Chapter 5: THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

PART 1

THE HALLWAY LACED with tree roots seemed much brighter after the interrogation room. The escape had left me shaken, but I was comforted by Ruach waiting for me. He dusted me off as if removing all that might be clinging to me after passing through the Thieves' Market.

"You did well, Anna," He said, then quickly changed gears. "Now, there is no time to waste." "But Ruach," I cut in, "what about all those in cages?" "Your full armor has not been tested, Anna. There may be weaknesses."

"But David went up against the giant with nothing but a slingshot." "David was not in untested armor," He said. "Besides, he had killed both the lion and the bear. Have you killed the lion and the bear?" "No," I said slowly. "Zeal," He said, "will not take the place of zeal tempered by wisdom and training. Your time will come." I was a bit distracted because I wanted to peek at my Father's cloak to see if there was a change. This action was interrupted, however.

Suddenly a beautiful angel appeared before me. She looked young and fresh, with straight golden hair that flowed down her back to her heels. Her electric-white garment looked Roman-but the Rome of an earlier time, perhaps of the Caesars. Her sandals were as golden as her hair. Light radiated from her head, hands, and feet. Appearing with her was a spirit about six and a half feet tall. His outline was blue, and his attire looked straight and simple. He was almost only an impression. (I say this because I could see right through him.) Ruach continued, "I have asked these two helpers to accompany you through the areas ahead. This is Chastity and the Spirit of Counsel. You will need both to pass through the next chambers." Both bowed their heads in recognition of being introduced. The Spirit of Counsel, seeming to have seniority, spoke: "We are honored to be given this task." I looked quizzically toward Ruach, who responded, "The testing of the breastplate is crucial, for you must pass through the heart." "But a heart that is resistant," added the Spirit of Counsel. Chastity reached to check my breastplate's straps to be sure they were secure. "May I?" she inquired. I nodded my acceptance as she began to pull and yank. She added, "A heart that is hardened, divided, at times-wicked." "You have no time to waste," interjected Ruach. "Well then, shall we go, Anna?" the Spirit of Counsel asked. Chastity leaned over with her hand still on one buckle of the breastplate. "Believe nothing the flesh suggests to you," she whispered. "With the Lord's help," I answered them both, then exhaled deeply-as if readying myself for an Olympic sprint.

We stepped toward the entrance of the chamber housing the next trial. "The Lord is adding grace to you before this challenge. You now have grace upon grace," Chastity quietly confided. Before I had time to contemplate the meaning of this, we were at the entry door. Over the doorway was a large, florid sign, beautifully executed with swirls of gold and scarlet. Right in the center of all this excessive swirling (and almost hidden by it) was the word "Lust." Before I could truly register what I had seen, we were sucked forcibly into an anteroom, which I somehow knew represented the upper chamber of one side of the heart. The light available came from Chastity's head, hands, and feet. Therefore, the reach of the light was shallow at best, leaving most of the chamber in a spotty half-light. Chastity led the way so that we could walk without groping. However, as my eyes adjusted, I could see people encased in the walls. Their arms were unhindered, and their faces were partially exposed. Their eyes followed us as we passed, and they reached out in some desperate need to touch us.

Seductive whispers began to run along the wall. "You can try it," one whispered. "Come on, no one will know." At first, I did not understand their meaning. "It's dark here," another chuckled seductively. "Come on," someone urged greasily. "No one will see you," another hissed. I began to understand. My conscience rose to resist. "No one," someone breathed. "You want to know how it feels," another slimed. The seductive tone of their voices lulled and caressed. Despite myself, it was beginning to draw me. Somehow, I felt myself drift into a half stupor. Without knowing it, I moved closer to the wall. A hand brushed my arm. It felt natural, acceptable. "Do not let them pull you, Anna," Chastity whispered. "Come on," another urged. "Let's," was breathed. "You want to..." a voice chuckled. The whispers did not bounce off me. Instead, like long, invisible fingers, they slid right into my heart. More hands were being placed on me, soothing me-coaxing me-making me less sensitive to being defiled. They could tell I was curious. "But it feels good..." "Anna," the Spirit of Counsel interjected. His voice was sidetracked, for my mind had begun to drift. It was entertaining the idea that I could go a little further just to see how it felt, and then, before I could not stop myself, pull back. "More," I thought. "Anna," Chastity said out loud. "Not all the way," I said within. More arms were pulling me to the wall. My legs began to buckle, and my eyes glazed over. "Anna!" A sharp tone from the Spirit of Counsel jarred. I blinked back into reality. "I..." I scrambled internally to pull myself from the quicksand of their arms. "Fight them," Chastity urged. "Fight!" the Spirit of Counsel added forcefully. I began to extract myself from the hands pulling at me, and even though my sword felt heavier than a truck, I unsheathed it. I felt weak and was struggling to catch my breath, for I was conflicted. With all the strength I could muster, I lifted the sword over my head. The room flooded with light like the noonday. Those in the walls recoiled into shadows like sea urchins retracting their tentacles from harm.

