STAND FIRM THEREFORE, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH: stete (2PAAM) oun perizosamenoi (AMPMPN) ten osphun humon en aletheia:  (5:9; Isaiah 11:5; Luke 12:35; 2 Corinthians 6:7; 1 Peter 1:13)

Stand firm therefore - this is the third time Paul calls on believers to stand firm (see notes Ephesians 6:11;  6:13) thus emphasizing the need for immovable steadfastness in the face of a relentless, ruthless foe.

Stand firm (2476) (histemi) means literally to support oneself on the feet in an erect position. It means to take up or maintain a specified position or posture.  In context it conveys the idea of digging in (the Roman sandals had spikes for this purpose). 

From a practical standpoint one stands firm by living the obedient, Scripture–dominated, Spirit–empowered life - the Spirit in such a state is not quenched or grieved and strengthens the obedient believer to stand firm. The greatest weapon we have in warfare is not what we say to the devil but how we live the ''Christ life''. Obey, surrender, submit for this is your greatest weapon. It's not binding but it's bowing, saying ''yes'' to Jesus and committing to do His Word...at the moment He says it...then at that moment you become a fortress against the devil.

Again Paul like a military general barks out a command to the troops of saints to stand firm. The aorist imperative conveys a sense of urgency. Do it now! Don't delay! The active voice means that we must make the choice to stand firm. God gives us the want to and the enablement but He won't force us to choose to stand.

We must live in light of the fact that just as much as "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life," so it is true that "Satan hates you and has a terrible plan for your life" - we do have an enemy who wishes us nothing but evil

Using the metaphor of a battle, in the military sense to stand firm meant to hold a watch post or to stand and hold a critical position on a battlefield while under attack! The intent of Paul's exhortation is not unlike that of our Lord to the embattled church at Thyatira, whom He commanded, “hold fast (aorist imperative) until I come” (Rev 2:25). The believer needs to be strengthened in the inner man, letting our mind be affected by the truth, and letting the Spirit of Christ motivate us (Ezekiel 36:27, see note Philippians 2:12) and live His life through you. Stand firm by being in His word, obeying His word, repenting quickly and returning to your first Love. If you are disobedient you are deceived and a deceived person doesn't even know it! Furthermore when you are deceived you are primed for defeat! That is how good the Deceiver is. Remember his territory is the darkness, this present evil world system, and even though believers have been transferred out of darkness and into God's marvelous light, we can still choose to place ourselves under his domain of darkness when we willingly disobey God's Word.

Therefore (3767) (oun)  introduces a logical result or inference from what precedes. The items of armor appear in the order in which a soldier would put them on and together make up the full armor (panoplia) every soldier had put on before taking the field in mortal combat.

Expositor's Greek Testament comments that...

First in the list of these articles of equipment is mentioned the girdle. Appropriately so; for the soldier might be furnished with every other part of his equipment, and yet, wanting the girdle, would be neither fully accoutered nor securely armed. His belt was no mere adornment of the soldier, but an essential part of his equipment. Passing round the loins and by the end of the breastplate (in later times supporting the sword), it was of especial use in keeping other parts in place, and in securing the proper soldierly attitude and freedom of movement.” (Nicoll, W Robertson, Editor: Expositors Greek Testament: 5 Volumes. Out of print. Search Google)

Having girded (4024) (perizonnumi from perí = about or around + zonnumi = gird, gird around especially with a belt) means to gird all around as preparation for work or activity. Figuratively, perizonnumi  speaks of readiness for activity while ungirding denotes rest.

This picture derives from the custom of shortening the long flowing garments of Orientals which were pulled up and knotted at the waist for freedom of movement. The idea is to tuck up one’s long garment by pulling it through a belt.  From the belt hung the scabbard in which the soldier's sword was sheathed. The belt tied tightly around the waist indicated that a soldier was ready for combat. Conversely, to slacken the belt equated with the soldier going off duty, something that is never to be in a Christian soldier. We are always on duty, for our foe never rests.

