Seeds of the Kingdom 3 March 2022
TOPIC: Armour of God – The Belt of Truth
SCRIPTURE: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes … Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.
When we think of the armour of God, probably the last item we would think to start with is the ‘Belt of Truth’, especially when there are so much more seemingly significant items available. This is probably because we are so used to thinking of a normal belt that holds up our trousers. But what Paul saw was the Roman clingulum or balteus, used by Roman soldiers. This held the scabbard for the soldier’s sword and had other fittings to hold other important items of equipment, not least the buckles which held the breastplate in place.
Additionally, the belt had strips of armour hanging from the front of it to protect the lower part of the soldier’s body. When faced with a battle situation the Roman soldier had to grab his belt first, as without it he wouldn’t have his sword, and it had to be fitted securely so that the breastplate could be correctly buckled and not come loose at a vital moment.
But what is the ‘Belt of Truth’ and how do we obtain it? It is the truth which comes from the One who is the only truth – Jesus. This is personal knowledge of Jesus and His word, the Bible. That is our protection from the lies of the enemy, whom Jesus called the ‘father of lies’. Without knowledge of God’s word, we can fall prey to the enemy who loves to use lies and deceptions against us.
It is our spiritual plumbline which enables us to test everything to see if it lines up with God’s word. Without that ‘Belt of Truth’ firmly and securely in place, we are exposed to enemy attacks and can’t easily grasp hold of the ‘Sword of the Spirit’ at the very moment we need it. As followers of Jesus, we need to be battle ready 24/7/365 as the enemy can attack at any time with his lies.
Usually teaching on the various parts of the armour of God finishes at this point. But it seems to me that, before we can fully put on the ‘Belt of Truth’, we need to take off our own belt of truth. We all have them, and while some line up with God’s truth, many others do not. To be wearing two different belts in the physical world would be strange and uncomfortable and the same is even more so in the spiritual world.
What ‘truths’ have we wrapped around us that don’t line up with the word of God? What are the things that we have believed about God, ourselves and others which we have accepted because of things that have happened to us in the past? It could be such things as shame, rejection, abandonment, betrayal, or loss. Perhaps, as you read this, it is a good time to ask Holy Spirit to show you what wrong truths you are wearing which need to be taken off before you can securely fit God’s ‘Belt of Truth’ in place, and be safe and secure from the lies of the enemy.
PRAYER