The sight strengthened me. "Stand back," I shouted huskily, "in the name of Jesus!" Then my voice became clearer and stronger as I continued: "This body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, and you will not defile it! Leave me-in Jesus' name." Holding the sword aloft, I stumbled backward, smashing into what seemed to be a valve.

Suddenly, all three of us were sucked through this valve-like curtain that closed very firmly behind us. I turned quickly to see that there was no way out. A sign on the membrane read: "No Exit." I needed air. I bent over like a runner that had completed a hard race. I was dazed and disoriented. I understood why I needed greater grace. The Spirit of Counsel comforted me by saying, "The next challenge will not be as difficult." I lifted my head to look at him. "Why?" I panted. "Because you passed the first part of the test." As I looked up, I continued to sheath my sword. "I mean, why was that so difficult?" "Because it was attacking your body-the house you live in," he answered, "part of your human nature, which is animal." My spirit was bruised from the encounter. My companions could see that I needed time to catch my breath.

Chastity continued, "Many believe their body is their own and they can do with it as they please." "But they are wrong," the Spirit of Counsel added. "The body is not mankind's amusement park." "It belongs to the Lord," Chastity said. "He bought it with His blood."

"He owns these bodies now, and therefore they are encoded with His standards. Since entering the family of the living God, lasciviousness and filthiness are not a part of your spiritual DNA," the Spirit of Counsel said. "If a child of God goes against the encoded standards, self-loathing is often the result, unless your conscience is seared." "And uncleanness disqualifies the Lord's soldier from battle-and our God needs you for the battle," Chastity added. "For this reason, He has given you His righteousness as a breastplate to cover your heart and conscience." "For the Word says that the righteous are bold as a lion," the Spirit of Counsel said. "The enemy does not need to kill you if he can disqualify you-leave you feeling guilty, for the guilty are always hiding and afraid. If he can disqualify you, you are as good as dead before the fight. That is the reason satan will allow you to be anything but truly holy. The Lord needs holy warriors for a holy war."

"Thank you both for helping me," I said. I shook my head, trying to think of something else to say. "That was difficult." They both put an arm around my back and sort of jostled me. "Now, Anna," they both soothed, "we are doing this together, are we not?" "Yes," I said-then with a bit more steel up my spine, I nodded my head decisively and repeated: "Yes, we are!" "That's the spirit!" they chimed in together. After squaring my shoulders, I turned on my heel and faced the meadow that lay before me. The outdoor billboard read: "Welcome Goat Ropers." In smaller lettering, I saw the word "Academy" under the gargantuan welcome. "Let's go," I said abruptly, trying to put all of "that" behind me. With decisiveness, I stepped forward. Together, we began walking down into a lush meadow. "Goat ropers, isn't that a sort of slang term for a cowboy?" I asked as we walked.

"Not these," the Spirit of Counsel said. "This is an academy to train Judas goats to rope in the sheep." I stopped dead in my tracks. "What?" I exclaimed. "Oh, yes," Chastity said. "The enemy finds them useful." "But no child of God would be willing to learn how to lead their friends to slaughter," I said and then began walking again. "Most pretend not to know. The goats don't want to know," Chastity said. "But there is a gnawing feeling in the back of their minds," added the Spirit of Counsel. "Still..." I shook my head. "How can anyone justify leading God's people to slaughter?"

"Compromise," Chastity and the Spirit of Counsel said together. "They decide that getting along with mankind is more important than righteousness toward God," the Spirit of Counsel said. "They don't want to ruffle feathers. They want everything to be 'nice,'" added Chastity. "They have convinced themselves that if everything is pleasant, they have fulfilled Christian love." "And because the sheep know them and even love them," the Spirit of Counsel said. "Yes!" said Chastity. "Forgive me for breaking in, but Judas goats are always so loving, agreeable-attractive even-that the enemy uses them as bait to draw in others." "To their spiritual death at times," the Spirit of Counsel added.

As we walked down the lush embankment, we caught sight of different pastures as the sheep moved to gather around that pasture's goat. We could tell that they loved their goat. In the distance, a goat was leading a flock of sheep. The sign on the building to which they were being led read: "Slaughterhouse." "We must stop them!" I said with great alarm. "No, Anna, they would not hear you," Chastity said. "They can only hear their goat, for the goat's very presence makes everything seem alright." "But-" I interjected. "Later, Anna," the Spirit of Counsel said. We watched as the goat led the sheep into the Slaughterhouse. Almost immediately, the goat came out of an exit on the other end. The goat was welcomed by a demon posing as a man. It was praised and given delectable treats as it too was then led away. I said, "The goat lives another day to lead new friends to their doom." "Yes," said Chastity. After a pause, the Spirit of Counsel sighed, "Come, Anna." We turned to face the entrance to a garden. The walkway was flanked by two stone obelisks covered with mirrors. Beyond these lay what seemed to be an English country garden. The sign over the entrance read: "The Garden of Worldly Delights." I did not try to peek at the cloak given to me by my Father, for I was saddened by my struggle in the heart's upper chamber and concerned that the struggle had hindered in some way the conversion of the light into jewels on the Father's mantle. "Come along, Anna," the Spirit of Counsel urged. "More awaits you in the lower chamber of the heart."