In the middle voice perizonnumi means you yourself have to fasten on the belt,  wrapping yourself around. No one can accomplish this girding for you.

Salmond notes that...

The soldier might be furnished with every other part of his equipment, and yet, wanting the girdle, would neither be fully accoutered nor securely armed. His belt...was no mere adornment of the soldier, but an essential part of his equipment...it was of especial use in keeping other parts in place, and in securing the proper soldierly attitude and freedom of movement.

Vine summarizes the uses of perizonnumi writing that it means...

 to gird around or about, is used

(a) literally, of girding oneself for service, Luke 12:37; 17:8; for rapidity of movement, Acts 12:8;

(b) figuratively, of the condition for service on the part of the followers of Christ, Luke 12:35; Eph. 6:14;

(c) emblematically, of Christ’s Priesthood, Rev. 1:13, indicative of majesty of attitude and action, the Middle Voice suggesting the particular interest taken by Christ in girding Himself thus; so of the action of the angels mentioned in 15:6. (Vine, W E: Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. 1996. Nelson)

There are 31 uses of perizonnumi in the Septuagint (LXX) (Exod. 12:11; Jdg. 3:16; 1 Sam. 2:4, 18; 2 Sam. 3:31; 20:8; 21:16; 1 Ki. 20:32; 2 Ki. 1:8; 3:21; 1 Chr. 15:27; Ps. 18:32, 39; 30:11; 45:3; 65:6, 12; 93:1; 109:19; Isa. 3:24; 15:3; 32:11; Jer. 1:17; 4:8; 6:26; 49:3; Lam. 2:10; Ezek. 7:18; 44:18; Dan. 10:5; Joel 1:8, 13) Here are some representative uses...

Exodus 12:11 'Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded (LXX = perizonnumi), your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste-- it is the LORD's Passover.

Psalm 18:32 The God who girds me with strength, And makes my way blameless?..39 For Thou hast girded me with strength for battle; Thou hast subdued under me those who rose up against me.

Psalm 30:11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness;

Psalm 93:1 The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The LORD has clothed and girded Himself with strength; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.

Jeremiah 1:17 "Now, gird up your loins, and arise, and speak to them all which I command you. Do not be dismayed before them, lest I dismay you before them.

Lamentations 2:10 The elders of the daughter of Zion Sit on the ground, they are silent. They have thrown dust on their heads; They have girded themselves with sackcloth. The virgins of Jerusalem Have bowed their heads to the ground

There are 7 uses of perizonnumi  in the NASB...

Luke 12:35 "Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps alight.

Luke 12:37 "Blessed are those slaves whom the master shall find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. (Comment: As a servant girding up his loose garments to wait on the table.)

Luke 17:8 "But will he not say to him, 'Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me until I have eaten and drunk; and afterward you will eat and drink'?

Eph 6:14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,

Rev 1:13 and in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle.

Rev 15:6 and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their breasts with golden girdles.

Roman soldiers wore at least one of 3 belts or girdles: (1) The breech-like leather apron worn to protect the lower abdomen; (2) the sword-belt which was buckled on together with the sword as the decisive step in the process of preparing one's self for battle (3) the special belt or sash designating an officer or high official

Ray Stedman writes that...

The officers in the Roman army wore short skirts very much like Scottish kilts. Over them they wore a cloak or tunic that was secured at the waist with a belt. When they were about to enter battle, they would tuck the tunic up under the belt so as to leave their legs free and unimpeded for the fight. Belting one's waist (or, as many older translations put it, "girding the loins") was always a symbol of readiness to fight. That is why Paul mentions this item of armor first. You cannot do battle until you have surrounded yourself with the belt of truth.

What does this mean in practical, everyday terms? Simply this: When you are threatened by discouragement, depression, spiritual apathy and coldness, and similar moods, you fight back by remembering that you first became a Christian by surrounding yourself with truth. You remind yourself that in coming to Jesus Christ you found the truth behind all things, you found the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the secret of the universe, the final reality!  (Ray Stedman. Spiritual Warfare - Available online and highly recommended!)

