“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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.”
(Ephesians 6:13-14 NIV)
My Irish Setter Ruby, tore a large gash in her chest, when she encountered a strand of barb wire, as she was galivanting through the bush. Fortunately, the tear did not penetrate the muscle. I doctored the wound and it was healing well, until Ruby figured out how to twist and lick it. Other measures then needed to be taken, so my daughter produced one of the girls, outgrown T-shirts which fit Ruby perfectly. The T-shirt not only protected the wound from further damage from dirt and debris, but also from Ruby’s licking which was preventing it from drying and healing.
As I watched Ruby, very proudly sporting her bright pink T-shirt, I was reminded of the scriptural command to put on the full armor of God, and in this case, specifically, the breast plate of righteousness.
Soldiers of the past wore breastplates, we however may know them as Flak Jackets, Kevlar or Bulletproof vests. These coverings have always been designed to clothe most of the upper body, providing significant protection from anything which could severely damage or pierce a person’s heart.
Likewise, the breast plate of righteousness that Paul speaks of, protects our spiritual heart. Satan, the ruler of this world is forever scheming against us (See 2 Corinthians 4:4). We discover in Revelation 12:10, that He stands before the throne of God, continually accusing the people of God. He wants to pierce our hearts with doubt in regards to our salvation and God’s eternal love, grace and forgiveness for all who call upon His name in faith, confession and repentance. He wants to stab us with false guilt and unworthiness, robbing our hearts of the joy of our salvation, which is why we must put on our spiritual breastplate every day. The breast plate of righteousness: Our belief in Jesus’ death and resurrection on the cross.
Once we commit our lives to Christ, God no longer sees us as unrighteous, imperfect, he sees us through the power of the shed blood of Jesus, which covers us with a veil of holiness and protection making us righteous in Christ for eternity, no matter what the evil one tries to whisper within our hearts.
Therefore, put on your breast plate of righteous everyday, so that you may stand against the evil one who prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour, and you can be sure that, that someone, will not be you.
Prayer: Father God, thank you for our breastplate of righteousness, attained for us through the shed blood of Jesus and His resurrection. Remind us to don it daily. In Christ’s name. Amen.
Lynne Phipps
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada