Put on Your Armor

2/12/1993

I’d just like to read a prayer I wrote the other night, if that’s alright? I’d really been struggling all through the night just to really see Jesus in everything. And I was tempted to fall into discouragement and it was almost like-I was telling Kathy today that I felt like I really knew what Spiritual warfare was, because I’d get my eyes on Jesus and the problems and different things I was struggling with really did get in the right focus. And then pretty soon I’d let my mind wander and I’d be dragged down again. Then I’d bring my thoughts back to Jesus and focus on Him and praise Him. And it was really true, I could almost feel the spiritual warfare.

And then later on that night I just wrote, “I need desperately for You to walk with me, holding my hand and strengthening my feeble knees. I want to learn everything about You and what You like and what You hate and how You want me to be in fellowship with You. I want to know Your Spirit within. I want to hear Your voice clearly. I want to see things in this life with Your eyes. I want Your vision for my life and the Church. I want to love like You love. I want to touch other people and make them well. I want to hold their hearts and bring them comfort. I want to care for their souls as Jesus cared, when He allowed Himself to be humiliated for our sakes. I want to set the captives free. I want to lighten the burdens of my fellow man. I want to light men’s path with Your love. I want my life to be so absorbed with You, that I lose it. I want instead to find more and more of You. Teacher, Friend, Creator, Redeemer, Rock, Brother, Savior, Shepherd, Judge, Word, Vine, Fortress, Shield, Tower, God, Healer, Provider, Security, Alpha, Omega, Defender, Lord and Master, I want You to live in me.”

One of the things that you said in that prayer, something that has kind of helped me in the last, I don’t know, month and a half since I read this…all the things that Jesus was, that’s what you want your life to be. “Jesus, I want You to live in me.” Well, do you want to know something? He does! :)

The thing that’s kind of helped me sometimes is-I read it and I’ve thought about it quite a few times-It was something from I think William Gurnal and He was talking about the armor of God. You know, to put on the full armor of God. I think we’re all familiar with that scripture: the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the shoes, and just everything about it-the belt of truth. And he really makes a really, really good point and he says, “It’s not enough to simply have the armor of God. You’ve got to put it on.” And he makes the analogy of a person who owns a set of armor. And he’s got the armor and it’s in the corner someplace. Oh, he’s got the armor of God. He’s got it, but he’s not wearing it. And it’s not until you wear it…

And there’s just an aspect of faith of putting it on…the breastplate of righteousness and the shield of faith. I’m going to put on the armor of God. I’m going to live that way. “Jesus, You ARE inside of me. I want You to be more and more and more, but right now it’s really true.” And therefore, I can look with confidence, the kind of confidence in the good sense of the term, that we get from God…that kind of confidence and strength that comes from knowing God and knowing that we have a Father who loves us and that who’s guided us and who has an absolutely flawless track record. Every day of our life up until now, however many thousands of days that’s been, He hasn’t failed once…perfect track record every time.

And that’s the God we serve and that’s the God whose inside! And I can see my shortcomings and I can even see my sin and I’m sorry for that, but it’s inside…and I can look with confidence and strength. Even now, as I’m about my Father’s business, as I’m answering the phone, as I’m doing whatever I’m doing. And so, yeah, I want Jesus. “I want You to live inside of me”…absolutely. “Jesus, You do live inside of me. Help me to LIVE…Help me to line my life up according to the Truth that’s already there.”

It’s kind of like when Joshua…I think we all know that he was given-”The LORD has given you the Promised Land”-He HAS given it to you. He makes it (I think that’s the present perfect tense which talks about something that’s already occurred.) “I have given it to you, but we’re not even there yet…but I have given it to you.” And it was a matter of going into the army and just taking God on His word and believing it. And that’s when the enemies fell and that’s when there was victory. It wasn’t when they saw…you know, God didn’t say “You had it.” And they didn’t just see all the enemies run away first. They had to go in and there were battles to be fought. But God had given them the land. So, put on your armor!