Introduction
Last time we observed that the apostle Paul prepared his Christians readers at Ephesus (and us) for spiritual warfare by talking about the spiritual blessings or resources we have in Christ (Eph. 1:3-14). Next, he prayed for us to understand and experience God’s great power in raising Christ from the dead (Eph. 1:15-23) and then spoke of the authority we have in Jesus (Eph. 2:1-6). After praying for his readers to be rooted in the unlimited love of Christ (Eph. 3:17-19), Paul advises us not to grieve the Holy Spirit by giving “place” or ground to the devil through unresolved anger (Eph. 4:25-31). Instead, we are to be “filled” or controlled by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18) in all our relationships, including relations with church members (Eph. 5:19-21), our spouses (Eph. 5:22-33), our children (Eph. 6:1-4), and our work relationships (Eph. 6:5-9).
After talking about all these relationships with different people, Paul wants us to understand that people are not our primary problem. Our primary struggle is in the spiritual realm. Hence, the apostle writes, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Eph. 6:11). The Ephesian believers are commanded to “put on the whole armor of God,” not just some of His armor. For what purpose? That they “may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” The battle that Christians face every day is “against the wiles of the devil.” The Greek word translated “wiles” (methodeias) refers to the methods or strategies of “the devil” that he employs to deceive or trick us. [1]
It is not just “the devil” we are fighting against (Eph. 6:11). We are fighting “against the wiles of the devil” which permeate the whole kingdom of darkness. The apostle writes, “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.” (Eph. 6:12). Last time we looked at the four groupings of demonic spirits in this verse. I won’t take the time to review them in this article. But the main thing to understand is that our battle is not just with the Devil, but with his entire kingdom of darkness consisting of various demonic spirits under different levels of authority, all of which are under Satan, who is “the prince” (Eph. 2:2) of this kingdom, “the god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4), and “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; cf. Matt. 4:8-9).
The Whole Armor of God [2]
Before we look in depth at the first piece of armor, the belt of truth today, we will look briefly at the “whole armor of God” (Eph. 6:11) because each piece of armor will describe some of the various ways the Devil tries to deceive or trick us. He will tempt us to think in a way that is contrary to God. So, keep this in mind as we look at each part of the armor of God in the months to come, Lord willing.
God is the One Who gives us the armor we need to stand victoriously against the enemy. But we must choose to use it. It is like a doctor giving us medicine, but it will not benefit us until we take it. If we do not use the armor God has given us, we will have no authority from heaven (Eph. 1:19-21; 2:5-6) with which to exercise here on earth against the wiles (trickery) of the Devil (Eph. 6:13). [3]
The six pieces of armor that Paul presents are divided into two categories of three. He introduces each of these two categories with different verbs. The first three are introduced with the verb “to be.” The last three are introduced with the verb “to take.” Why does Paul switch verbs halfway through the armament? He wants us to understand two specific, distinct orientations to the six pieces of armor. The first three relate to a state we should always be in. The last three are what we use on an as needed basis. [4]
It is like a baseball player who has his uniform on during the entire game because that is the state he is in. But he only picks up the bat when it is time for him to go to the plate to play offense. And he only picks up his glove when it is time for him to go to the field to play defense. [5]
The first three pieces of armor we have with us all of the time [6] (“having girded… put on… shod…” – Eph. 6:14-15). [7] This is the state we are always to be in. But the last three pieces of armor we are called to take and use as needed [8] (“taking … take…” Eph. 6:16-17). [9]
The first piece of armor is the belt of truth (Eph. 6:14a). It teaches us that Satan wants to deceive us or make us be deceptive ourselves. [10] Either one is deadly. The New Age movement is part of his deception. Even evolution, which is so openly taught as science in our country’s educational system, has decreased peoples’ sensitivity to God and to what is right and wrong.
For example, years ago if people had mentioned casino gambling, horse track or dog track racing, or the lottery, the people of Iowa would have risen up in moral indignation. And yet subtly, the enemy of our souls has been able to persuade our state government to legislate such activities which say you really can gain something for nothing. You can get rich quickly so just gamble. Thousands of people are being deceived into gambling and are being robbed of their funds. Such behavior is addictive. But it doesn’t stop there, does it?
