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READ Ephesians 6:10-16
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. 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, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
The second piece of Armor in our arsenal is the Breastplate of Righteousness. In ancient Roman armor, the breastplate was a monstrosity made up of heavy metals layered together. This was created to fortify the entire abdomen during battle. The heart, lungs, and other vital organs were all safely secured beneath the soldier’s breastplate. If a solider didn’t wear this piece, he was certainly susceptible to life-threatening attacks.
Paul suggests we position protection over our most vital spiritual organs. Righteousness protects us. Look at all the commands in Scripture! They aren’t designed to control you— they are designed to protect you.
God hates sin because sin hurts people.
When you choose not to lie, you are protecting yourself from broken friendships and trust.
When you choose to pursue purity, you are avoiding complex emotional pain and heartbreak.
When you choose to love people, you are opening up to more opportunity.
When you choose to trust God, you will experience impossible peace.
It all starts in the heart. When you protect your heart, you are protecting the core of your entire being. You will experience true contentment when you walk in God’s commandments.