GOD'S HEALING POWER

Bringing Up The Rear

By Pastor Kimberly Lemler

I hear it said often in Christian circles that there is a hole in our spiritual armour, with no protection for our backs, and that we don't need protection there because we are always facing our enemy and watching him run from us. Well hang on a minute...have you ever been blind sighted? Have you ever had the "unexpected" happen to you? The enemy is really an expert at being sneaky and devious...that's what he's good at! The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  He is sending out his troops seeking those who would allow themselves to be devoured.

The good news is that we DO have protection for our backs! And this promise can be found in two places...Isaiah 52:12 and Isaiah 58:8.

"But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard." Isaiah 52:12

"Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard." - Isaiah 58:8

We have a rear guard! Not only do we have the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, our loins girded with truth, our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, the sword of the Spirit and the shield of faith (see Ephesians 6), we also have the glory of the Lord, bringing up the rear; therefore, our armour is complete.  Now, we need to be sure to read the context of these scriptures and understand all of the conditions involved. Putting on our spiritual armour does take some effort on our part. It doesn't fall on us just because we are Christians. In Ephesians we are told to "put on" the armour. This implies that without "putting it on", we are naked without it. And being naked to the enemy means we are a huge red bull’s eye, prime for those "fiery darts of the wicked one".

How do we “put on” the glory of God?  If we read all of Isaiah 58, we learn God is chastising the people for their shallow worship. They were fasting with selfish motives. The purpose of their fasting was to glorify themselves, not God, and to make their voice heard on high. Even though they were doing all the right things with the practice of fasting, it was shallow and lacked any kind of spiritual substance.  Then He goes on to say, “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?”

When we reach out to others with compassion and give…when we stop doing evil and start doing  good…when we stop oppressing people in actions and in words and help them break their chains, THEN… “your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.”   

So REJOICE TODAY that God has provided protection at every level, at every angle, at every corner, for every situation, for those who are willing to be obedient to His instructions...

 

 (Note: You can hear this whole teaching in detail with the CD entitled, “Putting On Your Spiritual Armour”. Available on our website.)

©Words To Heart Ministries, Inc.  Pastor Kimberly Lemler. 2009.

 

 

Kimberly L. Lemler is an Ordained Minister, Bible Teacher, Pastoral Counselor, and Life Coach.  Her radio teaching ministry, God’s Healing Power, has been heard across the country and also throughout the world via shortwave and the internet. Kimberly is also a Christian News Today Online Contributor and has a column each month called  God’s Healing Power. Some of her podcasts are freely available at www. GodsHealingPower.Podbean.com   Pastor Lemler can be reached through her website at www.GodsHealingPower.org

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