eDevotion
Encouragement for your daily walk with God
Roman soldiers were the best in hand-to-hand combat. When engaged with the enemy, their weapon of choice was a short sword, or dagger. For his own protection, he wore a molded breastplate, which covered a large area—from his neck to his upper thighs. It was designed to protect the soft, vital organs, especially the heart and abdomen.
In both the Old and New Testaments, the heart is a metaphor for the mind, as evidenced by the following:
Proverbs 23:7 - As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.
Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Christ followers are also engaged in combat. We often refer to it as spiritual warfare. And our enemy has a primary target as well. It’s your heart, or in the biblical sense, your mind. If he can make you think anything that is contrary to God’s Word, then he has won a great victory.
So, he attempts to fill your mind with lies, false doctrine, innuendoes, half-truths—anything to blur the line between righteousness and evil so that you will have more tolerance for sin. He passes off offensive behavior as entertainment. He masks cutting, insincere, hurtful words as humor. His goal is to deaden your spirituality.
Putting on the spiritual breastplate begins when you acknowledge, turn from, and forsake your sin—becoming a Christ follower. That personal, vital relationship with God is the source of true righteousness. And that is the protection, the safeguard we need.
The question, then, is how do we strengthen our minds? Here are a few ideas:
Commune with God in prayer. Read and meditate on His Word. Fortify your mind by seeking God’s grace. Doing this will help you thoughtfully and righteously respond to the temptations you face.
"Stand firm therefore...having put on the breastplate of righteousness." (Ephesians 6:14)
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