There are also things like methamphetamine, cocaine, alcohol, pornography, sexual perversion, and occult experimentation – all of which are part of the Devil’s deception. Jesus reminds us that the Devil “is a liar and the father of it.” (John 8:44b). And one of the ways Satan wants to bring us into bondage is through his lies. This is why we need the belt of truth.
Satan also wants to accuse us of wrongdoing and get us to compromise. He wants to point out our faults and weaknesses in addition to our sins so we will get so focused on our failures and problems, we won’t look to Jesus. He also wants us to lower our standards of righteousness by tempting us to open our lives to a little sinfulness or worldliness. It won’t hurt you to try that. Everyone else is doing it. Go ahead and do it. It’s fun. This is why we need the protection of the breastplate of righteousness (Eph. 6:14b).
The next piece of armor teaches us about that which will rob us of our peace – anxiety and worry. Hence, we need the sandals of the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15) – peace with God, peace of God, the God of peace, and the Person of peace. This piece of armor teaches us that Satan wants us to live in fear and anxiety.
The fourth piece of armor addresses unbelief. Hence, we are to take up the shield of faith (Eph. 6:16) which extinguishes all the fiery darts or arrows of the enemy. What is that talking about? It involves Satan’s temptation to get you to question God or to act independently of God. That is the way he approached Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1-5). Satan got Eve to question God and what He had said and what would happen if she were to partake of the forbidden fruit.
The fifth piece of armor deals with mind or thought control. Satan tries to put thoughts in our minds to make us think that his thoughts are our thoughts. And so, we are to wear the helmet of salvation (Eph. 6:17a). This is the one of the ways he primarily attacks the thoughts of believers. When he begins to move violently in a believer’s life, one of the first things they begin to be tormented with is that maybe they are not saved. Sometimes all manner of hideous thoughts projected into the believer’s mind are Satan’s way of putting his thoughts into our thoughts, making it so confusing that we conclude that his thoughts are really ours. Then he taunts us with, “How could anyone who claims to be a Christian have such sinful thoughts as that?”
The sixth and final piece of armor addresses the Devil’s attempt to get us to neglect the Bible. The last piece of armor is “the sword of the Spirit, the word of God” (Eph. 6:17b). Have you ever wondered why it is so difficult for you to read the Bible? Why is it so challenging to set aside time to study God’s Word and meditate on it? Why do you never get around to memorizing the Scripture? The Devil is behind this. He wants to keep you from being in the Word of God because it will expose him as a liar and deceiver.
We have an enemy who is very versatile and subtle, and he has schemes that if we are not aware of them, he will soon bring us into his bondage. Thankfully God has given us spiritual pieces of armor that are strong and powerful. Let’s begin now with the first piece of armor.
The Importance of the Belt of Truth
When the apostle Paul wrote the book of Ephesians, he was a prisoner (Eph. 3:1; 4:1) under house arrest in guarded rental quarters (Acts 28:30), chained to a Roman soldier (Eph. 6:20). [11] As he looks at this Roman soldier, he begins to draw a comparison between the soldier’s armor and the spiritual armor of God. He will talk about each piece of armor in the order that a Roman soldier put it on.
The first piece of armor was extremely important to a soldier. The soldier first put on over his tunic (a loose, sleeveless shirt that reached to his knees), a belt that would hold both the breastplate and sheathe for his sword in place. [12] He would be able to tuck his long clothes into the belt so he could run and be ready to fight. [13] Without this belt on, a soldier would be less mobile and more vulnerable to attack on the battlefield.
Likewise, Paul emphasizes the importance of this piece of armor by mentioning it first. “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth…” (Eph. 6:14a). This shows us how important the truth is in our battle against Satan and his demonic armies (Eph. 6:12). Since Satan “is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44b), it is essential that Christians wear this piece of armor to overcome his deceptions.
The Ruthless Nature of Satan [14]
The Greek word translated “waist” (osphus) in Ephesians 6:14a can refer to “the place where a belt… is worn, waist” or to “the place of the reproductive organs, the loins.” [15] Some translations say, “having girded your loins with truth.” (ASV; LSB; NASB1995; RSV). By mentioning the belt first and in this way, Paul emphasizes the ruthless nature of Satan’s attack. This belt buckled around the waist and covered the soldier’s vital organs from his belt line down to his mid thighs. [16] It protected him from the violent and ruthless actions of an enemy who tried to destroy him.
