SPIRITUAL CLOTHES

Part Two

Apostle Jacquelyn Fedor

THE HARLOT CHURCH

Revelation 18:4 warns us to leave Babylon or that part of the church that teaches false doctrine, is not open to truth, and is lukewarm or even dead in its relationship with God.

Rev 18:4
4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people (separate), lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

In other words, we must wash ourselves in the water of purification that has the ashes of the old Bride in it and then wash clean the clothes we were wearing that have been soiled by associating with her. We want to be a part of Revelation 7: 13 and 14.

Rev 7:13-14
13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?"
14 And I said to him, "Sir, you know." So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes (in the water of separation or purification) and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (There are two different acts. We must wash our old robes, to be separated from the filth of religion and her people, then make them completely white, as we repent of our sins and receive forgiveness through the blood of the Lamb.)

I wonder, if we do not separate, are we truly forgiven? Matthew 13 implies that if we do not separate from the wicked and make our robes white, we will be cast into the furnace with the rest of the evil ones!

Matt 13:47-50
47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea (humanity) and gathered some of every kind,
48 "which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.
49 "So it will be at the end of the age (of Christianity). The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just,
50 "and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."

BLOW THE TRUMPETS

According to Revelation 3: 4-5, there are some that will come out of the spiritually dead and naked church if we will make the effort to blow the trumpets and warn them.

Rev 3:4-5
4 "You have a few names even in Sardis (the dead church) who have not defiled their garments; (by associating with the unclean) and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. (If these died tomorrow they would be in Paradise with the Lord and given white robes, but pay close attention to the next scripture.)
5 "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

If we do refuse to separate from those things and people God sees as unclean, our name will be blotted out of the book of life! We can lose our salvation!

How will the Lord's angel know who to gather in the end? Those that heed the warning to be pure and separate are dressed in special spiritual clothes. The angels can see these clothes as they are spirit beings. Those that do not hear His voice to "come out of her (Babylon) My people", will be naked! Notice He said "My people". The demons can see if we are spiritually naked also!

Side Note: When a wife submits to the covering of her husband, she has protective clothing on that the enemy can see. If not, she is vulnerable. It is the same with our relationship with the church. If we don't receive our leadership as our covering, God (who is the greater husband through them) will not cover us and we will be left exposed to the wiles of the enemy. For a while the enemy may leave us alone so we don't associate the problem. We may not even feel warfare the way we did as a part of a group that are enemies of Satan, but when he gets us where he wants us, he will attack and we will have no covering.

ROBES OF HUMILITY

1 Peter 5: 5 describes another spiritual garment we are required to wear.

1 Pet 5:5
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

Robes of humility can only clothe those that really believe it's Christ in them that accomplishes all things. One person is no better than the other. In fact, to be humble is really quite easy if we can just remember, all things of importance were accomplished by God before the earth was formed, and our part is simply to bring the works to this realm. How can we be proud of what somebody else has done? Our own works that were not done by God are worthless and dead, so what is the use of pushing to do them? We receive honor by laying our lives and agendas down so God can use us, but God gets the glory for what He has already accomplished. Therefore, before honor there must be humility.

Prov 15:33
33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility.

Being humble also means laying down control of our life and bending to God and His people, as the scripture we just read in First Peter brought out. There are people that walk in so much pride and arrogance that they really believe they are better equipped spiritually than the people God has chosen and given the opportunity to be set in office. These will never wear robes of humility. Their end fate will be the same as Miriam, Korah, Absolom and like kind. Sadly, these also are deceived into believing they are alright with God.

Putting the needs of others over our own is also a sign of being humble and growing in maturity. This is a trait that should be apparent in all of God's family.

When we think of humble people, we many times think of a weak person. The fact is, a humble person is really just one who has a bold confidence in a sovereign and faithful God, and doesn't look at their own accomplishments as anything but God working through them.

Another example of humility: let's say I'm called to pray to cover others as they are bringing forth God's works, but I'd rather do something I consider much more spectacular,. Besides I say to myself, "prayer just takes too much of my personal time". Am I humbly submitting to the call on my life? Am I submitting to my place in the body? Am I obeying God's voice? No to all the above, and my robes would be soiled by my disobedience. The people God entrusted to me to cover would be left naked and open for the enemy's attack. I would never see honor or blessing from God and therefore I will not receive my robe of humility.

When we look on a person that is cocky and proud, one that boasts of his or her ability, gifting or accomplishments, we are looking at a spiritually naked man or woman that is only worth something in this realm! In the kingdom of God, they are poor and naked.

