GAUDETE SUNDAY – THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
December 17, 2023
FEAST OF THE EXPECTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY – 18 DECEMBER
December 18, 2023
THE 17th OF DECEMBER
BE GIRDED WITH TRUTH AND WEAR THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, – Ephesians 6:14
It is crucial to always be prepared, ready to fight, because our spiritual warfare has no breaks. Knowing the truth of God’s Word is the most important part of our armor. Only the “belt of truth” allows us to move freely and holds our offense and defense weapons in place, just as the belt of the Roman soldier kept all his armor pieces in place. The belt also held the sheath in which they carried their sword. If we only hear the truth, without “knowing” it, it is not enough to be free, as Jesus said in John 8:32. The truth of the Bible revealed by the Holy Spirit, becomes “living and working” (Hebrews 4:12) in our hearts where it convinces, teaches, transforms us and it becomes a fearsome weapon in spiritual warfare, when we proclaim it.
The “breastplate of righteousness” is the piece of armor that protects the vital organs, especially the heart. In the Bible, the “heart” is not the physical organ that maintains physical life, but it refers to the “inner man,” that is the spirit of the person who is “born-again” by the Holy Spirit when they sincerely repent of their sins and believe upon Jesus.
We can be righteous, (which means without sin) only through the sacrifice of Jesus. If we truly ask God to forgive us when we sin and regret what we have done, the Lord is faithful and forgives us. When the enemy comes to condemn us for the sins we have already repented of, we need to realize that we are forgiven, have on the “breastplate of righteousness” and we can resist the enemy’s accusations in the Name of Jesus. The enemy’s attack will fail if we realize that when we repented with all our hearts the Lord forgave us, “casting all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19b), meaning that our sins are gone forever.
SUGGESTED PRAYER
Praise You Lord for the truth of Your Word. Thank You so much for making it available for me so that I can study and learn it to be able to recognize the lies of the enemy and stand firm against them, by proclaiming Your Word. Thank You with all my heart dear Jesus for forgiving my sins and for Your righteousness that covers me. Lord please help me remember that once I sincerely repent and asked for forgiveness of my sin, I am forgiven so that whenever the enemy comes with thoughts that condemn me of what I did in the past, I will know it is not You and I will resist him. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Source: thetruthstandsforever
