Destination RESToration: Preparation for Restoration

This is part three of Destination RESToration. If you have not read the first two segments, I encourage you to do so before you move on to this section. Destination RESToration, DR Restored to Our Original Purpose

Any good restoration project needs to have a plan, preparation, the right equipment and protective gear, and you must read the safety and instruction booklet.

Gloves and goggles are pretty essential for many restoration projects. Good shoes protect out feet from falling objects or debris left in the wake of our creativity.

Every once in a while, I’ll start a project without a plan or proper protective gear. Sometimes I have not cleared my workspace of potential hazards.

I have scars to show it. 

Are you the kind of person who starts building that Ikea table without looking at the instructions or just gets an idea in your head and, as my husband says, just starts pushing buttons? I am. But I am learning that going slow is okay. Effectively reading and understanding the directions before I start anything can alleviate so much pain and heartache.

How do we prepare for restoration projects of our souls?

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

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.

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.

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

And with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

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.  Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV

As our work is laid out before us, we need to put on the armor to protect and prepare ourselves for any trouble that comes our way. 

Beginning the restoration process, we need to put on the Helmet of Salvation. We need to ask Jesus to forgive our sins and begin a good work in us. And we know that “He who began a good work in us is faithful to complete it.” Philippians 1:6 And be confident that He will keep working on us until He returns to take us to Heaven. We need to have that helmet to keep us safe from the flying debris of spiritual warfare swarming around us. 

The Breastplate of Righteousness guards our hearts, which is the wellspring of life.

The Belt of Truth helps us understand who we are in Christ and keeps us from believing what the Father of Lies is constantly trying to speak into our souls. It helps us keep the debris from filling our minds with garbage. 

The Shield of Faith helps us to deflect the fiery darts of doubt, shame, unhealthy self-talk, and spiritual warfare. 

Frequently I picture the Shield of Faith like a “cone of silence” from the 60’s TV show “Get Smart.” The secret agents would engage the cone of silence to prevent “Chaos” from hearing and interfering with their plans. I don’t have to hold that shield up and only protect a small portion of my mind or heart, but He is the shield all around me. Psalm 3:3. He is before me, behind me, beside me, above me, and within me. He has the power to extinguish every fiery dart before I know it is coming my way.

When our feet are covered with readiness and peace, our shoes protect us from walking into trouble and off the narrow road. They also make us ready to share the good news of peace wherever we go. And as the prophet Isaiah tells us the Lord will tell “This is the way, walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21

The Sword of the Spirit is God’s Word. It is our instruction booklet for whatever restoration project we face. It equips us with the knowledge and wisdom we need for the good times and the bad. It protects us. It contains more than pictures we have to decipher, but step by step, detailed instructions for life. 

And prayer is the most powerful tool in the toolbox and the easiest to use.  We are told to not worry about anything but pray about everything. Philippians 4:6

If we would only remember that we have all of these tools and all of this protection available to us all the time, with directions on how to use them at our finger tips… If we would only remember, we probably would not need the constant restoration in our lives. 

Lord help me remember to put on the full armor everyday. 

We are human. We fail. We make mistakes. We get worn out. “But don’t lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16

Are you fighting battles that would be better fought if you had the Shield of Faith covering you? Do you put on the Breastplate of Righteousness to guard your heart? Are your feet fit with the Gospel of Peace?

In my sad opinion, spiritual warfare is currently very intense. The Enemy is working overtime to kill, steal, and destroy. Don’t let him have even one ounce of power in your life. Wake up every morning and suit up ready for battle and remember that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!

Thanks for being here. I hope you are blessed by the messages God has given to me to share. Feel free to share with a friend or a group and leave your thoughts in the comments. Next week will be “Destination RESToration; Renewed Communion With God.” Hope to see you here again next week.