What is a breastplate???

                                                    …and how is it used????



I think ALL of us know that a breastplate is a piece of armor.  It is actually part of a suit of armor that a soldier puts on when preparing to go to war.   



Did you know that when a soldier puts on his breastplate, he is putting on a piece of armor that protects his heart???   



I looked at some pictures of breastplates and I noticed that they not only protected the heart from the front, but they also protected the heart from the sides, as well.


The picture of the breastplate that I saw showed how the sides came up high under the arms!!!



As I read about the breastplate, I noticed that one comment said that it was much easier to get to a soldiers’ heart through the sides of his ribcage than to attack him through other means!!!



You and I both know that the enemy rarely ever makes a frontal attack!!!! 



It is a lot harder to kill a man from the front, but if you sneak around on the side of him, and you catch him off guard, then you can most likely go ahead and dig his grave now!!!

And that is just how the devil likes to fight!!! 



The devil is NOT going to walk right up in front of us and attack us, but instead he usually attacks us from a place to the side or back where we can’t see him coming!!!



That is why every soldier needs to wear a breastplate!!!  The breastplate provides protection in the front and on the sides, so that the heart is protected!!!!    



Ephesians 6:13-14 (NKJV)

¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Just think of what it would be like in the heat of battle in Bible days!!!  Can’t you just imagine, the arrows flying around!!!  And even spears and lances!!!



Do you think these men ever went to battle without their breastplates???



Ephesians 6:14 (CJB) Therefore, stand! Have the belt of truth buckled around your waist, put on righteousness for a breastplate

No, I really doubt that they did!!!



If you have ever seen an old Western, you have seen the arrows flying and the guns blazing as the cowboys fight the Indians!!!  I am sure that you have seen one of the cowboys (or maybe even a soldier) grab his chest where the Indian shot him with an arrow right in the heart!!! 

 

Just think if that cowboy had been wearing a breastplate of armor!!!  The arrow would have deflected or bounced right off that armor!!!  And he would have been safe!!!



Even though these courageous men fought without suits of armor, they would get behind a wagon or a fallen log to protect themselves!!!  They did what they needed to do to protect themselves in a fight or a battle!!!



And that is what we must do when we know that the enemy of our soul is going to do whatever he can to come against us and fight us!!!  We must make sure our hearts, as well as our whole bodies are protected against whatever he brings our way!!!  We must make sure we are protected!!!



Ephesians 6:10-18 (CEV)

¹⁰ Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong.

¹¹ Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil’s tricks.

¹² We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world.

¹³ So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm.