Wear Your Own Armor and Wield Your Own Weapon

1 Samuel‬ ‭17:38-39,‬ ‭NASB

Then Saul clothed David with his military attire and put a bronze helmet on his head, and outfitted him with armor. And David strapped on his sword over his military attire and struggled at walking, for he had not trained with the armor. So David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, because I have not trained with them.” And David took them off. 

When we’re trying to move in what we’re being called to do, but we’re struggling to walk, it might just be that we’re wearing someone else’s armor and carrying someone else's weapon.

Our unique callings will utilize the perfect blend of our personality, our gifts and talents, and our interests and experiences—supernaturally empowered by the mighty hand of God—to accomplish what God preordained for us to accomplish.

Others will have opinions about how we go about the things we're called to do, and that's not always a bad thing. It’s not that we shouldn’t listen to the advice of people we respect, just as David listened to Saul's advice and even tried Saul's armor on. The opinions of others are not usually ill-motivated, they’re given from the perspective of their own experience. Saul wasn’t dressing David in his armor out of ill-will toward David, he was advising him out of his own experience. However, the moment David realized he was struggling to walk in that armor, he confidently took it off. 

Never be ashamed of the outfit you wear or the weapon you are good with. A shepherd’s outfit appeared much less impressive than the king’s armor, a slingshot much less intimidating than a sword. Ridiculous even. But David marched against that Philistine wearing the clothing he had trained in and wielding the weapon he had trained with—and God did the rest.

God has trained you for what he has called you. He's outfitted you intentionally, and he’s placed in your hand what he’s called you to use. Shamgar killed 600 Philistines with an oxgoad, wearing whatever he was wearing in the moment (Judges 3:31). Jael killed the commander of the enemy’s army with a tent peg, wearing whatever she was wearing in the moment (Judges 4:21). Your weapon—and your outfit—is sufficient for you. It’s mighty for you. It’s effective for you. Walk confidently in it, and trust God to do the rest. 

Oh Lord, thank you that you’ve trained us and outfitted us for what you’ve called us. Please help us discern when we need to take off something we’re trying to walk in that’s not from you, and give us the confidence to do so. Amen.