JULY 23

THE DIVINE PANOPLY

“My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (1 Cor. 12:9)

Usually we are most conscious of our infirmities, our weaknesses, for it is the arena wherein His strength is brought to its fullest expression in and through us. But now we would give particular emphasis to the phrase, “that the power of Christ MAY REST UPON ME.”

Upon – from the Greek word “epi,” meaning: over, or upon. It can be illustrated as when the cloud is over and upon the mountain peak, the mountain is swallowed up into the cloud which is over it. Christ would envelop His people, His body. He is not afar off, operating as if by some remote control, He is overshadowing us day by day.

When it says, “that the power of Christ may rest upon me,” the Amplified says, “may pitch a tent (over) and dwell – upon me.

Wuest Expanded, “That the power if Christ (like the Shekinah Glory in the Holy of Holies if the Tent of meeting) may take up its residence in me (working within me and giving me help).”

The full meaning is, to come to a place for the purpose of fixing one’s tent there. He spreads His panoply over us. Panoply – anything protecting completely or forming a magnificent covering. The word “rest” used here, literally means: to tabernacle on. When we consider that in our hour of greatest consciousness of weakness, He is there spreading HIS POWER OVER US LIKE A TENT, enveloping us into its strength and ability, we are truly magnificently covered. When Christ pitches His tent over us, to become our covering we need no other covering, it would not only be unwarranted. It would be anti-christ. “Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of Me; and that cover with a covering, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin.” (Isa. 30:1).

Overshadowed as a tent, yea, to dwell within,
Cleansing by His pow’r and love till we’re free from sin.