Part 3: The Belt of Truth
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
God has provided us with everything we need to “stand” for Him against everything the enemy can throw at us.
Today, we will begin to consider the pieces of armor the Lord has given to us to help us “stand” for Him.
Ephesians 6:11 and 13 both tell us to put on the whole armor of God in our daily warfare with the our enemy. The enemy is identified as Satan and his minions in verse 12, which is what we studied last week.
This passage teaches us that the only hope of victory we possess if or us to wear “the whole armor of God.”
Verse 13 tells us to “take unto you the whole armor of God.”
This literally means “to take up.” It is the image of a soldier standing amid the pieces of the armor.
Armor does no good in the armory, and armor does no good until it is put on the soldier’s body.
This armor, if used properly, will enable us to do what verses 11, 13, and 14 say we are to do, and that is “stand.” This armor will also make it possible to “withstand,” or “resist,” the daily assaults that come our way from the enemy.
Let’s begin today to examine the pieces of “the whole armor of God.”
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
This belt of truth must be put on by every Christian warrior. Paul revealed the first piece of the Christian armor. The Belt of truth is essential for spiritual victory.
What place does the truth have in your life?
Do you believe the truth?
Have you been set free by the truth?
Are you living in and for the truth?
Let’s dig into the Belt of Truth tonight:
The Placing of the Belt: Believe the Truth
The Placing of the Belt: Believe the Truth
We do not receive this belt by our fighting, but by our faith.
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
It’s impossible to have our waist girded with truth if we have not believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. To receive the truth we must believe the truth. We are called to believe the absolute truth of the word of God.
Vance Havner wrote, “Quakers got their name from the fact that they use to shake under the power of God. They were shook up by what they believed. Today too many of our folks are not shaken by what they believe they are shaky about what they believe.”
The Bible reveals the principles of truth and the Person of truth.
Paul informs the church about the battle and instructs the church about the belt. The belt of truth is the first piece mentioned. To stand against the devil and demons we must be girded by the truth.
Paul gives us an example here of the Roman soldier.
The Roman soldier would wear a short loose skirt, kind of like a kilt, and then they would have a longer robe over that. The soldier would have the armor in place and they would be ready for action by the use of the girdle or belt.
The Roman soldier’s belt was a 6-inch wide belt that fastened around the middle and was made of leather. It was worn outside the long flowing robe and it was strong enough to bind the soldiers clothing and support the weapons of war.
The belt was used to support the armor, hold the sword, and hold the long robe in place so that the soldier’s movement would not be restricted. When the Roman soldier tucked up his robe into the belt he was ready for battle. He meant business and was ready to fight. He pulled the belt tight and strapped on the armor for battle.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
We receive the belt of truth by believing the word of truth. Have you believed the truth? We place the belt on us by our belief, and what we believe about the Lord Jesus and His word makes all the difference between standing and falling. Paul exhorted the church to “…Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth...”
A lot of people struggle with the truth, a lot of people wrestle with the truth, and a lot of people do this before accepting the truth.
Billy Graham said, “In August of 1949, I was so filled with doubts about everything that when I stood to preach and made a statement, I would say to myself: I wonder if that is the truth. I wonder if I can really say that sincerely. My ministry had gone. I then took the Bible up into the high Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. I opened it and got on my knees. I pled, ‘Father I cannot understand many things in this Book. I cannot come intellectually all the way, but I accept it by faith to be authoritative, the inspired Word of the living God!”
Let’s look a few things concerning putting on the belt of truth. First of all, this belt of truth is God’s belt.
5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
So we first need to understand that it is first of all not our belt. It is God’s belt.
The truth that we are to surround ourselves with is God’s truth. And what is this? Simply put, God’s truth is the Bible.
We are told in Psalm 119:160 that God’s Word is truth. Jesus says the same exact thing in John 17:17. In praying to God, He says, “Your Word is truth.” Similarly in 2 Tim. 2:15, we are told as Christians to correctly handle the Bible as the Word of truth.
Here’s what it comes down to. If we want to put on this first piece of spiritual armor, we need to surround ourselves, dive into, dig into the Bible.
