Dressed For The Wedding, Not The War
“For the battle is not yours, but Yahweh’s.” — 2 Chronicles 20:15 (NIV)
Have we been fighting a war that was never ours to fight?
“March is for marching orders!” This phrase rings out as a cliché across many Western churches during the month of March. With cries of “Put on the armor of God,” “Pick up our swords,” and “Fight the good fight,” we have become addicted to darkness and fascinated by warfare.
Fear and spiritual warfare dominate Christian bestsellers, filling the pulpits of America With messages that often manipulate through fear rather than inspire through love.But what if our obsession with darkness and warfare has shaped the very reality we claim to fight against? Have we, by constantly preaching about demons and the enemy, actually brought them to life in our minds?
If we dwell on darkness, preach about the devil, and focus on sin management, we will ultimately reap what we sow. Though King David stumbled in many ways, he also walked in deep intimacy with Yahweh. At times, his human nature led him to trade the harp for the sword, worship for bloodshed, and his identity as a beloved son for the burdens of battle.
He committed sins that many would deem irredeemable, but when confronted by the Holy Spirit, he chose repentance over pride. David was willing to lose everything just to keep the presence of Yahweh (Psalm 51:10-11). Though he was anointed as both king and warrior, he found his true identity as the beloved of Yahweh.
Though he longed to build a house for Yahweh, he surrendered to the greater truth: his role was not to build, but to prepare a legacy of peace for the next generation.
By embracing surrender over striving, he positioned the next generation to inherit divine favor and rest in the promises of Yahweh. So, I ask: Has our refusal to lay down the sword cost us generations of wandering? Have we forfeited the fullness of Yahweh’s promises by clinging to the imposter image of the warrior rather than embracing the truth of the beloved bride? The call is clear: You were never meant to be a warrior—you were meant to be a lover.
As Clement of Alexandria wrote, "The Word of God became man, that you may learn from man how man may become divine." (Exhortation to the Heathen, ch. 1). The purpose of salvation is not to turn us into warriors, but to reveal the divine love of the Trinity that has always been. We do not wear this armor to fight, but to stand fully clothed in the truth of who we are.
As Ephesians 6:14 (Mirror Bible) says, “Take your position: you have the truth [of who you are in Christ] wrapped around your hips, holding the complete body armor
Together.” For too long, we have mistaken war for worship, believing strength is found in battle, in resistance, in waging war against unseen enemies. But true strength is not found in struggle—it is found in surrender. Victory is not achieved by fighting—it is received by abiding. The enemy is not defeated by our effort, but by resting in the finished work of Christ.
And if we are not called to war, then what should we wear?
Dressed for Love
The Holy Spirit began to reveal the Armor of God to me through the lens of
love—through the beauty of a bridal gown. Each piece is His, designed not for battle, but to adorn the beloved bride of Yeshua.
Crown of Salvation
He crowns His bride with His salvation, each jewel perfectly shaped, flawless in design. This crown is not earned through striving, but gifted as a declaration of love. It is not the reward of a warrior, but the adornment of a beloved. Over her, He speaks, “It is finished.” There is no longer any battle to fight—only a love to embrace. Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm has already been lavished upon us as a love gift from our wonderful heavenly Father… Because of His great love, He ordained us, so that we would be seen as holy in His eyes with an unstained innocence (Ephesians 1:3-4 TPT).
This crown is not merely a symbol of victory—it is a seal of identity. She wears His
righteousness, His authority, His unshakable favor. She does not fear losing it, for it was never based on her performance but on His finished work. Pondering redemption realities is your headgear that protects your mind." (Ephesians 6:17, Mirror Bible).
Her mind is no longer plagued by doubt or accusation. The weight of the crown is not heavy with responsibility—it is light with grace. It rests upon her, not as a burden, but as a testimony:
She belongs to Him. She reigns with Him.
And nothing can remove this crown from her head.
Bridal Dress of Righteousness
He clothes His bride in His gown of righteousness, each thread woven with His story of redemption—the struggles, the victories, the grace. This is no ordinary dress; it is a seamless garment of His divine love, never wrinkled, never stained. Having determined our destiny ahead of time, He called us to Himself and transferred His perfect righteousness to everyone He called (Romans 8:30 TPT).
The early church fathers understood this truth well. Athanasius, in his defense of the Incarnation, wrote, “The Son of God became what we are so that we might become what He is (On the Incarnation, 54).” The Bride does not wear righteousness of her own—she is clothed in His righteousness, transformed by His divine love.
The days of striving are over. Righteousness is not earned; it is a garment placed upon the bride. As Ephesians 6:13 (Mirror Bible) says that the days where the law of hardships, annoyances, and labor dictated your life are over.
Veil of Truth
The Bridegroom gently places His veil over His bride—not to conceal her, but to reveal the beauty of His truth. This veil is not a barrier; it is an unveiling. It does not
separate—it draws her closer. It is the final covering before the moment of full union, the lifting of every illusion of separation.
“For if you embrace the truth, it will release true freedom into your lives.”
(John 8:32 TPT)
For so long, she had seen herself through distorted reflections, believing she was
distant, unworthy, or incomplete. But as the veil is lifted by the Holy Spirit, she sees
herself as she truly is—loved, chosen, radiant. This veil does not hide; it illuminates,
revealing her as she was always meant to be: one with the Bridegroom.
Irenaeus of Lyons declared, “The glory of God is man fully alive, and the life of man is the vision of Yahweh (Against Heresies, Book 4, 20:7).”
