February 8, 2022
The Belt of Truth
Lord’s Prayer Focus: The Father’s Protection – “...but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13b).
Ephesians 6:13–14 (ESV) — 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth…”
In Ephesians 6, Paul gives us a picture of what the common Roman soldier would have worn in battle, but he relates it to the equipment that disciples have access to, to protect themselves and fight their Enemy. The difference is that the Christian’s armor is spiritual, not physical. Remember from v.12, he tells us that our battle is not against "flesh and blood…but against the spiritual forces of evil." Elsewhere in 2 Corinthians 10, he says, "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world" (v.3-4). Paul urges us to put on the whole armor of God and never take it off. An old Puritan minister from the 1600s put it this way, “We must walk, work, and sleep in them.” There will come a day when we can take the armor off. In heaven, we’ll exchange it for a white robe (Rev. 6:11; 7:9), but until then, we’re in a battle where we cannot afford to be unprotected.
Paul is training us to stand our ground against the devil. Our first line of defense is truth. Satan’s primary weapon is falsehood. Jesus referred to Satan as “the father of lies” (John 8:44), and when the truth is used against him, his lies are diffused. We learned this earlier when Jesus defeated the temptations of Satan using the word of God. Jesus was not only reciting truth to get Satan off his back, but to remind Himself of the truth. Psalm 119:11 says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Knowing, believing, and trusting the truth of God's Word is what keeps us from sinning. And whenever Satan twists God’s Word and lies to you, your defense is to speak the truth to yourself.
Each of us knows the temptations we struggle against the most. One practical way to prepare for Satan's attack (because you know it's coming), is to go to God's Word before the temptation happens again, find the passages that speak against that, write those down and rehearse them daily. And when that temptation or that lie comes to you again, you're prepared. You run to that list of Scriptures and you begin to read those over and over. God has given you the power of His Spirit to resist Satan's lies and temptations, and the power that He's given you is His Word. The easiest way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13) is to rehearse and walk in the truth.
Consider:
Prayer Points:
Pray each of the truths you identified and ask the Holy Spirit to store them deep in your heart.
Lord’s Prayer Focus: The Father’s Protection – “...but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13b).
Ephesians 6:13–14 (ESV) — 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth…”
In Ephesians 6, Paul gives us a picture of what the common Roman soldier would have worn in battle, but he relates it to the equipment that disciples have access to, to protect themselves and fight their Enemy. The difference is that the Christian’s armor is spiritual, not physical. Remember from v.12, he tells us that our battle is not against "flesh and blood…but against the spiritual forces of evil." Elsewhere in 2 Corinthians 10, he says, "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world" (v.3-4). Paul urges us to put on the whole armor of God and never take it off. An old Puritan minister from the 1600s put it this way, “We must walk, work, and sleep in them.” There will come a day when we can take the armor off. In heaven, we’ll exchange it for a white robe (Rev. 6:11; 7:9), but until then, we’re in a battle where we cannot afford to be unprotected.
Paul is training us to stand our ground against the devil. Our first line of defense is truth. Satan’s primary weapon is falsehood. Jesus referred to Satan as “the father of lies” (John 8:44), and when the truth is used against him, his lies are diffused. We learned this earlier when Jesus defeated the temptations of Satan using the word of God. Jesus was not only reciting truth to get Satan off his back, but to remind Himself of the truth. Psalm 119:11 says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Knowing, believing, and trusting the truth of God's Word is what keeps us from sinning. And whenever Satan twists God’s Word and lies to you, your defense is to speak the truth to yourself.
Each of us knows the temptations we struggle against the most. One practical way to prepare for Satan's attack (because you know it's coming), is to go to God's Word before the temptation happens again, find the passages that speak against that, write those down and rehearse them daily. And when that temptation or that lie comes to you again, you're prepared. You run to that list of Scriptures and you begin to read those over and over. God has given you the power of His Spirit to resist Satan's lies and temptations, and the power that He's given you is His Word. The easiest way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13) is to rehearse and walk in the truth.
Consider:
- What lies does Satan speak most often tell you?
- What truths combat each of those lies?
Prayer Points:
Pray each of the truths you identified and ask the Holy Spirit to store them deep in your heart.
Posted in 2022 Prayer and Fasting