Jesus, getting the breastplate of righteousness looks a lot like a catch 22 situation. I can’t HAVE the breastplate of righteousness without putting other’s problems and needs alongside my own worries concerning this life. And, I can’t successfully resist my own worries concerning this life without me HAVING the breastplate of righteousness. Show me how salvation is doing its usual work of helping me put it on. Help me know that I already have the breastplate of righteousness; I just have to put it on. Make it clear that I got it when I was saved. You wouldn’t tell me to put it on, if I didn’t have it to put on.

This righteousness from God comes through faith in You, Jesus, because I believe (Rom 3a:22). Help me live on the basis of the fact that it isn’t an issue of me getting it. Help me make it a matter of putting it on, keeping it on, developing it into a high quality armament, and using it with supernatural skill through faith in You.

Jesus, sometimes I don’t know that when I offer myself to someone to obey him as a slave, I am a slave to the one whom I obey--whether I am a slave to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness (Rom 6:16)?

Jesus, teach me how to get involved in this obedience process whereby I put on the breastplate of righteousness. Help me be involved because it leads to righteousness. But, getting involved is what I have been trying to do all along. It feels like I keep getting to this place again and again. I can’t put the breastplate of righteousness on without being obedient to You; and, I can’t be obedient of You without having it on. Show me how Your disciples allowed themselves to be exposed to You ministry and found themselves growing in their ability to obey. Let me take a look at Your disciples as they went through the process of putting their breastplate of righteousness on.

Jesus, I see You as You got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then You sat down and taught the people from the boat.

When You had finished speaking, You said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Then Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets.” Then I see that when they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break (Luke 5:3-6). This helps me see that obedience to Your words produces results in my life.

Jesus, at first there has been a little resistance from me against what You tell me; I can’t just obey. I find myself having to explain things to You that You already know. I find myself saying things to You like: “Master, I’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.” And, You already knew I had worked hard all night and hadn’t caught anything. Help me learn how to just trust You and not argue with You.

Help me not explain things to You like: “Jesus, I have to pay my bills.” When You tell me to do something that I have tried already, help me not find it necessary to explain it to You. Since this is characteristic of a beginning “obeyer,” help me grow in my relationship with You. Help me learn that You know my needs and problems. Help me see that You are trying to show me how to get them solved. If I obey You and do what You ask me to do, I will start to experience Your provisions and get my breastplate of righteousness on.

Jesus, When Your disciples went ahead and did what You told them to do, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. Let this type of experience be the time when I start learning to do what I am told. As I tell You things You already know, but, I go ahead and obey You, I EXPERIENCE the results from my obedience. As I experience the results of my obedience, let it give me the power to stop explaining things and just do it.