“In the west, people will respect the name of the Lord; in the east, they will glorify him. For he will come like a raging flood tide driven by the breath of the Lord.” (Isaiah 59:19 NLT)

 

I remember reading a story about a battle between General Robert E. Lee and General Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War. General Lee was, of course, the head of the Confederate forces. He was known for his brilliant military tactics and his ability to do a lot with a little. He did not have the organization or the manpower of the Union army, but he was able to move and position his troops effectively and foil his enemies on a number of occasions. His exploits had become so legendary that the Union soldiers were terrified of him.

One night, some Union soldiers were standing around the campfire talking about General Lee. They said, “What if General Lee does this? What are we going to do?”

General Grant was standing a few feet away. He walked over to the soldiers and said, “Oh, I am heartily tired of hearing about what Lee is going to do. Some of you always seem to think he is suddenly going to turn a double somersault, and land in our rear and on both of our flanks at the same time. Go back to your command, and try to think what we are going to do ourselves, instead of what Lee is going to do.”

Sometimes I see the same thing happening in the church: “Oh, the devil is doing this. The devil is doing that. Did you hear about this wicked thing that happened?” The media is partially to blame. Often in books, movies, and TV shows, the devil is portrayed as an all-powerful being who inspires terror in everyone who crosses his path. Call it dramatic license. Or, better yet, call it fiction.

The apostle Peter warns us to “Stay alert” (1 Peter 5:8 NLT) to the devil’s scheming, not because he’s all-powerful or terrifying, but because he’s wily. He prefers to work in secret so that we’re not even aware of what he’s doing.

If it’s an all-powerful being who inspires fear in His enemies that you’re looking for, you need to glance behind you (spiritually speaking) to the One who has your back.

Look at the majesty in the words of Isaiah 59:19: “In the west, people will respect the name of the Lord; in the east, they will glorify him. For he will come like a raging flood tide driven by the breath of the Lord” (NLT). This is an image of God’s intervening on behalf of His people. A raging flood tide overwhelms everything in its path. Likewise, God’s power is unstoppable.

That’s why I think we should stop worrying so much about what the devil will do and instead let him worry about what we Christians will do.

In Deuteronomy 31:6, Moses reassured the Israelites with these words: “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you” (NLT).

That’s a promise all God’s people can claim. Let the devil tremble.

 

Reflection question: When have you seen the power of God at work in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.” (1 Peter 5:8­–9 NLT)

 

Often after great victories, the greatest challenges and temptations of the Christian life will come.  I have found that after great blessings in my life, after God works in a powerful way, the devil will be there to challenge it.

Think about it. After God had powerfully worked through Elijah on Mount Carmel, the prophet became so discouraged that he wanted to die. After Jesus was transfigured, He came down from the mountain to find a demon-possessed person waiting for Him.

After Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, after the Holy Spirit came upon Him in the form of a dove, and after God said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy” (Matthew 3:17 NLT), Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After the dove came the devil.

The devil will always be there to challenge whatever God has done. It may come after church, after God has blessed you and spoken to you. You may leave the parking lot and get hit with a heavy-duty temptation.

That’s the devil’s way. He wants to make your life miserable. Most importantly, he wants to steal anything that God has done in your life. That’s why you need to heed the warning of the apostle Peter in 1 Peter 5:8–9 above. You need to stay alert to the devil’s schemes in all settings, in good times and bad.

You can’t afford to make the mistake of thinking you can anticipate the devil’s every move. You can certainly anticipate some. If you have self-awareness, you know your areas of vulnerability. You’re all too familiar with the temptations that have worked against you in the past. So, in spiritual battle, you’re likely to be hyper-attuned to them and (understandably) diligent about protecting yourself from them.

But when those battles are over, and you walk away victorious, Peter’s warning in 1 Peter 5:8 still applies. “Stay alert!” (NLT). Because if the devil can’t get you to give in to temptation, he may be able to get you to overinflate your ego as you enjoy your victory.

Pride can be just as enticing as sexual sin. If you start to believe that you deserve more credit, more followers, or more acknowledgment for your spiritual maturity and good deeds, the devil’s got you just where he wants you. Anything that weakens your faith or testimony is a battle victory for him.

The same goes for every other believer in the arena, doing battle with the devil. That’s why it’s always a good battle strategy to pray for any person whom you know God is using. The more you step out to be used by the Lord, the more you can expect opposition from the devil.