The Psalmist had an awareness of the ruthless nature of Satan. David writes, “3b Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause… 19 Consider my enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.” (Psa. 25:3b, 19). The Devil never fights fair and is extremely cruel. He has no problem hitting us below the belt. Satan will try to hit us when we are most vulnerable, doing whatever it takes to incapacitate and eventually destroy us.
For example, when we are weakened by an illness or experiencing tremendous grief due to the loss of a loved one, the Devil will attack us with the purpose of destroying us. He shows no mercy to a suffering person.
We also see the brutal, cruel, and violent ways of Satan in his appearances in Scripture. For example, the man in the country of the Gadarenes was so violently oppressed by the powers of darkness that “always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.” (Mark 5:5). Satan’s torment of this man was so severe that the man constantly endured self-inflicted agony.
On another occasion when the Lord Jesus came down from the Mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James, and John, He met a desperate father whose son had a ruthless demon. The father said to Jesus, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So, I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.” (Matt. 17:15-16). This wicked spirit would often come upon this man’s son when he was near “the fire” or “the water.” Why would this demon do that? Because he wanted to throw him into the fire so that violent burning would happen to this boy during his seizures. He wanted to throw him into the water so he could drown this boy. It was not enough for this little boy to have violent seizures. Satan wanted to add to his sufferings by throwing him into the fire or the water. This is how brutal and cruel the kingdom of darkness is toward suffering people.
What do these examples say about the kingdom of darkness? It says that Satan’s kingdom always has as its purpose to violently hurt, wound, and destroy (cf. John 10:10a). Most people who have had experiences with the kingdom of darkness have no doubt about the cruelty and ruthlessness of this kingdom.
This is why Christians must always be on guard against the lies of the enemy. Deception and lies always bring us into the realm of the kingdom of darkness. Satan always speaks his native language when he lies. Jesus said of the Devil, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” (John 8:44). At first, Satan’s lies may seem very appealing and even pleasurable. And when we are tempted to lie, we are never more yielding to Satan’s deceptive ways than in that moment. But in that moment, we must remember that the Devil always intends to brutalize us, oppress us, torment us, destroy us, and take away our freedom in Christ.
The Subtle Nature of Satan’s Schemes
By mentioning the belt of truth first, Paul also calls attention to the subtle nature of Satan’s schemes. Not only in John 8:44 is Satan called “a liar and father of it,” but the very last picture of Satan in the Bible also points to his subtle nature. “7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Rev. 20:7-10). At the end of King Jesus’ “thousand years” reign, “Satan will be released from his prison” in the abyss and will “deceive the nations” which are over all the earth “to gather them together to battle” against King Jesus and His people [“the saints”] in Jerusalem (“the beloved city”](Rev. 20:7-9a). The unbelievers in this battle led by their earthly leader “Gog” from the land of “Magog” (Rev. 20:8; cf. Ezekiel 38:2-3) will be as numerous “as the sand of the sea” and will be the offspring or descendants of the infants or children who survived Armageddon because they were below the age of accountability (Rev. 20:9b). God will intervene with “fire … out of heaven” and destroy them (Rev. 20:9c). Then “the devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire … where the beast the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev. 20:10). Satan concluded his career by doing what was most natural for him to do. He “deceived” the nations (Rev. 20:8a, 10a).
The Greek word translated “deceived” (planaō) means “to lead astray, mislead, to cause someone to wander from the right way.” [17] This is Satan’s main tactic – to get us to believe his lies so he can bring us under his control.
We see Satan’s lies working constantly in the world, especially in the political scene. For example, under communism, the lie is the truth. According to the dogma of communism, as long as it advances the cause of communism it is the truth. [18] We also see this kind of deception in our own government here in the USA. During this presidential election year, we see candidates making promises that are contrary to their past political decisions. They present lies as though they were the truth and sadly, much of the American public believes those lies.
Satan’s deceptions are also evident among the religions of the world. Having worked with those steeped in Islam, I have observed that if a lie supports the cause of Allah, then it must be true. A Muslim does not hesitate to lie if it advances the cause of Islam.
