GEARING UP FOR WAR - The Belt of Truth
September 11, 2022
Ephesians 6:10-14
Introduction:
In the book “Pastoring the Powerful.”
Lloyd John Ogilvie, chaplain of the United States Senate, recalls:
Senator Max Cleland, who lost both of his legs and his right hand in Vietnam, came to the Bible study withdrawn and tired. Another senator said, “Max, are you all right?”
“Not really,” he said. “I’ve been having the same dream for 30 years. I accidentally drop that grenade, and I leap on it, and it explodes and blows my legs off.” That night, the study group gathered around Max and prayed that the Lord would heal that memory.
Two days later, the History Channel broadcast his story just as he remembered it. A man from Annapolis saw it and phoned Max: “Senator, you have the story all wrong. That wasn’t your grenade. It was a young recruit behind you who had opened the pins on his grenades before jumping out of the helicopter. One of them popped out of the belt and rolled on the ground. You leaped on it to save us all. I wrapped you up myself and got you to the hospital. I was on the helicopter; I know how it happened.”
Max came to the next Bible study a new man. He said a gigantic load had been lifted off his shoulders.
The study group had been studying Romans 8:28, where in the Greek, God (Not “all things”) is the subject of the sentence: “God works all things together for good.” So now, when Senator Cleland is hurrying around in his wheelchair, he’ll call out to the Senate Chaplain, “Remember, things don’t work out; God works out things.”
Truth isn’t subjective…Every one of us here this morning have believed something to be true…only to find out…its not.
Satan is a liar…Here’s what Jesus Himself said, “He was speaking to a group of people who thought they had a special relationship with God the Father through Abraham.
Jesus shares the profound truth that God has sent Him into the world…and then He says:
JOHN 8:42-47
Satan is a deceiver. He gave birth to lying in the Garden of Eden and has continued to perfect this evil weapon.
His goal “To kill, steal and destroy people…to enslave, oppress and cause despair.”
Jesus has clearly stated “If you hold to my teachings you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)
Not only does He proclaim “I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life…No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:7)
But He also says "come so that we might have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
Folks, our enemy is real. He mixes truth with lies. He convinces us we dropped the grenade and deserve the nightmares and pain…The time to prepare for war is not when the enemy is smashing the gate. The time to prepare is long before he leaves his camp.
Paul says, “when the day of evil comes…not “if” the day of evil comes.
If you want to stand your ground. If you want firmly planted feet on a solid foundation…
I. TRUTH GIVES US A SOLID FOUNDATION
In the analogy of Armor, the Apostle Paul starts with the belt of truth because every other part of the Armor depended on it…It secured all the other pieces to make it tight and useful. It was the foundation that held all the other pieces in place.
SHOW PIC OF BELT OF TRUTH
[Dr. J.H. Jowett writes: “Loose Armor was troublesome and disturbing. It makes a soldier feel soft and awkward. He felt unready to fight…giving, a sense of going to pieces. The belt bound everything together giving the soldier a sense of firmness. It made him felt secure and able to meet the enemy with confidence…It held his sword, secured his breastplate, protected his abdomen and groin.”]
No soldier would enter the battle without this piece of armor securely in place.
And I’d share with you…no soldier of the cross can do battle with the Evil One and the forces of this present darkness without being supported and tied together with truth.
Satan would have us look for truth in my other place than the Word of God. Pop philosophies, feelings, polls and worldly friends…Satan is more than willing to provide you with a bungee cord for a belt…all comfy and spongy, until you need it to hold your life together.
Here’s what Jesus said:
MATTHEW 7:24-27
The teachings of Jesus are a rock solid foundation. A place you can stand your ground…and feel firmly in His will…A belt of truth that can hold everything together.
As most of you know I love history. And one of the most famous battle fought division, the 100 year war (actually lasted 116 years) between England and France was in a narrow valley near the village of Agincourt.
Charles D’Albret led the French and the English were led by Henry V. The French forces heavily outnumbered the English. 25,000 to 6,000.
