“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness.” (Ephesians 6:14 – NKJV)
No man can earn, gain, or obtain victory over Satan through his effort. However, the Lord Jesus Christ has won an absolute victory over Satan, his demons, and their works for all humankind through His death on the cross (Col. 2:15, Heb. 2:14).
Therefore, believers in Christ don’t need to seek or strive by any religious means to win, gain, or obtain victory over Satan, for the triumph of Christ over Satan and his demons on the cross has been credited to their account.
Paul testifies, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:57 NKJV).
As a believer in Christ, you have won the victory over Satan. You don’t need to earn, gain, or obtain it through your performance or good work. It is your birthright in Christ as a new creation. It is part of your heritage in Christ (1 John 2:14, 5:4-5).
Therefore, you must wage your warfare with the mindset of an overcomer. The devil will always seek to confuse or deceive you into striving for victory in spiritual battles, but you must stand firm in the victory Christ has already won for you and given you (Gal. 5:1).
However, for you to appropriate, enforce, demonstrate, or manifest the victory that Jesus Christ has won for you and given to you through His death on the cross, you must take up, put on, and put to use the whole armor of God or the weapons of warfare which God has prepared for you.
Therefore, the Scripture commands you to “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Eph. 6:11 NKJV).
“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.” (Eph. 6:13 NKJV).
In Ephesians 6:13-17, Apostle Paul uses the standard armor Roman soldiers wore in those days as an analogy for the believer’s spiritual armor of warfare prepared by God. We shall examine each element of the whole armor of God, prepared for believers, over a few days.
The first piece of the armor of God we shall examine is the Belt of Truth.
Ephesians 6:14 – NKJV
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness.
In the ancient world, Roman soldiers wore loose-fitting tunics. Therefore, a belt was necessary to cinch or gird up the loosely hanging material, which was a potential hindrance and danger to the soldier.
The belt was broad and made of sturdy leather. It is usually the central piece of the armor, and it holds all the rest securely in place. Also, from the belt hung specialized hooks and holders for holding the sheath containing the sword at the proper angle, keeping the quiver containing arrows and supplies of bread, oil, and water.
Just as the belt is crucial and central to the soldier’s armor, so is “the truth” critical and central to the believer’s spiritual armor. Without knowing and holding fast to the truths of God’s Word, you are exposed, vulnerable, and susceptible to Satan’s lies, wiles, schemes, or deceptions.
What is “the truth” the believers must know, believe, and hold fast to?
Jesus Christ, the Word of God that became flesh (John 1:1-4, 14)!
The Lord Jesus reveals, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6 NKJV).
“There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. “You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.” (John 5:32-33 NKJV).
The Lord Jesus Christ is the ultimate revelation of God’s truth to humankind.
The Scripture aptly states this truth.
Hebrews 1:1-3 – NKJV
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Therefore, any word, teaching, doctrine, idea, principle, or philosophy that does not wholly conform to the person, nature, character, or teaching of Jesus Christ is untruth or falsehood. Only the word, teaching, or doctrine of Jesus Christ is the truth!
The Lord Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32 NKJV).
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17 NKJV).
How do you put on the belt of truth?
Simply by knowing, holding fast to, obeying, walking, abiding, or continuing in the word or teaching of Jesus Christ!
Any believer who is not abiding, walking, or continuing in the teaching of Christ is not putting on “the belt of truth.”
Such a believer is vulnerable or susceptible to the devil’s lies, wiles, or schemes, the father and source of lies (John 8:44).
Therefore, it is wise to heed Paul’s warning.
Colossians 2:8-10 – NKJV
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
Likewise, it is wise to heed John’s warning.
2 John 1:9-11 – NKJV
9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.
10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him;
11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
Prayer:
Dear Holy Spirit, teach and help me put on the belt of truth and use it daily, in Jesus’ name. Amen.