Janosik writes, “The Islamic practice of taqiyya [deception], which allows Muslims to mislead non-believers in regard to the nature of a Muslim’s own belief in order to avoid persecution. This practice allows Muslims, both Shia and Sunni, to lie to non-Muslims in a time of war, persecution, or even minority status if the lie will protect Muslims and further the goals of Islam. In his article on taqiyya, Raymond Ibrahim quotes a Muslim authority, Sami Mukaram, who says,” [emphasis and brackets added] [19] “Taqiyya is of fundamental importance in Islam. Practically every Islamic sect agrees to it and practices it … We can go so far as to say that the practice of taqiyya is mainstream in Islam, and that those few sects not practicing it diverge from the mainstream … Taqiyya is very prevalent in Islamic politics, especially in the modern era.” [20]
Mormonism initially claims to embrace Christianity. But what they don’t tell you is “Jesus Christ and Satan, like the rest of us, were spirit brothers and sons of God before the spirit of Jesus was given a body by Mary in Bethlehem. The Mormon ‘Book of Moses’ presents Satan and Jesus as contending for the privilege of taking a body of flesh in order to become the redeemer, with Jesus winning the contest. [See Joseph Smith, Pearl of Great Price, Book of Moses 4:1-4.]” [21] [emphasis added]
Mormonism also believes “all human beings and spirits, including Jesus and Satan, existed as spirit beings before being born. Physical birth gives bodies to these spirits, and an opportunity to choose right or wrong. Thus, the present life is a period of probation. The way a person lives in this life determines their status in the life after the resurrection. If the deeds of this life have been satisfactory and all temple obligations have been fulfilled, the individual becomes a god and is considered eligible to create ‘spirit children’ as God the Father did and populate a world of his own.” [22][emphasis added]
We also see Satan’s deceptions in the world’s educational scene in such things as evolution that is so ardently taught today. Anyone who knows the truth of God (Gen. 1-2; Exod. 20:8-11; Psa. 33:6-9; Rom. 1:18-23; 2 Pet. 3:1-7; et al.), knows that evolution is a lie. [23] But still it is taught as the truth.
We also see that schools are teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT) which says that negative stereotypes are being assigned to members of minority groups to benefit white people and increase racial oppression. [24]
Neil Shenvi defines critical race theory as “an ideology that divides the world into oppressed groups and their oppressors and aims to liberate the oppressed.” [25] Sometimes called “Cultural Marxism,” CRT borrows concepts from classical Marxism dividing the world into the “haves” and the “have nots” and attempts to right the wrongs of previous generations through a redistribution of wealth and power. Unfortunately, CRT is pitting ethnic groups against each other in hopes of correcting historic inequalities. [26]
Biblically speaking, racism is the sin of ethnic partiality or prejudice (Jas. 2:8-9; Lev. 19:15). Racism is wrong because there is only one race, and it is the human race which is in Adam (Acts 17:26). Racism has not only caused division, but it has caused great pain and suffering throughout history. Since racism is a real sin, we should repudiate it and address it from a biblical perspective.
Unfortunately, CRT advocates that truth is not determined objectively outside of oneself. Instead, CRT says that truth is determined experientially by historically oppressed groups of people; thus, different groups of people can have different “truths” according to this view.
But truth does not work that way. Truth is true outside of anyone’s perspective. For example, two plus two equals four no matter what your skin color or any of your past experiences. Bowling balls fall from airplanes regardless of what anyone believes about gravity.
Christians must remember where truth comes from: the Bible (John 17:17) and Jesus Christ (John 14:6; 1:14). Truth resides in God’s Word and the Person of Jesus Christ, not in oppressed groups of people. It does not matter if older white males in a so-called domineering culture believe it, or a young black lesbian doesn’t believe it. Believing or not believing the Bible or Jesus has no bearing on the truthfulness of either. The reason for this is because truth does not reside in a person’s perspective: truth resides outside any group’s shared experience. Ultimately, truth resides in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. [27]
Jesus did not focus on the education, ethnicity, gender, income, social identity, or the sexual orientation of a person. His love excluded no one. Jesus Christ desires “all” people to be saved regardless of their education, ethnicity, gender, income, social identities, or sexual orientations. The apostle Paul exhorts us to pray for “all” people because Jesus desires “all” people to be saved and He died for “all” people (I Tim. 2:3-6). Jesus’ love is inclusive, not exclusive. But Satan wants to deceive us into thinking otherwise.
Satan has a subtle strategy of using deception and lies to bring us under his control. He seeks to mislead us into bondage. This is why it is so important to put on the belt of truth.
