In Ephesians 6 Paul references the armor of Roman Soldiers. Each piece of armor has great significance in taking our stand in spiritual warfare.
If you think of a time somebody purposefully deceived you by lying to you then you understand the deep sense of confusion that results from the lack of truth. There was a young man in a restaurant that had finished eating. He kept staring at an older couple and finally came over and asked if he could have a word with them. He shared how his mom had suddenly passed away not too long ago and he never got to tell her good bye. He explained that this lady reminded him of his mom so he wanted to make an unusual request. He asked if it would be okay for him go to the door and as he left do what he never got to do with his mom. He wanted to say, “Goodbye mom.” Then he asked if she could say what he imagined his mom would have said, “Goodbye son, I love you. Don’t worry. I’ve got this.” The scenario played out beautifully and though it was a bit awkward the woman felt a sense of deep satisfaction that she had been able to do something so meaningful for the wonderful young man who was obviously mourning. As they were leaving they went to the register to pay and the waitress said, “That will be $28 for yours and $18 for your son’s.”
How important is the truth? Paul makes Truth his first priority in explaining spiritual warfare.
Ephesians 6:10-14 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power…13 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. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist…(NIV)
The very first thing Paul talks about is the Belt of Truth. Obviously this is very important. The belt of the Roman soldier was central to all the other armor. It provided a place for the sword and clip for the shield and kept the breastplate in place when sudden movements were made in combat.Paul is revealing that first and foremost the belt of truth must be secure for the warrior to be effective.
Truth problems are the true problems in our lives.
Hos 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge… NIV
We’ve all heard the phrase, “Hindsight is 20/20.” Simply put it is easy to make the right decisions after you are past the situation and can look back at an accurate picture of the situation with all of the right information. The right information will completely changeperspective!
Recently I was in a restaurant waiting for my mom and dad to arrive. My mom walked in and was walking toward me. Suddenly she stooped down a few booths too early making a slight pucker motion with her lips before she realized she was about to kiss a stranger thinking it was me.
Just because we think somehting doesn’t make it true. Don’t just believe everything you think. Behind every sin you commit is a lie you believed. Being saved is one thing but allowing the mind of Christ to dwell in you & shape your thoughts is another.
James 1:22 Don't merely listen to the word & so deceive yourselves... NIV
Satan the deceiver loves it when apathetic religion does his work for him. This is why we provide discussion questions with each message if you will just access the blog. Application of what we hear God reveal is a very important part of becoming all God has called you to be in God’s army. Pursuing, understanding and applying Truth is central to true warriors of God’s Kingdom.
This is central to all the rest of your armor. Warriors. I’m calling you to pursue understanding and application of God’s Truth.
GP2RL Action Point:
Develop a Bible reading plan that works for you as a lifestyle.
DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR COMMUNITY GROUP LEADERS
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Share a time when you were under dressed and how it affected your level of confidence in that situation.
We should never be under dressed spiritually. Putting on the full armor of God allows us to have full confidence in who we are in Christ and who Christ is in us.
Ephesians 6:10-14 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor 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 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. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place. NIV
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
2. In these verses we are told twice to put on the full armor of God. Both times there a reason is given. What are those reasons?
It is important that we take our stand and stand our ground in the battle we fight with the enemy.
When Paul wrote about the armor of God it is important to note that the very first piece of armor was about truth. Not only is truth first but it is central to all of the armor, likened to a belt to be worn around our waist.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
3. Think of a time when somebody intentionally lied to you. Without explaining the situation simply describe how it made you feel and how it affected the relationship.
The Roman soldier’s belt of armor not only provided a place for the warrior’s sword but also provided a clip for the shield keeping the breastplate in place. Paul is pointing to the fact that it is the belt of truth that holds everything together.
The second piece of armor Paul chooses to mention speaks of righteousness and is likened to the breastplate protecting the warrior’s heart. Biblically, the word heart speaks of the inner part of the mind or the inner being of a man. That which exists within us, in essence, determines who we are.
The breastplate speaks of our being clothed in the very righteousness of Christ.
CONCLUSION:
4. Take time to ask people to share any areas of need they have. Conclude in prayer putting on the full armor of God so you can take your stand and so you can stand your ground.