We’ll be looking at the Armor of God over the next few days. You can read about them in  Ephesians 6: 10-20:  

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power; 11 put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, 12 for our struggle is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on the evil day and, having prevailed against everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand, therefore, and belt your waist with truth and put on the breastplate of righteousness 15 and lace up your sandals in preparation for the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, so that when I speak a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

Today we continue looking at the Armor of God, the tools that God gives us to fight against evil.  Today as I read this passage, I kept thinking to myself, this is the armor of God.  Not the armor of Andy.  Because we are tempted to hear the breastplate of righteousness as my righteousness or my goodness.  

And if that is the case, then all the armor is in trouble because my righteousness is far from trouble. If it is my righteousness that will be the breastplate that I need to strap on to fight against the devil and his schemes, then I have a flimsy protector.  

My righteousness is good enough or strong enough. My righteousness is imperfect and frail, and weak. My righteousness is far, far from perfect. 

That’s why we need to remember is the armor of God, not the armor of Andy, or the armor of (fill in name here).  It is not my righteousness that protects me. It is God’s!  

God’s righteousness comes through my justification in Jesus, that is my protector. I do not stand by my goodness; I stand by the goodness of Jesus.  I stand not in my power; I stand in the power of Jesus.  If my protection came through my own righteousness, I would not be able to withstand the attacks of the devil. 

That is not where my righteousness comes from, however.  It comes through Jesus.  So, today remember, it’s not your worth, your righteousness that protects you; it is righteousness that is given to you, through the Holy Spirit, by the blood of Jesus, at your justification (or conversion, or salvation – whatever word you use).  You are forgiven; you are righteousness.  Not through your works, but through His. 

That is our protection.  

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