Appearance

Have you ever tried on an outfit in a department store or boutique to discover that your hips were slightly less pronounced, your waist was slimmer and the outfit in question of being in your closet fits you ‘to a tee’? Later to find out upon showcasing your perfect fitted outfit does not fit so perfectly. Your mirrors at home reflect something altogether different. On the other hand, have you gone to the gym and used the mirrors to access your biceps and triceps after an intense strengthening session? If so, did you notice that high definition in your upper body? Mirror tricks. Huh? Yep, I said it. Some dressing rooms and gyms have modified mirrors. The point I am making is not about the mirrors, it is about how you felt about what you saw on the other side of the mirror. Looks are not what is deceiving. The deception is in the looking. We do not need to keep looking in the mirror for our appearances to define us. We have already been defined. Psalm 139: 13-17 inspired me and changed my life when it caused me to realize God defines me. “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. ¹⁷ How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!“

When we need a mirror’s reflection to tell us that we are beautiful, that we matter, and worthy of a smile or second look, this is where the deception lies. We are deceived if we think that looking in a mirror helps to decide our worth in any area for that day. My reason for saying “that day”, is because on our tomorrow, we will look in the same mirror and walk away feeling something contrary to how we felt the day before. I am not saying that we should ignore our reflection in the mirror. By all means, please remove the sleep from your eyes. But, please do not allow a mirror to remove your joy that was given to you by the Holy Spirit through God’s Word and communion through prayer.

Before we put on an outfit to adorn our outer appearance, ‘to the tee’, how about we adorn our inner appearance by spending time with the Lord. After all, the inner man will outshine any outfit that the mirror may give approval. The opposite is true, if we do not adorn the inner man daily, it can make a beautiful outfit look far worse than what the mirror displayed. People will not notice our outer appearance from our inner appearance speaking negativity so loudly. However, there are specific instructions for dressing the inner man.

Getting Dressed: ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the ^[a]wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, 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. 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; ¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— Ephesians 6:10-18

Getting dressed in this armor takes internationally being intentional. Cannot hastily get dressed with God’s armor. You might forget to put on your belt of truth. Cannot leave the house without truth, the Gospel is the truth and by which all armor is centrally grounded. There is no righteousness without truth. Cannot leave without the breastplate of righteousness that guards/shields our heart and the vital organs by which we live. We live by faith and love. We cannot dare step out of the house without the gospel of peace. Peace with ourselves, peace with fellow man, and a peace promoting stance. None of which can be accomplished without first having peace with God through our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To operate without static in God’s peace is for confession and repentance to have common place in our lives.

Cannot leave the shield of faith at the house, because fear and doubt will plague your every move. As the fiery darts disguised as feel good moments tempt us to sin against God, we must refuse to indulge the flesh for some sort of temporary satisfaction. The helmet of salvation is a must. The helmet protects our mind from absorbing the lies of the enemy. When in doubt… know you are saved. When we know we are saved, we will act like it and believe like it. Trust in your salvation. You/we are SAVED!!

Please, please do not leave the house without the Word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit. I will hide thy Word in thy heart that I might not sin against God Psalm 119:11. Did you notice, it says might not sin against God? Even with all of this armor, we still have those blind spots, where we think we are okay and we are not. Plus we are just weaker in some areas than others and at times, we simply choose to sin. Praise God for grace and prayer in the spirit (not referring to tongues). Pray always; pray in the morning, noon, evening, and throughout. Your prayer life should mimic what it takes for physical nourishment-(breakfast, lunch, dinner, and three snacks). That is six meals per day, then how about we pray the same. We should pray without ceasing with thanksgiving and supplication. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of the Lord concerning you.” Finally, be watchful and never stop and do not grow weary, we need each other. “Be alert and sober minded…” 1 Peter 5:8a

Before you put on clothes, be clothed with God’s armor. His armor will make your next mirror experiences beautiful ones, because you will not be looking for it, you will already know it. You are beautiful in Christ.

The journey flows…