Preface
This is my ninth article submitted for publishing as a member of the Young Writers Program organised by Press Services International. This program helps to provide a ready-source of content for the magazine publication Christian Today Australia. You can read that article here. View the full list of my articles here.
Apparently this article has hit “Most Popular” for two days – Friday 19 July and Monday 22 July. Thank you all for your interest – all glory and honour to God.
Ephesians 6:10-18: The Armour of God
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Introduction
In this latest article God’s truth, as represented by the belt of truth, will be the focus of my reflection and sharing.
Definition & Significance
The concept of the belt of truth is actually a much bigger deal than we realise. Part of the challenge is that in our modern society we have changed the understanding of a belt and the role it plays as a fashion accessory. In its true context, the belt is super important piece in the Roman armour. More closely thought of like today’s garter belts or suspenders, the belt holds all the armour together.
In this way, the belt of truth, and God’s truth holds everything together. The truth of the Gospel and God’s teachings as recorded in the Bible all combine to create a holistic protection and defence in spiritual warfare. Do not underestimate the importance of God’s truth in our lives.One common phrase these days that gets thrown around especially from non-believers is that their truth is not our truth. Basically, the premise is that truth is subjective and not necessarily objective and absolute. The Christian position is actually quite unique when it comes to truth – we claim in Christ an absolute truth; He is the absolute truth. Now, in order for anyone else to prove the reverse is to basically claim that there is no absolute truth, but the flaw in this argument is that the claim itself is an absolute truth. So, based on logic and reason, God’s truth is consistent. Just as famous apologetics author Lee Stroebel found, God’s truth has stood the test of time and scrutiny – God’s truth is a firm foundation for building faith.
Application & Testimony
We have seen the importance of truth in recent times. It is often said that truth is one of the first casualties in politics. Contrast that to the teaching of Jesus where He proclaims Himself to be the Way, the Truth and the Life; that no one could come to the Father except through Him. (John chapter 14, verse 6).
I was reading and studying from the book of Judges and one of the first lessons that we learn about Israel is that Spiritual amnesia can lead to our destruction and suffering. The young nation had, within a generation, forgotten of the truth of God’s grace and actions in delivering them from Egypt, and as a result, God allowed them to be plundered. When we fall into that trap and forget the truth of God’s sovereignty and His divine work, sometimes God will allow us to suffer. It is only with the belt of truth actively worn and applied over our lives that God will unveil our eyes to our sin and pride and enable us to repent and draw close to Him again.
Standing up for the truth is a challenge in today’s society. When I stood up for the truth – Biblical truth – on the topic of same sex marriage – I naturally came under fire from members of society who disagreed. Part of the challenge in the “debate” was and is that Biblical truth is clearly undesirable, and inconvenient for those who choose other belief systems. Whereas the historical origins of our modern western society were once Biblical, we have reached this point of divergence where the Bible is deemed dated and out of touch with the needs of secular society. However, a sincere Christian will believe that God and His truths have remained unchanging – and that is us – secular society in particular – who have changed, and not in a Godly way. As Biblical truth becomes more and more out of alignment with secular government legislation, the End Times will become clearer.
We all have a choice: do we want to please God or man? The Bible teaches us that it is better to please God rather than man (Acts chapter 5, verse 29). Wearing the belt of truth will undoubtedly help us remain aligned with God’s purposes and truth. When we pursue God’s truth, it will inevitably point us back to God Himself. God is the truth, the way and the life.
In our daily routines for getting up, consider the significance that we do not just wear a belt of truth, we are wrapping ourselves in God and His Holy truth. Find a belt to remind you of this and bring God and His truth with you into each and every day of your life.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for all the times Your grace and love have been showered upon us. As we reflect on our lives, help us to recognise where Your truth and presence have been instrumental in our lives. Help unveil our eyes and hearts to the truth of who You are, and how You are working in and through our lives, as well as those around us. Thank you for sending us signs and wonders that give You the glory.
Lord, just as You value truth, help us to also align our heart and will to your own, where we can value the simple and convicting truths that are infused throughout Your Word. Jesus, as you once taught, You are indeed the Way, Truth and Light unto this world. As we meditate on this truth, reveal Yourself to us.
For some of us, we are confused and filled with doubt and uncertainty. It may relate to something we have heard, or even a perception or view we hold about a topic or person. Help us in this need where Your truth can shine through the mist and murkiness that is the confusion, doubt and uncertainty.
May Your truth not just protect and defend, but also be an active weapon that disarms lies, deceit and mistrust. Help us to equip ourselves and cover ourselves with Your righteous truth so that we can always respond in love and grace. The importance of Your covering which is founded in truth cannot be underestimated; Lord help us to fully appreciate the depth and seriousness of Your spiritual protection.
Holy Spirit, You delight in the warmth and light that is the truth. May You always be a constant presence in our lives so we know that we are walking in truth and not veering off the narrow path towards righteousness.
Lord help us to keep an open mind so that the truth will set us free from any bondages of the past. Sometimes our history is full of memories and ideas that we have formed based on our perception and limited perspective. Our emotions can sometimes cloud our judgement and distort our ability to accept the truth.
May Your truth prevail and be a light unto the world. We thank you Father that You are the way, the truth and the life. There is no one else we can turn to, in our pursuit of truth. Protect our hearts and minds from anything that gets in the way of fixing our eyes wholly and solely on you. May Your perfect love remind us of your endless, unfailing, sacrificial truth.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
Epitath / Related Song
Don’t let your heart be troubled
Hold your head up high
Don’t fear no evil
Fix your eyes on this one truth
God is madly in love with you
Take courage
Hold on
Be strong
Remember where our help comes from
(Good Grace, Hillsong United 2018, Joel Houston)
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