S02 E32 - Breastplate of Righteousness Artwork

Raising Godly Women

Raising Godly Women podcast is about empowering a generation of women to empower the generation behind them.

Raising Godly Women

S02 E32 - Breastplate of Righteousness

August 17, 2024 • Sebra Ferrell

Season 02 - Episode 03 Breastplate of Righteousness Show Notes

It’s here! It’s time to put on our Breastplate of Righteousness! In this episode, Sebra welcomes Elizabeth to the podcast for a discussion on what it looks like to put on the Breastplate of Righteousness and how that connects to the Wayside in the Parable of the Sower and the Seed.

So, join us to put on your breastplate as we all continue to get Dressed for the Journey God is laying out before us.

In this episode:

Intro
Welcome (00:44)
Elizabeth and Sebra discuss their shared experience with the armor (01:15)
Discussion on intimacy and support related to the breastplate (03:08)
Discussion on wearing our breastplate (04:14)
Sebra prays for those who don’t know Jesus (07:31)
More discussion on the breastplate(09:02)
Discussion on various aspects of wearing the breastplate (21:52)
Elizabeth’s pearl of wisdom (30:28)
Suggested Studies and how Wayside Wendy connects to the breastplate (31:10)
Discussion on Sebra’s something to ponder (35:02)
Closing Prayer (38:20)
Thank you for listening (39:09)

Scriptures references:

Romans 3:22; 10:17
Ephesians 4:15; 6:10-18
Deuteronomy 31:6
1 Corinthians 10:13
Proverbs 4:23; 15:22
2 Timothy 1:7
Matthew 6:34; 7:12; 7:13-14; 13:18-23
John 3:16
Genesis 3
2 Corinthians 5:22, 12:9
Hebrews 10:14
Colossians 1:28
John 16:34
Mark 4:13-20; 4:26-28
Luke 8:11-15

Other Resources

Rick Renner, Dressed to Kill: A Biblical Approach to Spiritual Warfare and Armor, (Tulsa: Teach all Nations, 1991).

Priscilla Shirer, The Armor of God - Bible Study Book with Video Access https://a.co/d/2fn59p0

Links to related episodes:

Introduction to the Armor: https://raisinggodlywomen.buzzsprout.com/1792483/13717167-introduction-to-the-armor
Belt of Truth: https://raisinggodlywomen.buzzsprout.com/1792483/14188166-s02-e02-belt-of-truth

Podcast hosting website: https://raisinggodlywomen.buzzsprout.com/

RGW Website: https://raisinggodlywomen.com

Subscribe or follow on Apple or Spotify Podcasts to get notified on new releases. Check out our Buzzsprout website for other podcast locations or check out our RGW website to learn more about us and listen to recent episodes.

S02 E03 Breastplate of Righteousness

[00:00:00] Khara: Welcome to Season Two of the Raising Godly Women podcast, where we are here to empower a generation of women in their relationship with Christ, so that they can empower the generation behind them. In Season One, we explored the Parable of the Sower and the Seed, which is all about the soil of our hearts.

[00:00:17] Khara: We personified each of the soils and shared our experiences as we journeyed with these women. So, if you are new to the podcast, we wanna thank you and check out Season One, because it lays the foundation for the path ahead. We are to take time and dress for the journey God has before us. So please join our host Sebra Ferrell for Season Two, as she and her guests take a fresh look and put on the Armor of God.

[00:00:44] Sebra: Hello, everyone, and welcome to Season 2, Episode 3, The Breastplate of Righteousness. Today I am blessed and honored to have my sister in Christ, my friend, my ride or die, Elizabeth with me. Welcome, Elizabeth.

[00:01:07] Elizabeth: Thank you for having me.

[00:01:09] Sebra: Oh, you are most welcome. I am so glad you could be here today.

[00:01:13] Elizabeth: Me too.

[00:01:15] Sebra: The ironic thing about having you here is you were a part of small group when we did the original study on the Armor of God. Then we did the Priscilla Shirer study on the Armor of God.

[00:01:29] Elizabeth: I feel like we've gone through it several times because one time we did the Dress to Kill book.

[00:01:34] Elizabeth: Mmm hmmm.

[00:01:35] Elizabeth: One time I think we were just going through Ephesians.

[00:01:38] Elizabeth: Mmm hmmm.

[00:01:39] Elizabeth: Another time we were doing the Priscilla Shirer’s study. It seems like, we went to Ephesians again. So, we've, we've come to it several different times and I can honestly say that I don't know if I can get enough of it, because I always learn something deeper and more each time we go through it.

