By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church
Every day, you’re marching into a battle—whether you realize it or not. The question is: are you armored up, or are you walking into a war zone wearing flip-flops and good intentions? Religion alone won’t save you. It will load you down with rules while leaving your heart exposed. Wisdom, however—the real, raw kind that comes from fearing the Lord—will armor you up as you walk on the right path. It will train you to live well, fight smart, and win eternally (Proverbs 4:7).
Listen carefully: you can’t walk two roads at once. You either follow Jesus on the narrow path of righteousness or stumble down the highway of wickedness. One leads to despair, shame, and foolishness. The other? Fulfillment, flourishing, and victory as a fully alive human being (Psalm 1:6).
Christianity is less about becoming religious and more about embracing your full humanity—standing strong in the incredible life that God designed just for you (John 10:10). That’s why the Breastplate of Righteousness (Ephesians 6:14) is more than just a nice accessory; it’s your essential defense in this amazing journey. It’s important to stay on the offensive, though, letting God’s truth, when it’s within us, empower us to engage confidently, so we don’t need to approach life defensively. We’re meant to thrive, not just survive!
You don’t start with Plato with wisdom. You begin with King Solomon—the OG (Original Giant) of godly wisdom (1 Kings 3:12), from whom Jesus understood it. Hebrew wisdom, or Khokmah, isn’t just “knowing stuff.” It’s doing life skillfully—applying God’s truth when it’s hard, inconvenient, and costly.
Here’s the combat strategy or path: Trust God first (Proverbs 3:5–6). Fear the Lord with holy awe (Proverbs 9:10), and live out righteousness boldly (1 John 3:7). The fear of the Lord is your starting block. It’s not terror—it’s a gut-level, soul-deep respect that says, “God’s definitions are final. Mine aren’t.” It’s laying down your homemade standards of right and wrong and picking up King Jesus’ standards—no negotiations. The Breastplate of Righteousness is part of your daily uniform. It protects your heart from the world’s lies and your own worst instincts, as you walk the wisdom path. It keeps the fiery darts of foolishness from burning a hole in your soul (Proverbs 2:7–9).
Here’s how you gear up every day: Strap on reverence — Acknowledge God first in everything you think, say, and do (Proverbs 1:7). Sharpen your wisdom edge — Read Proverbs like it’s your daily battle manual. One chapter a day keeps foolishness away (Proverbs 8:11). Move with purpose — Practice righteousness like you mean it. Not perfection—progress (1 John 3:7). Guard your heart like a fortress — What you love shapes who you become. Choose wisely (Proverbs 4:23). Stick to your Commander-in-Chief — Stay close to Jesus, your King, your Wisdom, and your Righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30).
The battle cry: Fasten that Breastplate of Righteousness today and every day. Half-hearted armor leads to full-on disaster. This world doesn’t need more casual Christians—it needs warriors of wisdom and righteousness who stand when others fall. Choose the path of wisdom. Stand tall. Fight smart. Live well. Your heart—and the hearts you’re called to influence—depend on it. March on!
Oh yeah…Stay salty. Shine bright. Suit up.
Pastor Drake
To enjoy more of Drake’s content and conversations, CLICK HERE to connect with his podcast, “Just Sayin’ with Pastor Drake.”
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