“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness” – Ephesians 6:14
Comment: Love is an essential part of the breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:8). Now, Love is the fulfillment of the law or the perfect law of liberty. When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, he answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” – Matthew 22:36-40.
He later gave his disciples a new commandment “That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 13:34-35; 14:15) and Apostle John stated that If you love God you will love your neighbour – 1 John 4:20,21.
Love is a powerful instrument used to quench the fiery attacks of the devil and his cohorts. St. Paul described how love works against the devil. He wrote, “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; see also Romans 13:9, 10.
Indeed, with the breastplate of righteousness, faith and love Satan and his wicked activities shall be shattered and destroyed. A true convert or Christian shall overcome all the fiery darts of the enemy and to stand by God’s grace and power.
Prayer: O God our Father in heaven. I realise that by the love of Thee and our neighbours as ourselves, we shall overcome the devil and his wickedness. Help us to always obey Your will to resist him in faith and in Thy love through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.