READ Ephesians 6:10-16
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
When describing our spiritual armor, Paul starts out with a subtle example. He is talking about a war, right? My mind goes straight to swords, bombs, helmets, and tanks. However, Paul starts his list with a belt, the most underwhelming of clothing items imaginable. The passage reads, “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist” (Eph. 6:14).
Why does he start with a belt instead of a tank or something cooler? The belt plays a much more important role than you may think. In Roman times, the soldiers used the belts wrapped around their waists to hold their entire outfit together while also securing their most important weapon, the sword.
Paul associates the belt with truth. For Christians, God’s truth is what holds everything together— it’s foundational. When you think of a belt, it hugs you really closely. It’s crucial that you keep God’s Word close to you. When you choose to surround yourself with the promises of God, this truth will hold everything in your life together.
Usually, the first trick Satan tries is fear. He wants you to feel unsafe and insecure. However, God’s truth reminds you that you are safe and secure in our Savior. Fear is fake! He’s holding everything together, both in the universe and in your life.