Thank God for those people, who God has called to build up our breastplate of righteousness.

I can feel, almost tangibly, when the chinks on my breastplate of righteousness are falling off. God's Word is faithful and reminds us to put on the whole armor of God. When I hear the brethren sing to God's glory of the truths of scripture, it seems as though my breastplate is being reinforced. The fiery darts of the wicked one come in and burn and bruise and make me sore. The songs of faith and truth strengthen my heart and my faith. The scriptures tell us to be filled with the spirit singing to one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord is essential for those whose hearts are downcast. There is a verse that says not to sing songs to a heavy heart and I have had that experience, as well. A heart so heavy with cares and pain that it cannot see a day when it could sing. God's healing came in spite of myself and it often came through the songs of the believers injected into my soul. I do remember, at my son's funeral, my knees were unable to stand. I felt that I would faint, any moment. The first hymn of the congregation seemed to come into my soul and body and strengthen my knees to stand and then to walk and even to stand at the cemetary. It was the song of the redeemed, I didn't want to hear it. I didn't want to be there. My body was completely given over to the grief. God used the means of the songs in the service to strengthen body and soul. Rarely, are we called to go through those kinds of seasons of unbelief and grief, thanks to God's mercy. But God has the remedy for our griefs and woes and unbelief. He uses the people of God. Songs that they have written. Voices annointed to minister for His faithfulness, instruments playing skillfully for His glory strengthen, encourage, build up and convict us; building our breastplate of righteousness. I think that we will see our armor, when we get to heaven and we will see, what we did to build and strengthen our armor and that which we have done to break down the armor that we have. I pray that we will be found faithful, in that day.