July 15, 2018
I’m honored to be asked to speak again. Working on this message proved to be a challenge…unlike the last two times nothing was sitting there waiting to be explored. We call it bringing a Word, but a whole bunch of little words go into that Word, and those little words were proving elusive. One big word kept coming up though, and I’ve learned over the years to pay attention when that happens. See, I believe God created me on purpose, and there are certain things about me that make me the unique person I am. Things He has put in my heart and mind, so I can do the things He asks me to do. Like standing up here this morning, speaking to you. One of those things is my love of words. I love word meanings, looking up definitions and histories, and discovering synonyms. I love translating phrases into other languages, though that love doesn’t seem to extend to actually learning another language enough to have a conversation. It’s something I have in common with my husband who—when he taught English at CCS—had me help him look up the name meanings of all his students for a special unit. Who spent months pouring over baby name books and name meaning websites to find the perfect names for our sons, and the special meanings of the names we chose for our daughter. And who has an app on his phone so he can look up Bible passages in Greek and Hebrew and discover the intent of the author. This love of words is also part of what brought the two of us together, since I was waiting for someone with perspicacity and a love of books that rivaled my own.
Words are fascinating. They are both passive and powerful. The ability to write or speak words gives the author or speaker incredible power. Even simple words can carry messages of great importance. The last time I spoke I ended with some lines from a children’s song. Simple, but oh so much power contained there:
“My God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do. Nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing. Nothing is too difficult for Thee”.
I absolutely believe it. Nothing is too difficult. There’s nothing He can’t do. He is BIG, strong, mighty, and powerful. He can speak light into existence with a word. He can create people from dust. He can heal the sick, make the lame walk, and raise the dead. But sometimes He doesn’t. He doesn’t do what I think He should do. He doesn’t do what I want Him to do.
About 12 years ago my aunt discovered she had cancer. She acted quickly and it was removed and dealt with. But then it came back somewhere else. For a decade she fought, she prayed, she believed. We prayed and believed that God would heal her. As the years went by, my aunt decided she had one goal. She wanted to see her son graduate from high school. She and my mom had many conversations about the party she wanted him to have. His graduation date was set for June 1, 2018, and we all put it on our calendars several months in advance. The last time I saw my aunt was the beginning of April. She reached Heaven on May 28th.
I spent several days, before and after her funeral, ruminating on God’s timing. On the one hand, we had prayed for her healing, and that she’d be able to celebrate his graduation with us. But yet, God had given her a gift far greater than merely earthly healing. She has a completely new body, her cancer is eternally defeated, and she is in the presence of God. She wasn’t with us physically, but she was present that weekend in a way she would not have been able to be before, stuck in her bed as she was in those final days. It wasn’t what we wanted, but God is faithful.
That word that kept coming to my mind as I prepared for this message was PERSPECTIVE. As I warned you in the beginning, I love a good synonym, so here are a few that I feel help define the concept: outlook, point of view, standpoint, position, stance, slant, attitude, frame of mind, approach, interpretation, way of looking. Perspective.
When I think of perspective I think of my WRIT 101 course in college. My professor gave us several assignments that dealt with what writers refer to as the "lens”. The concept was that we each have a lens that we view things through, which is why two people can look at the same picture and come up with two very different responses to it, or read the same book and write a different review. Our background, our family, and our personal choices all affect our lens. Our challenge was to not only be able to identify our own lens, but to make the conscious effort to look at something through different lenses, to try and see the picture through the eyes of someone else’s experience.
There was one time just last year where I was driving through town and I looked at the clouds and thought “Wow, those clouds have gotten really dark. I didn’t think it was calling for storms this afternoon”. And then I was driving towards home, looking at those same clouds, and it dawned on me…I was wearing sunglasses. So I took them off and looked again…and instead of angry storm clouds in a gray sky I saw…only slightly gray clouds in a light blue sky. Perspective.
