A few months ago, I had a strange experience. As I regularly do, I had been seeking greater confidence to step into stronger things in ministry with the Lord, and as I walked by my office here at our home, I glanced in and instead of my messy desk, covered in books and notes, my office looked like a walk-in wardrobe. No desk, no books, just racks filled with lovely clothes and robes hanging neatly from hangers in racks around the walls. A voice down in my heart was saying, “Go in, and see what God has provided. Put them on. If you want to stand clothed in gifts and anointing from the Spirit, put them on!” I had some questions in my mind. It’s the Lord who clothes us, not we ourselves! The Israelite priests of old wore such garments as these. I remembered that their robes were anointed with the sweet anointing oil. But, I thought, we don’t wear the priestly robes for those times, now that we are in Christ!
I knew that the New Testament is full of “Put off” and “Put on” instructions, and so I went there and found a great many strong verses, imploring us to “Put off” and to “Put on”.
Romans 13:12: “The night is far spent, the day is at hand. So, cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light”.
Romans 13:14: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no room for the life of the flesh”.
1 Peter 5:5: “Be clothed with humility”.
Ephesians 6:14: “Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the works of the enemy”.
Colossians 3:8-9: “Put off all of these – anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language, lying to each other, because you have put off the old person you once were”.
Colossians 3:10: “Put on the new creation, who is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him who created mankind”.
Colossians 3:12: “Put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, patience… and above all, put on love”.
Ephesians 4:22-24: “Put off your former ways, the old person which becomes corrupted. Put on the new person which was created according to God in genuine righteousness and holiness”.
These examples are vital to understanding the new creature which we are in Christ. We must diligently, as an act of our will, put on and put off. Everything is there for us, fully provided, fully paid for, made to fit our new creation “man”. An entire wardrobe of new covering. But, He won’t put his glorious garments over an unrighteous life. He waits for us to take off all unrighteousness. We do this as an act of worship and willing surrender.
Jesus promised the early disciples that they would wait for a while in Jerusalem, they would “be clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Something happens when we go in to that place of great exchange with the Holy Spirit, where we hand over the old and He gives us the new. We don’t put the new over the old. We must remove the old to receive the new. The “old” is so inferior. The old is not enough. If we are to stand in great anointing and authority, we must strip off every hindrance, every “old man” garment, and put on the garments that God has provided for us. These are garments that speak of Godliness, righteousness, mercy, faith, love for one another, light, authority, power.
To be clothed with power from on high is for all of God’s people. His promise of spiritual gifts, His presence made visible, His callings and assignments. These are there, available for every one of His followers. The Body of Christ in our time has a clear assignment from Jesus, to be being filled with His abilities, gifts from Him, for the works of ministry to the world around us. We need all that He has for us! I know that in this season, God’s calling for me and Helen is to teach and impart these truths to His people.