There is only one piece of the armor that is visible to the human eye; The Loin belt of truth is the written. This is the only piece of the armor that has taken on physical, natural form passing from the spirit realm into our hands.
When you meet someone what do you notice first about him or her?
When you meet someone you naturally don't look at his/her belt first. You are more likely to notice their shirt, pants or coat over their belt but this isn't how the Holy Spirit worked he went right to the middle of the man. Here God is making a point the thing that is in the middle of a man is most important to him. Take off the belt of the roman soldier and his armor literally would fall off. How many of us here know of someone either now or from our past that this has happened too. For example the Gambler put money before all what happens when he runs out of money? The workaholic works all the time what happens to his family? Only the Loin belt of truth will hold everything together individually, as believers, corporately, and as a Church.
The Word of God is the only piece of the armor that you can physically hold, it is so important for us to have that God allowed it to come out of the spirit realm and into our hands.
Think about it "you can actually hold this weapon"
Paul declares that the "loin belt of truth" is so powerful and crucial that it can take the average individual and cause to be "perfect, and thoroughly furnished unto all good works" 2tim 3:17. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
If you want to walk in spiritual armor you need to take up the Word of God and affix it to your life make it a part of your total being. What is your Goal? Do you want to succeed? Do you want to defeat the philistines that continually come against you? Do you want to be spiritually equipped? The written word has the power to "toughly furnish you unto al good works." the word "furnish" is taken from the Greek word exartidzo (ex-ar-tid-zo), which means " to completely outfit" or "fully supply" it was used to describe vessels that were "completely outfitted with supplies".
By using this word Paul is telling us that the Word will completely supply use to maintain our victorious position over the devil.
When you put the Loin belt of truth on everything else in your life falls into pace. For instance do you want to learn how to enjoy your God-given righteousness?
The writer of Hebrews says:
5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.5:13 for every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe
This verse says that if you choose not to ignore Gods word you will not develop your understanding of righteousness. On the other hand if you choose to read, meditate on, and apply Gods word you will come into the full knowledge of what righteousness is. This verse says that if you choose to ignore Gods word you will not develop your understanding of righteousness. On the other hand if you choose to read, meditate on, and apply Gods word you will come into the full knowledge of what righteousness is.
Ignore the word of God and it will be only a matter of time that you will begin to feel condemned in every area of your life. Although declared by God to be righteous when they are first saved, people who do not make the word a priority in their lives are not conscious of their God given righteousness. So if you want to walk in the Breast plate of righteousness first put on the Loin belt of Truth the Word of God, the Bible and the Word will furnish you with righteousness.
Would you like to have more peace in your life?
Paul tells us how, He says, "And Let the peace of God rule in your hearts…" Colossians 3:15.
Naturally speaking there are few people that experience this peace in their hearts. Due to the hectic pace of the present day, most people experience inner turmoil and constant frustration. Rather than have the peace of God in their heart most Christians have flip flop emotions, emotions that you cannot depend on to guide you, emotions that can deceive you. For this reason a Christian must have the peace of God rule their heart. Paul literally was saying to us that we need the peace of God to be the umpire in our life. How do you come to a place where peace is that prevalent in your live? How do you come to a place where your fears, emotions, and frustrations cease to control you?
Paul continues, "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…" (Col 3:16)
Notice the command, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…" There are two key words in this phrase: The words "dwell" and "richly". The word "dwell" meaning to take up residence in the Greek. It has the meaning of taking up residence or making oneself feel at home. The word "richly" in the Greek means extreme extravagance and luxurious living. Therefore when Paul said " Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly," he is actually saying Let the word take up residence within you and come to feel completely at home in you. Give it your warmest most extravagant welcome. When you give the word this kind of place and priority in your life, the peace of God will begin to rule umpire and call the shots in your life daily
How do you walk in strong believing faith? How does the shield of faith become a daily reality in your life? In Romans 10:17, Paul says, "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God." You say you want to walk in faith?
Then get into God's word and stay there. Give it the highest priority in your life because only the word of God can produce consistent ongoing faith. I hope you can see and understand why the Holy Spirit began this text with the loin belt of truth. If you do not have the loin belt of truth firmly positioned in your life, you will not be able to walk in these other pieces of weaponry.
Now we come to the "Helmet of Salvation!" The word "salvation" is taken from the root sodzo (sod-zo), which conveys the ideas of the "deliverance", safety, preservation, soundness of mind and healing. How would you like to continually walk in your Christ purchased, safety, soundness of mind and healing? Then you must put your helmet on! How do you put your helmet on?
In Ephesians 6:17, we are told to take the helmet of salvation, and in I Thessalonians 5:8, we are told that salvation is the helmet. What is the connection between the concept of salvation and the mind? Paul told Timothy, " And that from a child thou hast known the Holy scriptures, which are able to make this wise unto salvation…" II Timothy 3:15.
The power of God's word has a way of making us mentally sound and wise unto salvation. By giving our minds to the word of God the mind begins to build a measure of safety deliverance and soundness of mind and healing into our system. Scripture puts a helmet on our head! As you read the word it becomes a spiritual helmet. In addition to wearing salvation as a helmet Eph 6 also informs us that we have a mighty and powerful sword called the "sword of the spirit". Would you like to have the sword in your life on a more consistent basis? How can it be developed? Where can you find this sword?
Where did the Roman soldier find his sword when he needed it? Hanging along his side resting on a clip that hung from his loin belt. Therefore, if he wanted his sword nearby, he had to keep his loin belt on, because the sword is always attached to the loin belt.
What is a loin belt representative of in Eph 6? The word of God. Therefore, this tells us that most of the time, that needed "word of the Lord", will come directly from the Bible. The loin belt and the sword are connected. Many people today say Lord I need a word; I need you to speak to me in some special way. God I'm in a crisis. I need a word from you Lord. They run around trying to have dreams, visions, or someone prophesying over them or they go to church hoping that someone will give a word of knowledge or of wisdom for them. However there is something more dependable then a word of knowledge, wisdom, or of prophecy. Peter said, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy… II Peter 1:19." So you say you need a special word from the Lord? Do you need a Rhema, a "sword of the spirit?" This is how you get it. The: Walk in the word and your Rhema will most likely be quickened to you as you read and study God's word. As Hebrews says " For the word of God is quick, powerful, and sharper then any two edged sword. Piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart. (Heb 4:12)
When you walk in the word of God you are in a position for the word to discern the words and intents of your heart. What happens if you choose to ignore the loin belt and try your luck with another approach? Many saints have tried this. The have taken off their loin belt and put there bibles down. While they have said I've tried the bible and I'm tired of it. I can walk in the power and authority without maintaining time in the word of God. By thinking this way.. they have just thrown off their loin belt You can walk like this for a while but soon things begin to get loose. Soon you hear something jiggling and, lo and behold, your breastplate falls off. Your sword falls to the ground. Your lance tumbles to the floor! What happened? You took your Loin belt off. You have nothing to hold your spiritual life together. Now naked, you put yourself in a dangerous position. Where the enemy can strike with afflictions and troubles.
Never forget: The word supports everything else!
Reading assignment for next week:
Psalms 119
Next weeks lesson is based on these verses
and things that occured to King David