Dressing for Battle

“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders.  Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. “  1 Peter 5:5 (emphasis added)

Father, I pray for every member of the Deeper Still teams to be clothed with humility.  I pray for Deeper Still to resist the temptations of pride and the flesh and remain humble realizing all things are only done through Your mighty hand and by Your Holy Spirit.  In Jesus’ Almighty and Glorious Name, Amen.

How we dress matters.  We wouldn’t wear a tux to the gym.  We will freeze if we wear a swimsuit in the snow.  Would you wear an evening gown to the grocery store?  Although some wear their pajamas to Walmart, I think we can all agree that no one should! 

The Deeper Still Retreats are no less than a battle zone and every team member is on the front lines.  For centuries, armies have known how to dress for battle.  They know what to wear and what NOT to wear.  Knowing what NOT to wear is equally as important. 

When David fought Goliath, Saul offered him his armor.  David turned it down because he knew it would hinder his ability to fight.  He knew what NOT to wear.  (1 Samuel 17:38)

Pride weighs us down and hinders our ability to fight.  The Lord says to clothe ourselves with humility.  That suggests to me that we need to be sure we put it on continually.  We need to lay down the things that easily entangle us so we can run the race with endurance (Hebrews 12:1).  Pride will definitely entangle.

 

This is a battle.  Not only do we need to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6), but we also need to clothe ourselves with humility.  One of the enemies most deadly weapons in ministry is pride.  We have to be willing to lay down our pride and subdue our fleshly tendencies.  There are lives hanging in the balance.  This isn’t play time, it is real combat. 

We would be wise to take Peter’s advice in 1 Peter 5:8-9a:

“Be sober, be vigilant…your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion…Resist him.”

   

We resist the enemy when we take off pride and put on humility.  Humility is a weapon that enables the the grace of God to perfect, establish, strengthen and settle (1 Peter 5:9b).  It isn’t an option, being willing to submit to God and others humbly is a necessity. 

Humility is a vital part of our battle attire. 

So even if you might go into Walmart wearing PJs , by ALL means don’t go into a spiritual war zone dressed in pride.