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Breastplate of righteousness
Full Armor of God
Gird Up Your Loins: An Illustrated Guide
Sometimes in nature we see a spiritual picture of the Christian life. During this time of isolation, I’ve learned a lot about myself. I have seen all the Hallmark movies, all the Gunsmoke reruns, the entire years of The Waltons,and so many nature episodes my eyes and ears are exhausted. I love silence. Sitting for very long makes me crazy. I need people. Sunshine makes me happy and we have not had enough lately. I do love a good storm but I am tired of rain and thunder.
So I suppose, isolation is good for looking deeper at our lives and how we have lived. The slower pace is great but we are used to frantically running. So it takes a little time to adjust. Will we learn to slow down and search for a better way?
Can we live in today’s world without the rat race? I am not sure. Hopefully we will find a balance.
Isolation
In nature we see a picture of how the enemy loves to seek out the weakest of the herd. While watching the Discovery Channel, it reminded me that lions, tigers, leopards watch for opportunities to attack when their prey wanders away for the others. The wolf watches for the lambs to linger behind. So many examples of how the enemy attacks the wanderers.
1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”
2 Corinthians 11:14b “for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
The lurking enemy
The enemy is real. Satan is alive and well but His days are number. The victory was won at the cross and by Christ’s resurrection we also have a resurrected life in Him.
I can think of several reasons why living isolated is not good for us.
First, God made us to have fellowship with Him and each other.
Genesis 2:18 “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
Second, the enemy watches for the weakest points of our lives. Boredom, arguments which lead to resentment, unforgiveness, depression, grief,and many other symptoms of our soul’s sickness. Our sins have separated us from God. Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
Breastplate of Righteousness
For these reasons, it is all the more important we use the armor provided by God’s “warfare suit.” He provided in our armor the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate was to cover the vital organs, heart and lungs. Without His righteousness, we have no hope. But praise God, we are “the righteousness of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. I love that verse!
“When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.” Isaiah 59:19 (King James version)
Watch and Pray
In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was approaching the biggest moment of His life on earth. Peter and John were instructed to watch and pray. Jesus returns and finds them sleeping. ““What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41 NKJV)
When we are dressed in God’s armor, we have His protection. However, in one weak moment, the weakness of the flesh creeps in and lulls us into complacency. The temptation is to skip our time with God in His Word and prayer time (watch and waiting). In isolation,we don’t have the opportunity to be encouraged or encourage each other corporately. Unless we make the effort, and that has been hard, to stay in touch with one another by other means, we fall into the lull of slumber. We “lose heart in doing good.”
Galatians 6:9 “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”
Stay Connected
Be encouraged, my friends. Let us remember one another in prayer, call a friend to give them an encouraging word, send a card to someone in the nursing home or your pastor and staff, bible teacher or a healthcare worker who is weary from long hours. Text someone to let them know you are praying for them. Stay in touch with our Father who speaks to us in His word and through prayer.
Hopefully, we are all longing to be back together for worshipping and studying God’s Word. It may be easy for some to get out of the habit of getting up to meet together on Sunday’s or Wednesday’s, but we are God’s people and He asks us to “not forsake the assembly together.” That would only separate you from the herd and make you prey for the enemy.
We have a great opportunity to show the world the love of God who gave His only Son, Jesus who died that we might have life, and the gift of the Holy Spirit to live in us. Stay strong brothers and sisters, you have overcome the world through Jesus. (Romans 8:37 NIV) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
We are more than conquerors! Keep that breastplate on!
“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35.
