By Cat Tan
Why do you need an armor? Simply because there is a war. John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” What is the truth in this verse? The first truth is that there is a battle that is unseen, the reality of 2 kingdoms - there is a thief and there is Jesus, the Kingdom of Light and the kingdom of darkness. This is a reality that you have to absorb. If not, you will be sitting on the sidelines. Or you might already be in the kingdom of the enemy without your knowledge. The second truth is that the enemy wants to steal, kill and destroy. Ever since the beginning of the Bible, in Genesis in the garden of Eden, the enemy has a tactic to steal, kill and destroy through lies. He lied to Eve, making her question what God’s true intentions were. The enemy makes you focus on things that do not matter and makes you forget about the things which really mater. The last is you need to protect and arm yourselves with the full armor of God.
If you do not know the truth, you will easily be deceived by the enemy and robbed of everything you have. I remember a new story that happened some time ago. Two robbers were apprehended for looting a house and when they asked why they did it, they said it was the fault of the house owner for not locking their door. It is funny but you can also see the wisdom in the statement of the robbers. Satan does the same. He can come in if you do not lock your doors. Do you have an open door for satan to come in? Do you lock the temple that God has given to you? This is why it is very important to know that the battle is real. Because if you do not know that there is an enemy waiting to get in your door, you will not lock it.
During these times, a belt is merely an accessory, an item added to your wardrobe to make if more fashionable. But during Roman times, a belt was very important because it was used to hang all of their weapons. Soldiers were not allowed to take off their belts even if they were off duty. At rest, they simply unbuckle it. They embellish their belts because it is also a status symbol. You can tell a person’s rank just by looking at their belts. The belt also holds a piece of leather that protects the lower part of the body during battle. It also holds all kinds of weapons, also, their tunic is adjusted through the belt. The belt holds all the pieces together, the weapons, the tunic and the piece of leather that protects the loins. The belt of truth is Jesus Himself, because He alone holds all the pieces together.
John 4:6 says, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” This scene shows Thomas asking Jesus where he had to go. So Jesus answered with this verse. Without the belt, there is no breastplate of righteousness because our righteousness is Jesus Himself. Without the belt, there is no helmet of salvation. There would be no story of salvation without the truth of Jesus’ death on the cross. Without the belt, there is no shoes of the gospel. Without Jesus’ death on the cross and without Him saving all of mankind, what good news story is there to share? Without the belt, there is no shield of faith. Who do you put your faith on? Jesus was the culmination of the promise that is why there is something you can have faith on. Without the belt, there is nothing to hold the sword. You will not have any weapon. Can you imagine a soldier, all geared up for battle in full armor, helmet on, breastplate in place, and shoes on, running into battle without a sword because there was nowhere to put it in the first place. The belt is the center of everything.
Now that it is established that Jesus is equivalent to the belt, let us identify the truth and the lies that the enemy sows in the lives of men so that the cycle can be broken. No one is spared from the lies of the enemy, not even the most knowledgeable preachers and pastors of all time. Everyone has to deal with them everyday. You need to buckle up the belt of truth which is Jesus and pick up your sword everyday to fight the battle that the enemy is waging upon you. What do lies do to you? It debilitates you. You are like a lame person. You are not decapitated in any way but you cannot walk because you do not have peace. Go back to John 10:10. The enemy kills your hope, he steals your dreams, and he destroys relationships and all the hard work and quiet times you had with God. During this season of pandemic, what kind of lies do you absorb these days? So many people are depressed and hopeless, especially when somebody is sick in the house and you see your bank account getting depleted, you begin to question God. You ask Him why all of this is happening to you who have served Him for the longest time.
How do you survive in a world of lies and deception? You have to buckle up your truth and not put your weapons down. Sometimes, Christians get too comfortable in their walk, becoming Sunday Christians and forgetting the weapons that they have. Lies enslave and keep you in darkness. Adam and Eve were in the light and because of a lie, they were brought into darkness. It was darkness because there was no illumination of the Holy Spirit until Jesus came. Do not get it wrong. The Holy Spirit is very important because it is the spirit of God Himself, the spirit of Christ Himself. There is no division there. It is a perfect unity. When the Holy Spirit is in you, God is in you and Christ is in you. But now you are the temple of the Holy Spirit so you need to guard it. Lock your doors
What lies have controlled your life since your were young? It may be trivial but it has been paralyzing you for the longest time. Jesus Christ died on the cross for the truth to be exposed so that you do not need to live in darkness but bask in the light. Jesus is also equivalent to freedom. What kind of prison are you in? Lies enslave and imprisons you. How long have you been chained by the enemy, by darkness, by negative thoughts and emotions, by low self-esteem, self-hate and self-rejection? How long have you been in darkness? Jesus broke the chain for you when He dies on the cross, not just for you but for everyone. Muslims, Buddhists, and Atheists alike. Do not act like you are still chained. The chain has been broken 2000 years ago. You are only chained by the thoughts in your mind and in your heart. Are you free in the name of Jesus? You are free because of what Jesus did on the cross.
It is easy to be deceived by your flesh and emotions so you have to allow your spirit to discern the truth. The enemy wants you to believe a certain kind of truth that makes you run into a brick wall or into a closed door. He wants you to take the bait again and again so that you will become frustrated. It is like chasing the wind. You will never get it. You discern the truth through word and spirit. I do not think you can live a Christian life without the Holy Spirit. The word on the other hand, is your guide and centerpiece. But without the Holy Spirit, it is impossible to live out the word. It does not come to life without the Holy Spirit.
What is it that you need to do so you can live a full life? It is only Jesus. It is very simple. Less of you and more of Jesus. If it is only you, you will just create havoc in your life. Because sometimes, all you want is worldly and sometimes bad for you. Nobody is perfect and nobody has perfected. It is a daily struggle that you have to overcome. You struggle with lies and deception, with your own identity. But the belt of truth tells you that you have been adopted into a kingdom family. You now have an eternal destination that nobody can steal from you. Jesus allowed you to be in the light through His word and through the Holy Spirit.
Why is truth very important? The way you think forms your perspective. Your perspective shapes your decisions. Your decisions determines your course of life. Truth is the game changer, therefore, Jesus is the ultimate game changer.
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