“Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.”—Ephesians 6:14—

“But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.”—I Thessalonians 5:8-

 

The Roman breastplate was typically made of bronze and backed with leather. It was designed to protect the vital areas. A blow through this was usually fatal. The most critical area of the body is the heart. Our faith is the power that connects our breastplate with God’s infinite power. By believing in Jesus, we receive all the power and benefits of being righteous in God’s sight, but if we don’t believe that we have God’s righteousness, then our breastplate will be ineffective. Putting on the Breastplate of Righteousness protects me from spiritual cockiness and arrogance, esteeming myself better than others, from self-confidence (rather that Christ-confidence and from self-righteousness.
     Satan is extremely clever at slipping this deception by believers. Some are especially susceptible to it. Often when we have been drawn into it, thinking we are being “spiritual” we are really only being arrogant! If satan can deceive us here, we are greatly hindered in our effectiveness for God. The Breastplate of Righteousness also protects us from overwhelming vague feelings of condemnation and guilt (as a result of past sins). Without the Breastplate of Righteousness we can be paralyzed by feelings of unworthiness, worthlessness, hopelessness and discouragement because of past failures.
   Satan knows that many Christians are susceptible to defeat at this point. It is easy to make them feel so guilty and unworthy that they feel they can be of no use to God. Great damage has  been  done  to God’s  people  by  the  enemy with this weapon. We  put  the  breastplate  on  through faith by speaking it. Here is a way to do this: “I put on the Breastplate of Righteousness. I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I am clothed with God’s righteousness, which protects my heart from the enemy. All footholds that the devil had on me have been washed away by the blood of Jesus and I am no loner clothed with filthy garments, but rather with rich robes of righteousness. (Zechariah 3) The righteousness of God covers me and protects me from the enemy.”
   Just as with conventional weapons of war, regular maintenance of our spiritual armor is critical to its operation in battle.

(1) Obey God’s commandments for living. We are obligated to obey God’s commands, out of loving appreciation for what Jesus did for us. This is a way of exercising our faith which keeps us plugged into God’s power supply. Paul wrote, “Live in Love.”

(2) Love is the key activity by which we live
for righteousness.