The Belt of Truth!!

Ok so lets start with the main verse...

Ephesians 6:14 (Amplified Bible)

Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins

Let's look at "girding your loins". I take it to mean binding up everything that hinders you from running your race. Lies entangle like no other, so keeping the truth as a belt to keep your members from tripping you up sounds great to me. This reminds me of Elijah:

1 Kings 18:44-46 (Amplified Bible)

And at the seventh time the servant said, A cloud as small as a man's hand is arising out of the sea. And Elijah said, Go up, say to Ahab, Hitch your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you. In a little while, the heavens were black with wind-swept clouds, and there was a great rain. And Ahab went to Jezreel. The hand of the Lord was on Elijah. He girded up his loins and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel [nearly twenty miles].

WOW!!! Thats just cool! Just think of what God can do with you if you are prepared to gird up your loins for him.

Job 38:3 (Amplified Bible)

Gird up now your loins like a man, and I will demand of you, and you declare to Me.

Job 40:7 (Amplified Bible)

7Gird up your loins now like a man; I will demand of you, and you answer Me.

Take responsibility of your words and actions, make sure they are spoken and acted in truth.
Gird up the loins of your mind; get rid of everything that could hidden or trip your  the lies of the world.

1 Peter 1:13 (New American Standard Bible)

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:13 (New King James Version)

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;

BE READY at the drop of a hat... keep your loins girded...

Luke 12:35 (New King James Version)

  Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning

Be ready to speak the truth..

Proverbs 12:17 (New King James Version)

  He who speaks truth declares righteousness,

      But a false witness, deceit.

John 8:32 (New International Version)

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

I LOVE JESUS!

STAND Therefore!

EPHESIANS 6:10-18
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor 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 armor 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, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints

I'm going to be blogging about the armor of God for the next 7 -8 weeks. We've been studying it in my bible study and God has been revealing some amazing things in his word.

But first I want to think about Standing and Putting on the armor of God.

Paul tells us to "put on the whole armor of God" then again tells us to "take up the whole armor of God." I'd like to point out that he doesn't say "put on some of the armor of God."
Without the full armor we will only be half protected. Look at this verse

Romans 13:12 (Amplified Bible)
12The night is far gone and the day is almost here. Let us then drop (fling away) the works and deeds of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light.

Putting only half the armor on is like mixing light and darkness. Guarding yourself is certain ways and leaving other part open to sin and corruption. Notice in

1 John 1:5-7
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

We can't continually walk in darkness and in light, thus Paul encourages us to put on the entire armor of God... Full protection from the enemy of Darkness.

Ok, so we know to put on the whole armor of God, But after that what happens. Well I've found myself a lot of times after i put on my armor, sitting or laying down spiritually; In this sort of passive attitude. But think about this.. God doesn't call us to be passive.. He said STAND, notice Paul says it more than once, He says it FOUR times.

may be able to STAND
may be able to withSTAND
having done all, to STAND
STAND therefore

Repetitions usually mean importance right? Once you put on the armor of God STAND, don't sit, don't Cry, don't pout, don't sleep. Stand. Be ready, Be at attention. You are representing a Mighty Man of Valor. You are representing the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. STAND, its a lot easier to defeat a sitting or sleeping army.

1 Peter 5:8 (New International Version)
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

So be ready, be alert and self-controlled, put on the WHOLE armor of God and then STAND. With confidence and dignity in the person God has made you to be.

Philippians 1:6
And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. 

Fruit

Matthew 3:10 - And even now the axis laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown in the the fire.
Good Fruit         Other Fruit
good fruit             ok Fruit
                            bad fruit
                             no fruit

Revelation 3:15-16 - I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were hot or cold. So then because you are luke-warm I will spit you out of my mouth.

Proverbs 11:3 - The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfatihful will destroy them.

I am convicted.  enough said...