Welcome back my friends. I hope you’ve had time to reflect on my letter last month and have made your discussion to let your Lord Jesus Christ truly be Lord of your life and from this point forward you’ve made the decision and commitment to become a slave/bondservant to Him.
Before we move on in our study of “The Next Step – Living Your Life Through Jesus” and learn How to Dress for Success, there are three words in God’s Holy Bible we need to look at and understand.
These three words describe the process God uses to change you from a sinner lost for all time and eternity, to a saint and child of God who will live with and in Him now and for all eternity. The words are Justification, Sanctification and Glorification.
Justification
Step 1: Freedom from the penalty of sin
When you asked Jesus to forgive your sins and accepted Him as your personal savior you were saved. That means you were justified in God’s sight. Simply put, justification is God declaring those who receive Christ as their personal savior to be righteous (saved).
“For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” Romans 5:17-19 (NIV)
There is nothing now or in the future that will ever change, threaten or separate you from the love of God or the salvation decision you’ve made. Romans 8:38-39
I’ve addressed this process in depth in my study “Who Am I Really”
Sanctification
Step 2: Freedom from the control of sin
To “sanctify” something is to set it apart for special use; to “sanctify” a person is to make him/her holy. Prior to your salvation, your behavior displayed the control and influence of Satan in your life and your separation from God.
“(I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.) For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.” Romans 6:19 (NET Bible)
But, now your behavior should display your righteous standing before God, and separation from the world.
Little by little, every day, “those who are being sanctified” are becoming more like Christ.” “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,” 1 Corinthians 1:30 (NASB)
Through God\’s grace and mercy you were justified (saved), a once-for-all, positional holiness in Christ, now, God guides you to spiritual maturity (sanctification), through His instruction manual the Bible, His hands-on, step-by-step path to holiness.
And I am sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in his grace until his task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns. Philippians 1:6 (TLB)
This entire series on The Next Step – Living Your Life through Jesus is about just that, your spiritual growth (Sanctification) the next step after your salvation (Justification).
As your Lord Jesus continues to work and grow in your life through the Holy Spirit things in your life will naturally begin to change. Have you begun to find the peace I discussed in last month’s letter?
Glorification
Step 3: Freedom from the existence of sin
What is glorification? Glorification is God\’s final removal of sin from the life of everyone who is saved. This will become the ultimate goal of every believer when our Lord Jesus Christ appears again in the sky. I will discuss this in detail in a later series.
For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. Romans 8:16-18 (NLT)
The Unseen Warfare
However, the reality is that for now you and I are still living in a world controlled by Satan. But becuase you are now a child of God and a foreigner in Satan\’s domain, life for us Christians\’ will continue to be a struggle full of conflict and warfare as you serve your Lord here on earth.
Listen to what the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6:10-13 (TLB):
“For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.”
How can we possibly win the daily battle we will experience against these huge numbers of wicked spirits attacking us?
The Apostle Paul goes on to tell the Ephesians where to find that strength and what to wear when the enemy attacks.
“Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand safe against all strategies and tricks of Satan. So use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will still be standing up.”
What the best dressed Christian wears for battle
Like any new wardrobe, the material you chose to make your clothes will determine the quality of piece of clothing made. God uses only His finest materials to prepare your new suit of armor, God’s armor. He is preparing you for the unseen warfare that’s going on all around you. He weaves together the fabrics of Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, Salvation, God’s Word and Prayer to make your new wardrobe.
“14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Ephesians 6:14-18 (NLT)
Your new suit of armor will consist of the following:
- The Belt of Truth
- The Body Armor (breastplate) of Righteousness
- The Shoes of Peace
- The Shield of Faith
- The Helmet of Salvation
- The Sword of the Spirit (God’s Word)
Once you’ve put on God’s complete armor which covers your entire body there is one last thing you must do. Adjust your mind set to prayer mode. For me that simply means you are in constant contact with God your Father. You’re have a running dialogue throughout your day with Him asking for wisdom, guidance, and protection for you and your fellow believers as they too go about their normal daily activities.
Let me warn you that you will need to put on God’s entire body armor. If you’re in a hurry to get out the door and just grab your shoes of peace and pick up the sword of the Spirit you’re not properly protected and you’re leaving yourself vulnerable to Satan’s attacks.
Let’s understand each piece of clothing you’re to put on and how each piece interacts with the other in order to be properly dressed, with the “the whole Armor of God.”