Loins (3751) (osphus) (see additional note) or "hip" (as used in classic Greek according to the TDNT) refers literally to the general area of the body between the ribs and the thighs, the midsection between the upper and lower body that includes the hips, the small of the back, the waist, and the reproductive organs. Osphus refers to the lower region of the back, which is the region of the 5 lower vertebrae of lumbar region, the part of body where the girdle was worn. It is the region of the hips as opposed to shoulders and thighs.

Jews considered osphus as the place of the reproductive organs and so we find the phrases ''to go forth from someone's loins'' equated with ''to be descendant''. Finally, In the NT girded loins signified that a man was ready for service or heavy battle. Osphus was used figuratively to describe a state of alertness or readiness.

The expression “to gird up one’s loins” means to belt the garment which is worn ungirdled in the house or in times of relaxation, with a view to greater mobility for work, for travel, for battle etc

"is a common figure of speech for “power,” Deut 33:11 ("LORD...shatter the loins of those who rise up against" Israel); Daniel 5:6 ("Then the king's face grew pale, and his thoughts alarmed him; and his hip joints went slack, and his knees began knocking together")

Osphus is used 58 times in the Septuagint (LXX) (Gen. 35:11; 37:34; Exod. 12:11; 28:42; Lev. 3:9; 7:3; 8:25; 9:19; Deut. 33:11; 2 Sam. 20:8; 1 Ki. 2:5; 12:10, 24; 18:46; 20:31f; 2 Ki. 1:8; 4:29; 9:1; 2 Chr. 6:9; 10:10; Neh. 4:18; Job 12:18; 38:3; 40:7, 16; Prov. 31:17; Isa. 5:27; 11:5; 15:4; 20:2; 21:3; 32:11; Jer. 1:17; 13:1f, 4, 11; 30:6; 48:37; Ezek. 1:27; 8:2; 9:2f, 11; 21:6; 23:15; 24:17; 29:7; 44:18; 47:4; Dan. 5:6; 10:5; Amos 8:10; Nah. 2:1, 10)

Nahum 2:1 The one who scatters has come up against you. Man the fortress, watch the road; Strengthen your back, (LXX = osphus) summon all your strength.

Osphus is used 8 times in the NT (note the NAS and NIV do not always translate osphus separately thus some of the verses below are in the KJV)...

Matthew 3:4 Now John himself had a garment of camel's hair, and a leather belt about his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

Mark 1:6 And John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey.

Luke 12:35 "(Literally - Let your loins be girded) Be dressed  in readiness, and keep your lamps alight. (Comment: both metaphors picture a disciple as one living in constant expectancy of the Lord's return)

Acts 2:30 "Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne" (KJV)

Ephesians 6:14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Hebrews 7:5 And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest's office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended (come out of the loins) from Abraham...10 for he (Levi) was still in the loins (osphus) of his father when Melchizedek met him.

1 Peter 1:13 (note) Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope ( or "fix your hope" = aorist imperative) to the end for the grace that is to be brought (the tense is the vivid present —“is being brought unto you”—as if to make the future event immediately real) unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (KJV) (Comment: Literally is "having girded up the loins [osphus] of your mind" = Pull your mind together and have the right mental attitude in view of our Lord’s return for  when you center your thoughts on His return and live accordingly, you escape the many worldly things that would encumber your mind and hinder your spiritual progress)

Kenneth Wuest commenting on "girding one's mind for action" in 1Peter 1:13  has an excellent practical comment...

It is not physical exertion that Peter has in mind here, but mental. If the purpose of girding up the clothing was to put out of the way that which would impede the physical progress of an individual, the girding up of the loins of the mind would be the putting out of the mind all that would impede the free action of the mind in connection with the onward progress of the Christian experience, things such as worry, fear, jealousy, hate, unforgiveness, impurity. (Ed note: add thanklessness)

These thoughts harbored in the mind prevent the Holy Spirit from using the mental faculties of the Christian in the most efficient manner, and thus from causing that believer to grow in the Christian life and make progress in his salvation. The word “to gird up” (1Peter 1:13) is in the aorist tense which refers to a past once-for-all act.

