Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Warfare Series #2

Text: Eph. 6:10-14

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Subject: The Belt of Truth

Introduction

We have already determined from our previous message that we are in a wrestling match with Satan. We are called to wrestle him and not with flesh and blood. We are called to stand and to put on the whole armor of God.

In ancient Rome, a soldier's belt was a crucial part of his gear. It held everything together—his sword, shield, and armor. Imagine a Roman soldier trying to march into battle without his belt. He’d trip over his own belongings! When we put on the belt of truth, we aren't just adding a fashion accessory; we're securing our lives. Just like that soldier, we need truth to hold everything together in our spiritual battles!

VS 11

* Putting on requires getting dressed. DAILY. Put it on everyday. One day of getting dressed will not last. The armor must be put on daily.

* The whole armor enables you and I to be in a standing position after the tricks of the devil have been hurled at us.

VS 13

* The evil day is when the enemy unleashes all his arsenal. God wants you to be able to take Satan's best punch and still be able to stand. Therefore we need the whole armor of God.

We now begin to understand what the pieces of the armor are and how they apply to this battle. Today we will put on the BELT OF TRUTH!

TRUTH

The Bible has a lot to say about truth. It means unconcealed reality. Truth declares what is real and not phony/pretend. The absence of deceit.

The truth declares that there are absolutes. The enemy wants God's absolutes to be conditional based on circumstances.

John 1:14 - Jesus brought truth.

John 3:21 - Truth brings light. Darkness must flee.

John 4:23-24 - God deserves to be worshipped in truth. No PRETENDERS. Too many

whose lives don't reflect their worship. You cannot truly worship God and come into His presence with lies.

John 8:32 - When you KNOW the truth, it MAKES you free.

It delivers & liberates you. You don't need moral laws, ceremonies and decrees any

more because you are free.

John 8:44 - Satan has no truth. He is the father of lies. There are two kingdoms. God's &

Satan's. One built on the truth & the other on lies.

John 14:17 - People will not easily receive the truth. They will accept a lie before the truth.

We have believed lies for so long, it will take some of us a long time to accept the truth. We grew up on lies.

John 16:13 - The Holy Spirit is responsible for guiding us into truth.

John 17:17 - The truth sanctifies you.

1 Peter 1:22 - Obedience to the truth purifies your soul.

We need the truth. It delivers us, purifies us, sanctifies us, brings us light and brings us into the very presence of God! That is important. Stop living lies, believing lies, following lies, accepting lies or endorsing lies. You need the truth!

Body

Paul instructs us to GIRD OUR LOINS WITH TRUTH.

GIRD means to fasten around your waist. It means to tighten up your belt. You see the other pieces of the soldiers armor attached to the belt. If the belt was loose, then the other pieces would not fit properly. Many of us are having problems with our armor because our belt of truth is not put on tightly or properly! It's time to do the TIGHTEN UP!

* Gird is like a girdle. Step into it, suck in, pull it up.

- Step into the truth.

- Suck up the lies.

- Pull up the truth

LOINS are the waist, hip and reproductive parts of the body. You must protect the reproductive parts. If they become damages or injured, they will produce damaged and injured offsprings. The people that we lead to the Lord are our offsprings. Many are born crippled because we are crippled. They don't know the truth because they were birthed into the kingdom with our damaged spirit and attitude.

Paul is saying that it's time for the children of God to tighten up their belts with truth and to start identifying and rejecting lies.

I want to talk about 7 Principles of truth that we need to embrace.

S.U.C.C.E.S.S

1. Self-Acceptance (Design/Purpose) - Psalm 139:14-18a

14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

15 My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;

When I awake, I am still with You.

* We are fearfully and wonderfully made for God's purposes.

2. Under Authority - Heb. 13:17

17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls,

as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that

would be unprofitable for you.

* Everyone should be submitted to God given authority.

The 4 primary authorities are:

a. Family - Eph. 5:21-33, 1 Peter 3:1-6, Eph. 6:1-4

b. Employer - 1 Pet. 2:18, Eph. 6:5-7, 1 Tim. 6:1-3, Titus 2:9-10

c. Government - Rom. 13:1-7, 1 Peter 2:13-17

d. Church - Heb. 13:7, 17, 1 Thess. 5:12-13, 1 Tim. 5:17

3. Character (Responsibility) - Rom. 8:28-29, Matt. 12:36

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to beconformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

* God is ultimately concerned about the development of our character.

And one day we must answer for our choices.

* We must account to God for our words & deeds.

* The good news is that He has made provisions for me to be able to stand before His

presence with exceeding joy. Jesus died in order for my sins to be forgiven.

4. Chains Are Broken (Freedom) - John 8:32, 36

32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

* God desires for you & I to live our lives free and not be in bondage.

You can be free from any bondage. (anger, bitterness, habits, addictions...)

* Free means to be set at liberty from the dominion of sin.

5. Everything Belongs To God (Ownership) - Psa. 24:1, 1 Cor. 6:19-20

1 The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.

* Everything belongs to God. Not to you nor I. Release your rights.

* We are living in His earth, eating His food, drinking His water, breathing His air,

enjoying His sunlight, receiving His rain, living in a home He provided...

* The root of anger is personal rights. The truth is that we own nothing.

- Freedom comes realizing that God is the real owner of your property, your

resources, your heart, your family, your spouse, your children...

6. Suffering - 1 Peter 2:18-24, 1 Peter 5:10

10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after

you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

* If we want to reign with Christ, we must suffer with Him. We are called to seasons

of suffering. And it doesn't mean that you have disobeyed God. You will be

rejected, talked about, lied on, cheated & mistreated. As a Christian, you will be

misunderstood.

* There are also seasons of trials & tribulations.

- Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial about to befall you.

7. Success - Psa. 1:1-3, Joshua 1:8

Ps 1:1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water,

That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither;

And whatever he does shall prosper.

* God desires to make your life a testimony of His power. He wants to bless you

and take you to the place in your life that He created you for. True success is when I am doing and being what God has called me to do and be. The secret to success is

meditating on God's word. Notice that success is not the go but always the byproduct

of a life that seeks after God.

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