theinspiredhillbilly

If you’re just joining this series of teaching, you might want to read our preceding articles regarding Spiritual Warfare…

“Strongholds vs. Truth”
“TAKE A STAND”

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth…”
 - Ephesians 6:13-14a -

To summarize what we’ve already looked at in our study of this spiritual battle we take part in as followers of Christ, we saw that the first step in ever walking in victory is taking the stand.  As a matter of fact, as long as we are knocked down, wallowing in our own self-pity or hurt, and stay the victim in a fetal position, it’s actually impossible to even place the armour of God on ourselves, resulting in an inability to even fight the enemy of our soul.

Now, as we see what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church in Ephesus, he instructed them that they were to take this stand.  But notice, as you take this stand that Paul is advising us to take, there should be some armour that we have already on and in place for that stand to be successful.  Notice the language of Ephesians 6: 14a, “Stand therefore HAVING…”.  That is present tense.  The original Greek word used here indicates that this is something we already obtain to some degree and should have in our possession.  So Paul is instructing them, “Take your stand and do so making sure you are “gird with Truth”, or “wearing the Belt of Truth.”

Now, why is this the first piece of armour discussed?  Why does Paul start with this piece?  I believe it is because Paul was using as his illustration the soldier most familiar to the Church of Ephesus.  The soldier they had seen most during the Roman Empire would be the Roman Soldier.  And since Paul was more than likely using this as his foundation of teaching, the readers would be aware that the basic Roman Soldiers entire armour and “uniform” started by a harnessed type girdle; or belt.  This leather belt not only wrapped around the waist of the soldier, but also around the loins many times. 

This was for two reasons.  First of all, the loins represented a place of vulnerability for the soldier.  From that girdle, a small interwoven, piece of material hung from the belt protecting this area of vulnerability for the soldier.  Secondly, almost all the other armour discussed, specifically the sword and the breastplate hung from, or were attached to the belt.  The soldier actually couldn’t wear them, unless he first obtained the belt and wore it.

Isnt’ that true for us in our walk with God?  The very basis of our walk with God, of our being able to obtain victory over the enemy of our soul, and our fleshly, carnal nature is by being gird, or supported in Truth.  Now, for us that are Apostolic, when we hear the word Truth, many times we think that pertains to the New Birth Truth we walk in from Acts 2:38.  And though that is a powerful Truth within God’s word that so many miss, God’s Truth goes so much beyond just the Truth of the New Birth. 

I have in my possession 66 books of Truth. Truth about God’s love for me, God’s passion to redeem me, God’s desire to bless me and provide for me, God’s promises for a life that is abundant and overflowing, God’s will for me to have joy unspeakable and full of glory.  All of God’s word is Truth, and it’s the Truth about His will for my life, and that Truth trumps every lie from the enemy that has been planted in my carnal mind from my past, and from my failures.

“For all the promises of God in him [are] yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”
- II Corinthians 1:20 -
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
 - Jeremiah 29:11 -

Not only is the foundation of our victory dependant upon our obtaining Truth, but we must GIRD, or APPLY that Truth that we find in God’s Word to the vulnerable and weak places of our life.  If we don’t, we are the susceptible to the attacks in those weak places from the enemy that can take us out of the fight before we even begin.

Child of God, we cannot be directed in our lives by our emotions, and feelings.  We cannot allow our thought life to run rampant on us, and drive us in manic waves of depression and anxiety.  But we must examine every thought, every dream, every emotion in our lives and make sure they line up to the Truth we find in God’s Word, and if they don’t… cast them down and make them subject to the Truth and will of God.  That is the foundation of our victory, the foundation of our successful walk with God.

The enemy battles us where we are most susceptible, let’s today gird ourselves with God’s Truth, with His Word.  Dig into God’s Word, find His desires for you, His love for you, His promises for you.  Don’t accept anything less than exactly what our Heavenly Father has said He desires and wants for us.  That is the beginning of our walking in the Abundant Life He has for us.

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
 - II Corinthians 10:5 -