[00:01:56] Sebra: You know, I do too, because as a matter of fact, when we did the study in group on the Dress to Kill book, and I will put the information for that in the show notes. I had been through the armor at least three times already myself. And that was the very first time that it actually made sense to me. I think I've shared that before in one of the other episodes, but you and I have never talked about that.

[00:02:19] Sebra: Because when we did that in small group, that was when I saw the connectivity between each of the pieces. They don't stand alone. They all connect to each other. And so, in the introduction episode, I talked about how when we receive the word, how we respond to the word is actually how we respond to Jesus.

[00:02:38] Sebra: With that in mind, and the connectivity between each of the episodes, now we need to connect the Belt of Truth which we talked about, that's the word of God. That's Jesus in written form. That's his story and how he interacts with us and how he wants us to interact with him. As I'm thinking about that and I'm thinking about I want to connect my belt and I want to connect my breastplate. And so, when I showed you the social media graphic. What does that inspire in you?

[00:03:08] Elizabeth: Well, my first thought when I looked at it was that there's a lot of deception when it comes to the word intimacy. I believe most people hear that and think about a physical connection between them and their partner. And how that looks to them, but that may be a part of it in those relationships, but at a deeper, the more base form of intimacy, the most important form I think is your relationship with that person. How you know them, how deeply you know them, how connected, and communication. And you can't have that if there are walls built up. You can't have that if there is not trust there.

[00:03:47] Sebra: Um,

[00:03:48] Elizabeth: The second thing I thought about was support. Which, it's hard for you to get support if you have walls up.

[00:03:55] Sebra: Mm hmm.

[00:03:55] Elizabeth: Cause you don't know what to ask, you don't know who to ask, and who you can trust to give you the support that you need. You kinda feel like you're by yourself.

[00:04:03] Sebra: Mm hmm.

[00:04:04] Elizabeth: the intimacy of knowing someone, being able to talk to someone, being able to trust somebody, that's deeper than just a physical connection between two beings.

[00:04:14] Sebra: Definitely. And it's interesting you mention the word support, because going back to the Belt of Truth and its connection to the breastplate. And I want to keep emphasizing this because it can't be said enough. The belt that we're putting on is made up of God's word and it's one of the things that Charnae talked about when we were doing the Belt of Truth episode and she literally had me cracking up because she was talking about when she thinks about a belt and how you're trying to walk around, or you're trying to run and you don't have on a belt your pants are falling down all around your ankles and you know you're tripping up or whatever and that's one of the things about Scripture. Scripture gives us that guiding line that we can use and it is part of that support you're talking about. For instance, if someone wants to know how do I get right? How do I even put on my Breastplate of Righteousness. There's a lot of verses that talk about how we get right with God, but one of the most simplest ones that I've found is in Romans 3:22 from the New Living Translation and it says, We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ and this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who they are. And that's the thing, sometimes we feel like we can't come to God because we're not right with him. But when we were having conversation earlier you were talking about how as a believer, can you expound on that?

[00:05:42] Elizabeth: As a believer, first of all, we can only be saved through Christ. And as a believer, the enemy comes to us a lot to tell us that we're not good enough, or we've done this, so we can't go to God, and you can't go to Jesus, and he can't help you. Who are you to ask this because of what you've done? You're not gonna be able to do this because look how you couldn't do this before but the truth of the matter is, is that Jesus was the only perfect being who walked the earth and he died for our sins and through the blood of Jesus we are wiped clean so, through Jesus, our identity is supposed to be that we are the righteousness of God in Jesus. So, as long as we are believers, we have repented of our sins, we are working towards how the Lord would have us live our life. There is nothing we can't go to the Lord for.

[00:06:39] Elizabeth: A lot of times when we' re in turmoil when we feel like we want to go to the Lord. Often times there is a lie that the enemy is giving you that you are believing. But if you can push through that and say, No, I know what the Lord has said about me. I am the Lord's. He is always there with open arms. I can go to him. He will help me. I don't know the scripture, but he is a good, a good, a good help in time or time, I'm not sure.

[00:07:06] Sebra: Oh, I know the one you're talking about. I don't know exactly. Good help in, I don't know. Help, a present help or something like that.

[00:07:12] Elizabeth: Yeah, yes. So, why would that even be in there if you couldn't go to him?

[00:07:16] Sebra: Mm hmm.

[00:07:17] Elizabeth: If you couldn't go to the Lord and say anything.

[00:07:19] Sebra: Mm hmm.