Glasses come in a variety of shapes and colors, and serve a variety of purposes. My sunglasses help me to see on very bright days, and also work as a fashion accessory. My sister got a pair of glasses when she was in college just for distance reading because most of her classes were in the large auditoriums. The ones where you’re sitting way up there and the screen is way down there. My husband Jeremy wears contacts, and occasionally glasses. When he doesn’t, everything is a bit of a blur unless it’s right up in his face. He also has a pair of glasses with yellow tinted lenses. To say the world looks odd when I put them on would be an understatement. It’s the total opposite of my sunglasses experience. When I was in college I found these adorable round sunglasses with pink tinted lenses. I bought them because I thought it would be hilarious to actually look at the world through rose-colored glasses. Different types of glasses, for different purposes: to see close, to see far, to protect your eyes from glare or bright sun, or just to make a statement. When we look through a lens, the lens either makes the image clearer, or it distorts our view of reality. Perspective.
How’s your vision these days? Paul Baloche wrote a song in the late 90s, made popular by Michael W. Smith in 2001, called “Open The Eyes of My Heart”. In a similar style to “My God Is So Big”, it’s primarily made up of two simple lines repeated over and over: “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Open the eyes of my heart. I want to see You. I want to see You.” Then the chorus goes “To see You high and lifted up, shining in the light of Your glory. Pour out Your power and love, as we sing ‘Holy, holy, holy’. Holy, holy, holy. Holy, holy, holy, I want to see You.”
The song is based on Ephesians 1:18, which says “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people”. But Paul doesn’t stop there. He continues, “…and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” But Paul doesn’t stop there either. “AND God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.” Amen!
Perspective. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, I want to see through YOUR lens.
We’re going to be spending a bit more time in Ephesians, so you can park there for a bit. First, I want to look briefly at the things Paul is highlighting here in Ephesians 1. He says he prays the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened. The Amplified translation describes enlightened as “flooded with light by the Holy Spirit”. So Paul is praying here that we open our hearts and let in the light of the Holy Spirit. In order that you—that we—may know (may SEE):
- the hope (the divine guarantee, the confident expectation) to which He has called you,
- the riches of His glorious inheritance in us, His holy people,
- AND His incomparably great (immeasurable, unlimited, and surpassing greatness) of His power for us (IN us) who believe.
God has called us to hope. We are His inheritance, His holy people. Holy simply means set apart, dedicated, sanctified. And He wants us to KNOW His incomparably great (immeasurable, unlimited, surpassing) POWER. The same power that, Paul says, is the mighty strength God exerted when He raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him at His right hand, above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked. That power is for us who believe. For us. Gifted to us. Placed in us. His power, in us, through the Holy Spirit. His power, and His perspective.
One of my favorite songs that we often sing here at church speaks of this power in us: “From my mother’s womb, You have chosen me. Love has called my name. I am born again, into Your family, Your blood flows through my veins. I’m no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God. I’m no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God! You split the sea so I could walk right through it. My fears were drowned in perfect love. You rescued me so I could stand and sing. I am a child of God. I am a child of God! I’m no longer a slave to fear. I am a child of God. I’m no longer a slave to fear. I am a child of God.”
Children of God no longer have to be slaves to fear. Like Darrell said 2 weeks ago, fear is a liar. Our Enemy, Satan, is the father of lies, but our Father is the immeasurable, Almighty God, the one above all rule and authority, power and dominion. And His power has been given to us who believe. Sin is not greater, not stronger, than our ability in Jesus Christ to overcome it. To say no to our flesh, to say no to doing it my way and not His way. To say no to what is merely good, because it isn’t God.
The key word here is believe. Remember those synonyms I listed earlier? Point of view, attitude, frame of mind, way of looking. Simply put, our perspective isn’t simply what we see, it’s what we believe.
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.”
If we really believe it, we’d live differently.
As a mother, one of the most frustrating aspects of raising small humans is the two words “I can’t”. I can’t pick up this mess I helped create. It’s too much! It’s too big! It will take too long! I’ve learned this usually means one of two things. Either my children mean “I can’t do it BY MYSELF” or they mean “I don’t want to”. One is a willing heart asking for help, while the other is selfish. The willing heart is met by a helping hand, but the selfish response brings unpleasant consequences.
So it is with us and God. As Christians, literally followers of Christ, we are called chosen and dearly loved. We are called heirs, children of the King. We are forgiven and filled with the Holy Spirit. We are empowered with His grace. And we are called to be Christ-like. To be His ambassadors in a world that is dark and lost. Micah 6:8 says “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God”. And we have a choice. We can choose to say “I am willing. Help me to do what You want me to do.” Or we can say “I can’t. It’s impossible. There’s no way I could ever do that. It’s too much to ask.” Or we can say “Nope, I don’t want to. Sorry God, I love you, but I’m going to go and do this instead.”
