The Belt
“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist…”- Ephesians 6:14a
“He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” -Titus 1:9
“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”- Matthew 28:16-20
The first piece of Armor listed by Paul is the belt of truth, which would go around the middle of the armor in order to hold everything in place. Likewise, truth must be at the core of everything we do. We gain this truth by persistently reading the Word of God and by discussing its depth within our community of believers. His truth may also be revealed during a quiet time of meditation and prayer in His presence. A good way to do this in your day-to-day life is to build up gradually. For instance; for a moth you may get up every day for a 20 minute devotional, and then the next month maybe you decide to fast lunch on wednesdays to study His Word or lengthen your morning/evening reading times.
Next, the church has been commanded in Matthew 28:16-20, to make disciples of all nations and to then teach them all that we have learned. If we do not have a firm foundation of truth laid, we cannot turn that truth and wisdom into encouragement for others. Titus 1:9 reminds leaders that they must constantly be ready to spread the gospel with others. This means followers of Jesus must constantly be ready to edify fellow believers and lovingly rebuke those who do not yet comprehend the truth.
Paul knew the distractions we would face and commands us to keep that wisdom fastened around our center, keeping all other components of our lives in order. If we do this, the spiritual warfare surrounding us will be hard pressed to tempt you with something you can’t refute. So, remember to consciously have the truth of God woven throughout your thoughts. A good way to do this is to memorize scripture during your devotional times, which inscribes the Word into your mind. When you are prepared with the Truth of God, you are prepared to carry out the Great Commission and encourage one another in faith and righteousness.