‘ … and having on the breastplate of righteousness.’ Ephesians 6:14.
A breastplate protects the heart—one of the vital organs that we need to function and live. The heart is generally also thought of as the home of emotion and passionate beliefs. The Bible certainly speaks of the heart as being the place where our core attitudes, desires, morals, motivations, beliefs and feelings flow from:
‘Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life’ (Proverbs 4:23).
1 Samuel 16:7 tells us that ‘the Lord looks at the heart’ (i.e. searches and understands our motives and desires), while Psalm 37:4 says that God will ‘give thee the desires of thine heart’ if we delight in him. Whichever way it is considered, the heart is central to who we are and in vital need of protection, as Satan also knows its value.
Spiritually, Paul tells us that ‘with the heart man believeth unto righteousness’ (Romans 10:10). Righteousness is the state of being made right with God and no longer separated from him because of sin. We receive righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:9). It allows us to be freed from the guilt, shame, and condemnation that sin otherwise brings. It means we are cleansed, made pure and holy, and therefore able to once again commune with the holy Lord. It also allows us to redeem our sense of worth and to regain hope for the future. Righteousness is therefore strongly connected to both our sense of value and our relationship with God.
It demands a change in the way we live our lives. Instead of indulging in sin, righteousness naturally leads us to do what is right and true. It increases over time as we draw closer to God and build on good choices. It follows that it also gives us power over Satan. Like truth, righteousness is an aspect of spiritual warfare. It is the truth about who we are in God’s eyes.
Satan will therefore counter it in any way he can. When he attacks our heart, he attacks our beliefs about ourselves. Once again using lies, he causes us to question our right standing with God. He reminds us of the bad things we have done. He has other people reject us. He tries to cast guilt, shame and condemnation back onto us even when we have sought forgiveness from God for our sins. He attacks our emotions, causing depression, anxiety, fear, grief, sadness and difficulty in our relationships with others, ourselves, and God.
To stand against this, we must ‘put on the breastplate of righteousness’ and remind Satan of the truth of who we are as God’s son or daughter, no longer burdened by past sins and mistakes but made right through Christ. In this way we protect our heart from the devil and stand in a place of victory.
Once we’re there, we can put on the shoes of the gospel of peace – the part of the armour that we’ll turn to next.
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