Bringing this oriental expression over to the occidental manner of thinking, enables us to translate,

“Wherefore, having put out of the way, once for all, everything that would impede the free action of your mind.”

Peter treats this as a God-expected obligation on the part of the believer. In 1 Peter 1:3 (see note)  we learned that as the believer definitely subjected himself to the ministry of the Holy Spirit, He (the Spirit) would produce in his (the yielded believer's) life through the Word, that Christian optimism that always looks for the best and not for the worst, that always sees the silver lining on every cloud.

By the power of the same Holy Spirit, he is able to exert his will in putting out of his mind those things that would impede its free action. Thus, the Christian has the privilege of enjoying the wholesome mental atmosphere called “Christian optimism and a care-free mind,” not a mind devoid of an appreciation of the seriousness of life and its responsibilities, but a mind not crippled and frozen by worry, fear, and their related mental attitudes. Living in this blessed mental state, the believer is ready and able to obey the exhortations to which the apostle now addresses himself." (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans)

Expositor's Greek Testament comments that truth...

is simplest and most accordant with usage to take it so here (in the sense of candor, sincerity, truthfulness). And this plain grace of openness, truthfulness, reality, the mind that will practice no deceits and attempt no disguises in our intercourse with God, is indeed vital to Christian safety and essential to the due operation of all the other qualities of character. “As the soldier covers his breast with the breastplate to make it secure against the disabling wound, so the Christian is to endue himself with righteousness so as to make his heart and will proof against the fatal thrust of his spiritual assailants.” (Nicoll, W Robertson, Editor: Expositors Greek Testament: 5 Volumes. Out of print. Search Google)

Truth (225) (aletheia from alethes = true in turn from a + lêthô  = that which is hidden or lanthanô = conceal, this combination meaning out in the open, containing nothing that is hidden) describes the body of reality (facts, events, etc) or the content which is true, or which is in accordance to what actually occurred. Truth is the unveiled reality lying at the basis of and agreeing with an appearance; the manifested, the veritable essence of matter. Truth is the correspondence between a reality and a declaration which professes to set it forth. Words are true when they correspond with objective reality. Persons and things are true when they correspond with their profession. Hence a truth is a declaration which has corresponding reality, or a reality which is correctly set forth. Since God is Himself the great reality, that which correctly sets forth His nature is pre-eminently the Truth. Obviously whatever God says is "the truth", and in fact "the Truth" is actually embodied in the Person of Christ Jesus!

We must faithfully hold the truth of God’s word, but it is also necessary for the truth to hold us. We must apply it to our daily lives and test everything by comparing it to the plumbline of God's Word of truth.

Since Satan is a liar, we must oppose him with God’s truth. In Paul's day the people wore belts or girdles to bind up their flowing garments and hold everything together. It is God’s truth that must hold everything together in our lives. As Christians, we must love truth and live truth. It is therefore not surprising to see John write to his spiritual children...

I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. (3 John 1:4)

Warren Wiersbe writes that...

Unless we are motivated and directed by truth, we will be defeated by the enemy. If we permit any deception to enter our lives, we have weakened our position and cannot fight the battle victoriously. The girdle of truth is not an offensive weapon; it is for protection. When the believer has what I call “an attitude of truth” in his life, this protects him from Satan’s attacks. It does not prevent these attacks; it keeps the believer from being harmed by them.  (Wiersbe, W: Strategy of Satan: How to Detect and Defeat Him)

Marvin Vincent has this note about truth in Ephesians 6:14 writing that it is...

The state of the heart answering to God’s truth; inward, practical acknowledgment of the truth as it is in Him: the agreement of our convictions with God’s revelation.

