Armor of God: Learning to Walk in the Power and Protection of Our LordSample

Read: Proverbs 4:20–23

SOAP: Proverbs 4:23

Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life.

Into the Text

Satan knows that if he can get to our hearts, he can spread his lies to all the other areas of our lives. Wearing the breastplate of righteousness protects us from these lies. When we wear it, we trust in the righteousness of Christ, not the supposed righteousness of our own good deeds.

By nature, we are sinful. Even after our salvation, we still struggle with sin in our lives. Satan knows this, too, so he targets us with shame and guilt. We do not wear a breastplate of our own righteousness to stop Satan's arrow of accusations and condemnation, but we wear Christ's. Because of Christ's righteousness, our hearts can be protected.

If we do not wear the breastplate of righteousness, we will unintentionally open ourselves up to Satan's strategic attacks. We must learn to protect our hearts with the armor God has given us. Part of that involves knowing God's truth and living it out. This includes putting God's Word into action in our lives and choosing to live a righteous life as best as we can in this fallen world. We open our hearts up to attack when we know God's Word yet choose to live counter to it.

A prime example is bitterness. Bitterness is an area I know many of us struggle with. We know we need to forgive, that we should not hold a grudge and should instead place the offense in God's hands, yet so often, we don't obey. When we choose not to obey, we make our hearts vulnerable to an attack from the enemy. If we are not careful, bitterness and unforgiveness can take hold and, over time, poison other areas of our lives and relationships.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, help me protect my heart so that what flows out of it honors You. Thank You for the breastplate of righteousness that You have given to me. Help me learn to use it in my life and trust You with my heart.