[00:07:20] Elizabeth: But it all stems on being a believer. Obviously, someone who doesn't believe wouldn't think to go there anyway, but I don't know how they make it through all their turmoil cuz I, I couldn't do it.

[00:07:31] Sebra: I don't know either. So I want to take an opportunity right now Just to pray for anyone who may have happened upon this podcast and they're like, okay I don't necessarily believe that Jesus is the only way to God, and I just want to take a moment and just pray, Father we just come before you in the name of your son Jesus Christ, and we just ask Lord God that you would touch the heart of any individual that is listening to this, that they have questions that they can't get answers to, that they don't believe that Jesus is the only way to you, but they need more.

[00:08:05] Sebra: They need something to help them to see you, to understand you. And we know, Father, that you are the only one that can open their eyes. You are the only one that can open their heart. You are the only one that can open their mind, Lord. And we ask, Father, that you would meet them in this moment, and that you would send someone their way that they will know this person came from you and from you alone. Lord, help any person that doesn't know you right now to have an open heart to receive you, Lord. Because at the end of the day, the breastplate of righteousness is about being in right standing with you. And the way we get into right standing with you is through belief in your son, Jesus. So, meet them, Father. Draw them, Father. Help them to understand what it looks like to be your child and in your kingdom and in your family. And this we pray in Jesus name. Amen.

[00:09:01] Elizabeth: Amen,

[00:09:02] Sebra: we were talking in small group one night, and you said how you used to talk at God, but now you talk with God and you used the word intimacy and it kind of blew both of us away because I shared with you how the social media image, to me, just screams intimacy. And so, what changed for you to get to that place of intimacy with God?

[00:09:28] Elizabeth: I would say a lot has changed. I was gifted with always knowing that there was God, but there's a big difference between knowing that God exists and having a relationship with God. Even knowing that you could have a relationship with God. so before, I would just probably rote prayers, that I knew. I don't even know if I really knew how to pray, but I would pray at God. Not really expecting anything. Just because I knew there was a God and I'm quote unquote supposed to pray to God, but I had to be brought basically emotionally to my knees. And thinking okay. I need something.

[00:10:10] Elizabeth: There is something missing. I need something. I need help. There is no one I know that I can look around for the help that I need. I also want to better myself, because I also felt like I had some part to play in the pain I was feeling. and just so happened to have gotten an invitation to small group.

[00:10:33] Elizabeth: And I said, well, that definitely can't hurt. And just learning scripture and pondering it and then after having lessons on it, watch how it also worked in my life because everything that I've learned, I could see it play out in my life. It's interesting how that tends to happen.

[00:10:53] Elizabeth: But I learned that I could go to God. I learned that I could have conversations with God and then try to listen to hear what he had to say. And I know how everybody else hears God is different. I hear him in my mind. I hear him through worship music. I hear him through other things I just randomly hear and how it hits me is letting me know and that's God speaking to me. Because I may be struggling with something or pondering something or something may be heavy on my mind and all of a sudden out of nowhere something comes to me and that can only be God. I don't believe that there's any coincidence with God.

[00:11:33] Elizabeth: How my life has unfolded, the timeliness of what happened when. If it was any other way I, I don't know where I would be. I'd probably be in a loony bin somewhere. Cause it's been very hard. And hard is an understatement. But at one point, there was a lot of fear and worry I had about certain things. And then the way it played out, there was no need for me to worry.

[00:11:59] Elizabeth: Because the Lord brought me to where I, I could handle the things I was worrying about back then and that was just in the very beginning of when I started learning about the Lord. And I've had moments in my life where I needed to do this or that and I didn't have the time to even worry about it.

[00:12:16] Elizabeth: And I said, well, Lord, I don't know how this is gonna happen. You're just gonna have to do this, because there's no way I can. And the Lord did it. So, I know from my experiences. that I can lean on the Lord. And I am definitely not someone who knows the book cover to cover. But through my studies and what I have learned, there are Scriptures that I have learned that are in my Belt of Truth that when I'm feeling like I need something I can go back to and they have been the foundation on helping me have a relationship with the Lord. So now that I pray, I have conversations with the Lord instead of at the Lord.

[00:12:53] Sebra: Mm hmm.

[00:12:55] Elizabeth: And even if I'm in a point where I'm saying, Lord, I don't feel good, I am hurting, I'm still not talking at the Lord. I'm talking with the Lord, expecting to be able to crawl up into his lap and have him help me like he has done time and time again before. So, it was a huge difference.