 

Reflection question: What are some hidden areas of vulnerability, especially when things are going well, that the devil might exploit in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT)

 

While reading his morning newspaper, a man was shocked to find his name listed in the obituary column. He called the newspaper office, outraged that the editor had made such a mistake. “This is terrible!” he screamed. “How could you do this to me?”

The explanation he got didn’t satisfy the man, so he stormed down to the office and demanded to see the editor.

After being yelled at for several minutes, the editor grew frustrated and said, “Look, buddy, cheer up. I’ll put your name in the birth column tomorrow, and you can have a fresh start.”

How many people would jump at the opportunity for a fresh start—a chance to wipe away the past (or, at least, parts of it) and begin again? If you fall into that category, I’ve got some incredible news for you. That’s exactly what the Lord offers.

Look at the apostle Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (NLT). Winston Churchill said, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Many of us can see the truth of those words when we look back at our own lives. We see destructive patterns and decisions repeated again and again. But as Paul pointed out, Jesus frees us from those destructive cycles. If we give our lives to Him, we’re no longer slaves to our old sinful urges and impulses.

The idea of a fresh start may sound too good to be true. Some people have a hard time moving forward as new creations because of lingering guilt or complications regarding their past. Those are weapons the devil uses in his warfare against believers. But God says in Isaiah 43:18–19, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (NIV).

A fresh start doesn’t mean a trouble-free life. Jesus said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NLT). Even our trials and sorrows are temporary, part of the seasons of life.

Ecclesiastes 3:1–4 says, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance” (NLT).

Every season brings a fresh start. Winter may seem endless, but eventually the bleak skies and bitter cold give way to green landscapes and new life.

If you’re struggling in your season of life right now, don’t give up. Draw close to God. Pray. Study His Word. And remember: A new season is on its way. A fresh start is just around the corner.

 

Reflection question: What kind of fresh start do you need? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3–5 NIV)

 

The sword of the Spirit that the apostle Paul talks about in Ephesians 6 is not only for deflecting a blow from the enemy; it’s also for inflicting one. This is something the devil doesn’t want you to know. He doesn’t want you to start attacking, because if you’re always defending, then he’s in the superior position. But if you’re attacking, then you’re in the superior position.

If you have a hard time picturing your Bible as a weapon, look at Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 10:3–5 above. As believers, our battles are spiritual. Standard military weaponry and tactics don’t apply. The battles take place in our hearts and minds. They’re played out in our thoughts, philosophies, priorities, and beliefs. And because the Bible is God’s truth—the ultimate and most powerful source of truth—nothing else can match its impact. It has the power to demolish the excuses, philosophies, reasoning, and arguments that cause people to oppose and reject the Christian faith.

As spiritual warriors for Christ, we must confront the lies of this world with the truth of God’s Word. That’s how we wield the sword of the Spirit.

We also use it to set the devil’s spiritual captives free. We do that by sharing the gospel with unbelievers using the words of Scripture. In Acts 8, we see this scenario play out in the life of Philip, an early Christian evangelist. Philip ministered in the city of Samaria, where he “told the people there about the Messiah” (verse 5 NLT). As a result, “people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (verse 12 NLT).

What looks like evangelism to us is actually spiritual battle. Philip used the Good News to attack the devil’s stronghold in Samaria. In verse 26, an angel of the Lord gave Philip marching orders: “Go south” (NLT). Like a good soldier, Philip obeyed. He found an Ethiopian official who was trying to understand a Bible passage. Philip used the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, to help the man understand the truth about Jesus. Armed only with the words of Scripture, he took the battle to the devil.

Make no mistake about it: There is authority and power in the Word of God. My words will fall to the ground, but God’s Word sticks. God’s Word breaks through. We could spend all day trying to defend and explain the Bible, but I have a better idea: Use the sword of the Spirit. That’s what Philip did, and that’s what we need to do as well.

 

Reflection question: In your circle of acquaintances, what are some faulty philosophies, reasoning, and arguments that need to be confronted with the truth of God’s Word? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17 NLT)

 

The pieces of the armor of God that the apostle Paul lists in Ephesians 6 are almost all defensive in nature. They are designed to protect. Only one—the sword of the Spirit, the word of God—is intended as a weapon. Unfortunately, many believers never use it as one. They have the rest of their armor in place, but they keep their sword in its sheath.

