Winning Our Spiritual Battles Pt.2 - The Belt of Truth

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who are becoming like Christ, empowered to do His work.

 

Join us as Pastor Ron shares God's plan for us to fight and win our spiritual battles together.

 

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The Belt of Truth

Our Primary text today is Ephesians 6:10-18:

 (New International Version and New Living Translation)

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

 

Exposing the Devil’s Schemes

Not everything you think is true, so think about what you think about.

Not all of your thoughts come from your own mind – your thoughts can also come from God speaking, and even from demons.  This is why we must know the Truth of God’s Word in order to discern the truth of our thoughts.

 

Acts 8:26-27

26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road — the desert road — that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27 So he started out...

 

 The devil will use unhealed past offenses and wounds to deceive you about present circumstances

 

 Loving confrontation and forgiveness (giving up the right to get paid back for what was done to me) can bring powerful healing for both the offended and the offender

 

 Triangulation – telling a third party about the offense – can spread the deception 3 ways, and none of those involved walk in freedom

 

Luke 17:1-4 NKJV

17 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  …  3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

 

The Protection of Seeing Things as They Really Are

 

 Truth can be defined as that which conforms to reality; to the way things really are.

 

 The only One who can fully see things in our lives as they really are is the One who is outside, above, and beyond our world: the triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

 

John 14:6-10

6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. ...

 

John 17:15-22  Jesus praying to the Father for us

15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

 

John 16:12-13

12 "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.

 

John 8:31-37

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

33 They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"

34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

The Protection of Personal Integrity

 

Personal honesty is a first line defense against the devil’s attacks

Psalms 25:21

21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.

 

“Denial is false armor; self-honesty is risky…But self-honesty actually brings God into your life, and you cannot ask for better protection than that.”       

—Gary D. Kinnaman, How to Overcome the Darkness

 

 When we live in falsehood, we are living in Satan’s realm;  he attaches himself to dishonesty.

 

 Lying is an attempt to defend or attack – in either case we prevent God from fighting our battles for us.

 

John 8:44-45

[The devil] was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

 

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

 

 After a fall, personal honesty is key to restoration

John 3:20-21

20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light

 

2 Samuel 12:13

13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord."

Nathan replied, "The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.”

 

Psalms 32:3-5

3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord" — and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

 

Psalms 51:1-12

…3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight…

 6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sin sand blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me…

 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.