THOSE THAT LOVE MONEY HAVE MOTH-EATEN CLOTHES

There are people that horde their money while others around them have a need. These worry about their kingdom, their personal family needs over the family of God and their problems. They may devote time and energy to God, but the money they make is theirs! If they do lend money, they want it back (sometimes with interest)! Their garments are moth-eaten the Word says. Try to tell this to a rich man though! He thinks he is dressed quite beautifully in the latest "worldly" fashion. Let us look at him with God's eyes however through the scriptures.

James 5:1-2
1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.

The lukewarm Christian is also one that is fooled by Satan into thinking they are O.K. with God while hanging onto "their" money. The truth of the matter is, nothing is ours beyond what God allows us to be stewards over. To not tithe, or to controlingly keep money for our own without sharing, is robbing God and His people.

Mal 3:8-10
8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.
9 You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.

We are not to fear and fret over how we will personally eat or what we will wear.

Matt 6:31-33
31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
32 "For after all these things the Gentiles (heathen) seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (He will dress you in spiritual garments that are not moth-eaten.)

We are instructed in the Word to work to give to others.

Eph 4:28
28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.

Our needs will be met if we meet others' needs.

The lukewarm and rebellious ones that refuse to walk according to scripture will tell you things are going really well financially for them. This may actually be so. But you see, it's not time for judgment just yet. They are fooled into thinking they are rich, or at least doing O.K. beyond where they would have been had they been obedient to the scriptures concerning finances. Read Revelation 3 to get God's opinion on this thinking.

Rev 3:15-18
15 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
16 "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

Here is why!
17 "Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'-- and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-- ( notice this disobedience will also cost us our spiritual clothes)
18 "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire (tried and true leadership to cover you from the enemy), that you may be rich; and white garments (separate, repent and be washed in the blood of the Lamb), that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see (with eyes of your spirit man).

GARMENTS OF PRAISE

When there is joy and peace in our hearts we love to praise God and there is a beautiful garment that is added to our attire called the garment of praise. Even if we don't feel like praising, we should make the sacrifice of praise to Him anyway. This not only blesses God, but it wards off a supernatural enemy called the spirit of heaviness, or we could call it oppression and depression.

Isa 61:3
3 To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

Praise is also the weapon that conquers those that oppose God's people and Kingdom.

Ps 149:5-9
5 Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand (the sword is the word or truth),

When we sing songs of praise, especially those that declare truth as well, we show our love for God and defeat our enemies at the same time.
7 To execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples;
8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
9 To execute on them the written judgment-- this honor have all His saints. Praise the LORD!

Side Note: We also know sound produces color, so as we praise God our garments take on many colors. God's Bride is not dull or dressed like much of the church thinks a Godly person dresses (browns, blacks, subdued). She wears robes of many colors.

Ps 45:13-14
13 The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; her clothing is woven with gold.
14 She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors; the virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You.

She is as vibrant and beautiful as a butterfly. This is the Father's special child, the Lord's true bride, the Warrior Queen.

GOD'S WARRIORS

For God's Warriors there is of course armor that is provided to protect them. Ephesians 6 gives us a detailed description of this armor.

Eph 6:11-17
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood (people), but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Look at the garb added to us here!
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

If we are wearing all the clothes we mentioned earlier, plus we put our armor on top, how could we ever be considered naked? Sadly however, we can be found naked as God looks over His flock. How? Warriors that refuse to take orders from their leaders are naked. Prayer warriors out from under church covering are naked. Warriors as we know are meant to be a part of God's army. Those that refuse to be a part of the whole, are not covered and are naked. Warriors that have been appointed by God to a certain position, but break rank, are naked. Those who try to be someone else and do things they are not anointed or appointed to do, and get out of their own swim-lane, are naked, and on and on.

Remember, God sees us through spiritual eyes as does the enemy, and to them many of us are naked!

Unfortunately not only are we naked, but, as mentioned earlier, we are a direct target of Satan and his demons as well. Spiritually naked people are wide open to direct contact and interaction from the dark side of the supernatural. Since Satan is an angel of light many times we don't even realize we are hearing from the wrong side. Remember, he is both good and evil, so the anointing is very close to the same thing. Even the elect will be fooled.

To make sure we are dressed spiritually we should do a mental check of our fruit. Are we obedient? Do we follow advice from our leaders? Do we love the brethren? Are we a part of the spiritual family God put us in? Are we humble? Are we separate from unclean people? Do we stay apart from the corrupt church? Do we walk in righteousness, etc.? Again, look at the fruit of your life. What tree is feeding you? See yourself as God sees you.