Part 4 – Battle Ready

Series: Spiritual Warfare

Ephesians 6:14a – Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth

Strictly, the belt is not part of the armor. 

And yet, the belt was no mere adornment of the Roman soldier, but an essential part of his equipment. The belt played a crucial role in the effectiveness of soldier’s armor. It was the belt that held the sword. Imagine a soldier in the thick of battle without a place for his sword. Putting on the belt prepared the soldier for action, freed one for movement, and put him in a battle frame of mind. 

As Christians, the belt of truth keeps us efficient in battle, enabling us to avoid deadly blows from the enemy. The belt of truth prevents us from falling prey to the devil’s lies. Satan is called the father of lies (John 8:44). He is an expert in half-truths (Genesis 3) twisting the truth ever so slightly to cause us to stumble away from God’s truth. If we don’t have a clear understanding of the truth, the rest of the armor is useless. 

So, what is this truth? In John 17:17 Jesus gives a clear and straightforward definition of truth: God’s Word. The Bible is the inspired word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). His promises, commands, His word are the truth. What God says in His word, He will do. Being Truth Himself, Jesus said

• The Truth will set us free (John 8:32) from Satan’s lies and Satan’s tyranny over our lives 
• God is full of truth and grace (John 1:14)
• Everyone who is of the truth listens to God’s voice (John 18:37-38)

Scripture also makes it clear that lying (the opposite of the truth) is an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 12:22), and there is no lie found in God. He is always on the side of truth. To secure the belt around our waist, we must come to the source of truth: Jesus. 

What are the dangers of not wearing the belt of truth? A belt to do its job must be one continuous, unbroken piece. We live in a world that teaches that the truth is what we make it and that there are no absolutes, good and bad are relative. Paul in Romans reminds us not to be conformed to the world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). That means not buying into the system that says absolute truth is a myth, but securely girding ourselves with the truth of God’s word. Only if our belt of truth is unbroken and uncompromised can the rest of the armor stay in place, equipping us to fight our spiritual battles effectively. We are to be firmly founded on the truth of God, rightly dividing the word of truth knowing what we believe, and why.

How am I ensuring that my belt of truth is unbroken and firmly in place? A belt encompasses our waist, does my conviction of God’s truth encompass all areas of my life, my thoughts, and actions? 

Lord may I keep the belt of truth firmly in place, making me ever battle-ready, I pray.