The Armor of God – Belt of Truth

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:37)

This is one of the clearest and most objective statements that Jesus made about the reason He came into the world. He wants to bear witness to us what the truth is.

We’ve been through the mighty strength God has given us, the enemy and how important it is to accept that we are at war.  But without the spiritual armor we will not be able to stand against the actions of the enemy.  In most warfare situations, there is a clash between good and evil. We are in a battle that is not just physical; it is even more importantly spiritual.

The armor God was given to us to claim our victory over the enemy.

Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth . . . (Ephesians 6:14 NASB)

The most important piece of weaponry the Roman soldier had was his loinbelt. It held many of the other pieces of weaponry together. His sword hung in a scabbard that was clipped to the side of his loinbelt. When not in use his shield was hung on a special clip on the other side. His arrows were in a pouch that rested on a small ledge of the loinbelt on his backside. Even his breastplate was attached in some places to his loinbelt. The armor of a Roman soldier would literally come apart if he didn’t have the loinbelt around his waist.

Do you believe that what you believe is really real?

The belt of truth gives us what we need to believe what is really real. The loinbelt of our spiritual armor is the written Word of God – the truth. It is the only spiritual weapon we can hold in our hands. It is the most important piece of weaponry we have; it holds all the other pieces together.  If you want to walk through life clothed in spiritual armor, you must permanently attach the Word of God to your life. When you attach that truth as the center of your life and faithfully ensure it stays there everything else comes together.  Here is an example of how each piece of armor depends on the belt of truth:

• Breastplate of righteousness: If you want to enjoy living life clothed in righteousness you must meditate on, pray over and study the Word of God. In doing that a wonderful, prevailing sense of righteousness will become a part of your life.
  •  For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.  But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. (Hebrews 5:13-14 NASB)
• Shoes of peace: If you want to experience more peace let God call the shots in your life. Don’t depend on your emotions because they can deceive you. When you let the truth of the Word of God take up residence in your life God’s peace will stand you in place.
  • Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. (Colossians 3:15 NASB)
• Shield of faith: If you want to walk in strong, believing faith you must hear the Word of God.
  • So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ (Romans 10:17 NASB)
• Helmet of Salvation: If you want to be mentally alert and wise the Word of God renews your mind, and the truth of that word becomes your helmet.
  • For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thess. 5:9)
• Sword of the Spirit: If you want to wield the sword of the Spirit in your life you must be familiar with the Word of God.  As you study the truth your sword of the Spirit will be quickened as you need it.
  • For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 NIV)

Without the Word of God operating in your life you have no support for the other pieces of spiritual weaponry. Through the belt of truth we start seeing God, ourselves, and others through what He says is true. In a book called Pure Grace this is how God designed truth to work. The Holy Spirit convinces you that you believe a lie. You agree with the Spirit of Truth. You then change your mind in light of that truth. (John 16:13) The Word of God tells us who we are, what we should do, and how we should act.

• I      am blessed in the heavenly realm with every spiritual blessing in Christ      (Eph. 1:3).
• I      was chosen before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in      God’s sight (Eph. 1:4).
• I      was predestined to be adopted as his child through Jesus Christ (Eph.      1:5).
• I      have redemption through his blood (Eph. 1:7).
• I      am forgiven (Eph. 1:7).
• I      am sealed in Christ with the Holy Spirit (Eph.  1:13)
• I      am raised up with Christ (Eph. 2:6).
• I      am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6).
• I      am saved by his grace (Eph. 2:8).
• I      am God’s workmanship (Eph. 2:10).
• I      have direct access to God through the Spirit (Eph. 2:18).
• I      have peace with God (Rom 5:1).
• I      am a child of God (John 1:12).
• I      am indwelled by the Holy Spirit (1Cor. 3:16).
• I      have access to God’s wisdom (James 1:5).
• I      am helped by God (Heb. 4:16)
• I      am reconciled to God (Rom. 5:11)
• I      am not condemned by God (Rom. 8:1)
• I      am justified (Rom. 5:1)
• I      have Christ’s righteousness (Rom. 5:19, 2Cor. 5:21)
• I      am tenderly loved by God. (Jer. 31:3)
• I      am a temple in which God dwells. (1 Cor. 3:16)
• I      am blameless and beyond reproach. (Col. 1:22)
• I      am the salt of the earth. (Matt. 5:13)
• I      am the light of the world. (Matt. 5:14)
• I      am a branch of Christ’s vine. (John 15:1, 5)
• I      am Christ’s friend. (John 15:15)
• I      am chosen by Christ to bear fruit. (John 15:16)
• I      am a joint heir with Christ, sharing his inheritance with him. (Rom. 8:17)
• I      am united to the Lord, one spirit with him. (1 Cor. 6:17)
• I      am a member of Christ’s body. (1 Cor. 12:27)
• I      am a saint. (Eph. 1:1)
• I      am chosen by God, holy and dearly loved. (Col. 3:12)
• I      am a child of the light. (1 Thess. 5:5)
• I      am a holy partaker of God’s heavenly calling. (Heb. 3:1)
• I      am sanctified. (Heb. 2:11)
• I      am firmly rooted and built up in Christ. (Col. 2:7)
• I      am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me. (1 John 5:18)
• I      have the mind of Christ. (1 cor. 2:16)
• I      may approach God with boldness, freedom, and confidence. (Eph. 3:12)
• I      have been rescued from Satan’s domain and transferred into the kingdom of      Christ. (Col. 1:13)
• I      have been made complete in Christ. (Col. 1:13)
• I      have been given a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Tim. 1:7)
• I      have been given great and precious promises by God. (2 Peter 1:4)

• My needs are met by God. (Phil. 4:19)

Every aspect of what you believe to be true dictates whether you win or lose your spiritual battle before it even begins. In light of the truth that God gives us lets express the following affirmations:

• I have an absolute need for You to be my Savior, Redeemer, Lord, and Deliverer.
• I desire for You to be Lord of my spirit, prayers, worship, spiritual understanding, mind, thoughts, dreams, memories, will, decisions, purpose, and sole.
• I have a longing for You to be the deliverer of my spirit from my physical body: with my eyes that I may see, my ears that I may hear, my mouth that words may be given to me, my sexuality that I may be pure, and all of my other physical attributes.
• I want You to take charge of all of my relationships with others past, present, and future.
• I wish to be a good steward of all the wealth You provide for me to manage for You.
• I look forward to Your molding me into the person you created me to be.

No matter what is going on around you or within you, no matter how opposed your environment seems you must hold on to the truth of the Word of God. You have forfeited your God given victory when you reject the Word of God.

Prayers

Lord, I know that Your Word is the most important weapon You have given to me. Forgive me for the times I have not made it a priority in my life. Today I make the decision to never ignore Your Word again. Holy Spirit, help me stay true to the decision. Please remind me every day to open my Bible and take the time needed to wrap the Word around my life! I pray this in Jesus Name.

Because God’s Word has a central place in my life, I have a sense of righteousness that covers me like a mighty breastplate. God’s Word is operating in my life, giving me a powerful sword to wield against the enemy. And because God’s Word also dominates my thinking, I have peace that protects me form the attacks of the adversary and shield my mind like a powerful helmet. I declare this by faith in Jesus Name.