In Proverbs 6:21-23, we are told by the wisest man who ever lived, that the good life comes from taking the truth of the Bible and binding it on our heart, tying it around our neck, think about it when we walk, when we sleep, when we wake up.
So we have the placing of the belt: We must believe the truth! Then we have:
The Purpose of the Belt: Be Bound by the Truth
The Purpose of the Belt: Be Bound by the Truth
The purpose of the Roman soldier’s belt was to hold the armor together, to support his weapons. His sword or arrows were supported by this belt.
The belt would be placed around the waist of the soldier and would tie up the flowing robe so that he could move fluently. The girdle was very vital to the success of the soldier.
Every believer is to be girded with the truth. Truth should come from out lips and show in our lives. We are to be consumed by the truth and love the truth and promote the truth. We are to be bound by the truth!
John Phillips wrote, “We must be absolutely sure before God that we are wearing the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Sincerity is not enough; we must also be right.”
As Christians, we are to support the truth, share the truth, and show the truth in this world!
When we have on the armor of God we have on the Lord Jesus Christ and we are to show off the Lord Jesus in this world.
The purpose of the Christians belt is to fasten on and hold in place the armor of God to ready the Christian warrior for battle.
When we know the truth (Jesus), love the truth, and live by the truth we are able to detect Satan’s lies, schemes, and deceptions.
God’s word tells us to be girded by the truth. Have you put on the belt of truth? Are you bound by the truth?
Speaking of the truth here, In Jesus’ trial before Pontius Pilate, Pilate asked Jesus, ‘What is truth?’
Pilate was standing before the Lord of glory, the way, the truth, and the life, yet he did not know the truth.
Pilate did not know the truth and the truth did not rule and govern his life and therefore he could not be governed or bound by truth.
Truth should guide us in all that we do!
The truth of the word of God, the Son of God, and the Spirit of God should rule and govern every area of our lives.
“The reason many Christians today are ineffective in their Christian life and in spiritual warfare is because they have not committed themselves fully to the Word of God, which alone is sufficient to prepare them for every situation in life.”
I read yesterday from a Bible teacher I know, he told how, “After living in America for a matter of months, A Christian, Iranian couple decided to move back to Iran. The wife told her husband, “There is a satanic lullaby here. All the Christians are sleepy and I’m feeling sleepy.”
It’s time to wake up folks and surround ourselves with the Truth of God’s Word!
We see the placing of the belt, the purpose of the belt, now let’s look at...
The Practice of the Belt: Be Bold in the Truth
The Practice of the Belt: Be Bold in the Truth
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Those who are wearing the belt of truth will be bold to speak out for the truth!
John the Baptist was bold in Matthew 3 when he called out the Pharisees and Sadducees as a generation of vipers!
Peter was bold in Acts 2 when he raised his voice and preached on the day of Pentecost!
Stephen was bold in Acts 7 when he preached the truth and ended up being stoned by the crowd he was preaching to.
Paul and Barnabas was bold, when they proclaimed the Word of truth to the Jews, who rejected it, and to the Gentiles, who received it! Persecution broke out because of their boldness, but it didn’t stop them!
We are to speak out for the truth!
We are also to stand up for the truth!
There are times when we have to take a bold stand for our faith. We are called to stand for the truth.
○ In this world in which we live truth is being attacked,
○ being pushed aside,
○ being denied,
○ being neglected,
○ it is the churches responsibility to proclaim the truth,
○ take a stand for the truth,
○ and speak out for the truth.
We are to speak out for the truth, stand up for the truth, but also, we are to show off the truth!
The Roman soldier’s belt would go on the outside of his robe - it was visible for everyone to see. The Roman soldier would actually pin his awards onto his belt to show them off. You could actually look at the belt of a soldier and tell what kind of soldier he was.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Have you made a total commitment to the truth?
Have you put on the belt of truth?
Is the truth the central focus of your life?
Have you accepted the Person of truth?
Do you live by the Principles of truth?
Do you speak out for the truth?
Do you stand up for the truth?
Do you show off the truth?
God is calling today for Christian soldier’s to report for duty. We must put on the belt of truth to be victorious in the battle!