What is the Truth? [28]
The belt Christians are to put on is “truth” (alētheia). But what is the truth? “Truth is the absolute standard by which reality is measured. It’s not something that changes based on feelings or perspective. A person can deny that gravity is true, but if he decides to jump off a building to prove it, he’s going to find that truth doesn’t care about his feelings or perspective. Truth exists whether you embrace it or not.” [29] [emphasis added]
Truth is simply God’s view on any subject on the front end. But often what happens is people start with man’s view and wind up with truth (God’s view) when man’s view has failed.
This is why the Bible speaks so much about first. “Seek FIRST the kingdom of God.” (Matt. 6:33). “He [Christ] is FIRST in everything.” (Col. 1:18 NLT). “You have left your FIRST love.” (Rev. 2:4). We always need to start first with God’s view on any subject.
Truth is more than feelings because feelings can fluctuate. Truth is also more than facts. You can have facts and not have the truth. For example, I can say, “I have a headache. My head is really hurting me.” So, I go to Walmart and purchase some extra strength Tylenol because the fact is my head is hurting. But the Tylenol is not working. I still have my headache. So, I go to my doctor, and he does a head scan and discovers I have a brain tumor. I was treating the fact without knowing the truth. The truth was my head was hurting because of a brain tumor. Which means I was trying to solve the fact with an insufficient medication.
Truth is God’s view on any subject. God has spoken, He has not stuttered. There are two answers to every question: God’s answer and everyone else’s. And everyone else’s answer is wrong all the time. People can be so preoccupied with facts that they never arrive at truth. And thus, they never get solutions.
It is not the truth that sets us free. It is the truth that we know that sets us free. Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32). So, if it is truth, and you do not know it, you are still in bondage.
In January of 1863, President Lincoln signed and issued his famous Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves throughout the Confederacy. But the slaves in Texas were not told until June 19, 1865. The information of the signing was true, but it was not passed on to everyone. African Americans in Texas did not discover this truth until a year and a half later. So, during those eighteen months, they lived in bondage with no authority to exercise their freedom because they did not know the truth.
The reason this is so critical in spiritual warfare is because our enemy is a liar. That is all that he does. Satan is a liar (John 8:44) and a deceiver (Rev. 12:9). And if he can use facts to trick us, he will. If we do not start with the truth, that is, God’s view on a subject, then we will automatically be in bondage. And the Devil will even use religion to keep us there. Nothing holds more people hostage than religion.
When Satan went to Eve in the garden of Eden, the first thing he said to her was, “Let’s talk about God.” “Has God indeed said…?” (Gen. 3:1). But do you know an important word that the Devil left out when he tempted Eve? In Genesis 2, we read over and over again, the phrase, “the Lord God (’Elōhîm Yahweh) …” (Gen. 2:4-5, 7-9, 15-16, 18-19, 21-22). When Satan spoke to Eve, he left out God’s relational name “Lord” (Yahweh). This indicates that he doesn’t mind religion as long as there is no relationship with the Lord God driving it. [30]
Defeating Satan with the Truth [31]
How do we defeat Satan with the truth? We daily reach out and put on the truth. The Bible gives us four expressions or citadels of truth. The first is THE PERSON OF TRUTH. The Lord Jesus Christ is “the truth” (John 14:6) and is “full of truth” (John 1:14). Hence, Jesus is the Person of truth.
When we clothe ourselves with truth, we are putting on the Lord Jesus. “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” (Rom. 13:14). The Greek compound word translated “put on” is enduō = en (in) [32] + dunō (go down, set) [33] and thus means “to clothe in the sense of sinking into a garment.” We can “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” by focusing our minds and morality on Him. When we live by faith in Him (2 Cor. 5:7; Gal. 2:20), studying His Word (Josh. 1:8; John 8:31-32; 15:7a; 2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17), talking to Him in prayer (John 15:7b; Phil. 4:6-7), and seeking to reflect Him in our actions (Col. 3:23-24; I John 2:6), we are putting on the Lord Jesus.
At the moment of faith in Jesus for His gift of eternal life, we are given a new nature (cf. Eph. 4:24; I John 3:9) and identity (2 Cor. 5:17), much like being given a brand-new tuxedo. Paul exhorts us to conduct ourselves according to this new nature and identity.
