Spiritual Warfare (SW-09)
The Belt of Truth
Eph. 6:14-18
This morning we come to one of the most exciting, empowering and liberating sections of our series on Spiritual Warfare - The Armor of God. This is, if you want, how to ‘dress for success.’ Did you know that the victory you want is directly linked to the armor you wear? As we unpack the different parts of this armor - we are going to discover that God has supernaturally infused into your armor and your weaponry supernatural power and authority. Your spiritual armor is given so that you can stand firm against the attack of Satan and the spiritual weaponry is given so that you will advance against the forces of darkness. Watch this - here’s the principle - when you wear your armor and wield your weaponry you walk in victory. I think that was a good place for somebody to say ‘Amen!’ You see my friend, it is as simple as that - when you wear your armor and wield your weaponry you walk in victory. Why? Because God infused them with supernatural power.
"For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." (2 Corinthians 10:4)
We need to understand that every challenge we face and every problem we experience is an opportunity to engage in spiritual warfare and walk in spiritual victory. Come on now - I’m preaching better than you are listening. That is why what the devil wants you to do when you face a challenge or run into a problem, whatever it is, is get all in the flesh not the Spirit, confront it in your strength not in the power of God, deal with it in natural not the supernatural! He does not want you to wear your armor or wield you weaponry because he knows that the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds and when you wear that armor and wield that weaponry, you walk in victory. Satan does not want you to get what God has laid on my heart for you this morning. But guess what? We are going to get it anyway because my God does.
Are you ready church? Please open you Bibles with me to the book of Ephesians, Ephesians 6:13-18. While I will only be looking at the first part of verse 14, we will be reading this passage together every week so we can remind ourselves of the context.
Lets stand together - now read out loud with me if you will.
Ephesians 6:13-18 - Read - Pray.
Let’s start with a question? Where was Paul when he wrote the letter to the church in Ephesus, or ‘Ephesians’ as we like to call it? He was in a prison in Rome. Anybody know when it was? Around 60 - 62 a.d. Paul had been a Christian for about 30 years by the time he wrote this letter and during those 30 years he had, it seems, been imprisoned about 6 times for the gospel - never, interesting enough, for murdering or torturing Christians - just for being one.
While in prison in Rome for two years (under house arrest) he wrote Colossians, Philippians, Philemon and Ephesians (and possible 2 Timothy). During some of this time Paul was chained to two Roman guards - other times he was simply in chains.
Now when you are surrounded by guards, even chained to them, you have plenty of time up front and close - so we know Paul had extended exposure to Roman guards. The Roman army which was the largest army of its time - conquered all of what we now call England/Wales, Spain, France, most of Germany, the northern coast of Africa, the Middle East and Greece. It built the Roman Empire. Their training was rigorous and although their rewards were sometimes minimal, their punishments for failure were exceptionally high. You have heard the word ‘decimate’ - it comes from the Roman word ‘decimus’ - the practice of punishing a weak, defeated or cowardly battalion of 600 legionnaires - if they did not perform well n the battle field, they would draw lots and one in ten would be stoned or clubbed to death by the other nine.
There were three primary divisions in the Roman Republic’s Army.
The Hastati - or raw recruits - they would go into battle first - and were armed with javelins, short spears, helmets and oval shields. There were about 1200 of them in a legion, and here is what they were trained primarily to do. They would all launch there 1200 javelins at the same time into the midst of the enemy, and while the enemy was in disarray here is what they specialized in doing - with this oval shield they would push the enemies swords up into the air, and then thrust his sword into the enemies side. This they did again and again and again until they heard the trumpet sounding them out and the second line of assault into play.
These hastati represent new believers - young, new and unskilled. But guess what. They have the Word of God, and here is what they can do again and again and again - as satan comes against them with their shield of faith, they can ward of his attack and thrust back at him with the Word of God. And that they can do again and again an again. They may not be very skilled or experienced - but they have the Word of God.
Then the trumpet would sound the next line of offense - the Principes. These were strong vigorous young men who had a some training and had some battle experience - and they had demonstrated themselves faithful and brave as hastati. These principes were better armored and better equipped than the hastati - they also carried a gladius - or a long sword. They were strong, solid and dangerous. They had seen battle, drawn blood many times, tasted victory and hungry for more. This is the average Christian after a few years in the battle. Strong, vigorous, had some training, some battle experience under the belt - powerful tools in the hand of God. This is the strength of the army.
Then the trumpet would sound one more time - it was time for the third and most fierce of the Roman Republic’s Army - the Triarii - when the first line had done their best and failed, and the second line had done their best and the trumpet had sounded them out - it was time for the triarii. As a matter of fact, there was even a Roman idiom - ‘ad triarios ridiisse’ - to fall back on the triarii - when things got tough or desperate, there was a strong back-up to rely on. To be an officer in the triarii was a privilege, an honor, a prestige. These were the best men in the legion, the finest veterans that Rome had to offer. The triarii knew only one thing - to take ground and hold it. A triarii never gave up ground - they would step forward as an impenetrable wall, step forward, stand firm, step forward, stand firm, step forward, stand firm. That is the mature believers - those who have known the Lord for more than 15 years. They hold the place of honor, privilege, there is nothing they cannot do, no battle they cannot engage in, reliable, dependable, undefeatable. Here is what was said of them - ‘histemi’ - do you know what that means? They stood firm. When all else around them was falling, when the hastati had been sounded out and the principes had been sounded out - they stood firm. They step forward, stand firm, step forward, stand firm.
