DSM has been blessed with a wonderful, hard-working, and loyal team. Ceci and I are going to do a staff retreat with them, then she and I will take a much-needed vacation. I have asked some of my close friends and associates - many being regular contributors to the Give Him 15 posts - to fill in during this time. You will recognize most of the names; and I’ve thrown in one or two whom perhaps you haven’t heard from. You’re going to love the insights from all of them - this will be a wonderful smorgasbord! Enjoy!
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Aligned and Armored for Advancement - Jacquie Tyre
Several years ago Holy Spirit began speaking to me about the Armor of God. He asked me a simple yet highly thought-provoking question. I heard Holy Spirit ask, “If the book of Ephesians is broadly accepted as a letter to the Church, the corporate Body of Christ, why do you only take the Armor of God as being personal?”
That question left me stumped and wondering what “corporate armor” could possibly mean. Over the next couple of hours, Holy Spirit took me on a journey that would forever change the way I look at the armor of God. This journey led me to a deeper understanding of the corporate nature of the Ekklesia that, I believe, is necessary for us to advance victoriously in the days ahead. I share this revelation more fully in my latest book, The Corporate Armor, available through Amazon.
Today we are facing spiritual battles in our cities, states, and nations, raging conflicts between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. While Scripture clearly tells us that we are seated far above all principalities, powers, rulers, and dominions and that we are more than conquerors through Christ, more often than not, we find ourselves not seeing the manifestation of that victory. I believe our understanding of the corporate nature of the Ekklesia being fully armored in God’s armor provides a key to help us unlock more significant victories in the days ahead.
As the Body of Christ, we are members individually with one another with Christ as our head. We are placed and positioned by the Lord in the Body so that every joint supplies what is needed to cause growth of the whole in love (1 Cor 12:12-20, Eph 4:11-16). When we assemble as One New Man, the grace of Christ flows through each one supplying strength according to the measure of Christ’s faith working in us. The workings of Holy Spirit moving through each member produces a manifestation of Christ on earth through His Body. Amazing, indeed!
What if we were fully armored in the Corporate Armor of God, with the Belt of Truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Shoes of the Gospel of Peace, the Shield of Faith, and the Helmet of Salvation placed upon us the One New Man? I propose that we would see an increase of advancements against the gates of hell and the powers of darkness if we moved together as one fully aligned and armored together with God’s very own armor.
(see Ephesians 6:11-18)
Holy Spirit revealed that the five-fold leadership gifts of Christ that have been given to some to equip the saints for the work of ministry specifically present the pieces of the Armor of God. Let’s look at each part of the armor considering this revelation.
First, as the Passion Translation states, we “put on the belt of truth to strengthen you to stand in triumph.” The belt represents those given to the Church as apostles. Apostles provide strength and protection by laying and securing a firm foundation of truth for the Body of Christ. They often challenge our belief systems with words like, “you have heard it said of old, but I say to you,” bringing forth wisdom based upon the truth of who God is and what His Word reveals. They also cast vision and strategy for the future to keep us from falling prey to stagnation and the tyranny of the urgent.
Next, we “put on the breastplate of righteousness” as protection over the body’s most vital organs. Prophets bring revelation to point the way toward righteousness, and righteousness protects the very essence of life. When prophets speak, they release the sound of heaven to enable and empower the Ekklesia to move forward in right standing, properly aligned with heaven. With Christ as the Chief Cornerstone, prophets connected directly with apostles lay a firm foundation of truth and revelation. The belt of truth directly connects with the breastplate of righteousness, forming a protective shield and laying a solid foundation for the Ekklesia to advance victoriously.
Next, we put on the “shoes of the preparation of the Gospel of peace” by corporately embracing the leadership grace of those positioned as Evangelists. Evangelists prepare and equip the people of God to go out into the world with feet protected to tread upon serpents, scorpions, and every evil thing without having the walk of the Body compromised or wounded. The evangelist prepares the saints to be sure they are protected by peace, knowing that it is the God of peace who will soon crush satan under our feet (Romans 16:20). Evangelists make sure the People of God continue to move out, take new territory, set captives free, and advance the Gospel of Peace throughout the land.
Pastors or Shepherds are uniquely gifted and given to the Ekklesia to strengthen the Body of Christ in their walk of faith and protect by extending the very faith of Christ over the weary, weak, and war-worn. Shepherds raise the shield of faith to protect the Body and provide a place of restoration in preparation for going out into the world to advance the Kingdom of God. As we take up the shield of faith, protection surrounds the Body to extinguish the assaults of the enemy that constantly seek to undermine our walk of faith.
Taking up the Helmet of Salvation brings us to Christ’s leadership gift of the Teacher. Teachers teach the Word with clarity and depth, enabling the people of God to recognize and bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Working together with apostles and prophets, they help ensure that the revelation that comes forthrightly aligns with God’s Word, Will, and Ways as revealed throughout Scripture. Teachers live to bring the people of God into the fullness of living according to the Mind of Christ.
Finally, the Body, fully armored with Christ’s leadership gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher, take up the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Firmly gripping the Sword of the Spirit with all manner of prayer, the Ekklesia releases declarations and decrees to defeat the enemy and unlock the purposes of Christ and His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
God has called us to align with His leadership order. We are stronger together, rightly connected within the Body, and armored together! As we put on the whole armor of God, we are enabled and empowered to stand, individually and corporately, effectively and efficiently as we fight the good fight of faith against the forces of darkness that are raging in our cities, states, and nation.
Pray with me:
Father, in the name of Jesus, we choose today to align our hearts with the revelation of Your Word and embrace the corporate identity You have revealed throughout the Scriptures. Father, forgive us for our independent ways and our tendency to isolate from the Kingdom relationships and alignments that You have ordained for us with appointed kingdom leaders. We repent today and ask that You would guide Your people to come into proper alignment so that we might effectively wage a good warfare against the schemes of the enemy.
Lord, grant that we would come into the proper positioning with righteous posturing of our hearts within Your Body so that we might be Armored together to advance victoriously against satan and his diabolical forces of evil. We acknowledge that there is no one greater than Jesus the Christ. There is no organization more powerful than Your Ekklesia when fully aligned, armored, and advancing according to Christ’s plans, purposes, and promises.
No power of hell, no governmental structure, and no strategy of demonic despots can withstand the power and authority of Your Ekklesia functioning according to Your original intent. Therefore today, we take our stand together, fully protected in Your very own Armor, to wage a good warfare armored with wisdom, revelation, peace, faith, and salvation, advancing in victory in Yeshua’s name.
Our decree:
Your Ekklesia is rising today, fully armored in the character, nature, and authority of Christ to push back the gates of hell and advance Christ’s Kingdom in righteousness, peace, and joy on earth as it is in heaven.
Today’s post was contributed by Jacquie Tyre. You can find out more about Jacquie here.
Click on the link below to watch the full video.
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