How foolish would it be to turn up to an exam without a pen? Or in summer go to the beach wearing a woolly hat? What about going to school in your pyjamas? Let’s be real, it would be WEIRD. So, why would it be normal for us to walk alongside God, going into battle against the enemy, without any armour? Thankfully for us, the bible shows us exactly how to armour up!
‘So, put on God’s armour now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemy’s attacks; and after fighting to the end, you will still hold your ground. So, stand ready, with truth as a belt tight round your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace. At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the spirit gives you.’
– Ephesians 6 v 13-17 (GNB)
How often have you been running late? You wake up and press snooze one to many times and suddenly you are rushing around the house, pulling on a pair of jeans at the same time as brushing your teeth. You finally get dropped off for the day and as you start walking with your mates you realise… you forgot to put on a belt. You spend the rest of the day feeling incredibly uncomfortable, awkwardly pulling your trousers up every two minutes.
Without a belt, we are left feeling completely insecure. A broken belt is useless, a loose belt is useless, a forgotten belt, you guessed it, useless! But, a fully working belt, secured perfectly, gives the confidence and comfort we need to go about our everyday lives. God tells us to put on the belt of truth – First! It is essential that, before we even take a step, we make sure we will be walking securely in truth. ‘The very essence of your word is truth’ (Psalms 119v160) – God’s word is truth; God’s word is our source of security and comfort.
So, what does it mean to say that God’s word is truth? Like a belt, it isn’t designed to restrict, but to give assured freedom (John 8v32); it is there to guide us, so we don’t fall down (John 13v13). Just like a belt keeps our trousers up and stops our embarrassment, when our lives are fully secured to God’s truth, it keeps us from showing the enemy our weaknesses! Therefore, when we wear truth as a belt we are wearing freedom, security and love. We are wearing God’s faithfulness, His promises and His purpose for us.
In today’s world, it can be difficult to keep fastened to the truth of God’s word, as we live in a culture of: ‘I have my truth and you have yours’. We respect and love everyone, but as Christians we know THE truth. Jesus is ‘the way, the truth and the life’ (John 14v6); the only truth. God wants us to wear this belt, because this truth is stable, secure and unwavering. One of the most exciting things about the belts position in the armour, is that the belt holds the sword! It allows you to confidently carry the word of God, into battle, positioned for when you need it. This isn’t easy, as the bible is often counter-cultural and means us speaking out opposing views to the world and our friends. Yet, we choose to boldly declare His truth because we know it is our armour and it is what everyone needs.
