The Breastplate of Righteousness
Sometimes we don’t think much about the armor of God, yet it is important. This devotional can help you understand why we need spiritual armor, and especially the importance of the Breastplate of Righteousness.
Spiritual Armor
In New Testament times, the Roman government had taken over many lands, including Israel. Roman soldiers were seen everywhere, wearing armor. If a soldier was not fully outfitted for battle, he could easily be overcome by the enemy. 
The apostle Paul wrote about spiritual armor in Ephesians 6:10-18, using imagery of a Roman soldier’s armor. He wanted to teach us about spiritual warfare, prayer, and how we can live the Christian life victoriously. This passage of Scripture is usually referred to as “The Armor of God.”
The Bible says that we find our safety and security when we trust in God and run to Him to seek shelter. When we choose to put on the whole armor of God, we are protected and able to move about in the world without fear. Only those who have committed their lives to follow Jesus Christ have this armor available to them.
With the armor of Christ, you can face anything that happens with quiet confidence and the assurance that you are not fighting alone. A few pieces of spiritual armor include:
- The belt of truth: Speaking the truth about who Jesus is and what He is doing in us is powerful when the enemy tries to get us to believe what is not true. We speak truth, refuting lies.
- The shoes of peace: These keep us from strife and confusion as we share the good news about Jesus with others.
- The helmet of salvation: It keeps us from trying to earn our way to heaven or our Father’s love. Salvation brings a change in how we think and how we live. Just as a soldier’s helmet protects his head, our spiritual helmet protects how we think and protects us from being deceived.
- The sword of the spirit: It is an offensive weapon and represents the Word of God. We speak God’s word in faith to destroy what Satan, the enemy, tries to do.
What Is the Breastplate of Righteousness?
In Ephesians 6:14, Paul describes a breastplate that every Christian should wear.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place…
A soldier would need a breastplate to protect his heart against the arrows and spears coming at him from his enemies. It’s the same concept for Christians today. The breastplate of righteousness protects your spiritual heart from the attacks of your enemy. When the devil shoots his arrows of temptations, discouragement, lies, etc., the breastplate keeps those arrows from piercing your spirit.
How to Get the Breastplate of Righteousness
Some people are tempted to believe they have to do something special to get spiritual armor, but that’s simply not true. As God’s beloved child, you have access to the breastplate of righteousness at any time.
Romans 5:17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more, those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. NKJV
Righteousness, which means being right with God, is a result of having our sin removed. We can only be righteous through this wonderful gift that we receive by inviting Jesus Christ into our lives and putting our trust in Him.
In Romans 5;18 Paul explains what he meant by explaining that, Adam’s one sin brought condemnation upon everyone, but Jesus’ act of righteousness (giving His life on the cross) provides the free gift of justification. Justification’s simple meaning is that God looks at us as if we had never sinned. That’s why He looks at us as righteous as we allow Jesus to work in our lives.
So, we can’t earn righteousness, and we certainly don’t deserve it. Righteousness is a precious gift that Christ died to give us. However, just because it’s given to us freely doesn’t mean we always choose to wear it. Sometimes we slip up and start living out of our own desires and our own strength. When we do this, we must confess this to God and turn back to relying on Him.
Wear the Breastplate of Righteousness by Faith
Now that you understand the importance of the breastplate of righteousness, it’s time to put it on daily. There’s only way to do that—by faith! You must believe that you have the right to wear it.
When doubts from the enemy assault your mind, speak out something like this, “I am not righteous in myself, but because of the blood that Jesus shed on the cross, I have been made righteous by Him. God now looks at me as righteous.”
In his letter to the Romans, Paul explains,
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17 NKJV
As we live by faith, we become more and more righteous, for Jesus works within us, changing us as we grow in faith.
The Breastplate Is Your Security
As we wear the breastplate of righteousness, we learn to find our true worth in Christ. It isn’t our acts that make us righteous, but it is HIS.
When we wear the breastplate of righteousness, our faults aren’t hidden. Instead, they are acknowledged, and we are accepted. We can admit it when we mess up and still feel secure knowing that our God’s acceptance is not based on what we do, nor on our intellect and abilities.
The breastplate of righteousness is a reminder that your identity and protection doesn’t come from you. They are gifts from God. It is God who defines your worth and it is the righteousness of Jesus that protects you, day by day.
Take a moment to pray, thanking God that you are covered by His breastplate of righteousness.
