported.
And through that support of prayer and generosity, doctor Youssef has not only reached people right here in this community, but also in communities across six continents and in twenty eight different languages. We recently heard about a Syrian refugee and his family who listened to Dr. Youssef. and they consider him their pastor because they're not able to attend a local church safely. In fact, just to give you a feel for the difficulties many are facing all around the world, hear this.
His family was threatened with death because they attended a Christian church, and his daughter Was sexually assaulted for being in a church building and not wearing the hijab. Leading the way is now part of this family's spiritual growth and support. And because we are listener supported, You can be a part of standing with this family and others like them in Syria and beyond.
So won't you join doctor Youssef to day? Be a part of what's happening in your community and in communities just like yours all around the world. Call us. Learn about the Open Door campaign. You can go online, ltw.org.
That's ltw.org or phone us. We are at 866. Yeah, yeah. Four three five six. This program is brought to you by Leading the Way with Dr.
Michael Usack. Connect further with audio and video content at ltw.org. Mm.