[00:13:12] Sebra: Yeah, I get that because you and I tend to go through the same or similar things around the same time, if not at the same time. And in that, we're able to come together and support each other. And we're both very open and honest with each other. And I love that relationship. And so, for anybody that's listening, you need somebody that you can go to.

[00:13:34] Sebra: One of the things you always say, stronger together, better together. You need not only that relationship with God, but you need somebody that you can go to when you're in a struggle, when you're in a hard time, so that you can have that heavenly support and that earthly support that's bearing witness to what God is speaking to you.

[00:13:56] Sebra: Normally when we come together and we're having a hard time, you're telling me stuff that God's already kind of been telling me or you'll tell me something that I know it's from the Lord and I'll be like, okay. And often times I'll tell you, I don't need to hear anymore.

[00:14:11] Elizabeth: Yeah.

[00:14:12] Sebra: You know, you'll say it, I don't argue back I just, okay. I hear you.

[00:14:17] Elizabeth: Yeah, a lot of times we get confirmation from each other.

[00:14:20] Sebra: Mmm hmm.

[00:14:21] Elizabeth: But that also is an intimacy that you and I have developed over time.

[00:14:25] Sebra: Yes.

[00:14:26] Elizabeth: Because we're able to be very vulnerable, very transparent with each other. We know there's not going to be any judgment.

[00:14:34] Sebra: Yes.

[00:14:34] Elizabeth: We know that each other has our best interest at heart.

[00:14:38] Sebra: Yes.

[00:14:39] Elizabeth: And we know that if perhaps we're not seeing it from a perspective, or we know that we only see it from our perspective, but we could potentially get another good perspective from the other one. It helps us get out of the spot we're in to be able to come around and see another position and maybe help us go in another way. And, again, the Lord brought me to you. He brought us together. We're definitely stronger together. But he is also the foundation there. So, I think that's also why it works.

[00:15:10] Sebra: Yes. He's the belt that holds it all up.

[00:15:13] Elizabeth: And we're open. We're open to it all. We're open to his truth to come out. Not what we think we may want in the moment or what we think is right, but what does he think is right.

[00:15:25] Sebra: And that goes back to the breastplate of righteousness because the breastplate is intended to protect your heart. So, what's under your breastplate?

[00:15:35] Elizabeth: Right.

[00:15:35] Sebra: And that's what those conversations do. They pull out the hurt. They pull out the anger. They pull out the misconceptions. Because it's really hard. Even if you think about the intimate apparel of the social media image that we have. Don't nobody want to put on a bra over sore breasts.

[00:15:56] Elizabeth: No.

[00:15:57] Sebra: That's just the fact of the matter.

[00:15:59] Elizabeth: No.

[00:15:59] Sebra: And it's the same with your breastplate. This breastplate is given to us by God. It's his breastplate and he gives it to us to protect our heart. And so, He allows us to have those moments where Elizabeth, I'm hurting, Sebra, I'm hurting. And we have these open honest conversations that we cannot have if we were both putting up walls and right. Well, no, you can't talk to me like that. Or, you know, all of those things

[00:16:30] Elizabeth: right, but it's also how you say it. Like if you said, well, why are you seeing it like that versus, why are you seeing it like that? It's so different, because of where we're trying to be rooted in.

[00:16:39] Sebra: When you're rooted in truth, you receive truth differently.

[00:16:43] Elizabeth: Correct.

[00:16:44] Sebra: But when you're rooted in a lie, truth hurts worse. It's gonna hurt anyway. That's why he tells us speak the truth in love.

[00:16:53] Elizabeth: Yes.

[00:16:53] Sebra: But, just recently, you asked me a very difficult question and you didn't even know how to ask it. And when you asked it, I was like, enough said.

[00:17:04] Elizabeth: But that also was the question that just kind of came to me, and I'm like, oh, I'm supposed to ask her that. I don't know if I want to ask her that answer. I don't know if I want to ask her that. And I'm like, okay, alright, if I'm supposed to help her in any way, I have to ask her that.

[00:17:22] Sebra: And you did, and it did help me. So, that's the kind of relationship that is reflected on earth.

[00:17:28] Elizabeth: Right.

[00:17:29] Sebra: But it begins with him.

[00:17:31] Elizabeth: Right.

[00:17:31] Sebra: And that's the kind of relationship that a secure breastplate will let us have with him. And there's nothing that I can think of that's better.

[00:17:44] Elizabeth: No.