I have a collection of inspirational bracelets that I got for my birthday, and one of them says “She believed she could, so she did”. It’s meant to remind me of the Belief Triangle. You may have heard of it. It’s the idea that our beliefs influence our actions, our actions lead to results, and those results strengthen our beliefs. Depending on the actions we take, our beliefs will either be reinforced positively or twisted around negatively. Our Christian version would say “We believe He has, so we can”.
This doesn’t mean it will be easy. But it’s possible! Paul says in Ephesians 2:18-22 “For it is through Him (Jesus) that we both (Jew and Gentile) have a direct way of approach in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and outsiders, but fellow citizens with the saints, and are members of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief Cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together, and it continues growing into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him, and in fellowship with one another, you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”
Then further down in chapter 3, verses 14-20, he refers back to this plan for the church: “For this reason (the plan for us to be joined together in Christ), I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
And he finishes with this: “NOW to Him who is ABLE to do far more abundantly than ALL that we ask or THINK, according to the power at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Every time I read those verses I just want to cheer at the end. Our God is so worthy of glory and honor. And that’s just a taste of it. Before we get into the next part, it’s important that we have the right perspective. In the words of the Prayer of Saint Patrick, let us remember that it is “Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down” that enables us to walk out our calling as His followers and ambassadors. Any attempt to tackle this on our own will fail. GOD is the One who is abundantly able, and HE is the One who has given us this empowering gift of grace. Only in HIM are we more than conquerors. Only when we wait on HIM do we rise up on wings like eagles, run and not grow weary, walk and not faint. On our own, we can do nothing.
The last time I spoke, back in May, I shared about the shield of faith. Jeremy followed the next week with a message on the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Two weeks ago, as I was thinking about this week’s message, a picture came across my social media feeds, posted by Lisa Bevere. It showed an arm, from the elbow to the fingertips, fully encased in armor, and it quoted Ephesians 6:11: “Put on the full armor of God, that you will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil”. I shared the image, but then I heard a whisper in my spirit say “The shield and sword are not enough. You need the full armor. You’re not done with Ephesians 6”. My first response was “Umm, I don’t feel I’m the right person to be talking about armor and spiritual warfare. That’s not really my thing.” Then that Sunday evening, I was looking on Youtube for a message to listen to and this hour long teaching by Priscilla Shirer popped up entitled “Suit Up”. I love listening to Priscilla, so I settled in. I wasn’t listening for more than 10 minutes before she said something that made me sit up and pay attention. She said it’s time we stopped directing the wrong weapons at the wrong people, and started going to war with weapons that actually work. Then she had the audience turn to each other and say “You are not my enemy”. Then, on July 4th, I got an email from Truth to Table, which is the website of Havilah Cunnington, another woman of faith I was introduced to through her study with Lisa Bevere on raising godly sons. She was starting a book study going through her new book, Stronger than the Struggle, was I interested? A free study? Ok, sign me up! The very first lesson, I discover the book is on spiritual warfare, and she didn’t feel adequately equipped to write on the topic, but did it because God wanted her to. Ok, God! I hear You. Ephesians 6 it is.
Perspective. Looking not at what I feel I’m good at or capable in, but at what God wants to do through me. I don’t believe the line “God only gives us what we can handle”. No, God asks us to step out in faith and say “I’m not capable of doing this on my own power, but You are everything I need. With You I can. Equip me to walk where You are leading”.