The Belt of Truth
The first thing you begin with is the belt of truth buckled around your waist. What is truth? Jesus Christ is the truth.
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NLT)
Jesus rapidly said in the Four Gospels “I tell you the truth.” So each morning remind yourself what the truth is. The truth that you heard and believed, which lead you by faith to trust in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and making you are a child of God. Renew you mind each morning with this thought so that you are ready to face the “father of liars.”
For you are the children of your father the devil and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning and a hater of truth—there is not an iota of truth in him. When he lies, it is perfectly normal; for he is the father of liars. John 8:44 (TLB)
The Body Armor (breastplate) of Righteousness
A breastplate shields your vital organs from blows that would otherwise be fatal. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you already have the Breastplate of Righteousness. Remember justification is God’s declaring those who receive Christ as their personal savior to be righteous/saved (Romans 5:17-19). It is the Breastplate of Righteousness which guards your heart and emotions against the accusations and charges of Satan and secures our innermost being from his attacks. Now your heart can be at peace with the world around you.
“So now, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith in his promises, we can have real peace with him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.” Romans 5:1 (TLB)
The Shoes of Peace
You must protect your feet as you go out the door into Satan’s world, being fully aware that he has set traps for you to step in and halt your efforts to share the Gospel of Christ. With your feet properly covered with the “Good News” of Jesus Christ you can walk in peace through this world carrying the message of grace essential to winning souls for Christ. So as you walk remember who you are and to whom you belong to, the family of God.
The Shield of Faith
Satan’s attacks can sometimes cause us to doubt God. Faith reminds us to believe God, so faith is the protective shield between us and the schemes of Satan. When we believe God and take Him at His word, we remain grounded in truth, the lies of Satan lose their power.
“Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1 (ERV)
Carrying the shield of faith provides a blanket of protection and is the first barrier against the temptations of Satan that he whispers in your ear and the fiery darts of temptation his demonic minions fire at you all day long.
The Helmet of Salvation
This helmet of salvation protects your head which is the seat of your mind, your intelligence and your ability to think and reason. As we wear the helmet of salvation we gain a clearer mind that is insulated against the suggestions, desires, and traps that Satan lays for you. It guards your mind and keeps your thinking straight in the midst of a confused, chaotic world. You can now focus on and think about the future glory God has planned for you.
“For we know that even the things of nature, like animals and plants, suffer in sickness and death as they await this great event. And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us—bodies that will never be sick again and will never die. We are saved by trusting. And trusting means looking forward to getting something we don’t yet have—for a man who already has something doesn’t need to hope and trust that he will get it. But if we must keep trusting God for something that hasn’t happened yet, it teaches us to wait patiently and confidently.” Romans 8:22-25 (TLB)
The Sword of the Spirit (God’s Word)
The Word of God, the Bible is the only proper offensive weapon in the Christian’s armory as you enter Satan’s world. The more you read, learn and memorize God’s Holy Word, the better prepared you are for the Holy Spirit to bring to mind the right scripture at the right time when you are tempted or witnessing to someone.
Three times in the desert, Satan tempted Jesus and all three times Jesus defeated him by quoting scriptures from God’s Holy Word. The more you know and understand the Bible, the sharper your sword becomes. The Word of God is sharper than any double-edged sword and can penetrate the heart of those you are witnessing to.
“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)
Prayer
Lastly, remember that prayer is necessary as a means by which you will draw spiritual strength from God. Without prayer and reliance upon God, your efforts at spiritual warfare will be empty and ineffective against Satan’s attacks.
“Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For the spirit indeed is willing, but how weak the body is!” Matthew 26:41 (TLB)
Finally, remember each piece of armor is essential in protecting your body, mind and spirit against the unseen warfare that is going on all around you. You’ve now become a soldier for the Lord and God has given you the great privilege of serving on the battlefield upon which His great victories are won.
Do not be afraid, your General and Lord, Jesus Christ will always be at the head of the charge against the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world. He will work in and through you to bring honor and glory to our Heavenly Fathers name.
As Christians, we are to live a life that is holy and acceptable to God our Father. We are to be a light in this dark, satanic world. When it comes to truly living the Christian life through Jesus on a daily basis, how are you doing? Join me next month as I begin my discussion of \”Living the Christian Life.”
Until next time my friend, may mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