So here’s Paul - guarded day in and day to these guards of the Praetorian. Now who on earth were the Praetorian? They were the elite of the Triarii - hand picked by the emperor to be his personal guards and do his personal bidding. These were the best of the best, the strongest of the strong, the most successful of the successful.
Now here is what Paul is saying - everybody has to start out as a hastati and as you grow everybody must become a principes - strong, vigorous, reliable, dependable, faithful, effective. But precious believer, don’t stop there. Every one of you can become a triarii - you take ground and never give up, you engage in battle and never retreat, step forward, stand firm, step forward, stand firm, step forward, stand firm.
But precious believer - don’t stop there. Every one of you can become a Praetorian - the best of the best, strongest of the strong, fastest of the fast, fiercest of the fierce. That is your destiny, that is your purpose, that is your privilege.
So how do you get there? How do we do it in the military. You find out where the war is, head out to the battle field, as you arrive the commanding officer tosses you an M-16 and says to you, ‘go get you some!’ Right? Wrong? You report to your training base. You do step by step, discipline by discipline, drill by drill. How do you become a spiritual Praetorian? Step be step, discipline by discipline, drill by drill. Folks, right here is a key why some of you know people or even yourselves keep hitting the wall. You do not become victorious by hanging around victorious people. You do not get promoted to Praetorian simply by hanging around church long enough. It’s step be step, discipline by discipline, drill by drill. Folks
Paul says, ‘You want to know the steps? Do you want to know how to become a Praetorian? Do you want to know how to ‘histemi? How to stand firm? ’ -
Eph. 6:14 -
What is the first piece of advice? Gird your loins with the belt of truth.
Well what on earth does it mean to gird your loin? Is it painful - should you do it in public - and is one even allowed to gird your loins?
The Roman soldiers wore a cingulum or a belt that was a few inches wide and had an array of studded leather straps hanging in front of it. It served three purposes.
The first was it was preparation. The Roman soldiers wore skirts - I love you men but I do not want to see you in a skirt - well men wore skirts and tunics. To gird up your loins meant to tuck the edges of your skirt or tunic into your cingulum, into your belt. If you did not you would end up tied up in your own clothing.
The second was protection. Your loins are your pelvic region - where you are vulnerable and sensitive. Now to protect that pelvic region the cingulum had studded leather tassels.
While it did provide preparation and protection, these was something way more significant than that.
It was the center that provided power to almost every part of the armor. How so? The belt was the foundation for the soldier’s armor. The belt was fitted with hooks or straps from which the soldier hung his sword, sheathed his dagger and strengthened his back. To this he attached to the breastplate. It was the center that held everything together - and without this belt the Roman soldier was unprepared and indeed compromised in his ability to do battle.
Now listen to me precious believer - what does Paul say the center is that provides protection, preparation and power for the believer? It is the truth.
The Roman’s belt was not a fashion accessory - and nor is the truth. It is the essential piece of the armor without which your are unprepared and indeed compromised in your ability to do battle. If satan is the father of lies then the most effective weapon we have against him is the belt of truth and we need to reach for it so we pop our elbow out of joint.
Why? Because the earth is not a PLAYGROUND for Christian Games! It’s a BATTLEFIELD for Christian Soldiers.
Just as the soldier had his loin belt to put on every day to keep his armor together, we must apply the Word of God to our lives on a daily basis or we will not be able to maintain our defenses. Much of the weaponry and protection depended on the belt being in place properly. If we do not use the Word of God as our belt of truth, we have no foundation on which to base our warfare with the enemy. The belt held things in place where they needed to be. The truth of God’s word does the same for us.
Incorrectly handled, the Word of God is useless information.
Incorrectly understood, the Word of God is useless information.
Incorrectly applied, the Word of God is useless information.
I must Know What it Says
North is north no matter what you think.
I must Understand What it Means
A man with one watch knows what time it is - a man with two watches is never sure.
I must Apply What it Requires
It is our stability and our strength. "Others may guess and grope; the Christian moves freely and quickly because he knows the truth" William Barclay
1. It Saves Your Soul
James 1:21 ". . . in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls."
"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Truth has been relegated to the level of personal preference - like a Dairy Queen milkshake flavor.
2. It Fills You with Power
David and Goliath
1 Corinthians 1:18 "For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
3. It Sets You Free
John 8:31-32 "If you hold to me teaching - you are really my disciples - then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."
4. It Equips You for Ministry
2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."
5. It Positions You in Victory
Truth without faith is like the belt that is not buckled - it just gets in the way!
2 Thess. 2:10 (NIV) ...They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
...means to be sincerely committed to truth
...I am totally sold out to who God is
...to what God has done
...to what God has said.
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