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The Light
Dr David Wood
THE LIGHT
ARE YOU NAKED? – PART
SIX
OR, I AM FULLY
CLOTHED AND ARMOURED!
Greetings in the name
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! July is here and in South Texas it is very
hot, over 100 degrees the last several days. Here in America we celebrate the
birth, the independence of our nation on the 4th of July. Celebrate
this year with the full knowledge that in spite of President Obama saying this
is not a Christian nation; we are indeed a Christian nation for the very
foundation of this nation is Judeo-Christian. Before the Pilgrims left the
Mayflower to settle at Plymouth Rock they make a covenant with the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, our God, our Lord and Savior, on November 11, 1620.
That Mayflower Compact reads in part; “Having undertaken for the glory of God
and advancement of the Christian Faith… [we] combine ourselves together into a
civil body politic for…furtherance of the ends aforesaid.” The evidence for
this nation being established as a Christian nation is copious and for a
President or any other leader to stand and declare that we are not is ignorance
or rebellion or both at the worst.
Now, let us move into
our study for this month. I am continuing with the clothing or coverings of the
Christian. Our most basic coverings received at salvation are the garments of
salvation and the robe of righteousness.
Isaiah 61:10 (KJV)
10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my
God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me
with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with
ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
You can have the
garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness on and still get the
stuffing knocked out of us by our own ignorance or the devil and his cohorts. I
talked about these garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness at length
in the May letter. At first these will protect us but just like in the natural
we are expected to grow. If we do not grow spiritually we become vulnerable to
the attacks of the enemy due to our own ignorance. You can not remain a baby
and be successful in the Christian walk anymore then you can remain a baby in
the natural and be successful. Not growing is not an option anymore then not
growing in the natural. The lack of growth in the natural and in the spiritual
will lead to a premature death. Just as a lack of natural growth can bring a
reproach on our natural family so will it on the spiritual family even on the
Father. We are to be sons of the Living God and that means we are builders of
His name. Forget laziness and get about the business of the kingdom, in Jesus
name!
Now we will look at
five pieces of clothing that are vital to our walk with God. We are to be
clothed with humility, with light, with Christ, with the Anointing and with
Love. I find it interesting that there are five of these additional pieces of
clothing. Five is the number of grace indicating that putting these on is our
choice facilitated by the words of our mouth and secured by the work of Grace
(the Holy Spirit). Just as we are saved by grace (work of the Holy Spirit) we
also put on these garments by grace. When we were saved we confessed with our
mouth and believed in our heart (Romans 10:9-10) and that same process will
secure these garments in place. Be aware that Scripture gives instruction to
put these garments on; it is not optional for a son of God. Not putting them on
leaves you in childhood tossed to and fro (Ephesians 4:14) overseen by governors
and tutors (Galatians 4:1-2).
So let us put on
humility.
1 Peter 5:5-9 (KJV)
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all
of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God
resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he
may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same
afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Notice that putting
on humility is linked to submitting to our elders (in every realm) and
submitting one to another. This brings a profound protection and work of God
(grace) into your life. Consider Daniel, he always honored the king and he
certainly honored God and he was not eaten of the lions. If you do not want to
be eaten by the lions (verse 8) of inadequate finances and poor health learn to
submit. Humility is the absence of pride and arrogance. Pride and arrogance
are the doorways of deception. Humility is also one if the doors to the next
and final awakening.
2 Chronicles 7:14
(KJV)
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble
themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then
will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Now put on light.
Remember light is God Himself and it is the illumination of the revealed Word of
God.
1 John 1:5 (KJV)
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare
unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
John 1:1 (KJV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God.
The book of First
John tells us that God is light and then the Gospel of John tells us that the
Word or logos of God is God. So the Word is light. You can receive the Word
and do the Word and drive darkness from your life or you can allow your own
laziness and the enemy to steal the word and continue to stumble about in
darkness.
Romans 13:12 (KJV)
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast
off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Paul in his letter to
the Christians at Rome and to us says to cast off the works of darkness
(Galatians 5:19-21) and to put on the armour of light. You and you alone can
make the conscious decision to put on the armour of light (the logos, the Word
of God). You may look at the list of the works of the flesh listed in Galatians
five and say I’m not doing these. Do not get too hasty, research the meanings
of those words and let the Word of God judge you and lead you to repentance.
