Bro. Hutchison, tell us a little about yourself and your background. Share your personal testimony and tell us about your ministry
I was raised in a small, north-central Mississippi town and was taken by my parents to a mainline denominal church. It was not until my late teens, and after attending a type of Pentecostal church, that God began to deal with me about living for Him. During this time of my life, I was a soldier in the Mississippi Army National Guard for four years but was released to go on active duty in the U.S. Army. I served four years in the 82nd Airborne Division and four years in the 101st Airborne Division. While in the 101st, I served seven months of deployment to the Middle East in the Persian Gulf during Desert Shield/Storm. It was during my time in the 82nd Airborne Division that I attended my first UPC church in Fayetteville, North Carolina, pastored then by Jesse Williams. This was when I received the truth. I was called to preach a few years later. I have pastored twice, but the bulk of my ministry has been as a full-time evangelist under Pastor Thomas Patterson in Evangeline, Louisiana, which has spanned the last twenty-three years of my life.
What motivated you to write this book entitled, “Battlefield Dress”?
This book was born out of a Sunday school lesson I was asked to teach based on my experiences while in the military. Soon after I taught that lesson, I started preaching it, whereupon a particular pastor encouraged me to write a book on this message. Almost twenty years later, the seed that the pastor planted began to germinate, so I called an author I knew for his opinion. This author very enthusiastically encouraged me to write the book, but I put it off again. At the AYC in 2019, I was working the PPH booth, and a person approached me to purchase their books. Suddenly, this total stranger told me that I should write a book; that there was a book in me, and that it would change a lot of lives. I was so blown away by this, that I never got that person’s name, but I realized then that I had better write this book, and so I did.
What does the Bible mean by, “having your loins girt about with truth?”
“To gird” means to encircle or fasten. Loins have to do with procreative power, which means to produce offspring. 1 Peter 1:13 instructs us to gird up the loins of our minds. We, as Apostolics, will not be able to create offspring or converts without having truth encircled within our minds. One must not only believe that he or she has the truth; one must also believe that it is the only way for souls to be brought out of bondage and into freedom from sin. So again, we must have truth encircling our very being, and have it fastened upon the loins of our minds.
Describe what the “breastplate of righteousness” means for us today?
Just as armor in wartime protected a soldier’s vital organs, so does the breastplate of righteousness. It is the nature of our flesh to go the way of least resistance; thus, the breastplate of righteousness will keep us pointed in the right direction if we put it on.
Regarding footwear, how should our feet be shod, and what does this mean?
The enemy of our soul is busy laying spiritual traps for us, and thus, we may become a casualty on the battlefield. We should prepare ourselves to wear the boots of a peacemaker. Ephesians 5:15 instructs us to walk cautiously, which challenges us to watch where and how we walk spiritually speaking. Proverbs 6:18 speaks of “feet that be swift in running to mischief.” This is one of the seven things that are an abomination to the Lord. Will the areas our feet tread upon cause peace to enter into a situation, or will it cause a church split or someone to lose their soul because of bitterness or hatred being sown? Is it any wonder that Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God”? (Matt. 5:9)
Please explain the “shield of faith.” What should this say to us today?
One of the definitions of the word, “quench” means to terminate or destroy. In simplistic terms, the shield of faith can conquer anything the enemy assails us with. With this powerful weapon, there is no reason for doubt, fear, worry, uncertainty, discouragement, and whatever else may cause us to lose the war for our souls. It will not be easy, but with the shield of faith, victory can be achieved.
Why did Paul list the “helmet of salvation” as a key part of our armor?
Without salvation, we cannot be delivered from our past, nor can we be delivered in our future. Just as the natural helmet protects one’s head, so does the spiritual helmet of salvation protect one’s mind, which is why Paul instructs us in Romans 12:2 to be renewed in our minds.
What role does the “sword of the Spirit” play in our battlefield readiness?
The first statement in Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” When tempted in the wilderness by Satan, the Lord Jesus used the Word to defeat the devil. So many people are bound today simply because they do not know the Word, and because of that lack of knowledge, they do not know how to “fire” the Word at the enemy. As powerful as a rifle is, it cannot prove its power until the trigger is pulled. Only when one applies the Word to an attack from the enemy will the power of the written Word of God be proved.
Please explain, “enduring hardness” and being “battlefield ready.”
The word “endure” means to remain firm or hold up under pain, pressure, or fatigue. Fighting our enemy is not a bed of roses, but it will require a willingness to go forward despite the opposition. Jesus said in Matthew 24:13, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” To be “battlefield ready” means to be the best one can be and use the weapons and instructions given in Scripture. It cannot be just “another” church service or Sunday school lesson, as there could be some instruction given that could bring deliverance; not only then, but also in the future. It also means that one takes the enemy seriously because this business of escaping the flames and torture of a Godless eternity is not a game by any means.
How may we contact you for questions, what is the price of the book, and how can we purchase it?
The book may be ordered through PPH, Amazon, or directly from myself. The cost is $14.00. I can be reached through email, Facebook, or phone. My email address is jlhutch2003@yahoo.com. My phone number is 337-309-1373.
