Let's jump right in and go on with our study of the armor of God by looking
at the second half of verse Ephesians 6:14 today:
"....and having on the breastplate of righteousness;... "
As Christian soldiers, we need to be clothed both in character and conduct
with righteousness. Am I talking about our own righteousness? No, of
course not - for we have none! We would be clothed with filthy rags if
that were the case, for Isaiah 64:6 says:
"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as
filthy rags...."
No, the Lord has something better for His children to wear than that!
It is a beautiful breastplate of righteousness that covers completely,
fashioned by His own hand and sent to us from heaven above....
Job 36:3, "I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness
to my maker."
It is the righteousness of Christ Himself....
2 Cor. 5:21, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin;
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Phillipians 1:11, "Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which
are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God."
It is a righteousness that the apostle Paul himself preferred to wear
and exhorted Timothy to follow after when he spoke to him of spiritual
warfare....
"Phil. 3:9, "And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which
is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith."
2 Tim. 6:11, "But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after
righteousness...."
My question to you ladies today is, have you been living out your Christianity
in your own righteousness, or in Christ's? My question goes back to what
we talked about yesterday, about how our own righteousnesses, following
those external guidelines (the law) can bring us a false feeling of self-worth,
otherwise known as self-righteousness. Check the label on the inside
of your armour and make sure it reads, "Made in Heaven" and not "Man-made".
It is not the person decked out in morality or philosophical virtues who
is suited properly for battle! The Lord wants righteousness coupled with
truth, the truth that self-worth, true righteousness is found in Christ
alone by faith at salvation.
The righteousness of Christ is a breastplate that covers the body from
the neck to the waist, both front and back. There are enemies on every
side, amen? The breastplate protects the vital organs in the chest area
from the assaults of the enemy, namely our hearts! The righteousness
of Christ is a sure defense against all the assaults of the devil, both
inward and outward. He is the accuser of the brethren, and when he accuses
you, the breastplate of righteousness in Christ protects your heart from
such attack. Without it we would be vulnerable, defeated, disgraced.
It is a righteousness that is implanted within us at salvation, as it
takes up residency in our hearts in the person of the Holy Spirit. The
Spirit has a quick and sensitive delicacy to every concept of evil and
is a gentle guide, bringing the peace, the triumph and untroubled serenity
of Heaven along with His abiding presence. He is not to be treated as
a souvenir of our salvation which you and I tuck away in some closet of
our soul! No, the breastplate of the righteousness of God is to be worn
and seen in our daily lives.
1 Cor. 15:34, "Awake to righteousness, and sin not...."
Satan cannot accuse the believer who is living a godly life in the power
of the Spirit. You see, the life we live either strengthens us against
Satan's attacks or makes it easier for him to defeat us. He tries to
strip us of our breastplate of righteousness by tempting us with sin.
Sin robs us of our armour! The Bible says we are to have it on, so let's wrestle
to keep it on, amen ladies? It should be visible to everyone we meet,
don't be caught naked and unarmed, totally unequipped to fight Satan.
Are all your affections truly righteous, dear lady??
In every believer’s heart there is a constant struggle between the old
nature and the new. These two opposing natures will never cease to struggle
so long as we are in this world. Don’t become a cripple by wrestling
with the ways of God, but be someone who wrestles before God with the
things of this world! Many people mistakenly think all war is bad, but
this is called the good fight of faith we are involved in, amen ladies?
While we hold the position of righteousness in Christ as a child of God,
we must live out practical righteousness in our daily lives by yielding to
the loving, HOLY Spirit of God as He guides us into the righteousness
of Christ where we are safe from attack!
Psalm 5:8, "Lead me O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies;
make thy way straight before my face."
We can fight from a position of righteousness which cannot therefore be
condemned! Can your own righteousness do that for you?? No way!
Job 35:2, "Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness
is more than God's?"
Now, take a moment and think back on the various attacks of the enemy
in your life over the past. Have you become easily defeated? Were you
fighting while wearing your own righteousness, or Christ's?? Yours would
fall under the attack, Christ's would not! His is a righteousness that is
impenetrable and shields from harm...
Isaiah 59:16 says, "....therefore his arm brought salvation to him; and
his righteousness, it sustained him."
In closing, all our weapons are only mighty through God.
Take special care not to trust in the armour of God, but in the GOD of
the armour. He made it and paid for it, amen? Prove your zeal for God
in all your combats... Walk humbly before the Lord and live righteously,
remembering that your strength is borrowed and very much needed!
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
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