Amanda BethSharing the Truths Behind the TRUTH

Jul 4th Monday’s Blog: Breastplate Of Righteousness

This is the second blog in our series on the armor of God. Ephesians 6:14 tells us to put on the breastplate of righteousness. The amplified Bible explains righteousness as integrity, moral rectitude, and right standing with God. Job said he put on righteousness as his clothing (Job 29:14). When we receive Jesus His righteousness is imputed to us. We can then joyfully wear His righteousness or return to miserably wearing our unrighteousness.

Isaiah 61:10 says, “I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

Most of you probably remember the movie “Annie.” Annie was an orphan who lived a poor, miserable life under the control of the evil Miss Hannigan. Her life changed when she touched the heart of the wealthy Oliver Warbucks.

At the end of the movie, he adopted her and welcomed her as his own. She was set free from captivity and orphanhood and welcomed into a loving family. Everything he had was given to her as well.

Annie went from rags to riches. She went from barely enough to more than enough. She went from being despised to being adored. She went from wearing clothes covered in filth to having fresh clean garments to wear. She had truly been given everything one could desire.

But what if the movie didn’t end that way? What if Annie decided after a few months to give up her new inheritance and put back on her filthy rags and return to the control of Miss Hannigan? That would’ve made no sense. Why would she give up her freedom, her riches, her beautiful garments, and a father who loved her, to return to captivity and serve the one who despised her?

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

—Galatians 5:1

This is the choice we have to make once we receive Jesus. We can put on His righteousness, live out our inheritance with our Heavenly Father, or we can strip it off, leave our inheritance, lay down our authority, and go back into captivity serving the one who despises us.

Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

—Romans 6:16 NLT

I know a woman who accepted Christ awhile back. There was a noticeable change in her almost immediately. It was like a light turned on in her and she finally understood the Truth. It didn’t last long, though. It was no sooner she was back to her old ways. It was as if the light turned off and she was blind again. She chose to return to her filthy rags instead of wearing the righteousness Jesus died to give her. She left her inheritance and returned to captivity, serving the one who despised her. Today, you wouldn’t even know she accepted Christ. She’s the same as before, if not worse.

Luke 11:24-26 says, “When an evilspirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.”

When we accept Christ’s atonement for our sins, we are washed clean. Yet, if we don’t put on righteousness, by welcoming God into our homes (hearts) daily, the door will be wide open for the enemy. God said to put on the “breastplate” of righteousness. The breastplate protects our hearts. When our hearts are undivided toward God, His righteousness covers us and guides us into holiness. Then, nothing the enemy throws at us can harm us. The doors of our hearts will be guarded and sealed shut. The enemy can’t come into our homes when our hearts are filled with God and His righteousness.

You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.

—Romans 6:18-19

I encourage you to put on righteousness. Give God your whole heart. Live each day drawing closer to Him. God is not expecting perfection from us. He wants our hearts. When He has our hearts, He can perfect us.

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**Something to think about this week**

Ask God to help you keep your heart fixed on Him. He’s given you everything you could ever desire. Enjoy living for Him, wearing His righteousness!

Light is sown for the [uncompromisingly] righteous and strewn along their pathway, and joy for the upright in heart [the irrepressible joy which comes from consciousness of His favor and protection].

—Psalm 97:11 AMP

Have a blessed Fourth of July!

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**Come back next Monday as I share more of God’s Truths and the reasons behind the Truths.

All Bible verses are taken from the NIV, unless otherwise noted.

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