Latest / Daughters of Armor / Episode 09: The Breastplate of Righteousness: Why Sisterhood Changes Everything (Eph. 6:14)
Transcript
- Episode 9: Breastplate of Righ: First, we just chopped up our coffee. Coffee. Cheers, little sippy sip. Okay, so we are in our mini series, The Six Pieces of Spiritual Armor. And if you missed the last episode, please catch it. It was pretty powerful, if I must say so myself. We touched upon the helmet of salvation. And today we are going to pick apart, understand, Go deeper with the breastplate of righteousness. is sh Ephesians 6 14 guard guards your heart from guilt and shame and the breastplate of righteousness keeps you aligned with God's truth and his righteousness. So let's just jump right in, Nikita. What is the breastplate of righteousness and what does it mean to be clothed in Christ's righteousness rather than Trying to prove that we're good enough on your own. When Paul remember, Paul, I think it's important like what did the breastplate do? So for the Roman soldier, the breastplate protected the vital organs, especially the heart and the chest. And Paul uses that physical picture to describe something spiritually essential, which is righteousness guarding the inner person. so Ephesians six fourteen, stand therefore having fastened on the belt of truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. So there are two closely connected ideas here. The first one is that Christ's righteousness covers us. the gospel tells us that we don't stand before God saying, Look at all the reasons I'm worthy. I mean, we read Person after person in the scriptures saying that exact thing, pretty much. we stand saying, Christ is worthy, and I belong to Christ. And then Like our acceptance before God isn't based on achieving a sufficiently impressive moral resume. if we go to Philippians three, nine, Paul says, like he writes about like his righteousness is not something he wants to establish through himself, but comes through faith in Christ. That's the difference between trying to prove yourself and receiving Christ's righteousness. So, like imagine the difference. So you have a performance mindset. So if I pray enough, serve enough, exercise enough, discipline, avoid enough sin, do enough good things. Maybe I'll finally be the kind of Christian God. Can be pleased with versus a gospel mindset. Christ has reconciled me to God. I am accepted because of Christ. Therefore, I want to obey him, not to earn his love, but because I already have it. Amen. We have a tendency to forget that. And then we base everything, we base our whole existence on what the world says and thinks about us. Rat and and what God says and thinks about us, it becomes it it's diminished. And before we know it, our thoughts are encapsulated with the world standards. So guilty. Like as you're speaking, I'm thinking, because I'm guilty right now of how many people liked my post? Did any like did did they comment? I can I can why does it even matter? You know what I mean? One, they're not they have nothing to do with me getting into heaven. And two, they're not paying my bills, right? Three, I don't even know these people. Yeah, we're allowing the the We're allowing strangers to dictate what our mood is, basically. So true. So true. Yeah. Okay. So, my question to you is why do you think isolation can make women more vulnerable to discouragement, temptation, shame, and spiritual attack? Like what what changes when we allow godly women to truly know us and walk alongside us. Mm-hmm. The way that I look at isolation, it can be like a weed. Where if you if you don't pluck it out at the root, it's it's going to multiply when it comes to being vulnerable to lies. If you're not a part of a body, if you're not a part of a church, if you're not, you know, you you you can be more vulnerable, I think. Where lies can you're you're giving room for those lies to grow because you're not being challenged, you're not being kept accountable. and so when you're alone, and there's nothing wrong, cause I'm an introvert. People are like, What? I don't think so, but I am. In other cause I just wanted I just want to define introvert in in in from my perspective. Being an introvert means I prefer or need to energize being alone. I relate to that. Right? An extrovert like my husband, he he becomes like the energizer bunny or he likes being around people. That's what energizes him. So there's nothing necessarily wrong with isolation if that's how you recharge, but purposefully isolating yourself from other believers or maybe even not having like maybe your your circle there is not with any believers whatsoever. There they, you know, they are practicing or not practicing, but are not you know Christians or are believers or not saved. you can then one feel alone, you can feel discouraged, you can feel hopeless. there's really no encouragement Cause you know, when you have other brothers and sisters in Christ, most especially sisters in Christ and a church to help you, if there is like a hidden sin, you know, and you and you you confess that, you repent that, and you let your sister in Christ know, she's there to help you. She's there. She's not gonna judge, she's not gonna cast that first stone because she has no right to. She's a sinner herself. She's there to pray over you. Exactly. Yeah. And and and keep you