Character is our Royal Array

Having a good perspective and posture accounts for everything. In this article, I would like to challenge you to change how you choose to see character and look at each aspect of character as an article of formal clothing that you wear. For instance, am I wearing love today? then I am dressed in a beautiful white gown. If not, I need to put it on, it is one of the many garments in my wardrobe and I don’t want the price tag hanging on it because I want to wear it. The tag still hanging on it, is forgetting the price that Jesus paid for the garment of love to be known by the world. (John 3:16) says it best.

Hebrews 1:3 - Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Image in this verse transliteration:charaktēr Pronunciation:khar-ak-tar' The definition is from the Greek and is the same as a graver (the tool or the person) that is (by implication) engraving ([character] the figure stamped that is an exact copy or [figuratively] representation): - express image. Jesus is the express image of the Father and we are being conformed into His image to display His character.

Here you will use your imagination. Imagine for a second you are in your wardrobe looking for something to wear, there you are looking through the closet, trying to come to a conclusion as to What should I wear? If you are a woman, it probably will take a little longer (smile.) The mission is to find a suitable outfit; of course, this aspect is according to the flesh, because only the flesh is profitable in the case of physical clothing. Come with me into the spiritual wardrobe, you are going into prayer, what I should wear should be a conscious thought, but my goal is to inspire you so that it will be, yours as well.

First, we must take off tattered, raggedy and filthy clothing which sin produces, self-righteous and all the other torn attire in order to put on what is neat, clean, suitable and acceptable. We always have a mirror, be it in the natural or spiritual. I want to comment on the natural first. The mirror will never tell you a lie, what you see is what it is.

Imagine getting upset with the mirror, because you don’t like the image of yourself it is reflecting. That is sort of inane and bogus, huh? What do we usually do when we don’t like the fit, color and the outfit period? We change our clothes. There are fitting rooms in every type of store where clothes are sold.

As we fluctuate in sizes, we feel better when we can try on the items and look in the mirror to see the fit. At times the fit is good, and sometimes the fit isn’t so favorable. It can range from to tight to too loose or simply not a good fit. Nevertheless the mirror serves as a compass to gauge whether it is acceptable.

The Word of God is our spirit and soul mirror, and shows us true reflections of the character we should be manifesting. There are characteristics (garments) that when we take them off, we should get rid of them for good, yet they have a way of hanging around like those excess pounds and inches we seem to have inherited. Hebrews 12b advises us to lay aside every weight, and the sin, which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Isn’t that what weight watchers and those other diet programs propose.

Lay aside the donuts and cookies and whatever can contribute to your weight gain and beset you, so that when you go try on that desired garb, or garment you will be pleased, but be patient with yourself as you run the race set before you to drop those pounds and inches and whatever weights you need to. Think about the outcome and take off that excess weight, this is spiritually inferred.

Garments to always take off

• Take off backbiting, gossip, murmuring and complaining and talking about others

• Take off the need to talk about others and dwell on negative things instead of praying for them and about it and examining ourselves

• Take off speaking against anyone, either you want them to be blessed or cursed, which will it be? If you really want them to be blessed, speak good things only

• Take off judgment, mean spiritedness, hardheartedness, hatred, unrest, sadness, doubt, envy, jealousy, spite, revenge, bitterness, haughtiness, impatience, self-righteousness and all the other filthy rags. Don’t wear these garments at all - choose another outfit. Wash the soil out of your spiritual attire through the Word and Spirit of God. Only you can keep your garments clean. Repentance will undress all unrighteousness. That outfit of un-repentance doesn’t look right on you! Why don’t you try on the ones coming up below?

Can you fathom wearing a dress this eloquent without freshening up first? The garments of prayer are spiritually this eloquent and demure and pure everytime we repent.

This illustration is likened to what our spirits resemble in prayer to a holy God, after repenting and asking for forgiveness and forgiving others their trespasses in the name of Jesus Christ and by the power of His blood. This picture is only symbolic of what forgiveness of sins looks like. How do you see yourself dressed for prayer? What are you wearing? I am a girly girl, I have always loved beautiful garments and always shall and for the purpose of creating an image and making a point I will use these images,

Prayer should evoke some questioning, or it may just be automatic and subconscious as well, that when we think about praying, we think about our approach. It really is when we examine ourselves and reach for the soap of repentance, that we receive the confidence we need. What garment should I wear to proceed into prayer? Prior to reaching for the garments we will need, we stop off at the basin of laver and take a spiritual bath. Whatever your words are you ask the Father to forgive you as you forgive others their trespasses, you have just taken a spiritual bath. It is not the wording that is important but rather the heart of the matter. This may seem odd or strange to embark upon, but it is really what we are doing when we repent and ask forgiveness, we are spiritually bathing ourselves to put on our clean garments to enter prayer.

The characteristics we want to implement in our lives are garments we put on that develop and change by degrees in the spiritual realm. Choose to see characteristics and attributes as garments you wear or put on that can either dismantle or mantle you. Mantles carry a spiritual meaning in Scriptures, Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah’s mantle. We wear the mantle given to us by Jesus Christ, which covers all the Body of Christ, each one of us holds a piece of that mantle. Learning how to treasure it is something we are being taught to do, so that we value it.

"But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof" (Romans 13:14).

We are being taught from the pulpits by pastors, teachers, and all the five-fold ministry gifts and we can also learn from authors and all others who take on the obligation of shedding light for us to walk in it. "Everything the Holy Spirit inspires and teaches is note-worthy" wherever and whoever He endows to speak it and write it.

We have discovered the garments we will need to take off and throw away and those we shouldn’t try to donate to Goodwill either, when there isn’t a trace of goodwill in them. Repentance is the measure we use to take off and get rid of all that will place us in jeopardy with God. Repentance is a spiritual bath. Isn’t it interesting, how we would probably never forego bathing on a daily basis physically, and that the same is applicable in the spiritual realm, repentance is our spiritual bath. Let's dress up!

Garments to always put on

• Put on self examination
• Put on repentance
• Put on prayer and intercessions
• Put on praise and worship
• Put on mercy, kindness, grace, love, peace, joy, hope, faith, patience, truth, forgiveness, humility, and all of your royal attire. Don’t leave the price tags on these garments because Jesus paid the price for you and me to wear all the garments that He purchased for us. Empty the closet by wearing the clothing the King has bought for us and wash them by the cleansing principles in the Word of God and Holy Spirit.

****Wow! You are losing weight, huh! You look so beautiful! I see you are wearing your royal attire. I love that royal array, you look just like a child of the King! Grace and love walk hand and hand with you to the throne of grace daily.