Ephesians 6:10. Paul starts out with the word “Finally”. Priscilla pointed out in her message that he spends the entire book of Ephesians telling the Church who we are, and who God is. We are chosen, redeemed, sanctified, loved, and empowered through grace. He is immeasurably and abundantly ABLE, and worthy of all glory and honor. Then he says:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
The devil schemes, did you know that? According to Webster’s dictionary, a scheme is “a large-scale systematic plan or arrangement for attaining some particular object (goal) or putting a particular idea into effect”. Synonyms of scheme are plot, strategy, tactic, and conspire. In a nutshell, a scheme is a carefully constructed, well-thought out strategy to take you out. To silence you. To keep you out of the battle. The Enemy is scheming against us, our spouse, our friends, and even our children. Sometimes it’s obvious, like Job losing almost everything he possessed, David hiding in the wilderness as Saul pursues him, or Haman plotting the destruction of all the Jews in the story of Esther. Most of the time it’s more subtle. It’s sitting in small group and not sharing that prayer request because “what would they think of you if you admitted that struggle?” or “Is that really a big deal? Don’t waste their time with something that insignificant.” Or in church, desperately wanting the closeness with Jesus that others around you seem to have, but he’s whispering “Everyone else is so good at this Christianity thing, except you. You’re missing out, you’re the only one who doesn’t get it”. It’s crying on your couch in the evening because you’re tired and you’re feeling guilty for yelling at your kids, or you’re feeling alone but you don’t pick up the phone, because “they’re too busy, you’re on your own”. It’s when you’re feeling vulnerable, and you get the desire to watch whatever is on TV, or eat whatever happens to be in the fridge, instead of reaching for your Bible and getting on your knees in prayer. The Enemy wants us tired, lonely, and defeated. But our God calls us empowered, loved, chosen, forgiven, and more than conquerors through Jesus Christ. Who we choose to listen to will determine our perspective, not just of our own identity, but also of the world around us. As empowered children of God, we are the ones called to stand in the doorways of our homes, and the doorways of our cities, and tell our Enemy “No, you do not have authority here. Not in my home, not in my marriage, not with my children. Not on my watch”.
Ephesians 6:12: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” The Amplified Bible clarifies heavenly as supernatural.
The greatest scheme of the enemy is the trap of misdirection. Focusing our struggle in one direction, while he is at work elsewhere. This scheme is the one Paul is warning us about when he says “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood”. People are not the enemy. But my goodness, this trap is the one of the biggest we deal with, isn’t it? Us vs them. It’s everywhere. Christian vs non-Christian. Protestant vs Catholic. Men vs women. Parents vs children. Republican vs Democrat. Black vs white. Rich vs poor. Working moms vs stay at home moms. There’s always something trying to divide us, trying to separate us into camps, pitting us against The Other.
We fight an unseen enemy, one who loves to hide and make us forget he’s there. His minions aren’t silly little yellow creatures either…they’re named Fear, Pride, Envy, Strife, Greed, Hate, Selfishness, and Worry. They thrive in the dark, because the Enemy lives in the dark. I’m not talking about night, that is a beautiful thing created by God. I’m speaking of darkness. The absence of light. Environments where unrighteousness is unchecked or swept under the rug. Upside down behavior, out of alignment with truth, creates an environment where the Enemy is free to operate. We see this at work in the world today, all around us. It’s rampant. So much so that it’s become easy to point outwards and say “Ugh, just look out there. This nation is so lost”. But we must be vigilant because darkness can also be in the Church, and it can also happen in US individually. Satan has access to darkness. That selfish pride we allow in, that fear that tickles our mind and we let it fester, the hate for “the Other” that we attempt to hide by calling it “righteous anger”. And perhaps most subtle of all, worry. The sin that no one thinks is a sin. As followers of Christ we are, of course, no longer slaves to unrighteousness and more than conquerors through Jesus. We are His holy people. But we are not immune to darkness—we can choose to let it in, to let pride, anger,
hatred, envy, and worry have their little corners in our mind and heart. Or we can choose to stand and say “No more. You have no power here, Satan”.
So we know who the enemy is (and who it is NOT). Now what?
Martin Luther King, Jr said: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
In order to fight darkness and hate, we need light and love.
1 John 1:5-7: “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. BUT if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
And John 8:12: “Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
And then, Matthew 5:14-16: “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
And finally, Eph 5: 8: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), and find out what pleases the Lord.”
God is light, and if we walk in His light—remember, darkness is unrighteousness, so walking in the light is walking in righteousness, or obedience— then the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. Jesus is the light of the world, and whoever follows Him—again, walking in obedience—will not walk in the darkness of unrighteousness. Finally, YOU are the light of the world, and your deeds (your obedience) will bring glory to your heavenly Father.
So walking in light is walking in obedience. John 5:19 reminds us “…the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can only do what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”
As Jeremy has pointed out in his messages, God’s will for us, as Christians and as the corporate Church, is that we be Christ-like. Jesus Christ, the Son, does what He sees His Father do. He imitates the Father, and obeys the Father. And we are to do so as well.