accountable. Like, what does God say about that? Get into the word with you and We were designed literally to be a part of a a biblical community. That's why we're called the body with Christ at the head. Like, you know, you're an eye, I'm an arm, you know, your husband's a foot, my my husband's we and we all work together. That's how we're we are to function as a body together. We all with all our unique gifts, like you said, to pray over each other, to support each other, to remind each other of the truth, to encourage each other, to To lovingly call you back when you're drifting. You know, Proverbs, what is it, 2717? Iron sharpens iron, and one woman or man sharpens another, which is what we're what that's what, that's why I love you. Like we we we sharpen each other, we keep each other accountable. And so when you allow other godly women to to get to know you, you you You transition from hiding in shame to accountability, to no longer struggling alone. You're now standing together. and that goes also for the for your health journey as well, which I really think for a lot of women who are struggling, especially when it comes to to weight loss, fat loss, when you have when you're a part of a community, whether that looks like a gym community, whatever type of fitness community, honestly, it helps because again, that sisterhood can help keep you accountable. Cause there's something comforting in knowing that you're not alone. And you have you know that you can lean on someone to pick you back up and say, okay, dust yourself off, sister. Today is a new day. Just jump right back on. Okay. You you fell for that temptation. It's all right. Just let's keep going. You know, don't don't allow that to manifest into that cycle of, I'll just start all over again. Yeah. You know, that that that vicious cycle. So when it comes to fitness and when it comes to our faith, like we were never meant to do to walk like these battles. And ultimately both our faith and fitness walk, as we've we've uncovered, are spiritual battles. And you're never meant you were never meant to fight alone. Right? Like soldiers, daughters of armor, daughters, plural. We are meant to do this together. Right. And so you need other women to keep you accountable, to help pick you back up, to celebrate you, and to speak truth into you, most importantly, when you start believing those the enemies' lies. Yeah. Right. Yeah. And so that's where I really think I understand why you might feel ashamed. Maybe there is a dark hidden sin. But having godly women to truly who truly knows you, loves you, understand that you share the blood of Christ, that you are literally sisters, there's nothing more encouraging than having other godly women walk alongside you, whether it's your faith or your fitness. Amen. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, speaking about sisterhood and having friends, like what is the difference between biblical sisterhood and simply having friends? Like what should Christ centered accountability, encouragement? I we're I was just talking about that truth, grace, and even love and correction actually look like. I love this question. I I love this question. This question is so good. Friendship asks Do we enjoy one another and care about one another? Versus biblical sisterhood asks, are we helping one another follow Christ faithfully? Amen. I think like those things overlap, but they're not identical. true. Like biblical sisterhood goes way deeper than companionship. you can have a friend you laugh with, go shopping with, go for coffee with, vent to, travel with, and genuinely love, and that is a wonderful friendship. but biblical sisterhood adds A shared spiritual purpose. And you know, Hebrews 10 Hebrew the I can't speak. Hebrews 1024 says, let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. It's not merely I want you to feel good. It's I love you enough to want what is actually good for your soul. Like how is your soul doing? I was when I wasn't a Christian, I was never asked that question. I wasn't asked that question until I found Christian friends, even though I wasn't a believer. And it's like, how is my soul doing? Like what is a soul? That's a great question. Yeah. So I mean that that means sometimes sisterhood looks like encouragement and sometimes it looks like having a very difficult like conversation. Yes. so like Christ-centered sisterhood, we've touched on it. It can look like accountability, you know, not policing one another. You know, we're taking the logs out of our own eyes before we take the spec out of someone else's eyes. 100%. it's yeah, it's not it's not policing one another, but it's helping each other live consistently. with what we say we believe. you know, how are you really doing with that sin or that thing that you told me you were struggling with? Like following up with someone and actually listening to what they have to say about it. It's not easy to confess sins. Yeah. Even to God, it's not easy to confess sins. There's shame behind it. But to have that person sit across from you and listen to you, like actually listen. And not judge. And not judge. But to actually listen, it means Not already having in your mind what you're gonna say. You're actively listening. And then you're praying for this person. You're praying with them. You're praying over them. and you're