15 - Worn Out? (Nehemiah)

Intro: One of the tactics of the enemy is to wear you out. In Daniel 7:25, we read: “He [probably the final antichrist] will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One…” We find the enemies of God using this tactic in Nehemiah 4, and it seems they almost win. We hear the sigh of God’s people in Nehemiah 4:10: “The strength of the burden bearers is failing, Yet there is much rubbish; and we ourselves are unable to rebuild the wall.” The enemies constant barrage of attacks so wearied the people, filling them with fear, that they wanted to stop the work of restoring the walls. But then there is a turning point, highlighted in these words: “But we prayed to our God, and…set up a guard against them day and night” (Neh. 4:9). This turn around meant arming themselves with “spears…shields…bows and the breastplates” as they did their work (Neh. 4:16). Yes, the enemy wants to wear you out, but the solution is wearing God’s armour. Today, we will focus on the most prevalent piece of God’s armour: the breastplate of righteousness. And the question we will answer is: how do you put on this breastplate of righteousness?

1) R - The Righteous are Real, Raw & Relational.

In Ephesians 6:14 we read: “Stand firm, therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness…”

The breastplate is the most prominent and most extensive piece of armour.

It covers the majority of the body from the chest to the thighs. This means it protects most of our vital organs like the heart, lungs and bowels.

Notice how Paul connects truth with righteousness.

You can only put on this breastplate if you are true with God.

This means being real, raw and relational.

The honest and raw truth is that no one is righteous.Listen to Romans 3:10: “There is none righteous, not even one.”

Paul quotes this verse originally from Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53:1-3.

There is only one that is righteous and that is God himself and his Son Jesus Christ. Psalm 119:137

The breastplate of righteousness is God’s own righteousness, not our own.

If you are going to put on the breastplate, you need to be honest about your sinfulness.

No cover up, no fig leaves like Adam and Eve.

But rather there needs to be a cry from your heart, a daily cry: “God, have mercy on me a sinner” (Luke 18:13).

And yet, you don’t want to stay in this place of sin. You don't want the sinful nature being the boss of your life.

2) I - God’s righteousness is Imputed by faith.

So then, how do you put on this breastplate?

Realise that this breastplate––this warrior’s armour––is a gift.

God is handing you the very breastplate that Christ wore while on earth. (Isaiah 59:14-17)

Righteousness is a gift from God––it’s the best Valentines gift you can receive.

What is imputation? What does imputed mean?

It’s a theological word that first came from the legal language of the Greeks and Romans.“IMPUTATION: The act of reckoning a legal debit or credit to an account. The term was used in Graeco-Roman legal language and was understood in secular commerce as “enter into the books” (Balz and Schneider, 355). The concept is also used in a religious sense in the Old and New Testament. Protestant Christians recognize imputation in three doctrinal areas: original sin, atonement, and justification (Lexham Bible Dictionary).”

The Bible teaches us that you are imputed righteousness by faith, not by works or keeping the law.

But to understand this, we first need to understand what righteousness means.

What is righteousness?

It is God’s moral character which is the standard of what is right. Righteousness is what is right in his eyes according to his Word. It is not what we feel or think is right, but rather what God says is right. God’s righteousness means he is always right and will always do what is right. The Lord will never sin or do evil. He is the standard of righteousness and he will never veer from his goodness and justice. His righteousness means he fights against all injustice and wars to set the shackled free. One of the greatest and most potent expositions of God’s righteousness is found in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Romans 3:19-26 shows us the way to this righteousness.

Romans 3:19-26 shows us the way to this righteousness.

Romans 3:19–26 NASB95

Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

3) G - Grace-Empowered living keeps you in God’s righteousness.

So now we see how this breastplate comes on us: we must receive it from God as a gift.

In other words, we have to let God put it on us.

Now, how do you keep this breastplate on?

Through grace-empowered living.

We know that “God gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5-6; James 4:6; Prov. 3:34).

Grace energises us. It fires us up to live righteously. Grace enables you to enjoy God rather than run away from God.

Imagine you are putting on a breastplate before going out to battle. The breastplate protects you, covering all your vital organs. It strengthens you, giving you boldness like a lion (Prov. 28:1). It straightens you, causing you to walk uprightly. It’s like putting on one of these posture vests.

The devil wants to wear your strength down. But the solution to the enemy wearing you down is wearing God’s armour.

This breastplate of righteousness will give you supernatural strength. It will revive and restore you so that you can be about the work of reviving and restoring others.

Listen to 1 John 1:9.

1 John 1:9 NASB95

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Feed off of God’s grace constantly and continually. Grace will empower you to live right.

Proverbs 24:16 NASB95

For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.

This proverb has been on my heart this season––so that’s why you hear me repeat it.

4) H - Hunger for more of God’s righteous.

God wants his righteousness infused into the very core of your being.

The way the breastplate of righteousness grows stronger and stronger in your life is by continually hungering for God’s righteousness.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled” (Matt. 5:6).“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:33).

This week I listened to Pastor John Kilpatrick’s testimony about what preceded the Pensacola Revival.

It was sheer thirst and hunger expressed through prayer, desperate prayer.

He said he had a beautiful wife, family and church that loved him.

But, there was something missing. He still felt lonely.

So he began to cry out to God alone in his church sanctuary.

Interestingly, the day revival broke out in his church, he didn’t even want to be in church because his mom had just died. He was in deep grief and he was upset that Steve Hill gave an altar call on Father’s day, especially because the whole entire church (over a thousand people) responded to the altar call. He just wanted to go home, but then God got a hold of him.

5) T - Trust

Lastly, keeping the armour of righteousness on means living in constant trust.

“The righteous shall live by faith…” (Romans 1:17; cf. Hab. 2:4).

Faith = Trust

Live by his faithfulness and faith, not your own.

Live by Christ’s faith and faithfulness.

Trust God’s character. Trust his goodness. Trust his righteousness. Trust his Word. Trust him.

Conclusion: It’s through wearing God’s breastplate of righteousness that you will keep yourself from wearing out. How do you put this breastplate on and keep it on? 1) R - The righteous are real, raw and relational, 2) I - God’s righteousness is imputed by faith, 3) G - Grace-empowered living keeps you in God’s righteousness, 4) H - Hunger for more of God’s righteousness and 5) T - Trust. That’s how you can be right and live right.

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