But Henry tricked the French forces into fighting in a valley mired in mud…their heavily armored infantry lost their footing and sank in the quagmire. They were slaughtered by Henry’s archers who rained down arrows upon them as the heavens continued to open. D’Albret, several dukes and counts as well as 5,000 of the French troops were killed…England lost less than 400 men…One historian summed up the battle of the Agincourt with these words…“Footing determined the outcome of the battle of Agincourt.]
Without a firm foundation on the Word of God, we become easy prey for the fiery arrows of Satan’s lies. Unless we put on the belt of truth, our lives fall apart.
Let me also mention this truth:
II. BUCKLING ON THIS BELT PREPARES US TO SERVE
[I’ve got some really good friends who are police officers…one of them named Tim Lucas who does security inventory. Tim was a State Policeman for 20 years…and now trains other policemen and also operates a security service for churches called Sword & Shield…I’ve spent a lot of time with these men as a police chaplain…and every single one of them said, “When you click that belt together with it holding a Beretta 40 cal, hand cuffs, pepper spray and extra ammo and a baton…you know you are headed out to do what you’ve been trained to do…a dangerous job that lets you serve people, but could also get you killed.]
There’s an old time word used to describe this action…“Gird.”
The KJV uses it…“Stand therefore having your loins gird about with truth.”
To “gird” means to “tighten up.” It means “Get ready for action.”
In the Old Testament the Hebrews were told to “Eat the Passover meal” with their garments “girded” “in haste” “ready to move in a hurry.”
Ex. 12:11 says, “Eat this meal with your cloak tucked in your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover.”
When you buckle on God’s truth it's to prepare you for action…not to visit the doughnut shop.
The truth of God’s Word is to prepare us for action…not fill us with knowledge. You can learn a lot of Biblical facts over the years…but if the truth of God’s Word doesn’t lead you to love Him and others…it profits you nothing…and simply makes you arrogant.
Paul writes to the Corinthians about the matter of eating food sacrificed to idols…There’s no such thing as an idol…He knew this, but some younger Christians struggle with it…so he says,
“Now about food sacrificed to idols. We know that “we all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God.” (1 Cor. 8:1-3)
Here’s what he’s saying about the difference between knowledge and truth…Gathering knowledge by itself will make you arrogant…Pursuing God’s truth leads you to Him, and His love makes you think about others more than being right.
It’s one of the greatest lies of Satan to people who go to church…Gather all the knowledge you can…but don’t ever let it lead you to the truth…God saved you to serve others.
Let me end with this truth as we gear up for war:
III. JESUS IS OUR BANNER OF TRUTH ON THE BATTLEFIELD
As Jesus stands before Pontius Pilate…handed over to him by the religious leaders who seek his crucifixion…here’s their conversation:
JOHN 18:28-40
The standard for truth…Real truth, is Jesus. Our lives are to be lived under his flag.
Pilate knows Jesus hasn’t broken any laws…He wants to know what Jesus has done to deserve death…“What is it you have done?”
The Jewish leaders want him killed by Pilate because they claim He says He’s a King…but this isn’t the truth…
Jesus makes it very clear His Kingdom is not of this world…and the reason He’s here is “to testify to the truth.” He also says, “Those on the side of truth listen to me.”
Pilate asks, “What is truth?”
The irony is…“He’s standing right in front of Him.” Pilate is probably inches away from the truth…
But there are so many that will miss salvation by inches…the inches between the head and heart…like the Pharisees they will know all kinds of knowledge…become puffed up…angry at those who tell them…love…real love builds up…real love takes the truth of who Jesus is to a dying world…real love buckles on the belt so it can serve like the one who came to serve and not be served.
His cross is my banner…He would leave this conversation about kingdoms and truth…and because He love you and I so much He would die on a cross…His cross validated God’s motive (HIS TRUTH). “For God so loved the world He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
As the beloved says in the Song of Solomon Chapter 2 verse 4:
“He has brought me into his banquet hall. And his banner over me is love.”
