#134 - Kyle Thompson // St. Patrick’s Breastplate: The Deer’s Cry

Summary

The Daily Blade: Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson Episode #134 - Kyle Thompson // St. Patrick’s Breastplate: The Deer’s Cry Release Date: July 7, 2025

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Introduction

In Episode #134 of The Daily Blade, hosts Pastor Joby Martin of the Church of Eleven22 and Kyle Thompson of Undaunted.Life delve into the profound spiritual significance of St. Patrick’s Breastplate, also known as The Deer’s Cry. This episode, released on July 7, 2025, offers listeners a deep exploration of this ancient Irish prayer, its historical context, and its relevance to the modern Christian’s spiritual warfare.

Shout Out to Matt Chandler

Kyle Thompson opens the episode with a heartfelt acknowledgment:

"[00:20] Kyle Thompson: I did want to give a shout out to Pastor Matt Chandler. Thank you so much for doing last week. We are very, very thrilled to have you in the fight with us."

This gesture underscores the collaborative spirit within the Christian community, highlighting the collective effort to equip believers for spiritual battles.

Introducing St. Patrick’s Breastplate

Kyle introduces the central theme of the episode:

"[00:20] Kyle Thompson: This week we're going to be looking at a traditional Irish prayer attributed to Maywin Sucket. But most of you will know him by his other more popular name, St. Patrick."

St. Patrick’s Breastplate, or The Deer’s Cry, is presented as a powerful prayer of protection, historically used by men in battle and those combating sinful temptations. Kyle emphasizes the prayer’s role in equipping believers with spiritual armor, encouraging listeners to familiarize themselves with the entire prayer for personal edification.

Deep Dive into the Prayer

Kyle proceeds to recite and analyze key sections of St. Patrick’s Breastplate, focusing on both the beginning and the end of the prayer.

Beginning of the Prayer:

"[00:20] Kyle Thompson: I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the threeness, through confession of the oneness of the creator of creation. I arise today through the strength of Christ with his baptism, through the strength of his crucifixion, with his burial, through the strength of his resurrection, with his ascension, through the strength of his descent for the judgment of doom."

This opening sets a foundation of divine strength and the invocations of the Trinity, highlighting the multifaceted nature of God’s power in the believer’s life.

End of the Prayer:

"[00:20] Kyle Thompson: Christ with me. Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left. Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise. Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me. Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me. Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me."

This concluding section emphasizes the omnipresence of Christ, ensuring that believers recognize His constant presence and protection in every aspect of their lives.

Historical Context: St. Patrick’s Courageous Prayer

Kyle recounts the legendary story behind the prayer:

"[00:20] Kyle Thompson: According to Irish tradition, St. Patrick and his followers were on their way to confront King Laoghaire at Tara, the high seat of pagan power in Ireland at the time. Fearing Patrick's growing influence, the king and his druids set an ambush along the path to Tara, intending to kill him before he arrived. As they approached, Patrick recited this specific prayer, St. Patrick’s Breastplate. The attackers were blinded to their presence, and they saw only a herd of wild deer passing by, hence the title 'The Deer’s Cry.' Patrick survived the ambush, arrived safely, preached before the king, and continued his mission of converting Ireland to Christianity."

This narrative not only illustrates the prayer’s protective power but also serves as a testament to St. Patrick’s unwavering faith and strategic reliance on divine assistance.

St. Patrick’s Breastplate and the Armor of God

Kyle draws a parallel between St. Patrick’s Breastplate and the Apostle Paul’s instructions in Ephesians:

"[00:20] Kyle Thompson: Some people have commented that St. Patrick's Breastplate is like the ancient Irish poetic version of Ephesians 6:10-20. So I'll read that now..."

He proceeds to recite the passage from Ephesians, highlighting its emphasis on spiritual armor:

"[00:20] Kyle Thompson: ... 'take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.' That's what we're trying to give you every day. Just more of the sword of the Spirit to get you through."

This comparison reinforces the idea that both the prayer and the biblical passage serve to arm believers with the necessary tools to stand firm against spiritual adversities.

Podcast’s Mission and Future Focus

Kyle ties the discussion back to the podcast’s mission:

"[00:20] Kyle Thompson: ... that passage is where we got the name for this podcast. ... We’re trying to give you every day more of the sword of the Spirit to get you through."

He invites listeners to join in the exploration of individual lines of the prayer in upcoming episodes, promising a deeper understanding of each component of this spiritual armor.

