Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Fully Clothed

 Romans 13:14

 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

To 'put on' is to clothe one's self with. When we dress ourselves, we are putting on outerwear to cover our nakedness. With this understanding, when we recognize our sins against God, we realize we have no covering and seek out what will remove the nakedness of our hearts. 

Through prayer to God, He leads us to His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, His Lamb which takes away the sins we have committed against Him. And God applies the blood of His Lamb to the wickedness of our hearts, washing away the sin and covering us with the blood. It is a spiritual thing which God does, for God is spirit. We cannot cover ourselves. But we can believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, that He is God's only begotten Son, that He is the Righteousness of God. 

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD

Romans 1:17

For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

Romans 3:22, 23

And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

I CLOTHE MYSELF WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS

Job 29:14

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.

Ephesians 6:14

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed. (When we apply this verse to ourselves, we are able to say, "I stand firm, having buckled the belt of Truth around my waist, and putting on the breastplate [corselet which extends from my heart to my hips] of Righteousness [which protects my heart and my emotions].")

Luke 12:35

Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning. 

Proverbs 31:17

She girds her loins with strength, and strengthens her arms.

Galatians 3:27

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

MAKE NO PROVISION FOR THE FLESH

Galatians 5:16

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Colossians 3:12

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Ephesians 4:21-

Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus—to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

James 4:7

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.

Only a fully clothed Spiritual Warrior can enter God's presence and live. When we pray to this Holy God, we are entering the spiritual realm where good battles evil (Ephesians 6:12 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.) 

With this new knowledge we have gained an understanding of how to put on Jesus Christ:

1. Walk by the Spirit
2.  Clothe ourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience
3. Put off (take off the dirty clothes) our former way of life, our old self
4.  Be renewed in the spirit of your minds (daily and throughout our days)
5. Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness
6. Submit ourselves to God
7. Resist the devil
8. Humble ourselves under God's mighty right hand 

There's no other way to be a FULLY CLOTHED SPIRITUAL WARRIOR than to wear JESUS CHRIST on the inside, in our hearts. When He is there by the Spirit of God, then He will become the Light which shines from the darkness into the darkness, lighting every nook and cranny of ourselves, revealing sins that He might uproot them and remove them permanently. This Light of Christ shines through us where others are able to see Him in us and in our actions. 

Lord, let Your Light shine in me and through me, that those around me may see You in my life and be drawn to You. Make Your Light and Your Love to be evident and may this evidence be apparent to even the darkest, breaking their bonds and chains with Your Grace and Mercy. Help me to be fully clothed and in my right mind today. 

In Jesus' Name, I pray, Amen.