3 - Cover Your Heart
….with the breastplate of righteousness in place….
Ephesians 6:14
You’ve prepared to fight and tightened that belt of truth around your waist. You are reading God’s word and making it the foundation for your life; now it’s time to put on the breastplate of righteousness. No soldier would think of going to war without his vital organs being covered. Today it takes the form of a bullet proof vest. So what is the breastplate of righteousness as far as we are concerned? It is our protection from the attacks of the enemy on our heart.
Susan thought that she’d led a pretty good life. She had a successful marriage, she worked for charities, and she never did anyone any harm. She felt that she was quite a righteous person and that God wouldn’t have any complaint with her when she came to stand before him. Dave, on the other hand, had been a drug-dealing, wife-beating womanizer. He knew that he was rotten through and through and he found it difficult to believe that God could have any time for him at all.
Both Susan and Dave needed to discover the truth about righteous-ness in a different way. Susan had to realize that to God, in all his purity and holiness, our righteousness is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Nothing we could ever do would make us good enough for God. That is why Jesus Christ who was pure and sinless came to die in our place. He took our sins upon himself on the cross. Now his goodness or righteousness becomes ours when we receive him as our Saviour and Lord. Dave had to realize that no sin is great than another; that Susan’s pride in her own goodness was as sinful as his drug-dealing and wife-beating. God loved each of them equally and each had to come to God in the same way, through Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). The shield that is our protection is the righteousness that comes from Jesus Christ. It makes us acceptable to God and it tells the devil that we are not trusting in ourselves but in God’s mercy and goodness.
Jeremiah 33:16 speaks of “The Lord our righteousness.” When Susan is tempted to compare herself with Dave, she needs the breastplate to remind her that only in Jesus Christ is she good enough for God. It protects her from a prideful heart. Dave needs the breastplate to cover his shame and remind him that Jesus Christ paid for all his sin. Satan can no longer accuse him because he is covered with the righteousness of Christ.
Put on that breastplate so that you can stand confidently before God, knowing his mercy; and boldly before Satan, knowing that he has nothing with which to accuse you because God has got you covered!
Prayer: Lord Jesus thank you so much that I don’t have to try and be good enough for God. Thank you that in your mercy, grace and love you have become my righteousness. Amen
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