I Thessalonians 5:8
“But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.”
The last entry on this verse addressed being sober. Meaning that we are to be aware of the spiritual battle that exists. Today we’ll look at the armor mentioned. The first is the breastplate of faith and love.
The breastplate guards the heart and torso. This is protecting all of the vital organs. What does an attack there look like? I think of our emotions, will, and attitude.
While the Lord wants us to have faith, hope and to be loving, the devil seeks to attack those. He’ll put doubts with in. I’m not sure how he does this as the Lord puts a hedge about us (Psalm 34:7). Doubts may come to mind, others may say something to trigger it, we may see something negative, a message from the tv or computer may be the avenue.
The breastplate of faith and love is to protect us from such attacks. Faith corresponds to doubts. We often become anxious about many things. The Lord wants us to trust. Faith allow us to push the doubts out. We may not understand how the Lord will take care of us. Faith doesn’t require immediate answers. We can rest even though we’re in the storm.
Love is another defensive aspect of the breastplate. We need to be loving when we are with difficult people. They may be rude, disrespectful, needy and so on. They stir up frustration and anger. We may not feel respected or have enough space resources. We look to Him for help. We then proceed to love, even though we feel empty. It’s loving by faith. It then that He fills us.
Another aspect of is that we need God’s love. We may feel insufficient and not appreciated. Yet, He loves us. Psalm 139:18 tells us that God has so many good thoughts about us that they are too numerous to count. We might be able to put together a small list. However, He knows all. He values us so much. As we connect with that love, our inferior, shaming thoughts melt away.
Lord, thank You for the breastplate of faith and love. Help us to have it securely fitted as we go through our days