Girded With Truth Series

Chico Alliance Church

September 17, 2006

Pastor David Welch

"Spiritually Aware, Alert, Armed and Aggressive" Pt 8

“Girded with Truth”

I.Be Aware

II.Be Alert

III.Be armed & aggressive

A.Be fully empowered

B.Be fully armed (Put on / Take up God’s complete armor)

Put on the full armor of God, vs 11

take up the full armor of God, vs13

Every believer is a soldier in the Kingdom. Every soldier has been instructed to put on the WHOLE armor of God. God provides all the necessary armor. We must put on every piece of armor to engage in the war to destroy enemy fortresses and recapture occupied territory for Kingdom. The armor enables us to stand firm against the enemy’s schemes and to engage in battle. We are to be continually on the offense against Satan’s schemes. The “having done everything stand firm” refers to “taking up” the full armor of God. The enemy we face is not flesh and blood but unseen forces of darkness and wickedness operating in the spiritual dimension of life but affecting the world of men.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies (unseen spiritual dimension). Ephesians 6:12

C.Stand firm – engage the enemy

The command to stand firm is to stand your ground. Learn the proper stance to do battle.

The war against the enemy has to do with confronting the lies and false perceptions perpetuated by the enemy. 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

Satan’s schemes center on words and thoughts which generate feelings and motivate behavior. Satan perpetuates thinking contrary to kingdom principles. The foundational truths revealed in the pieces of armor from this passage counter the major schemes used by Satan to defeat the church. The armor both protects us from bondage and also breaks bondage.

•Truth addresses perception issues. Do we see as God sees?

•Righteousness addresses issues related to obedience to God’s standard. Do we live like Christ?

•Peace addresses relational issues. Are we at peace with God, others, ourselves?

•Faith addresses trust issues. Who do we really trust?

•Salvation addresses the issues related to our salvation in Christ. The power of the cross!

Most all of our problems can be traced to a breakdown in one or more of these areas. Most every fortress that the enemy establishes will relate to one or more of these areas.

God provides the armor. We must “take it up”. The words used mean to receive, take up, embrace, employ, use, or apply to ones self. These pieces of armor are appropriated by the “sword of the Spirit” which is the word of God spoken to the soul and against the enemy and by the fervent and continual prayers of the saints. Jesus confronted the enemy with a verbal declaration of God’s truth. Scripture continually demonstrates the power of “Thus saith the Lord!” The whole point of God writing down His perspective on life is to dispel ignorance and confront the devil’s deception.

1.Stand firm having girded your loins with TRUTH

The power of God’s TRUTH

The loins were protected by a metal girdle. The loins represented vitality, posterity, life.

The only thing that can guard our vitality is gaining and maintaining God’s perspective.

The only place we can get God’s perspective is from God’s word. What does God’s word have to say about the power of truth? There are numerous verses that address the power of God’s truth.

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." John 8:31-32

The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting. Psa119:160

Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens and Your truth to the clouds. Psalms 57:10

"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. John 17:17

Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. Psalms 51:6

But as for me, my prayer is to You, O LORD, at an acceptable time; O God, in the greatness of Your lovingkindness, Answer me with Your saving truth. Psalms 69:13

The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. Psalms 145:18

The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. 2 Timothy 2:24-26