Ephesians 6:14 Then stand firm, "having girded your loins about with truth" and having put "on the breastplate of righteousness,"
The first instruction in verse 14 is to stand. The word used here means to make a stand, make firm, to be of a steadfast mind, one who does not hesitate or waiver. The only way to stand firmly against the enemy is to put on the armor of God. The first piece of armor is the girdle.
The girdle was designed to keep the rest of the armor in place. It was also used for carrying money, swords, and writing materials. It was also designed to keep the lower part of the body protected from wounds that could easily cause pain and incapacity. It was usually made of iron or steel.
Our best defense in the Christian battle is to protect ourselves with Truth. Truth is what keeps our defenses, or armor in place, and therefore provides a consistency and firmness in our conduct. Truth is what keep a person from careless views of morals and values, which then leaves the person open to every temptation the devil sends their way. Truth keeps a person sincere, constant, firm, and always on guard for anything that will come between that person and God. The person who has no strong, steady beliefs of what is truth is an easy target for the devil. That person is quickly confused and brought down to lower levels.
The breastplate, or coat of mail, consisted of two parts called wings. One part covered the front and the other the back as far down as the front extended. It protected the heart and other major organs of the body. It was made of rings or in the form of scales or plates, fastened in a way that would make it flexible, yet still guard the body from a sword, arrow, or spear.
The Christian breastplate is of righteousness. The attributes of “righteousness” are integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling, and acting. So imagine the different scales or plates of the breastplate being made up of those attributes, which will protect us from the assaults or arrows of the devil. A lack of any of these attributes would be the same as a defective breastplate and would leave the person exposed to the attacks of the enemy.
1 Kings 22:34 tells of a king who was killed when an arrow hit him between the joints in his armor. The Christian can be hit by an arrow of the enemy when they become over-confident because they have the armor, but don't keep it in repair. The Christian armor is kept in repair by spending time every single day with God. We need that time in prayer and study to strengthen and repair the armor. It is only through the righteousness of our Savior, Jesus, that we are made safe from the attacks of the devil.