[00:17:44] Sebra: Because in my deepest, darkest, Lord, I don't know, I don't know what else I'm gonna do. I don't know how I'm gonna do this. I don't know how I'm gonna get through this. And I crawl up in his lap and I'm just honest with him. And once I'm honest with him, then he will open the door for me to be honest with someone else.

[00:18:04] Elizabeth: Yep, Yep

[00:18:05] Sebra: and so that's the fellowship and the friendship that I want to emphasize. And I want to go back for a second and also talk about how you said you may not know the Bible from cover to cover, but you have some verses. that you go back to. And one of the previous episodes I talked about having life verses or at least a life verse. And it's very important to have those verses that keep you rooted and grounded that are tucked into your belt so that when your breastplate it's like, little tight, doesn't fit right.

[00:18:39] Sebra: You know, you can go back to those things and then you can dismantle. what the enemy is telling you, because you hear this one voice that's saying to you, you're no good or you're such a failure or whatever it's saying. But then those verses that you've tucked in your belt will sneak into your heart and say, no, but here's the truth.

[00:19:01] Elizabeth: Right. And that's another thing. When you have thoughts in your head to know whether they're from God or not is do they align with the word?

[00:19:10] Sebra: Yes.

[00:19:10] Elizabeth: If there are thoughts telling you you're no good nowhere in the Bible. Does he ever tell you that you're no good? If you're hearing that you're not worthy never in the Bible does he say that you're not worthy. He says through Christ, we are washed clean, so he's never gonna tell you something that will make you question whether it's true or not because you can tell whether it's true if you go back to the Bible and it aligns with that.

[00:19:34] Sebra: I think something that caught me one time, somebody was saying something and the did God really say? And I said, well, is God going to ask you, did God really say, or is that like the serpent in the Garden of Eden when he asked Eve, did God really say? So, a lot of times when I'm finding myself questioning something and saying, but did God really say?

[00:19:56] Sebra: If I have to ask the question, did God really say, then I'm probably listening to the wrong voice in that moment. And then I just need to go back and confirm what did I really hear so that I'm not just taking it for granted. But yeah, so in talking about having our breastplate on, how do you know when you have your breastplate on?

[00:20:15] Elizabeth: Well, I know more when I don't have it on, because I am affected more by things that come at me. I do know that your mind holds a lot of what you know, but your heart holds a lot of what you believe. So, it's the source of your thoughts, your attitudes, your beliefs, your actions.

[00:20:36] Elizabeth: And if my breastplate is not on good, it could even be, maybe not even all the way up, so it's not covering me correctly, then I may hear something or see something and depending on where I'm sitting, because that's the truth for everyone, depending on where and how you're sitting at the moment, it will hit me differently.

[00:20:56] Elizabeth: I may be offended or angered or hurt. Like why would they say something like that about me or why is this happening to me? But if I have on my breastplate. Then I remember the word that the Lord will never forsake me. I know who I am in Christ. I know that the Lord will never leave me in a place without having a way out for me.

[00:21:20] Elizabeth: There are things that I know from studying and from lessons that we've done that I can go back to, to hold me up where the other things that are trying to hurt my heart would be pulling me down.

[00:21:31] Sebra: Yeah, it's always going back to what is the truth of the situation that I'm in. I think you said it earlier, either while we've been recording or when we were discussing before recording or when I failed to hit record on the first recording. Life happens y'all.

[00:21:51] Elizabeth: Yes.

[00:21:52] Sebra: but you talked about the deception and the lie of the enemy that you hear and then having to replace it with the truth. And I know that that was one of the very first things that God did with me when it came time for him to help me overcome the anger. He was teaching me, what is this lie that you're hearing? What is it that's triggering you to act the way that you're acting, that's causing you to have these outbursts of anger?

[00:22:15] Sebra: And as he started showing me what those things were, and then he began to replace them with, here's what I say about that? So next time you want to throw something at your husband, I want you to go do something in love. I want you to go be kind.

[00:22:28] Elizabeth: Right. Yes.

[00:22:29] Sebra: Well, it's hard to stay angry. If you're having to walk in love towards somebody.

[00:22:34] Elizabeth: Right, right. Well, there's so much I can say about that. First of all, let me jump back a little bit because I don't know if I said the Scripture. I'm not sure what version it is, but Proverbs 4:23 says, Above all else, guard your heart for everything you do flows from it. And above all else. That's how important it is.

[00:22:56] Elizabeth: But to go to your point, if you don't have Scriptures in your Belt of Truth to help support your breastplate, then you're out there dangling. You're more apt to believe the lies. If you're hearing something that inspires fear, and you don't have, I haven't given you a spirit of fear, but one of sound mind. And I'm not saying, it is very human to have worries and fears. But there's Scriptures in there. Don't borrow worries from tomorrow. Today has enough of its own tribulations.

