Putting on your Spiritual Clothing Daily:
So many Christians talk about Ephesians 6:10
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” This is all good and dandy and it’s a lesson that we all must learn to accomplish. Because yes, it’s an equipment that us believers use for protection against all evil and the devil. The real battle is not with flesh and blood but with the demonic beings working through those around us. We believe that we must armor ourselves from head to toe. So that we can experience God’s protection from the wickedness from the devil himself. But you see there is also one thing that is just as important as covering ourselves with the armor of God, and that is taking off the old man and putting on the new. Colossians 3 :1-11 says “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.”
This does not refer to our fleshly and spiritual nature, but to our former unredeemed lives. Taking the old man of our lives and transforming it into the child of God’s in the new man. The new man is the new creation in Christ Jesus. Just as the old man bears the image of our fallen nature. The old man also is under the submission of our old master Satan, while the new man has a new master, the spirit of God living within. Now the example of the new man is in Colossians 3:12-17 it says:
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
You see it’s like this, suppose you have been invited to spend the day with someone you greatly admire. There’s a part of yourself that most likely will encourage you to prepare for that event. It would include cleaning up and dressing appropriately. Believers are the same. We have been invited to spend eternity, with Christ. We are told to prepare in putting off inappropriate behaviors and clothe ourselves with genuine expressions of the new person we are in Christ. This is called putting on the wardrobe of the Holy Spirit. For example:
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Tender mercies: A heart felt compassion where we see and feel deep empathy for the needy and the suffering.
Mathew 9:36
“But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.”
Mark 8:1-3
“In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.”
Luke 10:33-34
“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So, he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.”
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Kindness: This is the works to meet the needs and to alleviate the suffering with a friendly, helpful spirit.
Acts 28:2
“And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold. But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. So, when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.” But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.”
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Humility: This is to not think too little or too much of yourself. But instead, be thinking of the needs of the people around you.
Romans 12:3
“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
Philippians 2:3-4
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”
· Meekness: To have incredible strength under self-control, being displayed with gentle integrity
2 Corinthians 10:1
“Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who in presence am lowly among you but being absent am bold toward you. But I beg you that when I am present, I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s. For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed— lest I seem to terrify you by letters. “For his letters,” they say, “are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.” Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be indeed when we are present. For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you. For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ; not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment. But “he who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.”
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Longsuffering: This is not to have a passive resignation, but instead patient perseverance through difficulty situations and people. It’s an active decision to bear with others faults in ways that will actually help, with the actions that God would take.
James 5:7-11
“Therefore, be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed, we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”
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Love: Above all, we must wrap ourselves in Jesus’ self-sacrificing love. Because love covers a multitude of sins.
John 15:12
“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”
1 Peter 4:8
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
Now all these items of spiritual clothing are not superficial changes. But instead, they are responses that flow deep within the center of our lives. As we surround ourselves with Christ we begin to progressively transform into his image. We should not be passive in this transformation, but instead choose moment by moment to put on these behaviors and have the responses that Christ showed through his own walk on earth. Put on your Spiritual clothing, just as you put on the armor of God. Because without being dressed properly there is no way that you will be able to get through your day without having an attitude of Christ. We may not know in certain situations what to do. But we do know what not to do. We as believer are to practice our purities in every situation. By loving one another and by refusing to live according to any falsehoods placed in our way. All God is asking is that you come to him, following in his footsteps, his path and his will. All it takes is a little seed of faith, that will grow to a hope in him that was never thought imaginable. All these spiritual clothes that we just went through are gifts granted to help us through this life on earth. Yet these gifts belong to God, they are only given to each one of us to use for the glory of him. Don’t boast about these gifts or think too little of ourselves. Each one of us are as important to God and he has given us the tools to accomplish his mission here on earth. Keep walking, don’t give up, and have trust in the tools given to us to succeed.
May the Lord bless you,
Tinisha Bell
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