When he says not to make any “provision for the flesh” (Rom. 13:14b), it helps to ask ourselves, “Would I climb through a garbage dumpster while wearing a brand-new tuxedo?” No, that filthy environment would contaminate our pristine suit. Yet that is what we are doing when we make plans to gratify the sinful desires of our “flesh.” Instead, we are to put on Christ’s purity and avoid climbing through the dumpsters of sin. [34]
However, if we have been making plans to gratify our sinful desires or we have actually been climbing through the dumpsters of sin, it is time to take our brand-new tuxedo to the cleaners and let the Lord Jesus completely cleanse it with His blood. Come back into the light by confessing our sins to God (I John 1:7, 9) and to safe brothers or sisters in Christ (Jas. 5:16), so God can heal us and restore us to fellowship with Him.
The second expression or citadel of truth in the Bible is God the Holy Spirit, Who is called THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH. Jesus said, “13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-14). What does it mean to put on the Holy Spirit? It means that we look to the Holy Spirit to lead us in accord with the truth (God’s view on a subject) of what Jesus taught (John 14:26) and what the Bible teaches us. The Spirit of God will never lead us in a way that contradicts what Jesus taught or what the Bible says. As we read the Word of God, we ask the Holy Spirit to enable us to understand the truth as God intended (I John 2:20-27). We measure everything by whether or not it aligns with what the Holy Spirit has already revealed in the Bible.
And we are to be very careful to honor the Spirit of God. When we have difficulty understanding a Bible passage, we ask the Holy Spirit to guide us into the truth (John 16:13) and to protect us from error (I John 2:20-27; 4:1-6). Instead of rushing into things, especially religious things that may seem overly ecstatic and exciting, we step back and take time to measure things to see if they are in accord with what God’s Spirit has already said in the Word because He is the Spirit of truth. He always guides us into truth (John 16:13) which is always in harmony with Who the Lord Jesus Christ is (John 15:26; 16:14; cf. I John 2:20-27; 4:1-6) and what He has done (I Cor. 12:3; 15:3-6) because Jesus is the truth (John 14:6). The Spirit of truth can show us the lies we believe that have kept us in bondage to sin and shame and replace them with the liberating truth of God’s Word (cf. Psa. 119:28-29).
The third expression or citadel of truth is THE WORD OF TRUTH, THE BIBLE. Jesus prayed to His heavenly Father, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17). When we put on the belt of truth, we are putting on the Scripture. That means we understand that the Bible is the “word of truth” as it is called so many times throughout the Bible (cf. Psa. 119:43, 160; Acts. 26:25; 2 Cor. 6:7; 2 Tim. 2:15; Jas. 1:18; et al.). This is why I believe that inerrancy [35] is an essential part of our Christian faith. We can trust what the Bible says in all things. It is the Word of truth, not the Word of error. We can build our lives upon the stable foundation of the Word of truth so we can endure the storms of life (Matt. 7:24-27).
The word “sanctify” (hagiazō) in John 17:17, literally means to “set apart” [36] from the world or “to make holy.”[37] This is not referring to sinless perfection. It is referring to spiritual growth or maturity – progressively becoming more like Christ. How?
We are to be “set apart” from the world’s influence and its values “by” the Father’s “truth” which is His “word,”the Bible. Throughout the Bible we see that God’s Word is true. It is not full of errors as many claim today. We cannot grow spiritually apart from God’s Word. So, the way we grow in holiness is by renewing our minds in accordance with the truth of God’s Word (cf. Rom. 12:1-2). Disciples of Jesus must abide in His word if they are to know the truth of His word and be set free from Satan’s lies that enslave their lives to sin (cf. John 8:31-36, 44). We must feed upon God’s word to experience the victory Jesus has already won for us (John 16:33).
At a meeting, a Native American Indian said a black wolf lived in his heart, but when Christ became his Savior, a white wolf came to live in his heart, and the two wolves were then fighting all the time. After the meeting, someone approached him and asked, “Which wolf wins, the white one or the black one?” The Indian replied, “The one I feed the most.” If we feed upon God’s Word and do it, we are going to experience more victory over the world and Satan in our Christian lives. But if we feed upon the lies of Satan, we will experience more defeat in our Christian lives and be conformed to the world. I like what D.L. Moody wrote on the flyleaf of his Bible. “This book will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from this book.” That is the truth. If I let this book become more and more a part of my life it will keep me away from sin (Psa. 119:9, 11, 28-29). Or sin can keep me away from reading His word.
