KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 6:14b ” … and having on the breastplate of righteousness; ”

Our next part of God’s armour to put on is the breastplate of righteousness. Please understand that we are not asked to pray for the Lord to put on us these things. We must put them on. You do so as you act on what the Bible says about these things.

Righteousness is a gift that we receive by faith. This comes with our new birth. A righteous consciousness keeps you from living in sin consciousness. Satan succeeds more in making one live in sin when he has a sin consciousness. It is sin consciousness that leads many into acts of sin (sin consciousness is the belief that you are a sinner). Sinning is a condition of the heart. It defiles as well as a rebellion against God.
The Lord said in Mark 7:20 “And He said that which cometh out of the man, that defiles the man, for from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, murder…”
Such a heart of filth will drive out the influence of the Spirit from you.

A man becomes the cheapest influence and control of the devil when sin is permitted into the heart. Keep your righteousness. It is your breastplate. It guards the heart out of demonic intruders. Remember the advice of the Spirit in Proverbs 4:23 “Keep the heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life.” The heart is the centre of your being. The heart should be the sole possession and control of the Holy Spirit.

Give attention to the word of God and meditate on the word of God. This is the only way you can maintain a right heart. Make a decision never to allow the flesh and the world to take over your heart. Satan is always knocking to be allowed in. Never permit him. Put on the breastplate of righteousness.

Physically, a diseased heart is a terminal case. Secondly, if a fiery dart shot hits the heart, you are dead. This perfectly applies to our spiritual state. You must never leave your heart unprotected. Other parts of the body, when hit or attacked, may not cause fatalities, not so with the heart. It must be protected with all diligence. Righteousness is non-negotiable. If there is any act of dishonesty, please stop it now. Failure to stop would lead you to spiritual death. Spiritual death is separation from God, and it is the worst thing that may happen to you.

CONFESSION

My heart is the centre of my life. I guard it with all diligence, putting on the breastplate of righteousness. Every act of dishonesty has no place in me. I maintain my righteousness by believing whatever God says about me, as well as doing it.

THOUGHT: SATAN CAN NEVER OVERWHELM THE MAN LIVING RIGHT

FURTHER STUDIES:

2 Corinthians 4:2 ”But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”

Proverbs 14:34 ” Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”