PROTECT YOUR HEART

…having put on the breastplate of righteousness.

Eph. 6:14

Law enforcement has a dangerous occupation.

They never know who or what they will encounter in a day.

Dangerous criminals intent on escaping with little care for life will easily shoot at police officers.

Because of this, many LEOs wear kevlar or some similar protection over the chest and stomach area.

These products save lives by covering vital organs.

The breastplate of righteousness does the same thing – cover vital organs, especially your heart.

Isaiah 45:23 says, “The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness.”

Again we find God’s word is this important part of the armor of God.

His word protects your heart against the lies of the enemy intent on swaying you away from God.

Reading His word covers your heart with what is true and right.

HOLY FOOTWEAR

...and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Eph 6:15

I use to watch a reality show called Naked and Afraid. Not to worry, they blurred

Not to worry, they blurred a lot of the body out.

It’s about survivalists dropped in jungles, deserts, savannahs, and forests around the world and they must survive for 21 days with nothing but, perhaps, a knife, a map, and a firestarter. One of the first things the

One of the first things the survivalists do is find a place to camp, find a water source, and then try to make something protective for their feet, especially in rocky or thorny areas. They know even minor

They know even minor damage to their feet could keep them from traveling to the extraction point.

Your feet are the foundation of your body, able to withstand the entirety of your weight.

Shoes were important to the Roman soldier when Paul wrote today’s scripture.

The shoes worn by the Roman soldiers were nothing compared to today’s footwear but they did the job.

As a Christian, your foundation is the Gospel of Peace.

Ps. 85:8 says, “I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints.”

Again, the Gospel of Peace is the word of God and the word of God protects the foundation of your body.

With your feet shod with the gospel, you are ready to travel anywhere and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.

You can trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19 It’s good to know God’s

It’s good to know God’s word protects you as you put one foot in front of the other today.

STAND AND PROTECT YOUR THOUGHTS

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

Eph 6:17

Your brain is a marvelous creation.

It controls everything about your body from temperature and heart rhythm to processing odors and sounds.

In times of distress on the body, like hypothermia, the brain will tell the body to send more warming blood to the vital organs, including itself.

Your brain can feel a pinprick on your toe and alert you to pull away.

Cut off that toe and the brain will still function and control the rest of the body.

Remove an entire arm and the brain will continue to function and control the remainder of the body.

Cut off the head or damage the brain and the rest of the body will suffer.

This is why you must protect your brain and your thoughts with the helmet of salvation.

It says in Ps. 119:41, “Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord — Your salvation according to Your word.”

Salvation is by the word of God and the helmet of salvation is the word of God.

Protect your thoughts by reading the word of God and filter out the lies of the world that go against it. Now on to the final part of

Now on to the final part of the armor – the sword.

Hebrews tells you the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.

Again, the sword is the word of God.

This is your only weapon and what do you do with it?

Hold it.

In this chapter of Ephesians, you are instructed to stand (Eph. 6:11, 13, 14).

You are not to swing or sway.

You are to stand in the word of God. The word of God does the

The word of God does the fighting for you. Stand on His word.

Stand on His word.

Stand in His word.