Back to Ephesians, this time chapter 5, verse 1:
“Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
What does it look like to imitate God? Anne Shirley would tell you that “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” It’s not something we think of when we think of Christianity. But parents know imitation well. It’s the little person trying to walk in Daddy’s boots or Mommy’s heels. It’s the little girl who gets into your makeup bag and puts on your lipstick or goes into the closet and plays dress up. It’s the little boy standing next to his daddy, mimicking him as he puts on his tie. It’s anytime a child looks up at you and says “I want to be just like you when I grow up.” That is imitation. “God, I want to be just like You."
Let’s return to Ephesians 6 now, for the next step. Paul says, starting in verse 13: “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”
Put on the full armor of God. The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. While I was working through these verses I had a revelation. Hopefully it’s a rhema word for you, as I believe it was for me. I’m going to take out four words and read the first sentence again: “Therefore, put on…God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
Put on God. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Word, which is Christ. God Himself. When we lay down our pride and put on Christ, the enemy will flee. Satan hates humility. A person with a humble heart is one who has put Jesus Christ on the throne of his life…and we know how Satan feels about that. Be imitators of God, dear children. Draw near. As James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
As I mentioned earlier, we’ve already covered the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, the Word. I’m going to very briefly touch on the shoes of peace and the helmet of salvation, the other armor pieces mentioned in verses 15-17, but the rest of today’s message will focus on the first two armor pieces—or pieces of God Himself—that Paul lists in verse 14, the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness.
Helmets are important in battle because they protect the head of the soldier. A blow to the head is all that is needed to take a soldier out of the fight, temporarily or even permanently, depending on the severity of the blow. Spiritually speaking, a helmet would serve to protect the mind.
Paul chose to describe salvation as our helmet. Salvation is described as recognizing my sinful nature, agreeing with God that only He can save me, and placing Him on the throne of my life, declaring Him Lord and King. Once we have declared Jesus our Lord and Savior, Romans 12:2 tells us not to “conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed through the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will”.
If you look ahead to verse 3, Paul immediately launches into a conversation about humility. When we put on the helmet of salvation, we are choosing humility, re-affirming His position as Lord, and claiming again the grace He offers us to do His perfect will…which is that we become Christ-like.
The mind is just one area where we must be on guard against attack. The other most vulnerable spot is the heart. Through access to the heart and mind, the enemy can mess with our emotions and ambitions. If he is not resisted, the darkness that is allowed to remain will eventually short-circuit your ability to hear the voice of God. We must protect our hearts.
The armor piece made for that purpose is the breastplate. Made of bronze, iron, or occasionally leather, the piece was worn to protect the soldier’s chest and abdomen. If an enemy got past the shield, the breastplate was the last line of defense, protecting the vital organs. It was also the largest and heaviest piece. In Ephesians 6, our breastplate is called righteousness.
Righteousness and holiness are two words that cause a lot of discussion in the church. Is it possible to be righteous and holy? Does God expect us to be holy and righteous now, or is that something only meant for heaven? Someone always brings up the verses that say “No one is righteous, no, not one” and “There is none who does good, not even one”. Both are Old Testament verses, from Psalms, quoted by Paul in Romans 3:10-12. Let’s look at Romans 3, verse 21-24. It starts with 2 very refreshing words: BUT NOW.
“But NOW apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
The righteousness of God has been revealed, and Paul says that it is GIVEN through faith in Jesus to ALL who BELIEVE! All have sinned and fallen short, but we have been JUSTIFIED freely by His grace through the redemption bought for us by Jesus Christ.
It reminds me of that song lyric that joyfully proclaims: THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW! The breastplate of righteousness is not our own righteousness—which is described as filthy rags—but it means putting on the righteousness of Christ, the righteousness of God given to us by His grace, so that we can live obediently.
In her book Adamant, Lisa Bevere writes: “Embracing the concept of holiness does not add yet another list of rules to restrain us. Far from it…the pursuit of holiness is our release. It is the assurance that there is more to the Christian life than a confession of righteousness. Holiness is an invitation into the adamant wholeness of God…Holiness is learned as we practically work out what it means to live as a child of the Most High God…Because God is holy in all He is, He invites us to be holy in all we do.”
1 Peter 1:13-16 “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as He who called you holy is holy, you also BE HOLY in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’.”