Now let us put on
Christ.
When we put something
on we take on the character, the image of the clothing. In this case it is our
Lord and Saviour; we put on all that He is.
Romans 13:14 (KJV)
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for
the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
When we are born
again and put on the Lord Jesus Christ we are to walk in the Spirit and not in
the flesh. The flesh is the old nature, the old way of doing and being. We are
transformed into the image of Christ by the renewing of our mind. We renew our
minds with the word of God thereby transforming our thoughts, the way we think
about things, the way we react to things and the way we do things. After all,
we do not want to continue to look like and act like the devil!
Galatians 3:27 (KJV)
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on
Christ.
When you are baptized
you are immersed into water, the outside is completely covered with water. This
symbolizes the death of the sinful flesh and when we come up out of the water
our resurrection with Christ. In addition, being baptized into Christ is also a
marriage. Remember He is the groom and we are the bride. When a woman marries
a man she is baptized into his name she takes his name as her own. Wherever she
goes she now goes in that name. When Jesus on the Mount of Olives tells the
disciples to baptize people “in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of
the Holy Ghost:” (Matthew 28:19) He is not talking about water baptism but
immersion into the Godhead. What a deal!
Next we are to be
clothed, covered, smeared with the anointing which is none other than the Holy
Spirit Himself.
Acts 1:8 (KJV)
8 But ye shall
receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be
witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto
the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 2:2-4 (KJV)
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty
wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it
sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak
with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Jesus had told his
disciples that the Holy Spirit was coming and He repeats that just before His
ascension in Acts 1:8 above. Notice “the Holy Ghost is come upon you:” in Acts
1:8 and then “it sat upon each of them.” in Acts 2:3. When you receive the
baptism of the Holy Spirit He not only fills you but covers you (like
clothing). When you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you receive power;
miracle working power, just like Jesus had and has.
Acts 10:38 (KJV)
38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with
power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the
devil; for God was with him.
1 John 4:17 (KJV)
17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the
day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
Did you notice that;
“as he is, so are we in this world.”! Now, do not be deceived, this does not
just drop on you, it belongs to the disciples, those who have believed on Him
and are continuing (living) in His word. (John 8:21-32)
Now I will deal
briefly with the fifth article of clothing, also the foundational spiritual law,
which is love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
(GW)
4 Love is patient. Love is kind. Love isn't jealous. It doesn't sing
its own praises. It isn't arrogant.
5 It isn't rude. It doesn't think about itself. It isn't irritable.
It doesn't keep track of wrongs.
6 It isn't happy when injustice is done, but it is happy with the
truth.
7 Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops
hoping, never gives up.
8 Love never comes to an end. There is the gift of speaking what God
has revealed, but it will no longer be used. There is the gift of speaking in
other languages, but it will stop by itself. There is the gift of knowledge, but
it will no longer be used.
Wow, verse eight
tells us that love never fails. Can that be said about anything else? Remember
according to 1 John 4:16 God is love. And when we walk in love we are walking
like God. Love also makes our faith work (Galatians 5:6), in fact it is
impossible to walk in faith which pleases God (Hebrews 11:6) and gives us
victory (1 John 5:4) without walking in love. Unless you love the Lord your God
with all of your heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37) and love others as Jesus
loved us (John 13:34) you will not walk by faith. Walking by faith is simply to
walk with absolute adherence to, reliance in, confidence in, and persuaded of
every word that has proceeded from the mouth of God.
So let us put on
love!
Colossians 3:14 (AMP)
14
And above all these [put on] love and enfold yourselves with the bond of
perfectness [which binds everything together completely in ideal harmony].
We are to put on
love, agape, the God kind of love. We are to love God and love people; we are
not to love things. We enjoy things including money but we do not love things
or money.
So let us increase
our clothing by choice putting on humility, light, Christ, the Anointing and
love! Until next month the Lord Himself bless and keep you as you walk in the
Truth.
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