Pointing to Jesus

Ephesians 6:14b- and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.

The second piece of armor the Bible tells us to put on in order to stand against the schemes of the devil is the Breastplate of Righteousness.  The breastplate is the piece of armor that protects the heart and other vital organs. It’s important to protect our heart because our hearts are the seat of our emotions.

The Bible has a lot to say about our hearts.

We are to guard our hearts-  Proverbs 4:23- Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

We are to love God with all our hearts- Matthew 22:37- Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your mind.

We are to seek God with all our hearts – Psalm 119:10- I seek you with my whole heart. Do not let me stray from your commands.

We are to trust God with all of our hearts. Proverbs 3:5,6- Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. 

In Psalm 86:11, David asked God to give him an undivided heart so that he would fear Him. In Psalm 86:12, David said that he will praise God with all his heart.

Protecting our hearts and making sure our hearts are right with God is so vital to the second part of this  verse, which is righteousness. The more we guard our hearts, love, seek, trust, and praise God with all our hearts, the more and easier it will be to live righteous lives.

Righteousness is right living according to God’s standards as set forth in the Bible. It living in a way that is approved by God.

Psalm 106:3-Blessed are those who keep justice, And he who does righteousness at all times!

Matthew 6:33- But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Matthew 5:6- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

We live righteous by making godly choices about what we watch, where we go, what we do, what we read, what we listen to, and so on. The Holy Spirit helps us and convicts us. Listen to Him.

It’s a choice we make every day to put on the breastplate of righteousness, and it’s the best way to live. The more we do, the more victory we get over the enemy, and the more freedom comes to our lives.

Stand strong, stay strong, soldier.

Many blessings,

Desiree