continuing to pray for this person. but also like accountability, it creates honesty. It doesn't create fear. you should be able to say, like, I messed up. Without wondering whether your friend is going to shame you. Yeah. there's also encouragement behind it. Like biblical encouragement isn't just compliments. It's it's reminding your sister of what is true when she can't see it herself. you know, you're discouraged, but remember what God has already carried you through. you don't have to earn God's mercy or his love. You already have it because of Christ. you know, keep going. Faithfulness matters even when you don't see results. and then like truth. Like we're speaking truth to each other. and it's the truth of what God's word says and what he says. That's I think I just want not from what the world says. Exactly. I just wanted to park here for a minute. I love, of course, my friends who and we're called to still love them. Like Jesus hung out with sinners, you know, and And sometimes there are people in our lives that They would not know the Lord if it wasn't for you. Or maybe they're they're still not saved, but through your actions, Lord willing, one day, one of the seeds that you plant. perhaps the Holy Spirit will use and they'll come to Christ. But the whole like what you were what you were saying there, the importance of a biblical sister will literally not give you her own experience, although that's good. There's some value in that, because if you've gone through something and you can understand that's good. But more importantly, like what you said, okay, well, let's open up the word and see what see what God says about that. I think I think that's the biggest Yeah. value that I see in biblical sisterhood. Yeah. Is is and you know, I think with women as well, I think it's important to have what I'll call a Paulette in your life. So a spiritual mother who's maybe older, wiser, has has been on this faith walk longer than you. I mean, I have I'm so blessed to say I've got two of them in my life who I will turn to. And the first thing that they do is they s like they'll hear me out, like actually listen. I know for a fact they're not judging. And then they'll they'll share some scripture which is without fail what I needed. Yeah. You know, as opposed to we both have friends who are not saved, and they'll give us that kind of lateral. Yep. advice and not necessarily that vertical advice that we really need. You love them, but it's yeah it's so different. It's not the same. It is not. It's not the same. It's just like, you know, it's similar to like I'm gonna I'll pray for you this week. Rather than I'm gonna send you positive vibes this week. Yeah what are what is cat I don't we can have a whole podcast on positive vibes. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for sending me positive vibes. And I'm like, you mean prayer? Like Yeah. man. And like very like w we're on the the topic too. It's like biblical sisterhood, like you're speaking truth to this person. Yeah. Like you're speaking God's truth to this person. Yes. and you're doing it through love. Yes. And love is not tolerant. Yeah. Like love doesn't mean agreeing with everything either. you know, I love you, but I don't think that's true. Mm-hmm. Or I think you're interpreting this situation through fear rather than through what scripture says. Yeah. you know, truth truth without love becomes harshness. Yes. And that's usually when an argument will happen. And as soon I know this from personal experience, yes, because I've been there. Yeah. As soon as someone gets mad or angry, the conversation's done. For sure. Like it's done. for sure. And love without truth becomes enabling. Yes. And so, but I think what's even more like well, it's not more important, but I think the biggest thing also with biblical sisterhood is Because there's a lot of grace in biblical sisterhood. It means there's room to be a mess. Like you have room to be a mess. You are not perfect. You are going to fall flat on your face. But the difference is, is like I'm gonna be there to pick you up because I'm also a mess. Yes. Let's just be messy together. Let's just be messy together. So true. Yeah. So, you know, a Christ-centered friendship, it It's it's a place where you can where you can go when and say, you know, I failed and what you hear in return is okay, let's talk about it. Let's repent, let's figure this out, let's pray together and I'm still here. Amen. And I still love you. And guess what? God loves you way more than I love you. So we were we talked about this in in small group yesterday. I'm just trying to look for it. Is that fear of rather than you know fear of God? where is it? First Peter Where and I I even I even used it as a because it resonated with me, where you will speak with gentleness and respect. First Peter It's first Peter three fifteen. Three fifteen. there it is. You you are ready to explain your faith while maintaining a humble and courteous attitude. Is that the one? Yes, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect. So when it comes to our unbelieving friends you know, practicing this, but even with our believing sisters in Christ, you know, it it's reminding them you know, to if 'cause if they're suffering or if they're if they're if they're enslaved by a particular sin, remembering reminding them who