The final expression or citadel of truth in the Bible is the Church, THE PILLAR AND FOUNDATION OF TRUTH. Paul writes, “I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.“ (I Tim. 3:15). Paul describes the church as “the pillar and ground of the truth.“
“Much as a pillar supports a roof, the local church is to hold up the truth. Without the church, there would be nothing on earth to hold up God’s truth.
“The ground is that on which things are built. Thus, the church is the foundation on which the truth is built. Without the church, the truth would not have a foundation on which to stand. The church protects the truth in the face of all who attack it.
“Biblically sound churches bless those in their location by being there. Such churches shine the truth into a dark and dying world.” [38] [emphasis added]
This is a great reason to stay close to a local church that embraces God’s truth. We need God’s perspective especially as it relates to spiritual warfare. And a local church that is biblically sound is a great source of encouragement and protection for every Christian.
Conclusion
How do we put on the belt of truth? The same way we are to put on all the pieces of God’s spiritual armor – by means of prayer. Paul concluded his teaching on the armor of God by inviting his readers to pray: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” (Eph. 6:18). How often are we to pray the armor of God? “Always.” Prayer is to be woven into all of our lives. Satan and his demonic armies never take a day off, so it would be best that we don’t take a day off from praying the armor of God.
“We need to stay in regular communication with God and pray in the Spirit in order to access heaven’s authority for intervention on earth (6:18). In other words, we must be on the same page as the Spirit, utilizing spiritual wisdom. The most powerful way to do that is to pray God’s Word back to Him and apply it to your situation.” [39]
Praying the belt of truth back to God can become a wonderful worship experience. We can express appreciation for the Lord Jesus, Who is the Person of Truth, and the Holy Spirit, Who is the Spirit of Truth, and the Bible, the Word of Truth, and the Local Church, the Pillar and Foundation of Truth.
Prayer: In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray the protection of the belt of truth described in Ephesians 6:14a. I pray its protection over my personal life, my home, my family, and the ministry You, Lord, have appointed for my life. I use the belt of truth directly against Satan and his kingdom of darkness. I thank You heavenly Father for the Person of the Truth, the Lord Jesus Christ. I cling to Him Who is the truth and is full of truth, as my strength and protection from all of Satan’s deceptions. Thank You Father God for the Holy Spirit Who is the Spirit of truth. I look to You, Holy Spirit, to lead me in accord with the truth of what Jesus taught and what the Bible teaches. I ask You, Spirit of truth, to warn me before I deceive anyone and to protect me always from believing Satan’s lies. Forgive me, Lord, for not speaking the truth. Show me any way in which I am being deceived. I desire that the Bible, the Word of truth, shall constantly gain a deeper place in my life. I pray that the truth of the Word of God may be my heart’s delight to study and memorize. Thank You, Lord God, for making my local church a pillar and foundation for Your truth in my life. Help me relate to my church and give protection to others as well as receive it myself. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for showing me that my ability to be strong and to do Your will requires the stabilizing power of the belt of truth. Thank You for providing this part of the armor of God. In Your mighty name, I pray, Lord Jesus. Amen. [40]
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2000 Kindle Edition, pg. 625.
[2] Much of this section is adapted from Mark Bubeck’s video message entitled, “4. The Wholeness of the Armor: Ephesians 6 Series,” on the BRMinistry app, unless otherwise noted.
[3] Tony Evan’s video message at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) entitled, “The Armor of God,” on YouTube.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 2665.
[7] The first three verbs in Greek (perizōsamenoi… endysamenoi… hypodēsamenoi… ) are aorist middle participles which means they have already been put on by the soldier or Christian.
[8] Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 2665.
[9] The Greek verb translated “taking…” (analabontes) is an aorist active participle, meaning the Christian is taking the shield of faith as needed and the last Greek verb translated “take…” (dexasthe) is an aorist middle imperative which is used of the last two pieces of armor and means for oneself to take them up as needed.
[10] The next several paragraphs are adopted from Mark Bubeck’s video message entitled, “4. The Wholeness of the Armor: Ephesians 6 Series,” on the BRMinistry app, unless otherwise noted.
[11] Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 2629.