Putting on the breastplate of righteousness means choosing a life of obedience. It doesn’t mean perfection, but it does mean making a conscious choice to listen to what the Father is saying, and do what you see the Father doing. It’s saying no to “the passions of your former ignorance”—to pride, selfishness, fear, and worry—and choosing instead to clothe yourself in Christ. In love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
As I said earlier, the breastplate is the heaviest piece of armor. Righteousness can feel like a weight on our shoulders if we view it as a list of rules, or holiness as something we must somehow attain in our own strength. It was never meant to be that way, though. Over and over, Paul refers to righteousness as a GIFT of GRACE. It is not something we work up through good deeds, but a gift we put on each day, saying “Thank You God for your mercy and grace. Thank You for this gift of Your righteousness. Help me hear Your voice today, and walk in obedience to Your perfect Word.”
God has also given us another piece of armor to assist us by taking that weight off of our shoulders. We are told to “stand firm, with the belt of truth buckled firmly around your waist”. Historically, the soldier’s belt was one of the first pieces of armor he put on, along with the shoes. It served two purposes, the first to support the weight of the breastplate and hold it in position, and the second to hold the sword or dagger. Not only was it the first on, but it held the rest together. So it is with Truth…it must be the foundation, and it also holds everything together.
So…what is Truth? The dictionary amuses me. “The quality or state of being true; that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality; a fact or belief that is accepted as true.” And if you look up true, you get “in accordance with fact or reality, accurate, correct”. But what or who determines what is accurate and correct?
Thankfully, we have the answer! St. Augustine said “Where I found truth, there found I my God, who is Truth itself”. Truth is not a what, it’s a Who. Jesus tells us in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” In Matthew 7, Jesus describes the way to the Father as a narrow gate with a difficult path. Anyone who has ever hiked a mountain will tell you that the path is rarely wide and smooth. Often it is steep, rocky, and winding. When we’re on a new, unfamiliar path, we look for markers or signposts so we don’t stray from the correct route. When traveling at night, we bring a flashlight or a torch to light the way. In the same way, the light of God and the truth of His Word keep us on the narrow path. I’m quoting Lisa Bevere again, from her Adamant book: “In this realm, we only see as though peering through a darkened mirror, which is why we need light and truth to be our companions as we pursue the high and holy life God has called us to. Light dispels the darkness that comes when we live in the shadowed realm of our own understanding. The fact that the truth might be inconvenient or unpopular does not change the fact that it is truth. Truth is eternal, woven in the Word and statues of the Most High God. Truth does not subject itself to an opinion poll or a popularity contest”.
I don’t know about you, but I find it exhausting to keep up with what today’s culture believes to be true. It seems to change from day to day, or depending on the context of the conversation. People tend to shy away from the idea that Truth is an absolute, that right and wrong do not depend on your point of view, but on the Word of God. They find the idea of an absolute Truth to be confining and unloving. Yet, Truth sets us free! Lies bind and trap…it is exhausting keeping track of a lie. Truth frees us from that bondage. Truth is a foundation we can build on.
So we put on our belt of Truth…now what? James 1:22-25 says: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”
It does no good to hear if you do nothing. There is no neutrality with Truth. We must stand on it, and help others do the same. We need to LIVE Truth and integrity, and not just applaud it. When we put on Christ and live intentionally, with integrity, we will stand out in a world of darkness and relativism. Like the city on a hill, or the light on a stand, not hidden under the basket, but lighting up the room. Standing on Truth and living with integrity means carefully considering how our actions and inactions, words and silence, honor truth and the body of Christ. When we refuse to address unhealthy behaviors in our families and in the church, we are endorsing them with our silence. When God has His hand on us, when we walk in obedience, it is evidenced in our lives, not just in what we say, but in how we act towards others. When we seek truth, God promises us we will find it in His Word and in Jesus Himself.
We must arm ourselves with Truth, because our enemy’s #1 weapon against us is deception. It’s the first weapon he used against Eve in the beginning when he asked her “Did God REALLY say…?” John Bevere says in Bait of Satan that “the problem with deception is that it’s deceiving”. It may be obvious to those around you, but you can’t see it. Satan didn’t confront Eve when Adam was around, he waited until she was alone. The truth of God is our best defense against deception. God’s truth is a standard outside of ourselves. It’s not subject to how we feel or what is happening around us. What’s truth is true. It was true yesterday, it’s true now, and it will still be true tomorrow. It’s not dependent on the culture, nor does it change with the centuries. Truth is eternal.
