Most of us have more clothes in our wardrobe than we need. Did you know that you also have an amazing spiritual wardrobe? And it’s free. It has been given to you by Jesus Christ, paid for by His death upon the cross and His precious blood which He poured out for you.
God doesn’t want you to leave your beautiful clothes sitting in your wardrobe. He wants you to wear them. Did you wake up grumpy and irritable this morning? Take off that grumpy dress and put on your “garment of praise” (Isaiah 61:3). Oh yes, you’ve also got a dress called “Joy” (Nehemiah 8:10).
You also have lovely dresses of love, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23). You have delightful garments of tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, and forgiveness. (Colossians 3:12-17).
Don’t leave them hanging in your wardrobe. God gives them to you, but you have to actually put them on! Read Ephesians 4: 22-24 and Colossians 3:10). The strange thing is that although we have this expensive wardrobe, we don’t always bother to wear the clothes. We are so used to our old shabby clothes of the flesh. We feel more comfortable in them. They feel familiar, so we stick with them instead of wearing our new clothes. But they belong to you! They are yours!
The J. B. Phillip’s translation says: “Fling off the dirty clothes of the old way of living … And put on the clean fresh clothes of the new life.
Let me tell you a secret. You won’t feel like putting it on these new clothes. You’d much rather put on your dirty old dress of grumbling and complaining. But do it by faith. Don’t worry about your feelings. Put on your praise garment. Start praising and thanking the Lord.
You can even change garments as you need them throughout the day. Are the children driving you crazy? Your anger is rising. Quick! Change into your garment of long-suffering or patience. Put it on by faith. Thank the Lord for His patience which is in you because He lives in you.
Are you starting to shout and yell because everything is getting on top of you? Put on the garment of gentleness. Thank the Lord for His gentle Spirit which lives in you.
These are your new clothes. Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Blessings to you,
Nancy Campbell