I have recently been sharing about the clash of the two kingdoms – the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. I cannot emphasise strongly enough the need for us to realise the seriousness of this battle. There is no doubt that the enemy is doing everything he can to blind the minds of people and keep them from hearing the truth. This includes the sowing of doubts, fears and unbelief into our minds. An antichrist spirit pervades the world with the aim of keeping people from believing in the only One (Jesus) who can give them true life and freedom. He knows, as we should know, that when people “know the truth, the truth sets them free”.
Ephesians 6: 10-14 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armour of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth…”
If we try to fight against evil and stand for righteousness in our own strength we will surely fail. Our will-power and good intentions are not enough. This is a spiritual battle and the Lord has given us spiritual armour to protect us and spiritual weapons to wage war. Once we start to live in our armour and use these weapons, we are far more powerful than anything the devil may throw against us. We must stop being on the back foot (or in neutral) and start to step forward and take the land (which includes liberating the people that the devil has held in bondage).
One of the greatest deceptions we can fall for is that this is a battle with two equally powerful armies. Once the church (the army of God) recognises its authority and uses the weapons given to it, the enemy must retreat. The gates (authorities – principalities and powers) of hell cannot prevail against the church of Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18). No weapon formed against us can prosper (Isaiah 54:17).
To stand in these evil days we really need live with an awareness and confidence that we are protected by what Paul calls God’s armour (Ephesians 6:11-13).
Do you realise that when your waist is girded with the truth that you will not be caught out and tangled up by the devil’s lies? The first century soldier’s belt was important for various reasons. Peter says, “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13) Peter used an interesting analogy: “Gird up the loins of your mind.” This implies tucking in long garments to be ready to move quickly. The New International Version translates it as “prepare your minds for action.” A mind that is renewed and thinks God’s way is a mind that will not be deceived by ideas that are untrue.
In the Roman army the belt was known as the cingulum or balteus. It was the belt that held the scabbard, without which there would be no place to put a sword. Imagine an overzealous soldier, fired up and charging out into battle—but without his belt, and consequently without a weapon!
God’s word is truth (John 17:17). The truth always outguns the lies. Knowing the truth about redemption, who we are in Christ and the authority we have in Jesus’ name, makes us the most powerful freedom fighters on earth. Whether in the middle of a university campus where secular humanism is strongly espoused; in a land where false religion causes people to want to kill Christians; or in the slums of mega-cities where crime, poverty and disease run rampant, those who know the Truth and act on it can be more than conquerors (Romans 8:37).
There is no doubt that the sounder our knowledge or God and His Word, the more effective we will be in the day of battle. We will be ready for any attack of the enemy and not get tripped up by doubts and fears as we run towards the battle.
Next time we will be looking at the breastplate of righteousness.