they are in Christ, remembering the hope and and doing it like sister, I love you. This is why I just I just I wanna like I'm here to help you with this, this thing that you're or sin that you're struggling with, but doing it with, you know, gentleness and respect. Like having a sister in Christ that you can do that with changes everything. Yeah. And I you know, I I just I mean, I f of course we love our we love our girlfriends who are not saved, but there's something next level when it comes to deepening our relationship with the Lord and just loving on each other when you can call each other out in that loving way. Yeah. And pointing them back to the truth. Yeah. Cause as much as we want to do that with our unbelieving friends, we we can't. Yeah. Cause they don't have a relationship with the Lord. And that's hard. Yeah. Very much. I do love what Galatians six one says. if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore them in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself lest you too be tempted. Grace in like love, truth, accountability, encouragement, and grace in a biblical friendship does not minimize sin. No. but it creates a safe place to bring that sin into light. And so the goal, especially like with biblical sisterhood or any biblical friendship is it's all about restoration. Yes. It's restoration to like if you did sin against your brother or sister, or or whatever. but the main thing is like we sin against God. A hundred percent. First and foremost. And that's what David yeah said in Psalm 51, you know, against you and you alone have I sinned. So it's about restoration. And I love my friends who are not believers. Of course. But it's a it's a different friendship. It's It's hard to have conversations with someone, especially about sanctification and salvation. It's impossible. When they don't really understand. No. Because there's still there's still a closed heart. There's still a hardness of heart there. Scales over their eyes. Yeah. So and I and like I you know, my my family, like they don't they're not believers. I love them. Of course. And you know, we have a very good relationship, but to speak biblical things with someone and what it actually entails, it's it's very difficult. Yes. but it's not without hope. That's true. So that's encouraging me. Okay, so In your opinion, how can we intentionally build the kind of sisterhood that helps us pursue righteousness instead of just making us feel comfortable? So, what practical steps can a woman take if she doesn't currently have a strong Christian community around her? Mm-hmm. I think first and foremost. And I and I've I've helped a few women in in my own personal kind of fitness community and clients who've shared with me they're not a part of the church. Like, let's find you a biblically based church, first and foremost. Cause I think there's nothing more important and we were called where we are called to be a part of a church. We're called to, you know, that's the only way that we will be fed as well, where The whole point of church is discipleship, where we can find that Paulette in our life and also f and and as women as as we are also growing in our faith and deepening our faith walk, we're also called to be that role too, to to younger women. so first and foremost, I would say, you know, how do we intentionally build that kind of sister f sisterhood? find a church if if that is, you know. possible. and I want to reiterate. I think you you you spoke of Hebrews 10 24, right? So, and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. Like that's that's really the whole point. And I will plug. I do have a Facebook community and it's called Fit Beyond 40 for for Christian women. You know, you can find some, online communities as well. That's I mean, you know, social media is a blessing and a curse. But if you look at the blessing, you can find communities of women who are also Christian, who are also going through, you know, maybe the same struggles as you, and you can find a community there. Bible studies. I'm I mentioned my from my on the last podcast, there's the BSF, which is a both in person Bible study fellowship. It's both in person, available in person and online. And that's welcome specifically, there's one for women and there's one for men. But that's also a really beautiful way to meet other women, other Christian women in Christ is joining a Bible study like that. yeah, so those are the main things that I would say is is a local church whether it's a Bible study, whether it's online or better yet, in person. and then when you're in church, because it's so easy to go and then disappear and not plug yourself in. I've done that. Right? Like you can you go, you're fed, yeah, and then you disappear. But I think there's something really beautiful, and you know, Nelson and I come from, I guess you would call a megachurch, without us really knowing, we knew the value of, you know, be joining either a small group or they offered, we went to we were members of Harvest now called Hope, Oakville, you know, led by Pastor Robbie Simons. And even it cause in a big church, mo more more most especially, it's easy to to Blend in and just and disappear and disappear right away. Right. So if you are already a part of a church, join the Bible study, women's Bible study in your church church. Join, you