They talk about it. They study it. They compare swords with others. But they never use it in spiritual battle. That pacifist approach plays right into the devil’s hands. He knows all too well the power and authority of the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s Word.

The author of Hebrews wrote, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” (Hebrews 4:12 NLT). God Himself said, “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it” (Isaiah 55:11 NLT). The devil has no defense against the Word of God. That’s why he doesn’t want you to use this incredible weapon God has given you.

Remember how effectively Jesus used the sword of God’s Word to defend Himself when He faced spiritual attack in the wilderness in Matthew 4:1–11? Jesus was God. He didn’t have to stand around and deal with the devil. He could have gotten out of the situation very easily. Instead, He engaged the enemy and modeled for us the right way to fight temptation: with the Word of God.

When the devil tries to attack you with temptation, fear, or doubt, or when he brings up past sins you’ve already confessed and been forgiven of, remember the sword of the Spirit. Pull God’s Word out of its sheath and use it aggressively to defend yourself.

The more time you spend in God’s Word, the more formidable you’ll be in battle. You can hone your swordsmanship by studying God’s promises and committing them to memory. You might start with Hebrews 13:5: “For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you’” (NLT).

You can hone your skills further by studying your enemy’s battle tendencies throughout Scripture. Look at the way he approached Eve, the way he tried to devastate Job, and the way he tempted Jesus. The more you know about your enemy’s movements on the battlefield, the better you can prepare to defend against them.

Look at Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15: “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth” (NLT). The person who can wield God’s Word with accuracy, understanding, authority, and humility is thoroughly equipped to do spiritual battle.

 

Reflection question: How would you use God’s Word to protect yourself if the devil tried to attack you with doubt? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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“Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17 NLT)

 

There are a lot of motorcyclists today who don’t like helmet laws. Rather than donning a helmet, they prefer to feel the wind in their hair and the sun on their face. It feels like freedom. That is, when things are going well. But the moment they lose control, and their bike goes airborne, is when a helmet suddenly seems like a really good idea. In fact, it might be the difference between life and death. Between walking away from an accident and being carried away from it.

The helmet of the Roman soldier was made of leather and covered with metal. It was the last piece of armor the soldier put on. It was essential in battle for the same reason a motorcycle helmet is important: It protected the brain, the command center of the body. The brain processed the input of the soldier’s eyes and ears. It recalled the soldier’s training. It deciphered the enemy’s battlefield strategies. It directed the soldier’s movements. The protection the helmet provided was crucial. If the soldier’s brain was damaged, the rest of the armor was useless.

In spiritual battle, believers must put on the helmet of salvation because our minds, thoughts, and imaginations must be protected. That’s where most temptations start. The devil recognizes the importance of getting a foothold in the realm of our thoughts and imagination, because it prepares the way for that thought to translate into action. Perhaps you’re familiar with the adage, “Sow a thought; reap an act. Sow an act; reap a habit. Sow a habit; reap a character. Sow a character; reap a destiny.” It all starts with a thought.

Putting on the helmet of salvation means embracing the assurance of salvation that God offers. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross saves us from God’s ultimate punishment for our sin and makes eternal life possible. But it does more than that. In the here and now, it saves us from the devil’s attacks. God has equipped us to win the battle for our minds.

We may not be able to control all the things in this world that we’re exposed to, but we can control some things. We can control the social media we choose to explore. We can control the movies and shows we choose to watch. We can control what we choose to read and listen to. 

In his letter to the believers in Philippi, Paul offered some insight into how to do it. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:6–8 NLT).

Be careful what you allow into your mind. Put on the helmet of salvation.

 

Reflection question: What’s your most effective strategy for guarding your mind against the devil’s attacks? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:16 NLT)

 

Keep in mind that as the apostle Paul was writing his letter to the Christians at Ephesus, he was chained to a Roman guard. He had plenty of time to observe Roman armor, including the shield. The Roman shield was made of wood—rectangular in shape and about four feet high and two feet wide.

The shield was especially useful in long-range warfare. Prior to an actual hand-to-hand engagement with the enemy, a Roman soldier often would encounter a barrage of flaming arrows coming from all directions. The primary purpose of this barrage was to demoralize and confuse the soldier. To protect themselves from the onslaught of fiery arrows, Roman soldiers would put their shields together, creating a protective barrier for all of them. Their shields provided protection above and beyond what their breastplates could provide.