[12] Tom Constable, Dr. Constable’s Notes on Ephesians, 2024 Edition, pg. 146.
[13] J.B. Bond, “Ephesians,” Grace New Testament Commentary: Revised Edition, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 1399.
[14] Much of this section is adapted from Mark Bubeck’s video message, “5. Belted Against Satan’s Belt: Ephesians 6 Series,” on BRMinistry app, unless otherwise noted.
[15] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 2000 Kindle Edition, pg. 730.
[16] Bubeck, “5. Belted Against Satan’s Belt: Ephesians 6 Series,” on BRMinistry app.
[17] Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2000 Kindle Edition, pp. 821-822.
[18] Bubeck, “5. Belted Against Satan’s Belt: Ephesians 6 Series,” on BRMinistry app.
[19] Daniel Janosik, THE GUIDE TO ANSWERING ISLAM: What Every Christian Needs to Know About Islam and the Rise of Radical Islam (Cambridge, OH: Christian Publishing House, 2019 Kindle Edition), pg. 172.
[20] Ibid., pp. 172, 321 cites Sami Mukaram, At-Taqiyya fi ‘l-Islam (London: Mu’assisat at-Turath ad-Druzi, 2004), 7, quoted in Raymond Ibrahim, Beware Islam’s Doctrine of Deception, PJ Media, September 24, 2015: http://www.meforum.org/5522/ben-carson-taqiyya.
[21] Retrieved on October 27, 2024, from the article entitled, “Mormonism – Does it truly follow Jesus Christ?” at www.christiananswers.net
[22] Ibid.
[23] See the following helpful articles or books exposing the deceptions of evolution – Simon Turpin, “How the Apostle Peter Relates to the Age of the Earth Debate: Analyzing 2 Peter 3:1-7,” at www.answersingenesis.org; Harold Dressler, “Evolution – Still an Option?” at www.answersingenesis.org; Ken Ham, The Lie: Unraveling the Myth: Evolution/Millions of Years, Updated Edition (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 1987, 2024); Roger G. Gallop, Evolution: The Greatest Deception in Modern History (Scientific Evidence for Divine Creation), Second Edition (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL: Red Butte Press, Inc., 2011, 2014).
[24] Retrieved on June 2, 2024, from Wikipedia article entitled, “Critical Race Theory” at en.m.wikipedia.org.
[25] Retrieved on June 2, 2024, from Brandon Clay and Frost Smith’s September 29, 2020, article entitled “Critical Race Theory in the Church,” at www.answersingenesis.org.
[26] Ibid.
[27] The previous four paragraphs were adapted from Ibid.
[28] Much of this section is adapted from Tony Evan’s video message at DTS entitled, “The Armor of God,” on Youtube, unless otherwise noted.
[29] Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, 2019 Kindle Edition, pp. 1820-1821.
[30] Ibid., pg. 137.
[31] Much of this section is adapted from Bubeck, “5. Belted Against Satan’s Belt: Ephesians 6 Series,” on BRMinistryapp, unless otherwise noted.
[32] Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2000 Kindle Edition, pg. 327.
[33] Ibid., pg. 264.
[34] Adapted from Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, 2019 Kindle Edition, pp. 2465-2466.
[35] Inerrancy states that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, without error in the original autographs, accurate in all areas it touches, and true in all it says (Psa. 119:86, 151, 160, 172; Prov. 30:5-6; Matt. 5:18; John 17:17; 2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20, 21). The Bible is God’s complete written revelation to humankind and is the final authority for guidance in living the Christian life (Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Prov. 30:5-6; I Cor. 13:8-13; Heb. 4:12; Rev. 22:18). As the Scriptures in their entirety point to Jesus Christ and His death for the sins of the world on the cross, they are a complete and trustworthy guide to reveal God’s plan of salvation for all humankind (Luke 24:27, 44-48; John 5:39; 2 Tim. 3:15).
[36] J. Carl Laney, Moody Gospel John Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1992), pg. 307.
[37] Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2000 Kindle Edition, pp. 9-10.
[38] Robert Wilkin, “I Timothy,” The Grace New Testament Commentary: Revised Edition, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 1531.
[39] Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 2667.
[40] Adapted from Mark I. Bubeck, a prayer entitled “Prayer to Know and Speak Truth,” from Spiritual Warfare Prayers pamphlet (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1997).