[00:23:27] Elizabeth: If you don't know things like that, to try to fall back onto, that's what it means by guard your heart, is remembering the truths that you've learned, so that you don't get swallowed up by these things that are trying to deceive you, to lie to you, to keep you from your purpose, because that's what it comes down to.

[00:23:47] Elizabeth: And you wouldn't have trials and tribulations if you weren't worth going after. So, remember again who you are. God loves you so much that he said no, I will pay for your sins. All you need to do is believe in me and repent. I've got you.

[00:24:05] Sebra: So you've used the word repent a few times and I want to make sure that we clarify, from a broad scope, what repent means is to recognize that I am born a sinner because of what happened in the Garden of Eden and because of that, if I want to reestablish the connection with God that was broken in the Garden of Eden, it's not achieved anymore by sacrifices that we see in the Bible.

[00:24:33] Sebra: It's done now by repenting to God for our sins and saying that we believe that his son paid the price for our sins. And so now that's how we get to have that relationship back with him. Okay.

[00:24:47] Elizabeth: Correct. And I don't want anybody to be feeling bad saying, Oh my gosh, I'm just so awful and I don't repent. But here's the thing the Lord knows our heart. He knows us. And he knows that we are flawed. He knows that we are going to sin. It is our nature. and I think if anyone is the hardest on us, it's probably ourselves. The hardest person to forgive is ourself. It's so much easier for me to forgive somebody else than myself. Like, I should have known better, right?

[00:25:17] Sebra: Mm hmm.

[00:25:18] Elizabeth: But that again is a lie. Yeah, I should have known better. Okay. Yeah, but I am not perfect, so I truly believe that is always a work in process. It's always something we're striving for. We're never going to get to be perfect. And I think if we're always working towards that, that's what it means to try to be doing, to try to be more like Jesus, to be working towards that, because we're not going to make it. We’re not made perfect.

[00:25:41] Sebra: We are perfected in him and through him, but not in and through ourselves.

[00:25:47] Elizabeth: Right. So, there's nothing we can do to make us perfect.

[00:25:51] Sebra: Exactly.

[00:25:51] Elizabeth: If you're trying to do, you will wear yourself out. Trying to do.

[00:25:55] Sebra: I think you said it earlier when you were talking about intimacy and when you are not establishing that relationship and creating that intimacy, you end up trying to have that relationship with God through works by trying to gain his approval versus when you have that intimacy, when you have your breastplate on, when you know that your belief in his son, Jesus is what makes you right with him. Everything you do flows from that rather than trying to get that. You know you already have it.

[00:26:35] Elizabeth: And it leaves you open to try to be guided by him instead of going on your own inclination. And I think that's how we get tripped up. Because we're always trying so hard to do the right thing, we're focused on what we're trying to do instead of trying to hear and be guided.

[00:26:55] Elizabeth: And I do feel like we're very, yes we have emotions, but I think we're very intuitive creatures as well. And if we open ourselves up to hear and we want to hear, we will hear. Ask you shall receive, right?

[00:27:08] Sebra: Mmm hmm. It's a huge difference because I know I was very works oriented in much of my relationship with God. And honestly, it's only been within the last year or so that I've even begun to learn how to move away from trying to earn and gain his approval, which might be why this episode has been so hard for me because my breastplate was not secure. Maybe it wasn't even on because I was trying to put it on myself, from a works mentality.

[00:27:36] Sebra: But now that I have that clear vision, I have that clear understanding. And when I say the word vision, that's how I hear from God. I tend to hear from God visually and then the thought and the words will come and explain what I'm seeing, or if I hear the thoughts and the words first, I have to be able to visualize it in order to understand it.

[00:27:58] Sebra: I have to have both because if I can't see it, I can't work with it. But the simplicity of Romans 3:22, you are made right with God by your belief in his son, Jesus. It doesn't get any simpler than that. And everything now for me is I'm not trying to gain love. I'm not trying to earn his love. My whole thing now is, Lord, how do I walk this out in a way that is loving and honoring to you and also recognizing I'm not perfect. Nobody else is perfect. So how do we accept each other for who we are and work through the kinks in the relationship? And I have been blessed with you. I have been blessed with Charnae as two women who are walking this walk with me and really helping me learn how to do that. And for that I am immensely and forever grateful.

