Therefore, put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Pattern of Seven: The Armor of God ~ “In addition to all this, …” – Ephesians 6:16a
I am grateful for Holy Spirit’s divine ability to impart present understanding that surpasses what was known before. Each of the pieces of God’s armor are distinct, and all seven, necessary for ‘the full armor of God.’
Paul, in his Ephesians 6 discourse, did not single out any one piece from a human perspective. Holy Spirit revealed this Warrior facet of the Father’s heart to Paul’s understanding via the only way Holy Spirit knows – according to the pattern of the Godhead in Whose image and likeness all creation, and we, have been made.
As I sat for hours with the Armor of God passage, a pattern within the pattern of seven became evident. I had seen it before as I soaked in the flow of the community of the human spirit. Exhorter is the midway point between the three portions preceding and the three that follow. I saw it again in relation to the Pattern of Seven: The Armor of God ~ “In addition to all this, …”, which announced a pattern within the pattern. [1]
I am confident that the Creator, who has begun such a great work among you, will not stop in mid-design but will keep perfecting you until the day Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King, returns to redeem the world. Philippians 1:6 – Paul writing (The Voice)
The First Three Pieces
Jesus summed up the first three pieces of ‘the full armor of God’ when He proclaimed, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
- ‘with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace’ – the way to the Father
- ‘with the belt of truth buckled around your waist’ – the Spirit of Truth, not to be quenched or grieved
- ‘with the breastplate of righteousness in place’ – right standing with the Father, our heart-breath of life
Each of these is Father’s testament of His gracious, free gifts given us in His Son. Jesus’ peace that passes all earthly ways and understanding. Jesus’ sevenfold Spirit of Truth against which no lie or deceit may stand. Jesus’ righteousness, by which we, covered with His pure blood shed for us, are restored to our Father’s life.
It is clothed with these first three that we are trained, by putting into practice, to “stand firm then, with…”
a pattern within the Pattern
“In addition to all this, …” is Paul’s introduction to the next three pieces of the Armor of God. When we consider the battle uniform of the Roman soldier, these next three are distinct from the first three God-given free gifts with which we are garmented when we receive Jesus as Savior. For some, salvation is enough.
The battle they may engage most in their lifetime, depleting their energy, is resisting the Lordship of Christ. That battle can and does take many forms in a multitude of motivations, of which the Lord is privy to all.
I believe that is why the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation (Christ as Head), and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, are the additional essential spiritual weapons we are exhorted to ‘take’ for both protective defense and overcoming victory through Christ Jesus. Beyond His free gifts, He offers His weapons.
We will continue to move into these, re-engaging with pivotal Exhorter and the shield of faith, as each is addressed in forthcoming articles of The Armor of God.
Prayers for Mercy & Mercy Prayers
Many years ago, I came to know there are two distinct but beautifully woven together aspects of what it means to be in personal relationship with the Father’s Son – our Bridegroom King, the Lord Jesus Christ. That of His being-prepared Bridal company, and of the Father’s company of many sons He is bringing to glory. [2]
It is in quiet, set-apart times of intimacy with Christ that we, as His becoming bride, discover His Mercy heart. Many a battle-wounded soul has, to their detriment, side-stepped or ignored this place of repair that He is.
This intimacy with Him is as crucial to successful spiritual warfare and overcoming the enemy on any given battlefield, internally or outwardly, as it is to ‘put on the full armor of God.’ (Warfare & the Mercy Seat & Pt 2).
At the Mercy Seat, the Bridegroom’s love looks surprisingly different to our human mindset. As we take His weapons, there is a togetherness with Him of pulling down strongholds of human reasoning and destroying the arguments set against Him that are attempting to destroy us. Taking captive every thought of ours into the obedience of the Christ, together we rout the enemy and expose his hiding places. He is Love, teaching His Bride how to war – from His mind and in His strength – transforming her from glory to glory in the process.
Christ’s War Bride
Despite the frontal attacks and subsequent reactions to the plots and tactics of the evil one, our Father has remained committed to the preparation days of a War Bride befitting His Son at the Day of Christ.
Paul saw the Roman soldiers’ battle attire, inspiring His revelation of what it means to “put on Christ”. Christ Jesus is our Interceding Witness as His Shulamite is guided by Holy Spirit through the processes by which she will be prepared, made strong and spotless. For those who eagerly desire His return, it helps to remember who we are to Him, especially when circumstances and relational implements are achieving a refining work.
The Word commands, “do not fear.” There is nothing that befalls, confronts, or surrounds us that has not already been accounted for by our reigning Redeemer. While the enemy fights dirty, Christ’s Bride is taught not to respond in kind. Why? His thoughts and His ways of mercy over judgment are far above ours.
Paul did not write inspired Holy Scripture as one without firsthand experience. He knew being transformed, and that his incredible transformation from who he was before to who he was now, was by the power of God’s love. That love was shed abroad in his heart by Holy Spirit for fruitful sheaves of grace, as for us today.
Philippians 1:9-11 – Paul writing
I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. (NLT)
The perfect faithfulness of God’s timing remains on track as the Bride of Christ is being made ready [3] for her Bridegroom King. It is this He has given to us now to know, grow, be trained in, and prove before the Day when our faith becomes sight.
~ Nancy
[1] There is a thoroughness to the internal work that Holy Spirit is assigned to accomplish in each true believer in Christ. In my reference to a pattern within the pattern of seven, I have a few examples, while holding a key for future watchfulness as I continue to ingest the Word of God. I share it here with you as I believe it is a key of the Kingdom: Wisdom’s seven principles of God’s redemptive grace that He is using to fulfill His word in Philippians 1:6 of His work begun, to complete.
[2] Hebrews 2:10 (AMP) – For it was fitting for God [that is, an act worthy of His divine nature] that He, for whose sake are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the author and founder of their salvation perfect through suffering [bringing to maturity the human experience necessary for Him to be perfectly equipped for His office as High Priest].
[3] Vineyard Days is the decade+ compilation of Song of Songs’ progressive preparation of the Bridegroom’s Shulamite: as revealed to the Apostle Paul – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28, in context). The Bride of Christ is not about lineage, station, or gender. Christ’s Bride is being made ready that it may be truly said, ‘she has made herself ready’ (Rev. 19:7-8).
Click here for a printable PDF of this article: Redemptive Gifts Pattern of Seven – The Armor of God ~ “In Addition to All This, …”
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