A belt is a vital part of any ensemble, whether it is on a pair of jeans or a suit of armor, it keeps everything in place.
Just as a belt holds the rest of the armor in place, the truth of God’s word is what guides all areas of our life.

The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil 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 firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

The armor of God is our protection against temptation. It is our best defense against those who would try and turn us down the wrong path. We need to put on the full armor of God if we want to live godly lives, and today we are going to start with the most unlikely piece of all – the belt. The armor of God includes the belt of truth because truth can be found in the Word of God and the truth can set us free.  

Jesus came to make us part of God’s family. The way to become one of God’s children is to learn the truth of God’s Word.  Gods’ Word teaches us what sin is. It teaches us right from wrong and how we can lead a life that pleases God. Knowing right and wrong, as the Bible teaches, can keep us on the right path. It guides us to follow Jesus and to make wise choices in all situations.  

The belt of truth is essential to the Armor of God. It guides us along the straight path, avoiding sin. God wants to set us free. The belt of truth will set us free!

When we cover ourselves with the goodness and righteousness of God, our hearts are protected from the harm that can come from making sinful and unrighteous choices.

The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil 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 firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

The breastplate was one of the largest pieces of armor worn by knights. This critical piece protected the chest, the lungs, the stomach, and the heart of the solider. This piece of armor is so important to the survival of the solider, it is one of the few pieces still worn by modern soldiers. This purpose of this armor is to protect the soldier’s heart.

Paul names this piece of armor the breastplate of righteousness. If a person is righteous, it means they are living the way God wants. They are doing the right thing. They make the right choices. It means we are bold and brave. A person filled with God’s goodness and righteousness can protect their heart from sin. When we have the breastplate of righteousness, sin cannot take us down because we make the right choices to avoid sin.  

Righteousness means we are right with God. Righteousness is our best defense against sin. Let us put on our breastplate of righteousness so we can guard our hearts and say not to sin!

How important is the right footwear for a soldier? The Army takes boots seriously. They want their soldiers comfortable, but they also want them in the best footwear possible because they know how important healthy feet are in combat.

The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil 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 firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

Paul said we need to fit our feet with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. That means we need to be ready to put on whatever shoes we wear into action when we are needed. God is counting on us to take the peace of Christ to the world, and he wants us to spread the gospel just like his friends did.

Jesus gave his disciples one final command before he went back to heaven: go and teach the gospel to every nation. Teaching the gospel means telling the story of Jesus but it also means brining the peace and love of Jesus to others. When someone is hurting, we bring them comfort and prayer. When someone needs a hand, we move quickly to lend that hand. When someone needs food, shelter, or clothing, we are quick to respond.  

If we are to be servants of Jesus, we will make ourselves ready, willing, and able to take the gospel to those who need it.

Today, we pick up a piece of Armor that is not worn but carried. That piece of armor is the shield. The shield requires us to put absolute trust in God to help us.

The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil 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 firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

Our enemy’s attacks in several ways, sometimes it can come in the form of temptation. Maybe a friend asks you to do something you know is wrong. Maybe you see the chance to take something you want but you know it does not belong to you. Whatever the temptation my be, God can give you the power to say no.  

Sometimes the attack is not about getting us to sin.  Its’ about keeping us from doing what God wants. Our enemy uses discouragement to try and stop us from putting complete trust in him, from praying, from going to church, from reading the Bible, or telling someone about Jesus. The shield of faith can help us to defeat that enemy as well. God will protect us. He will save us from defeat.  

If we have faith, God can move mountains, He can calm storms.  He can save you from temptation. He can save you from discouragement. He can give you victory! Faith is the armor we need to defend ourselves against the enemy.  

One of the most vital parts of any suit of armor is the one that protects our head. The helmet covers our heads in battle; the salvation that comes only from Jesus, protects us completely and makes us strong in him.

The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil 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 firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

Paul says we are to put on the helmet of salvation. Salvation means that we have been saved from sin. We have accepted Jesus into our hearts, and we have become Christians. Salvation means that you are not partly protected; you are completely protected by the blood of Christ.

The head is one of the most fragile but vital parts on the body. Our brains are in our head, and that is the organ we use to make important choices. We all make decisions every day that have consequences for our lives. Paul is challenging us to make the most important decision; the decision to choose Jesus.

The most important decision any of us will ever make is whether we want to accept Jesus as our Savior. God sent Jesus to do what we could not do. He became our shield and our protector against the eternal death that comes from sin. There is nothing we can do on our own to gain our salvation, but the Bible tells us if we place our faith in Jesus, he will give us the helmet of salvation freely. Salvation means you are forgiven.  It means your future is secure. You are God’s child, and you are bound for Heaven.

A solider relies on his weapons to fight and win the battle. When we fill our minds and hearts with the Word of God – the sword of the Spirit – we can overcome any challenge or temptation.

The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil 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 firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

You do not send soldiers into battle with helmets, boots, body armor, and shields. You must give a solider something to fight with, and the armor of God includes a powerful weapon. Paul tells us we need the Sword o the Spirit by our side which is the Word of God, the Bible.  

The Bible is a powerful weapon. When you are tempted, when you feel peer pressure to make the wrong choice, when your faith is challenged, the Bible can arm you with the right words to say to answer that challenge. The Bible was Jesus’ choice of weapon when he was tempted in the wilderness.

Having the sword is only part of the preparation for war. If you want to defeat your enemy, you need to practice with it! The Bible is our sword. There is no better practice that sitting down, opening the book, and reading. The more we read, the more we are filled with God’s wisdom and knowledge. God’s Word should be read every day. It should be studied alone and with friends. It should be memorized. The more we can fill our hearts ad mind with these words, the better prepared we will be to face and defeat our enemies! Prepare yourself everyday for battle by reading the Word of God.