That said, HOW we speak Truth matters. We can be totally right, but if we speak to the wrong person, or at the wrong moment, or in the wrong manner, we can be 100% wrong. Which brings me to the final piece of armor, the shoes of peace. Also one of the first pieces to be put on, both by Romans who wore sandals that wrapped up their calves and by medieval knights who wore armored shoes, the shoes tend to be the most overlooked part of the armor of God. Yet, it’s position as a foundational armor piece is not coincidental. Just like how the breastplate of righteousness is supported by the belt of truth, and the sword of the Spirit is connected to the belt of truth, the shoes of the gospel of peace support the whole.
As Christians, we know Truth! But we don’t always communicate it well. We tend to either speak truth in a judgmental and unloving way, or we water it down in an attempt to be “loving”. Yet our example, Jesus Christ, brought peace in the midst of conflict, speaking the truth with love. He didn’t condemn, but He said “Go, and sin no more”. When we speak the truth, we need to do so out of love for the person we are speaking to, and in a way that brings peace to the conversation, not discord and division. We do not bring peace when our intent is simply to be right, or to bring correction to the person with a spirit of self-righteousness. We do not bring peace when we gossip about a brother or sister in Christ, even if what we are saying is 100% accurate. We do not bring peace when we sit silently while others speak words of discord and hatred around us. We bring peace when we speak words that bring life and hope. Walking in peace does not mean never being angry. But it does mean to not let your anger lead you into sin. Ephesians 4:26-27 says: “‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” What does Paul mean by giving the devil a foothold?
The peace of God is powerful, not passive. Peace allows us to see clearly, with eyes that aren’t clouded with anxiety and fear. Because of this, Satan will do everything he can to steal that peace and keep us in a state of worry and discontent. He does this through distraction (that misdirection I spoke of earlier). A disagreement with a friend, a misunderstanding, an offense, a financial set back, even something as mundane as having to replace an appliance or an issue with your car. It doesn’t have to be something major, just a bump, as long as it distracts us long enough for him to sneak in like a pickpocket, steal a bit of our peace and joy, and slip his foot in the door of our lives so he can continue to weasel his way into our heart and mind. I’m sure we all can think of a time when it’s happened to us. But when we put on Christ, we put on His peace, which the Bible describes as perfect and surpassing all understanding (Isaiah 26:3-4; Phil 4:6). When we walk in that peace—with those sandals on our feet—we will also have access to the confidence and clarity of mind only found in Christ, our Prince of Peace. And of course the more we seek after Jesus Christ, the more He will speak to our hearts and reveal those areas in our lives where we need to repent and give Satan the boot. The more we obey--by choosing to put on the armor and walk in peace, salvation, righteousness, and truth, wielding the Word with love--the more we are transformed into His image, the more we will see the world around us (both the seen and the unseen) through His perspective. The only lens that is completely true, completely unblemished, and clear.
And if we really believe it, we’ll live differently. We’ll be transformed.
One last quote from Lisa Bevere: “Our land needs healing. This healing begins with us…Transformation begins as we own our issues and choose to live in truth. Transformation is not measured by the truth we know but is reflected in the truth we live. Love is key in our process of transformation. Without the factors of faith, hope, and love, transformation is impossible. This lack of love is the very reason there has been a move away from holiness and transformation. It is also why it is not popular now to say that anything or anyone could possibly be wrong. But a generation without convictions is a generation without transformation.”
I desperately want that transformation in my life. I want to be a woman who stands on Truth, walks in peace and righteousness, speaks words of life and love, and wields faith and the Word like a warrior. I want to see the world as Christ sees it, so I can love those in it as Jesus Christ loves them. As He loves me. This is my prayer today, for myself and for all of you...that you choose to believe that God is who He says He is, that He has you in His hand, that He has a purpose for you, and that you’re transformed. That you pick up and put on God’s peace, righteousness, love, and truth, and that His perspective becomes yours as you walk in obedience and holiness.
As the worship team comes, I want to share this song with you. It’s my favorite hymn, and one that speaks what is in my heart.
Be Thou My Vision
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art;
Thou my best thought, by day or by night;
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord;
Thou my great Father and I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise;
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart;
O King of glory, my treasure Thou art.
O King of glory, my victory won;
Rule and reign in me ’til Thy will be done;
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall;
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Amen