know, if they have a women's ministry, join a small group and intentionally make effort and put time and effort. Like when I met you in small group, I'm like, okay, this sister, she needs to be a part of my life. Because immediately, you know, we're both into fitness. We share the same struggles. We're on the same faith walk. Like we we both came from a secular world. We were both saved, you know, later in life. And you know, our husbands are are very similar too. And I was just like, I need this woman in my life because I know she'll be real with me. And all the things that we talked about, where I know I can lean on her to pray for me, I know that she'll keep me accountable, and vice versa. Yeah. You know, I like I immediately and you know with you know the whole situation with your husband and whatnot, I'm here for you. You know, and I and I don't take you for granted, which is why I had asked you to be a co-host on this podcast because we have so much in common and we we both want to glorify God in our faith and our fitness. And so I think, yeah, p those are the the main practical ways that you can be intentional about Finding that biblical sisterhood, you know, that I've been talking about a Paulette, I've been talking about, you know, and as you mature, you need to also be that Paulette to younger women. life will be lifing. And there's nothing better than having other women who love the Lord walk alongside you. Yeah. Right? So I'm gonna plug again on Facebook. It's a free Facebook group. In that group, are I know there are Christian women in there who are also on a fitness walk, on a faith, you know, faith walk as well. I'll add the link in the show notes so that you can, you know, request to to join. But yeah, that's that's where I think it it's a good place to start. Yeah. number one, I think a local church is is where I would. begin because there's nothing more I I don't know there's there's nothing like face to face. Online is fantastic. Yeah. But face to face sisters who you can have coffee with, who you can go for walks with, who you can just be real with and be like, I'm struggling, sis. Like this is a sin that's happening right now. And to have her walk alongside you, pray for you, and vice versa, there's nothing like it. No, that's that's a gift. It is. God Like God gifts us with our sisters. Yes. and they're there for a reason. Yes. So they're there to point us back to the one who saved us. Yes. Absolutely. Well, this was good. This was good. I think I'll I'll close this up in prayer. Yeah. Father God, we come before you humbly. You're such a good, good father. Thank you. for your sovereign hand on these relationships that we that we have been talking about, this biblical sisterhood where we are united because we share the same blood. And that is the blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who sacrificed himself on that cross, who took our and paid our sin debt in full, who rose again three days later and is now sitting at the right hand of the Father. We are all citizens of heaven. If we believe this, have faith alone in in Christ alone. And Lord God, it's through these the these sisters that we can help carry each other's cross. We're not meant to to carry these crosses alone. That's why we are called to be a part of a body, Lord God. And so I say thank you. Thank you for our sisters in our local churches, in our Bible studies. I thank you personally for my sister in Christ Nikita who who loves you so much Lord God. And I I am so grateful that you have put her into my life personally, Lord, that we are able to walk this journey together, that we are able to encourage encourage each other, both in the good and the bad, Lord. And I just pray for for my other sisters out there who who feel lost right now that don't have that accountability from a biblical sisterhood that you lead them Lord to a local church that you lead them into a whether it be a Bible study or an online community, just somewhere where they can be surrounded by other sisters in Christ who will love upon them, who will keep them accountable, who will extend grace, who will pray with them, who will support them, who will put light perhaps on a sin that they're hiding, Lord God, so that they can repent and draw them closer to you. That's the whole point, Lord. That's the whole point. So we say thank you. We say thank you for the breastplate of righteousness. We say thank you that you know that it's that the heart is where the real transformation is. And it's through these sisters in Christ that we can keep each other accountable and reveal each other's perhaps sins that we're we're we're trying to hide in our own hearts, Lord God, that we have sisters that can help reveal the truth when it comes to those sins and help us repent and help help us to work through those those particular sins, Lord. And and so we say thank you. Thank you for that piece of armor, Lord. Thank you for what you've done for us that we are only sisters because of the blood of Christ. That's what draws us closer is is you, Lord. So thank you. All of these things I pray in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. Amen. I think we need to cheers out this Podcasts and we will move on to the next piece of spiritual armor. Yes. With that, ladies, we love you, but God loves you more. See you on the next one.