Amanda BethSharing the Truths Behind the TRUTH

Jun 27th Monday’s Blog: Belt Of Truth

I’m so excited to be back and starting our new series on the “Armor of God.” The armor of God isn’t something we have to strive to obtain. It’s already been given to us through Christ. We need to learn what it is, why we need it, and how to put it on.

Ephesians 6:10-17 explains what the armor of God is and why we need it:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. Therefore put on the full armor 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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

We need God’s armor to stand against Satan and his spiritual forces coming against us. We can’t stand against Satan’s schemes on our own. As these verses say, our struggles aren’t against people. We are not in a battle against one another, even though it often appears that way. Our real battle is against Satan and his forces. They are the ones behind the scenes trying to take us down. We need God’s armor to help us stand against their attacks.

The first armor explained is the belt of Truth. In the Bible days men wore robes. When they’d fight they would secure their robes with a belt to avoid getting entangled. In the same way, we need to wear the belt of Truth to avoid getting entangled in Satan’s lies.

We won’t be able to stand against Satan’s deception without first believing ALL God’s Words are true. Many Christians would say they believe the Bible is true. But if you mention verses that stretch their faith, like Mark 16:17-18, they don’t believe it applies today.

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.

I may not understand everything about healing, speaking in tongues, or driving out demons. But that doesn’t mean I don’t believe these verses are true. I don’t have to understand everything about the Bible to believe everything in there.

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

—John 8:31-32

This says if we hold to His teachings, then we will know the Truth. As we believe it, we will start walking in it, and then we’ll gain an understanding of the Truth as we see it manifest in our lives.

…for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge….

—Proverbs 1:6-7

To fear the Lord means to live in reverence to Him. We won’t live in reverence to God if we don’t believe Him. Faith comes first, then sight.

If we don’t stand for God’s Truth, we’ll open the door to deception. We see this widespread in the body of Christ today. So many Christians aren’t standing for the Truth. It’s amazing how many lies the enemy has sown in the body of Christ.

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

—2 Timothy 4:3

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves… having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.

—2 Timothy 3:1-7

I had a Christian editor edit my book last year. This editor took out any scripture and teaching that was “uncomfortable.” I put everything back according to the Word of God. I will not accept what anyone says over what God says.

I didn’t get where I am today by listening to what I wanted to hear. I listened to what I needed to hear. Everything in God’s Word isn’t warm and fuzzy. Most of it’s uncomfortable and hard to bear. But it’s what we need if we want to stand against the enemy’s deception and live in victory.

John 6:60-64 tells us that many of Jesus’ disciples turned back and no longer followed Him because His teachings were hard.

On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.”

We are nothing in our flesh. We can’t stand against Satan’s attacks on our own. We need spiritual armor to stand against him.

We have only two choices in life. We either believe God’s Word and put on His armor, or we believe Satan’s lies and allow him to take us captive to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26). There is no in between.

I strongly encourage you to stand for the Truth. Make sure what you learn from others is the Truth. We need to always check what we learn and make sure it’s according to the Word of God. Otherwise, we open the door to Satan’s deception.

And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.

—Acts 17:11 NLT

We will always stand against the enemy when we hold to the Word of God as Truth.

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**Something to think about this week**

Ask God to help you stand firm in His Word. Ask Him to help you break down any lies the enemy has sown in your life. As you believe His Word is true, and strive to live according to it, God will reveal His Truth to you!

Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters,of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.

—1 Corinthians 15:1-2 NLT

Have a blessed week in Christ!

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**Come back next Monday as I share more of God’s Truths and the reasons behind the Truths.

All Bible verses are taken from the NIV, unless otherwise noted.