It Starts Small

There came a point in this journey that evil was very real and present in our lives. Satan has used people to oppress me, use me, abuse me, and then toss me out like garbage when that use no longer served their selfish desires. I couldn’t understand it. I couldn’t understand the human condition called sin. I knew it was destroying God’s amazing and beautiful creation of self, marriage and family, but I didn’t know how to obey the command to stand.

We are at war. When we were born again, we were born for battle. We needed to not just simply stand, we needed to arm ourselves with truth and armor that stood against the attacks of satan and his demon army. My true enemy is the devil. It isn’t the people he uses to do all sort of evil works. Satan wars on us and works on us to destroy ourselves and God’s creation. He is destructible, methodical, and very strategic. My flesh is no match against satan in my own strength.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4

Satan’s back is broken, but he still bites. It’s like when you cut a rattle snake’s head off. It can still bite you. He still has limited power on this earth. He can even bring you a limited peace about making wrong choices and sinning. He gets in and controls your feelings. Makes you feel good about your sin.

We must always know believe and trust that God’s ultimate plan is to make overcomes of us for greater glory to Him!

The Christian armor is our answer to defeating this foe.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11

There’s a huge key piece of instruction here: put the whole armor of God on. Don’t leave a piece off!

1. Girdle of Truth

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; Ephesians 6:14

Truth here is translated integrity. It holds the center of strength together. I have found three definitions of integrity. First, the condition or quality of being complete; undivided or unbroken; wholeness. Second, integrity is “an unimpaired condition.” The third definition is, “moral soundness or uprightness.”

The Hebrews word integrity is translated uprightness.

He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. Proverbs 10:9

The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. Proverbs 10:29

Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich. Proverbs 28:6

Our hearts are the center of what we believe and don’t believe. It’s from what truth we stand on, integrity is born. Integrity fuels character growth. If you believe it is ok to steal from your neighbor, your integrity builds your character into a thief. If you believe God’s Truth, that stealing is wrong, you build a character, through integrity, to not steal. Integrity is character that truly comes from the heart. It is character that is resolute. It is character that cannot be changed or polluted.

Christian integrity is:

I am to believe the Word of God as absolute truth.

I am to know and believe God’s Word Is truth.

I am to love (God’s Word) truth.

I am to tell the (not lie and not use God’s Word falsely) truth.

I am to live the truth. (obey ALL of God’s Commands and precepts)

I am to preach the truth. (Gospel and Hope)

Attack: Satan is anti-integrity. He is a liar! He wants your integrity to packed full of falsehoods and lies. He wants to bring a lack of integrity (get you out and away from God’s truth) to your life.

Defense: in order to have a Christian integrity, we must dig in and embrace, seek, search and discover ALL of God’s truth. This arms us against Satan’s lies against us and the character of God. It not enough to just have a library of knowledge. We must surrender, submit and stand on God’s truth.

2. Breast plate of righteousness

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; Ephesians 6:14

The word righteousness means purity. It means that you have no unconfessed sin in your life.

Attack: satan attacks with impurity. He wants to get impure thoughts into your heart and mind. He wants to twist the character of God to get you to believe it’s just a little sin, it can’t hurt me.

Defense: confession! Confess your sins to the Lord and he forgives you. This doesn’t mean later in the evening before you go to bed. It means the moment you have sinned, confess yourself. Unconfessed sin cracks the door open and before you know it, satan is having a full on house party with his demons in your heart. Commit your life to living righteously against the sinful lusts of your heart and strive for the desires of God. Learn to hate sin and love truth.

Some questions to ask yourself:

Am I obeying truth? Is there something in my life that I am not letting go of? Is there a secret room in my heart that I go to and visit that I know is not right? Is there truth I refuse to obey? The girdle of truth protects us from falling into the snares of lies.

Is my heart pure before God? Do I have any unconfessed sin in my life? Am I refusing forgiveness to others? Do I have a grudge against others or God? This piece of armor is vital to our everyday walk. We can’t receive battle commands if we have unconfessed sin in our life. Unconfessed sin breaks the communication line.

Jesus reveals truth through the Holy Spirit. He makes the Word of our Heavenly Father come alive within us. Jesus is our example of having lived as we do, and yet he never once sinned because the love of his Father and the spirit of God was in him. Truth and righteousness come from Jesus. We need to surrender to him daily and receive the promise of truth and righteousness by seeking him in all we do.