When the Holy Spirit removes the veil, we do not just see Yahweh—we see ourselves through His eyes, radiant in the fullness of His love. “We all, with unveiled faces, see ourselves in Him as in a mirror. The days of window-shopping are over. In Him, every face is unveiled. In gazing with wonder at the likeness of Elohim displayed in human form, we suddenly realize that we are looking into a mirror, where every feature of His image, articulated in the Lord, is reflected within us. The Spirit of the Lord engineers this radical transformation; we are led from an inferior mindset to the revealed endorsement of our authentic identity (2 Corinthians 3:18, Mirror Bible).”
The unveiling is not a gradual process; it is an awakening to what has already been
true. We do not become something new—we recognize the original blueprint that was always there. The lie of separation fades, and we step into the fullness of our design. The veil is not a barrier to His presence—it is a gateway to revelation. As He lifts it, we awaken to the reality that we were never separate, never abandoned, never distant. We were always His.
Shoes of Peace
With each step, the bride walks in His peace, no longer striving, no longer afraid.
These sandals are not made for war, but for the path of love, leading her deeper into His presence. She does not tread upon the battlefield, but upon the sacred ground of intimacy, where every step is ordered by His grace (Psalm 37:23).
“What a beautiful sight to behold—the precious feet of the messenger… announcing
salvation to Zion and saying, ‘Your Mighty God reigns!’ (Isaiah 52:7 TPT)”
Where she walks, she leaves behind a trail of His grace—not the footprints of one who has struggled, but of one who has surrendered. She does not march as a soldier—she moves as a bride in step with her Beloved. His peace does not merely calm her heart; it defines her steps. She does not wander, nor does she run in fear. She walks in the confidence that where He is, there is no need for battle. Where she stands, the kingdom stands.
“My steps have held fast to Your paths; my feet have not slipped (Psalm 17:5 ESV).”
She is not a warrior; she is a vessel of divine peace, bringing the kingdom’s shalom
wherever she treads.
Bridal Rings of Spirit and Faith
Finally, He places upon her hand the rings of His Spirit and His faith—a seal of
covenant, a promise unbreakable.
“He has stamped His seal of love over our hearts and has given us the Holy Spirit like
an engagement ring is given to a bride—a down payment of the blessings to come! (2 Corinthians 1:21-22 TPT).”
In Hebrew culture, engagement was more than a promise—it was a binding covenant. Instead of a simple ring, the groom would present his bride with a seal (chotam - חוֹתָם),marking her as his own. This was not a mere symbol of possession, but of belonging, identity, and unwavering commitment. But unlike an earthly ring that can be removed, lost, or tarnished, the Bridegroom’s seal is eternal.
“Now you also have discovered yourselves to be equally included in Him, having witnessed the unveiled logic of Yahweh. What exciting news! Your salvation is publicly announced. Consistent with the promise of Yahweh, the Holy Spirit gives guarantee to the fact of your faith, like the stamp of a signet ring that certifies a document. You are in Him! (Ephesians 1:13, Mirror Bible)”
His Spirit is not just a promise of what is to come—it is the very presence of Yahweh abiding in us now.
“The Holy Spirit now tangibly intertwines us to the inheritance that was ransomed and preserved for us. Yahweh’s glorious plan for mankind is the theme of our celebration (Ephesians 1:14, Mirror Bible).”
Unlike an engagement ring that merely signifies intent, the Holy Spirit intertwines us into an inseparable union with Christ—not a contract, but a covenant. He does not merely place a token of His love upon us—He has placed His very Spirit within us.
This is our divine engagement, the braiding of our lives into His, an eternal intertwining that can never be undone.
A Call to Lay Down the Sword
Origen, one of the earliest church fathers, understood this when he wrote, “The coming of Christ brought peace to all men... Where war is, Christ is not; where Christ is, war is not (Homilies on Joshua, Homily 8.1).”
This changes everything. No longer will we exhaust ourselves in endless battles, fasting and praying harder, engaging in spiritual theatrics against an enemy who has already lost.
How foolish it is to pull up a chair for the devil and engage him in conversation! Why invite him into your home when you have been invited into the presence of the King? For too long, we have lived as if victory still depends on our effort, when in truth, the battle has already been fought and won. We have fasted to gain what has already been given. We have prayed for deliverance when we have already been set free. We have rebuked an enemy that has already been disarmed (Colossians 2:15). The sword is heavy, but grace is light (Matthew 11:28-30).
We are not called to war; we are called to announce peace. As Ephesians 6:15 (Mirror Bible) declares, “Announce peace; the battle has already been fought and won.” This is not a call to be passive but to be present—fully present with the One who has clothed us in victory. True spiritual warfare is not about chasing darkness—it is about abiding in the light. It is not about striking the enemy—it is about taking our rightful place at the table prepared for us (Psalm 23).
There, in the presence of our enemies, He anoints our heads with oil, and our cups
overflow. The enemy does not need to be defeated—he has already been made a
spectacle. The only power he has is the power we give him by believing the lie that we must still fight.
And so, we stand, fully adorned in:
His salvation—our crown of redemption, declaring us His own.
His righteousness—our garment of purity, wrapped in His love.
His truth—our firm foundation, securing our identity in Him.
His peace—our unwavering path, walking hand in hand with the Bridegroom.
His faith—our shield of steadfast trust, resting in His embrace.
His Spirit—our everlasting seal, the whisper of our belonging.
She does not fight; she abides, fully covered by His faith. As Ephesians 6:16 (Mirror
Bible) states, “Engage your faith as a man-size shield that covers your whole person,
extinguishing every contradiction.”
There is no striving. No effort. Nothing to earn.
The feast has been set. The table is prepared. The wine is poured.
He has clothed you in white. He has placed the rings upon your hand.
All that remains is your yes.
Will you lay down the sword and step into the love that has always been yours?