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A Durable Wardrobe

By Vickie Oliver

Have you ever thought of your wardrobe as durable, never wearing out? Still wearing the same dress or pants & shirts for the past 40 years?

No, no not that dress or shirt you pushed to the back of the closet forty years ago and now it is back in style. However, it is the same one you wear day in and day out. The clothes you work in. The same clothes that becomes your “Sunday best” every seven days.

Some of you might be remembering those flour sack dresses your mother or grandmother made, I “hear it told,” they never wore out just got passed down the line. My mother made my wardrobe (but not from flour sacks) as I was growing up and I am sure I did not appreciate how ‘durable’ (and cute) they were.

In Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the Israelites of all the blessings God has given them through out the years while they traveled in the wilderness. He says, “Your clothes haven’t worn out, your sandals haven’t worn out.” Forty years walking in the same pair of sandals! Where could you ever get a pair of sandals like that, except from God? If you read Deuteronomy 8:4 it adds, “nor did your feet swell these forty years.” (NKJV)

This is the DURABILITY of God’s promises. His promise never wears out. It is Eternal. "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. He will be with us forever."  (John 17:3)

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever.” (1 Timothy 1:17)

The Apostle Paul gives a good example of a durable wardrobe for us today in  Ephesians 6:10-17.  It is called the Armor of God. If we choose to wear this wardrobe, we have a much better chance of withstanding the temptations of Satan.

t Gird your waist with truth. Ephesians 6:14
 

t A breastplate of righteousness. Ephesians 6:14

t Shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Ephesians 6:15
 

t The shield of faith. Ephesians 6:16

t The helmet of salvation. Ephesians 6:17

t The sword of the Spirit. Ephesians 6:17

How much more durable can we get? HOWEVER, Ephesians 6:10 says we need to be strong. You cannot complete this durable wardrobe without holding on to verses 18 – 20, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--

Do you see God’s durable wardrobe as a blessing?

How do you wear God’s DURABLE wardrobe?

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A DURABLE WARDROBE

This lesson is more about blessings, so let us see how durable our blessings are.

1. Definition of durable.

2. Definition of blessing. Any similarities in the two?

3. How durable are God's blessing?

4. Fill in the blank. 1 Timothy 1:17, "Now to the King _________, ___________, ___________to God who alone is __________, be _________and

____________ forever and _____________."

5. The most durable wardrobe for a Christian to wear is found in Ephesians 6:10-17. What is it referred to as?

6. What does it mean to "gird your waist" in verse 14?

7. What does a breastplate protect?

8. What are we to do to our feet?

9. What is the shield of faith?

10. Why do we need a helmet?

11. What is the sword of the Spirit?

12. How do we hold onto this durable wardrobe? (verse 18-20)

Questions for thought:

A. Do you see God's durable wardrobe as a blessing?

B. How do you wear God's wardrobe?