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The Light
Dr David Wood
THE LIGHT
ARE YOU NAKED? – PART
EIGHT
OR, I AM FULLY
CLOTHED AND ARMOURED!
September is
upon us! Greetings in the name of the one and only living God! Praise His
name, He is so good, He is poised day and night to bring the fulness of this
covenant Jesus paid for into each of our lives. I trust that all of you have
been vigilant concerning the things that are going on in our government.
Primarily I am referring to the so called health reform bills. These bills are
terrible. They are anti-Christian and un-American. The Declaration of
Independence declares the following; “We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit
of Happiness” Please understand that this so called health reform proposal is
absolutely contrary to these “truths”. That line from our Declaration of
Independence is based on the Bible, the Bible of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The
Bible is full of life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That is what
the whole deal (Bible) is about, praise the Lord! If you have not in some way
or fashion contacted your Representative and Senators (especially those of you
who live in Maine) please do not let another minute pass, do it now.
Now on to our
Bible study for this month of September. We are continuing with our clothing or
coverings and will center up on the gospel of peace.
Ephesians 6:15
(KJV)
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
According to
Isaiah 61:10 God Himself at the point of salvation “clothed me with the garments
of salvation” and “covered me with the robe of righteousness,” This is
wonderful in and of itself but would leave us quite vulnerable. That clothing
alone would not bring us fully to the place of sonship and the sharing in the
divinity of God that He created us to have and partake of in Christ Jesus. 1
Peter 5:5 instructs us to “be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the
proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” Humility is an act of submission, an
act of worship and brings us to a place free of pride and arrogance. Next we
discussed being clothed with the armour of light (Romans 13:12). The light is
the Word of God, the very presence of God. Those that are in the light are in
the place of authority or dominion and power. Oh, without Jesus none of this is
possible! Thank you Lord and Savior! Romans 13:14 instructs us to “put ye on
the Lord Jesus Christ,” Isn’t it wonderful that that is even possible. We can
put, be immersed in His nature and character. After all, our purpose is to
become exactly like Him, the Father has already declared it and we, every one of
us, are walking that out. Press in with ardent zeal! In Acts 2:2-4 we saw how
we were to be clothed (filled and covered) with the Holy Spirit Himself. This
includes the evidence of speaking in tongues. You may say, well brother Wood I
don’t know that I believe that, well search the Scriptures and get over it so
you can go on in Him. That brought us to “put on charity”. Charity is an old
English word for love and does indeed approximate the meaning of the God kind of
love, love devoid of selfishness. Review and meditate Colossians 3:14 and 1
Corinthians 13:4-8. this must be operational in everyone of our lives otherwise
we will spin our tires and never move forward. Of course, wrapped up in love is
motivation. Our motivations must be His.
This brings us
to the armour of God.
Ephesians
6:10-18 (KJV)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of
his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be
able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and
having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able
to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
In the April
letter we discussed the first part of verse fourteen; “having your loins girt
about with truth,” We discussed how “the truth” was the word of God, the Holy
Spirit of God and the love of God. What a trio! Remember that in verse eleven
we are told; “Put on the whole armour of God,” He will not do it for you, you
must do it. It will not happen by accident, it will take time, purpose and
diligence. The August letter dealt with the breastplate of righteousness. This
breastplate of righteousness has its origins in the Old Covenant.
Exodus 28:30
(KJV)
30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the
Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the LORD:
and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart
before the LORD continually.
When the High
Priest of the Old Covenant had this breastplate on and had performed the animal
sacrifices (shedding of blood) required of God the children of Israel were
judged righteous or without sin. As you know this had to be repeated every year
on the day of Atonement. You will remember that within this breastplate was the
prophetic evidence of the One to come, Christ Jesus. That is the Urim and the
Thummim. Notice that according to Exodus 28:30 this breastplate was over
Aaron’s heart and he, Aaron, bore the judgment of the children of Israel. Think
on this, Jesus is our High Priest like Aaron was theirs. Jesus bore our sin
just as Aaron did every year and with the blood sacrifice the judgment of God
was righteousness. For them temporary, for us eternal in Jesus! Notice it says
“Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before
the LORD continually.” Our Lord and Savior and High Priest is at the right hand
of the Father and we are on His mind continually and His precious blood is
sprinkled over the mercy seat which is before the throne of God as a continuous
reminder of our righteousness. The blood of Jesus cries out that we are totally
and completely saved and redeemed. Oh, saints, praise the Lord!
Now what about
this gospel of peace?