[00:28:58] Elizabeth: I think one of the things too that I learned being in this group is that everybody is at a different point in their journey. Everybody had different skill sets and different gifts, and you can't expect anyone else to be where you are, so as you're dealing with people knowing that we're all flawed there's going to be mistakes there's going to be things that don't go right and we are to give as much grace as we have been given to those around us yes which is not always easy when our breastplate’s not all the way on

[00:29:33] Sebra: Yes. So, the image, okay y'all I'm not crazy, but to make a visual point, when you are well endowed and you don't have on your bra,

[00:29:46] Elizabeth: you're exposed,

[00:29:47] Sebra: you're exposed and they are flapping all over the place, and if you don't have on a good sports bra, you are not gonna be able to run, you're not gonna be able to exercise, you're not gonna be able to do anything strenuous because you're not supported but when you have on your bra you have on that support.

[00:30:06] Elizabeth: I also heard the word secure.

[00:30:08] Sebra: Yes, you're not secure and you're not supported and those are two things that we get with a good breastplate.

[00:30:14] Elizabeth: The word secure has two different meanings.

[00:30:16] Sebra: Uh oh, come on with it.

[00:30:17] Elizabeth: Because you're held securely but if you're not internally secure then things are going to hit you differently and how you react to them is going to be different than if you're secure.

[00:30:28] Sebra: Yes, exactly. So, bringing this to a close. What would be your one pearl of wisdom that you want to share with other people?

[00:30:37] Elizabeth: My pearl of wisdom would be, if you feel like you're in turmoil, then turn to God however that looks to you, whether it's going to the word, whether it's singing worship music, whatever is your go to, to bring you closer to God so that he can help you tighten your breastplate. That's, what I think would be my pearl of wisdom. That's the only thing that's helped me.

[00:30:57] Sebra: And sometimes it's a little bit of all of that. Sometimes it's even sitting in silence.

[00:31:02] Elizabeth: It's getting counsel from someone you trust, not regular counsel, godly counsel, and there is a difference.

[00:31:10] Sebra: Yes, there is. Before I share my Something to Ponder, I want to encourage everyone to do three things. One, as always, study for yourself. There is connectivity between each piece of the armor. But there's also connectivity between the Parable of the Sower and the Seed and the armor.

[00:31:32] Sebra: So, when we're talking about the breastplate, there is a corresponding soil that goes with that. And that would be Wayside Wendy. Because when you're trying to connect the truth that you know, to the truth that you understand in your heart, that's what Wendy needs. She needs to understand that truth that she's put in her belt. And it needs to be heart knowledge. Yes. It needs to be something that she knows in the recesses and the deep, deep parts of her heart.

[00:32:05] Sebra: The same way I've had to learn in the recesses and the deep, deep parts of my heart that my belief in Jesus is why I am in right standing with God, so I can move out of that Wayside Wendy, that, Wayside soil and move forward in the next piece of the armor and in who we are in these soils.

[00:32:28] Sebra: That's why it's important to study these things for yourself because God might show you something that he's not shown us because we do not have the end all, be all, last bit of knowledge on any of this. We are just really trying to share the things that we have learned and that we have gained because a lot of times in that gaining understanding people will say, and I said it myself so many times, but how? I'll hear something, but how? And that's where the understanding comes in because in that understanding you gain your how.

[00:32:59] Sebra: The first thing is study for yourself. You can find the Parable of the Sower and the Seed in Matthew chapter 13, in Mark chapter four and in Luke chapter eight, and you can find the Armor of God in Ephesians chapter six, in verses 10 through 18.

[00:33:16] Sebra: The second thing I really encourage you to take notes on the episode, write down your questions, go back, look at the scripture, ask yourself questions, and even share things with us on social media that as you're going through and you're taking notes and you're like, okay, but what about this? Share those things with us because we'd love to hear them.

[00:33:38] Sebra: Another reason why it's important to take notes is because if you want to accept the truth, you have to remember the truth. And the easiest way to remember something is to write it down. It's something about that visual connection between seeing it written and the process of writing it that connects it to your mind and helps you to remember it.

[00:33:57] Elizabeth: And I would even read it aloud because you're seeing it, you're hearing it, and you're writing it, so you're getting it several different ways. But also what is that word about hearing by the Word.

[00:34:09] Sebra: Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Yes. Yes. Yes. So, study it, write it, speak it, read it, all of that. And then the last thing that I would like to encourage people to do is find those verses for you, those life verses that you can tuck in your belt that will inform your breastplate so that you can operate from a place of knowing that you have acknowledged Jesus as your savior because you've repented for your sin.

