Are You Dressed for Success?

Are You Dressed for Success? 

Good Morning Friends,

Today we look at two related images of how Christians are to behave both on and off the battlefield.  Here we discover that to be ready for battle…ready for life, we need to be properly clothed by Christ. In today’s scripture Paul uses a word pictures to describe how we are to fight the good fight and to live a lifestyle necessary to win the spiritual war and enjoy a heavenly peace. One image is of a person putting on the armor of God including: the Helmet of Salvation; The Belt of Truth; The Breastplate of Righteousness; Shoes of Peace; Shield of Faith; Sword of the Spirit and finally a prayer life… the second image is of being clothed in love which is the fruit of prayer put into actions that glorify God. It is important to note that we are to wear both images one on top of another. Friends, without prayer our armor and swords mean nothing. Without love our life is meaningless. Life is littered with defeated Christians who never discovered how the two are related.  As you study scripture and church history one thing is constant in the lives of God’s most effective Saints… it is purposeful prayer. Practicing with the armor on…practicing clothed in Christ’s love is the journey of life. Are You Dressed for Success? 

Scripture: Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Colossians 3:14 (NRSV)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench 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. Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak. 

Ephesians 6:10-20 (NRSV)

Message: Christians are to be engaged in a spiritual battle equipped with weapons of warfare that are also spiritual. But our first impression to others is to be one of love. A fight for moral strength is not enough. Ethical wisdom and high ideals are insufficient. Personal commitment to justice and righteousness fall short. If we take the great commission seriously then we will need to girdle ourselves with the belt of truth, for it holds together all other virtues… but we need to lead with love. We need to be honest and sincere. We need to put on the breastplate of righteousness to protect our hearts from sin. We need to shod our feet with the preparation of peace so we might be stable in our walk with God. We need the shield of faith so we might face the onslaught of sin. We need to put on the helmet of salvation that protects the seed of our thought life.  With these defenses in place we take up the sword of the spirit…the word of God spoken with boldness and power as we expose the enemy to our unity in love…clothed in Christ. 

Pray that we clothe ourselves with the collar of compassion and the cuff of kindness. Pray that we be surrounded by the hem of humility and girdle ourselves with gentleness. Pray that we put on the pants of patience to find peace. Pray that we clothe ourselves with the pattern of Christ as our model. Pray that the clothing of Christ be sewn with the thread that binds us all together…in love and for love.  Pray that we be covered. Pray that we be strong. Pray that we be aware. Pray that in Christ we will be victorious as we discover that the greatness of the “good news” is that it does not come from us, but from God. Pray the Spirit helps us to gain the right emotional perspective so we can make right choices. Pray Christ’s pattern for our lives weaves together threads of compassion, kindness, humility and patience held together in love. Pray that righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, the spirit and word of God are held together in the crucible of prayer. Pray we live life in love and truth. Pray we are clothed in Christ.

Blessings,

John Lawson