Welcome back! I won’t pretend to understand what innocent people are experiencing in Ukraine as rockets and bombs rain down from Russia. Our prayers are with all those in harm’s way. We may feel hopeless today as the world is going through changes and honestly feels a bit more dangerous lately, but I trust that there are people who have put on the whole armor of God as they withstand the attacks of the enemy.
As believers, we are in spiritual battles, and we need to put on the armor God has commanded us to wear so we can withstand the attacks of the enemy.
We started a new mini-series on the armor of God. I thought it would be beneficial to go over each piece of the armor the Apostle Paul discusses in Ephesians 6:10-18.
The belt is first
Yesterday we looked at the first piece of the armor – the belt of truth. The Armor – The Belt of Truth
The belt is the first piece you put on because it holds the other elements in place.
Today, let’s talk about the next piece of armor mentioned in our feature Scripture passages from Ephesians 6:10-18 – the breastplate of righteousness.
The breastplate
The breastplate of righteousness is aligning your life to God’s expectations. Your heart is the centerpiece of your soul. Think about the heart for a moment. If the enemy can hit your heart, you will struggle to live.
We need to affirm God’s standards and align our behaviors with his standards. Be righteous so you don’t give the enemy a foothold in your life.
Now let’s look at some notes from a sermon I listened to online about this specific piece of armor.
“The breastplate of righteousness is like purity. We need to resist lust, lies, and anything that makes us vulnerable. Spiritually speaking about lust – we can lust to be something that we’re not, shouldn’t pursue, or making an idol.
The devil looks for chances to wreak havoc in our lives when we lust after things we shouldn’t.
Putting on the breastplate of righteousness is a daily thing.”
When we think about the breastplate, it is a defensive piece of armor. Our character is our defense -hence living righteously.
Righteousness based on our works is worthless. God is so great in that he offers us the righteousness of Christ.
Spiritual Warfare imagery is as follows:
- Image – Breastplate
- Spiritual weapon – Righteousness
- Background passage from the Old Testament – Isaiah 59:17, “He put on the righteousness as his breastplate,”
When I think of the breastplate, I think of the heart and the importance of protecting it from the enemy’s attacks. It’s like the example I gave yesterday with the military. You can’t walk into a battle defenseless with no protection. The enemy will deal with you quickly and harshly.
The enemy is after you. Be sure you are wearing the whole armor of God daily to protect yourself from his attacks. Remember, we are fighting a spiritual battle, and for the battle, you need spiritual weapons.
The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12-13:
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
I don’t know about you, but I sure am glad my heavenly Father cares enough about me to tell me what to do to protect myself against the enemy’s attacks. If I fail to take the necessary steps to protect myself accordingly, I have no one to blame but myself.
Folks, the spiritual battle is as real today as it ever was, so we must put on the whole armor of God.
Join me again as we look at the next piece in the armor – the shoes of peace.
Blessings to you and your family!
The Teaching Lady
Who is Jesus Christ? I Wanted To Know
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