[00:34:42] Sebra: You have given him full authority over your life to help you look more and more like him, to know that the father, when he looks at you, he loves you. And to be able to walk in that truth because from that place of security.

[00:34:58] Elizabeth: Right. But let me add, and because you know him, he knows you.

[00:35:02] Sebra: Yes. Yes. So, all of that. Study, take notes, and gather your personal verses that speak to you to help you not only have on your belt, but to have your breastplate secure. And from that point, I want to share my something to ponder. My something to ponder comes from how to protect our heart and how to know what's going on in our heart and it's the exercise that we used to do called name that arrow.

[00:35:29] Sebra: Whenever something is coming at you that is causing you to react in a way that is filled with anger, filled with hurt, filled with anxiety or anything else that causes you to react versus being able to take time to respond, take a moment and name that arrow.

[00:35:50] Elizabeth: Which I would even go deeper than that because sometimes you can say, oh, it's pride or insecurity or whatever. Okay, yeah, but where is it stemming from? Because we've talked about roots and it goes back and oftentimes it goes back to your childhood. There's something that it started with and if you can figure out where it started then you can know where forgiveness needs to be had and how you can get started being healed from that and that makes it easier to either avoid or not be affected by those arrows. At least as much.

[00:36:22] Sebra: Exactly. Cause the arrow's going to hit.

[00:36:24] Elizabeth: Yes.

[00:36:25] Sebra: It's what are you going to do with it once it hits? Are you going to allow it to make you step outside of your character or are you going to allow it to help you to grow, to produce fruit, on the seeds of God's word that have been planted in your heart or cause you to listen to God for what seeds needs to be planted in the soil of your heart so you can produce a different harvest the next time.

[00:36:53] Elizabeth: Right. When you said character, I heard what character are you wanting to have? Because if you sit with oh, that's just who I am then there's not growth. If you know who you want to be and that's not a part of who you want to be, then you're gonna work towards doing that. There's so much going on in our society right now and we're talking about how the shape of the world, the shape of the people and how we want everything to be better.

[00:37:22] Elizabeth: Well, being better starts with you. And how you want others to be is how you should be trying to be, but how you would want to be treated is just the golden rule, right? Do unto others as you would have done unto you. That starts with you and your character, the person you want to be. And that means that you need to have a secure breastplate.

[00:37:42] Sebra: and not expect someone else to do unto you the same way because that creates a lot of chaos and confusion. Correct. Be who you are. Right. Regardless of who somebody else presents themselves to be. Correct. Because we never know what they might be going through.

[00:37:57] Elizabeth: Correct. Yeah, who you are should never depend on who someone else is to you.

[00:38:03] Sebra: And all of that is something to ponder. Yep. Name your arrow. Mm hmm. Find your root. Mm hmm. Ask yourself, What fruit do I want to produce? Exactly. To become who I want to be.

[00:38:18] Elizabeth: Yes

[00:38:20] Sebra: Father we come to you in the name of Jesus. We thank you. We thank you for this moment. We thank you for this recording We pray over every, every heart that hears this. And forgive us, Lord, we prayed before we started recording, but we did not pray in the recording. So, forgive us for that, because that has been something we have committed to do in this season. Father, we just release this into your hands for you to plant the seeds. where you know they need to be planted for you to help that person tend to the soil of their heart so they can produce the fruit and the harvest in your season that you have already ordained to be produced. We love you. We thank you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

[00:39:07] Elizabeth: Amen

[00:39:09] Khara: Thank you for listening to the Raising Godly Women podcast and taking this journey with us to be Titus Two women. We pray that the seeds of God's Word shared today fell on good soil. That soil is in your heart. Now we hope that through today's pearls of wisdom, you have gained the tools to help you become stronger, to help you become more confident in your everyday life, most especially as it relates to your walk with Christ.

[00:39:32] Khara: We also hope that you will share your tools with those who are younger in age, or even maybe younger in faith and help them become stronger and confident, so that they can share with other women passing on the baton to the generation behind them. Just imagine the ripple effect our sharing can have, not only in our generation, but also in the generations to come to build and strengthen the body of Christ as we all come together to empower each other.

[00:39:57] Khara: So, until we meet again, feel free to join the Raising Godly Women community. Let's talk about your connection with this episode on social media, you can find us on Facebook and Instagram at Raising Godly Women dot RGW. Be sure to tag us because we love to have you connect and be a part of the family. And on that note, may you prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers, Shalom daughters of God Shalom.