Ephesians 6:15
(KJV)
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
The phrase,
“your feet shod with” signifies that this is something we are to walk in, that
is be a participant. We must seek it with ardent zeal, press into the things of
God and take hold of it (the gospel of peace). This is a most wonderful piece
of armour. The gospel of peace could be translated the good news of wholeness!
What a deal. Jesus did not die for us to have a little dab of Him of what is
His but as we say in Texas the whole enchilada. The word peace denotes
wholeness. If you look at it in your Strong’s Concordance you will find that it
has to do with prosperity, quietness, rest and being set at one again. All of
Scripture one way or another talks of this for without wholeness we can not get
this job done. It is past time for the Church to arise and be the Church!
Isaiah speaks often about our time and this wholeness.
Isaiah 53:4-6
(KJV)
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we
did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was
bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his
own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
I know you are
familiar with this but are you really? Do you believe it? Have you received it
for yourself and your family? Can you take this to others in the Church and to
the world? We are not to grieve. It is a slap in the face of Jesus to grieve,
He took it. Yet many in the body of Christ are grieving (sense of loss) over
things and people for years. Jesus took our grief so refuse to grieve in Jesus
name. He took our sorrow so why do we sorrow? It is sin to grieve and sorrow!
Grief and sorrow are based in fear, a sign that you have not known and believed
the love of God. Jesus was wounded for our transgressions which is our
rebellion. So say goodbye rebellion and say hello submission. He was bruised
for our iniquities or sins. So we say goodbye unrighteousness and hello
righteousness (sinlessness). He was chastised so that we could have peace, have
wholeness. So goodbye lack and hello wholeness, nothing missing, nothing broken
in my life, in Jesus name! And by His stripes we were healed. This includes
our bodies but is not exclusive to our bodies; it is healing in every area. Our
spirit needed to be healed, we needed the Word to heal our mind and of course
His power and Word to bring health and healing to our bodies and a very sick
world.
Isaiah speaks
of this again and Jesus read these words in part at the very beginning of His
earthly ministry, which is our ministry.
Isaiah 61:1-3
(KJV)
1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath
anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the
prison to them that are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of
vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty
for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of
heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the
LORD, that he might be glorified.
Every part of
this passage screams wholeness for our brokenness! What a Saviour! Remember in
the definition of peace I mentioned prosperity, quietness, rest and to be set at
one again. The prosperity purchased at the cross includes money but encompasses
every area of your life. Just think on this a few minutes, money, family,
social arena, body and whatever other arenas of life you need prosperity. When
God talks about prosperity He is not talking about us four and no more. He is
talking about “exceeding abundantly”! Praise His name!
Ephesians 3:20
(KJV)
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all
that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
What power?
The acted upon Word of God!
The quietness
is the tranquility or peace of mind that many speak of concerning this piece of
armour. To limit this peace of armour to a quiet feeling stops light years
short of what God wants for you and me. The third aspect of this peace is the
rest of God which is the provision of God.
Hebrews 4:1-3
(KJV)
1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of
entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the
word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard
it.
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I
have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works
were finished from the foundation of the world.
Notice the
first generation of the children of Israel to come out of Egypt did not enter
into the promise land for they did not act on what they heard. They would not
(on purpose) enter into the promise land in spite of the fact that God had
prepared it for them from the foundation of the world. Dear brothers and
sisters of God He has prepared the same for us and much more for we are in Him
and in His blood. These people that came out of Egypt would have been faith
giants if faith came by what you could see. Just think what they had seen. The
ten plagues on the Egyptians but not in Goshen. They spoiled the Egyptians,
which means they left them destitute. They saw the Red Sea part and they saw
the destruction of the most powerful army in the earth. They saw the Shekinah
of God and heard the voice of God upon Mount Sinai. No friends, faith comes by
hearing and hearing only. This Scripture and Brother James in his epistle
confirms that just hearing is useless; we must give the Word of God legs i.e.
act upon it.
Now to
conclude this month’s letter let me remind you that we have been set at one
again. That means we are one with God once again. That oneness was broken in
the Garden but restored in Christ Jesus! What a deal! What He is so are we,
only believe and walk in it. We may return to this again next month but in the
meantime just thank God that we have wholeness; it is His doing and that is
marvelous in our sight! We love you and until next month may He bless and keep
you, may He lift His face upon you and let His goodness be shown all around
about you, the Garden of Eden before you, the fire behind you, and may He lift
up His countenance and give you peace, in Jesus name.
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