Ghost Shirts
& Our Self Righteousness
In the book of Ephesians the Bible writer, Paul, sounds the battle cry and raises the call to arms. He admonishes those of the Christian faith to don their battle gear because they are in a great war. This war he states is not a war against a visible enemy. Rather this controversy is against principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness in high places. In essence Paul warns us that we are in the midst of a full scale confrontation waged by the devil himself against the whole human race. Because of this he pleads with us to put on the whole armor of God. The seven items of this protective covering are listed below:
Belt of Truth
Breastplate of Righteousness
Footwear of Peace
Shield of Faith
Helmet of Salvation
Sword of the Spirit
Prayer
(Ephesians 6: 10-18)
However, many of us seem to think that we don't need all seven. And some don't even see the need for a single item listed here. Instead, they feel like they can take care of themselves and fight their own battles. However, in this they do err, for this is not an earthly foe we're talking about here. This is the leader of the rebellion that was cast out of Heaven. Lucifer was the kingpin that took one third of the Heavenly host with him as he fell from grace.
So it would be a tragic mistake for one to surmise that he could fare well with such a foe. And yet some seem content, thinking they can protect themselves. They do not see the need for God's protective covering. Foolishly, they march into battle with only their self righteous nature as a covering. And the devil takes full advantage of the situation and annihilates them.
The 'Ghost Shirt' Will Protect You From The Bluecoat's Bullets
I'm reminded of the Lakota Sioux in the year 1890. In their lifetime many of the tribal elders had seen large numbers of buffalo disappear. They had looked on as the white man moved into the land they had always enjoyed so freely. And they had watched that land become fenced. They themselves were eventually forced to live on bleak parcels of real-estate referred to as reservations. It's quite understandable that they wished for things to go back the way they were.
Then hope came their way. Unfortunately, it was a false hope. A Paiute Indian, named Wovoka, who referred to himself as the Messiah proclaimed that he had a new belief that would bring things back to the way things were originally before the paleface invaded their land.
He taught several tribes this new belief and instructed them in a new dance, called the 'Ghost Dance'. He also encouraged his followers to wear a special shirt called a 'Ghost Shirt'. This shirt was made of white cotton muslin. It was decorated with magic symbols and embellished with feathers as well. Wovoka stated that if the people wore the 'Ghost Shirt' they would be protected from the soldier's bullets.
But on December 29th, 1890 this type of protective covering was put to the test and found severely wanting. On this date after the 7th Calvary checked to make sure that all the Lakota people had surrendered their arms, a rifle shot could be heard. The true source of the shot may never be known, however, the whole situation was a powder keg just waiting to explode. Because the Lakota men had surrendered their arms they had only the 'Ghost Shirts' to protect them. And the shirts failed miserably.
Men, women, and children were cut down in a horrific crossfire as they tried to run to a nearby ravine. And from the surrounding heights that border Wounded Knee Creek, four strategically situated Hotchkiss Guns began firing indiscriminately into the Indian encampment. The guns, mounted on wheels had a range of 4,200 yards and fired exploding cartridges that weighted 2 pounds and 10 ounces apiece.
In a very short time about 300 of the 350 Sioux lay dead or near death on the December snow. When the soldiers returned to bury the fallen Indians on New Year's Day 1891, they hoisted 150 of these frozen bodies into a single grave. Imagine the despicable scene. There in the bottom of the mass grave lay 150 bodies clad in 'Ghost Shirts', shirts that the wearers believed would protect them.
Ignoring Paul's Counsel
What will it be like for those who ignore Paul's admonition to put on the whole armor of God and yet choose to refuse to do so? If we choose instead our own self righteousness to protect us we may find ourselves in the same state as the Lakota people buried in that mass grave.
'Ghost Shirts' didn't stop the bullet of the soldier's rifle. They didn't stop the strafing of a five barrel revolving cannon.
Nor will our own self righteousness protect us from this war with satan. For "all our righteousness is as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Isa. 64:6 KJV
So let us get rid of our robes of self righteousness and let us gird ourselves with the Belt of Truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Footwear of Peace, the Shield of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation, the Sword of the Spirit, and let us pray. Let us stay in tune with the command center as God directs us in this great controversy. May we follow Him as He guides us in the paths where we are to go, as he tells us what we are to say, and as he informs us as to what we are to do.