Series on Spiritual Warfare

In this series of posts, we will discuss spiritual warfare and how it influences and impacts us as family members who have difficult situations in our families.

Part 7

In this post, we will be discussing the second piece of armor Paul talks about in Ephesians 6: the breastplate of righteousness.

After instructing the believers at Ephesus about the first piece of armor they need to wear, which is the belt of truth, He then talks to them about putting on the breastplate of righteousness.

Often, we can glean more from a particular Scripture when we look at it in different translations.  Let’s look at Ephesians 6:14, where we read about the first two pieces of armor, the belt of truth and breastplate of righteousness, in a few different translations. In this post, we will focus on the breastplate of righteousness.

The NIV says, “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place…” and

 The Passion Translation says, “Put on truth as a belt to strengthen you to stand in triumph. Put on holiness as the protective armor that covers your heart.”

The International Children’s Bible puts it in simple language: “So stand strong, with the belt of truth tied around your waist. And on your chest wear the protection of right living.”

The Amplified Bible expands on this verse and helps us to understand what it means to live right: “So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth (personal integrity, moral courage) around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (an upright heart).”

 The Amplified Classic Edition in the second half says, “having put on the breastplate of integrity and moral rectitude and right standing with God,”

By reading each of these versions of Ephesians 6:14 we can get a fuller picture of what it means to put on the breastplate of righteousness.

 

Here are some key points:

1. We see that this breastplate covers the heart as protection for our hearts. It’s so easy to hurt one another, especially within our families. It’s often those closest to us that we hurt or that hurt us. Hence, we need this breastplate of righteousness in place over our hearts. You might be asking, what does that look like?

2. Well, this breastplate is about living right. Living right means we live our lives according to the instruction, the counsel, the principles, and the ways of God we learn in His Word. For example, to keep the breastplate of righteousness in place when we are hurt by a family member might mean we learn to apply the principles in Scripture about forgiveness. We choose to forgive them. It might mean we learn how to go to them in a healthy way and communicate to them how we felt hurt. It might mean we give them grace perhaps knowing they are going through hard times as well. It might be we overlook an offense. You see all of these examples are principles in the Scriptures. Each situation will look different and perhaps require a different Scriptural antidote; but, nonetheless, we choose to wear that breastplate of righteousness, taking God’s Word and applying it to our situations.

3. Living a holy life means our lives are set apart for God. Set apart for God means we choose God’s ways of living over our own. Therefore it can mean we live our lives with integrity, not with a double standard. We live our lives with a high level of honesty. We hold to the Truth of God’s Word for living life in all our situations, even the most difficult ones. In other words, we don’t pick and choose when we will obey the Truth and when we will choose to live our lives our own way, meaning contrary to God’s Word. An example of this might be this: Our loved one has hurt us once again with their words. We have forgiven them so many times and we decide this time we will not forgive them anymore. No, that’s contrary to God’s Word. We can go to God’s Word and discover this was the very question Peter asked Jesus in Matthew 18:21-22. “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times?” We choose to wear the breastplate of righteousness when we decide we will forgive our brother or sister or that family member who hurt us no matter how many times we have to forgive them. (Now forgiveness doesn’t mean that we continue to necessarily have fellowship with them or that we don’t need to set some healthy boundaries. It means we will not hold the hurt against them. We might need to do some of our own work to help us. But, yet, we obey the Scripture to forgive them.)

4. What is moral rectitude? Moral rectitude just means living our lives in an upright, straight, morally correct, or pure way. One of the beatitudes is this: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8 God wants us to align our lives with His Word. His Word is to be the plumbline, that straight line, of our lives. That means, we choose to follow His Word in our daily lives. When we do, we will live our lives with integrity and upright moral character. In all of this, we see then how the breastplate of righteousness covers and protects our hearts.

5.  In closing, let’s remember the words of Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Let’s guard our hearts by wearing the breastplate of righteousness as a shield of protection by living our lives in the Truth, by living morally upright lives, and by being set apart for Him. Set apart for Him means, we belong to Him and we live our lives according to kingdom principles not according to the world’s standards or our own standards. 

Remember, it is Jesus who will reward you for your diligence to follow His ways, and wearing the whole armor of God, which includes the protective armor called the breastplate of righteousness, is following His instructions. It is for your protection.

I’ll close with this Scripture: Galatians 6:7-8 AMP “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked (He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed, nor treated with contempt nor allow His precepts to be scornfully set aside); for whatever a man sows, this and this only is what he will reap. For the one who sows to his flesh (his sinful capacity, his worldliness, his disgraceful impulses) will reap from the flesh ruin and destruction, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

None of us are perfect in any of this. This is a journey we are all on. No one said it would be easy. But, living for Him is so much better than living for self.

 

How might I partner with you in prayer to help you keep your heart protected with the breastplate of righteousness on?

Marlene

Marlene’s mission is to bring the fire of God’s love to the hurting enabling them to find healing, restoration, and wholeness in order for them to be released into the fullness of their destiny.

Marlene has a unique combination of credentials. She is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with The International Coach Federation, as well as a BALM® Certified Family Recovery Life Coach. She is also certified in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a Family Recovery Specialist.

Contact Marlene to learn more about working with her, enrolling in one of her classes, or joining her prayer movement.

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