The Cloak of Zeal!

Most Christians know about the Armor of God, however in the past few months the importance of it has been made apparent to me. I began to realize that I didn’t understand what it was.

The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-20

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

The Armor of God is a gift from God to His beloved believers. It was earned, paid for and given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a privilege and necessity for a believer who wants to be effective in this life. Praise God we don’t have to earn it ourselves, it’s been handed to us and all we have to do is pick it up!

As I began to take this command seriously, I realized that if we act in faith and obedience, God is faithful to respond with blessings of strength, courage, peace and wisdom. My days that begin with me putting the armor on before getting out of bed are filled with goodness and peace, even when problems arise. The days I forget or "just don’t have time” are filled with chaos and anxiety, resulting in sin.

Late one night, I was praying quietly and asked God to show me something He wanted me to learn. I heard, Isaiah 59 in my mind, and not knowing anything about it I turned the pages. A bookmark was holding that page. I don’t know how it got there because I have been focused on the New Testament as of late, but on the bookmark was The Armor Of God prayer. I began to read Isaiah 59, and thought nothing of the bookmark’s placement or content …until I read Isaiah 59:17 “He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.”

I was blown away! This was new! I had never heard of a cloak of zeal before! Vengeance is the Lords, as He clearly tells us in Romans 12:19 “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” But is the cloak of zeal available for believers?  I contend yes! And it’s VERY important!

In the Roman army, a cloak served a multitude of purposes. It provided warmth from the cold. It provided protection from the environment. It was a blanket for the solider as he slept. Without a cloak, a soldier would easily become distracted by his state of discomfort leaving him unprepared for the demands before him. 

A cloak of zeal for the believer fuels the fire of faith during the trials of life. The cloak of zeal protects us from the negativity that reigns in this world. It covers us as we rest in peace and renew our strength in God.  A cloak of zeal keeps us encouraged and vibrant in our faith, which in turns allows us to be even more effective soldiers for God’s kingdom. So today, I encourage you as you put on your Armor of God, put on your cloak of zeal as well!