The shield of faith provides similar protection in our spiritual battles. The devil will direct his flaming arrows toward Christians. They could be arrows of immorality, hatred, pride, envy, covetousness, doubt, worry, or any other kind of sin. They will be delivered primarily in the realm of our thoughts. He will barrage us with his flaming arrows at strategic times, like when we decide to read the Bible or go to church. Flaming arrows will come our way during times of trial and hardship.

It’s during these times that you hold up the shield of faith—not the shield of feelings, not the shield of emotions, but the shield of faith. You base your faith on what God has done for you, not on how you feel at a given moment. Emotions come and go. Sometimes you feel great, and sometimes you don’t feel anything. It’s then that you learn to use the shield of faith.

One way to use your shield is to remind yourself that every fiery arrow the devil launches can be extinguished. The apostle Paul wrote, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT). When you sense that you’re being fired upon, double down on your faith in God. Spend time in His Word. Ask Him to show you the way out of the line of fire.

In Roman warfare, the shield was used most effectively in conjunction with fellow soldiers. By holding their shields together, they gave one another more protective coverage. The same principle applies to spiritual warfare. We may be able to protect ourselves alone, but we get more protective coverage when we unite with fellow believers.

When we spend time with other believers, in worship and in fellowship, our unity gives us greater protection in our spiritual battles. Our fellow believers can pray for us, come alongside us, encourage us, and hold us accountable. Together, our shields of faith can withstand anything our enemy fires at us.

 

Reflection question: What are some of the fiery arrows the devil shoots at you? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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“For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.” (Ephesians 6:15 NLT)

 

The shoes that Paul described as part of the armor of God in Ephesians 6 do more than give believers the stability to maintain solid spiritual footing. They also provide mobility. These aren’t uncomfortable dress shoes that you walk carefully in so that you can keep them clean and unscuffed. These shoes allow you to move at a moment’s notice.

The apostle Peter wrote, “If someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it” (1 Peter 3:15 NLT). In the original language, these words communicate the idea of giving a defense, as in a court of law. So, we should always be ready to give a defense of what we believe. We need to be ready at a moment’s notice to seize opportunities to share the gospel.

The way to prepare ourselves, to “break in” the shoes that are part of our spiritual armor, is through practice. We can do that by studying and committing to memory Scripture passages that present the gospel message. The fresher these passages are in our minds, the more quickly we can access them when an opportunity arises. A good place to start our studying and memorizing is with passages such as John 3:16; John 14:6; Ephesians 2:8–9; Acts 2:38; and Romans 5:8.

Another way to “always be ready to explain” our hope is to anticipate questions, objections, or concerns that people may have about the Christian faith. For example, someone may ask, “Don’t you think it’s narrow-minded to say that Jesus is the only way to God and eternal life?” If we’re prepared to answer the question before it’s asked, it may strengthen our credibility. A great way to anticipate such things is to think back to the questions, objections, or concerns we had before we became Christians.

We can prepare ourselves by talking to other mature believers, drawing on their gospel-sharing experience. Christians who have been “in the trenches” can offer valuable guidance on how to approach people and what to say and what not to say.

Some people say, “The Lord never opens up opportunities for me to share my faith.” I think He does, but we may not be paying attention. Opportunities are all around us. We just need to hone our skills in recognizing and seizing them.

More than anything, we need to talk to people. In John 4, Jesus sat down with a woman at a well, asked her for a drink of water, began to converse with her, and transitioned into a spiritual conversation. That’s how it’s done.

People will rarely will come knocking on our doors to ask what they must do to be saved. Generally, there will be other kinds of opportunities, but we need to have our spiritual antenna up, so to speak, and seize the moment when it comes. We need the spiritual shoes that allow us to move swiftly and efficiently in presenting the gospel.

The armor of God is useful not only for holding our spiritual ground but also for gaining spiritual ground. We gain ground by walking through the doors of opportunity that God opens for us.

 

Reflection question: How can you be prepared to share your faith when an opportunity arises? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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“For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.” (Ephesians 6:15 NLT)

 

No matter how solid the breastplate of a Roman soldier was, and no matter how tightly he cinched his belt, those pieces of armor would be of little use if he slipped and fell in the heat of battle. So, in the apostle Paul’s list of the pieces that make up the armor of God, he says, “For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared” (Ephesians 6:15 NLT).