Conclusion and Call to Action

Pastor Joby Martin wraps up the episode with encouragement and a call to action:

"[04:15] Joby Martin: Before you go, if you want to help, equip other men for the fight, share this podcast around and leave us a five-star rating and review. Stay sharp."

This closing statement reiterates the podcast’s commitment to equipping believers and encourages audience engagement to further their mission.

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Key Takeaways:

1. St. Patrick’s Breastplate serves as a potent prayer of protection, historically used in battles and spiritual struggles.
2. The prayer emphasizes the omnipresence of Christ, ensuring His presence in every facet of a believer’s life.
3. There is a significant parallels between St. Patrick’s Breastplate and the Armor of God as described in Ephesians 6:10-20.
4. The podcast aims to provide believers with daily spiritual tools, akin to the sword of the Spirit, to navigate and overcome spiritual challenges.
5. Community and Collaboration are highlighted through acknowledgments and calls to action, fostering a supportive network for listeners.

Notable Quotes:

• "I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity..." – Kyle Thompson [00:20]
• "Christ with me. Christ before me, Christ behind me..." – Kyle Thompson [00:20]
• "...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." – Kyle Thompson [00:20]
• "Equip other men for the fight, share this podcast around and leave us a five-star rating and review." – Joby Martin [04:15]

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For more insights and to support the mission of providing spiritual armor, visit coe22.com/donate or stay connected with the hosts at [e-mail]. Don’t miss the opportunity to join Pastor Joby and Kyle in person at the 2025 Men's Conference in Jacksonville, Florida—reserve your seat at mensconference.com.

Transcript

[Joby Martin]

Welcome to the Daily Blade. The word of God is described as the sword of the spirit, the primary spiritual weapon in the Christian's armor against the forces of evil. Your hosts are Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson, and they stand ready to equip men for the fight. Let's sharpen up.

[Kyle Thompson]

Welcome to a new week of the Daily Blade. I did want to give a shout out to pastor Matt Chandler. Thank you so much for doing last week. We are very, very thrilled to have you in the fight with us. So, guys, this week we're going to be looking at a traditional Irish PR attributed to Maywin Sucket. But most of you will know him by his other more popular name, St. Patrick. So this prayer is called St. Patrick's Breastplate or the deer's cry. So it is a prayer of protection or a breastplate prayer. And it was meant to give spiritual armor to those that prayed it. And it was prayed by men in battle and those fighting sinful temptations and stuff like that. And I would encourage you to look up the entire prayer so that you can read it for yourself. But this week, we're going to focus in on the beginning of the prayer and the end of the prayer. I'll read them both now. I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through beliefs in the threeness, through confession of the oneness of the creator of creation. I arise today through the strength of Christ with his baptism, through the strength of his crucifixion, with his burial, through the strength of his resurrection, with his ascension, through the strength of his descent for the judgment of doom. And now the end of the prayer. Christ with me. Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left. Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise. Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me. Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me. Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. Now, guys, as I mentioned earlier, this prayer was prayed by men before going into battle. And some people refer to this prayer as the deer's cry. So according to Irish tradition, St. Patrick, Patrick and his followers were on their way to confront King Leary at Tara. He was kind of the high seat of pagan power in Ireland at the time. And the king and his druids, fearing Patrick's growing influence in that area, they set an ambush along the path to Tara, intending to kill him before he arrived. And as they approached Patrick's, he's said to have recited this specific prayer, the full Lorca, now known as St. Patrick's Breastplate. And the attackers were blinded to their presence, and according to the tale, they they saw only a herd of wild deer passing by, hence the title the deer's cry. So Patrick survived, he arrived safely, he preached before the king, and continued his mission of converting Ireland to Christianity. Now some people have commented that St. Patrick's Breastplate is like the ancient Irish poetic version of Ephesians 6, 10, 20. So I'll read that now finally be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might, Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, and but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and have done all to stand firm. Stand. Therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and as for your as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace in all circumstances, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, and take the helmet of salvation. Salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly as I ought to speak. And guys, just to remind you, that passage is where we got the name for this podcast. Verse 17 and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. That's what we're trying to give you every day. Just more of the sword of the Spirit to get you through. So join me the rest of this week as we delve into individual lines of this great prayer.

[Joby Martin]

Thank you for listening to today's episode. Before you go, if you want to help, equip other men for the fight, share this podcast around and leave us a five star rating and review. Stay sharp.