The shoe of a Roman soldier was called a caligae. It was a sandal-boot hybrid designed for maximum comfort and protection. The straps of the caligae were held firmly at the sole. The bottom of the sole was studded with thick nails, providing the soldier with sure footing, thus preventing him from slipping and sliding on the terrain. Sporting cleats are the footwear descendants of the Roman caligae.

The shoes were an essential part of the Roman soldier’s armor because one of the common battlefield tactics of ancient times was to place sharpened sticks in the ground at an angle. A soldier whose feet weren’t protected by shoes was vulnerable to serious injury—and even death if the puncture wound became infected. What a terrible battlefield irony it would have been for a soldier armored to the teeth with a belt, breastplate, shield, and sword to die because he cut his foot.

Of course, in the heat of battle, the greatest protection the shoes offered was solid footing. With solid footing comes leverage. With leverage comes advantage. With advantage comes victory.

That explains why one of the favorite tactics of our enemy is to throw us off-balance, to keep us from getting solid spiritual footing. Look at the serpent’s question to Eve in the Garden of Eden. “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” (Genesis 3:1 NLT). Did. God. Really. Say.

If our enemy can get us to question the bedrock of our faith, then everything becomes negotiable. If we can’t trust what the Lord really said about the trees in the Garden, how can we trust what He says about salvation? Or forgiveness? Or eternal life?

Without shoes in our armor, we start to lose our spiritual footing. We start to lose our boldness. We start to lose our joy. We start to lose our peace. We start to lose our desire to share our faith with others.

In his parable of the wise and foolish builders, Jesus said, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock” (Matthew 7:24 NLT). Paul’s reference to the shoes of the armor of God builds on the same principle. In spiritual warfare, solid grounding is essential. We stand firm by studying the Lord’s teaching and following it in the way we live. If we do that, we will always have leverage against our enemy.

 

Reflection question: What are some areas in which you have less than solid footing, spiritually speaking? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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“Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.” (Ephesians 6:14 NLT)

 

The second item on the apostle Paul’s list of the armor of God is the body armor—or breastplate—of righteousness. On a Roman soldier, the breastplate protected the vital organs. Because of the nature of close combat, the area covered by the breastplate was the area most likely to be targeted by an enemy. So, the breastplate was essential to the soldier’s survival.

In spiritual warfare, the devil goes for the heart, too. He knows that one well-placed blow could prove fatal to your spiritual growth. He also knows that you’re most vulnerable when you sin, when you fall short of what God intends for you. That’s when he attacks. He comes to you and says, “You sinned. You’re not worthy of God’s forgiveness. You’re not deserving of His blessings. God won’t listen to your prayers. You’re a hypocrite.”

He turns the message of Romans 3:10–12 into a personal accusation. “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one” (NLT). And he’ll keep attacking your heart, trying to open a wound of guilt and shame.

What will you say when you find yourself under fire? We all will sin. We all will fail. We all will fall short. The apostle John wrote, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth” (1 John 1:8 nlt). So, how will you defend yourself? Will you boast about the Bible verses you’ve memorized or the people you’ve led to the Lord or how often you go to church?

If you rely on what you’ve done, then you’re guilty of self-righteousness, which means you believe that you somehow merit God’s blessing because of the things you’ve done. If this is your attitude, then you have a breastplate made of cardboard. One strike of the enemy’s sword will cut it apart and leave you open and exposed.

Here’s what you need to know about the righteousness in the breastplate of righteousness: It’s not yours. Isaiah 59:15–17 says, “The Lord looked and was displeased to find there was no justice. He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him. He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion” (NLT).

These words point to Jesus. You’re not righteous because of any good you’ve done. You’re righteous because of what Jesus did. Everyone who believes in Him receives His righteousness. So, when God looks at you, He doesn’t see your sin; He sees Jesus’ righteousness.

If you confess, turn away from, and ask God to forgive your sin, He will. And that will be the end of it. He won’t hold it against you or try to manipulate your emotions. And if God doesn’t cause you to feel guilt or shame, why would you let the devil do it?

It’s Jesus’ righteousness that protects you. And His righteousness is impenetrable.

 

Reflection question: What specific strategy might the devil use to attack your heart, spiritually speaking? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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