The loins encircled by the girdle form the central point of the physical system. Hence, in Scripture, the loins are described as the seat of power. “To smite through the loins” is to strike a fatal blow. “To lay affliction upon the loins” is to afflict heavily. Here was the point of junction for the main pieces of the body-armor, so that the girdle formed the common bond of the whole. Truth gives unity to the different virtues, and determinateness and consistency to character. All the virtues are exercised within the sphere of truth. (Vincent, M. R. Word Studies in the New Testament 3:408)

MacDonald wisely comments that Christian soldiers...

must be faithful in holding the truth of God’s word, but it is also necessary for the truth to hold us. We must apply it to our daily lives. As we test everything by the truth, we find strength and protection in the combat. (MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson)

Ray Stedman relates a story regarding truth which you may have heard...

In Proceedings, the magazine of the Naval Institute, naval officer Frank Koch tells the story of an incident that happened to him at sea an incident that illustrates the principle Paul talks about:

Two battleships assigned to the training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days. I was serving on the lead battleship and was on watch on the bridge as night fell. The visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an eye on all activities. Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing of the bridge reported, "Light, bearing on the starboard bow." "Is it steady or moving astern?" the captain called out. Lookout replied, "Steady, captain," which meant we were on a dangerous collision course with that ship.

The captain then called to the signalman, "Signal that ship: We are on a collision course, advise you change course 20 degrees." Back came a signal, "Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees." The captain said, "Send, I'm a captain, change course 20 degrees." "I'm a petty officer second class," came the reply. "You had better change course 20 degrees." By that time, the captain was furious. He spat out, "Send, I'm a battleship. Change course 20 degrees." Back came the flashing light, "I'm a lighthouse." We changed course.

God's truth is like that lighthouse and we are like that battleship. In our human arrogance, we chart our own course and demand that the world adjust itself to our wishes. But God's truth is unchanging, unbending, unyielding. It is not God's duty to alter His truth. It is our responsibility to chart our course according to the light of His Word, which is ultimate, objective reality. If we fail to do so, we risk running our lives aground.  (Ray Stedman. Spiritual Warfare)

Truth is mentioned 7 times in Ephesians and thus is a key thought...

Ephesians 1:13 (note) In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise (Comment: Truth is the gospel. Truth is what saved us. Truth has to be believed to be effective in our lives. So, when we have our loins girded about with the belt of truth, part of it refers to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, by which we were saved and are now daily sanctified).

Ephesians 4:15 (note) but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ (Comment: Truth is what the members of the body are to speak to each other. In speaking truth we grow in Christlikeness. Speaking truth is vital for spiritual maturity. When you gather for "fellowship", do you talk about the things of the world, many of which are deception and lies, or do you talk about truth as revealed by God? We must redeem the time for the days are evil!)

Ephesians 4:21 (note) if indeed (as is the case) you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus (Comment: Truth is a Person, Jesus, the very essence of Truth, the One Who Alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life. John wrote "And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him Who is true, and we are in Him Who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life." 1John 5:20)

Ephesians 4:24 (note) and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. (Comment: Truth is the source of righteousness and holiness and is now the potential of each believer who is a new man in Christ. Here in Ephesians 6:14, this truth is the knowledge of sound doctrinal truth but it is also the practice that is in keeping with that truth. This was pictured by Paul as a putting off of the Old Man and a putting on of the New Man, as one would change a filthy, dirty garment for a bright, clean garment. When we practice the truth we know [i.e., obey and walk in the Spirit, filled with the Spirit] we are actively putting on this piece of the armor - girding our loins with the belt of truth and this serves as our defense against the deception and lies of the Evil One. Simply knowing the truth is not girding yourself with it. One must also practice the truth for it to be an effective defense! How are you doing? Is there a specific truth that you have willingly disobeyed this week or which you repeatedly refuse to obey? Then confess it before the God of infinite mercy and forgiveness, repent, turn around, yield to the Spirit and walk out in His power, in light and in the truth -- then you will walk out armed against the devil!)

Ephesians 4:25 (note) Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH, EACH ONE of you, WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. (Comment: What we speak to one another should conform to reality.  This truth should be made manifest by the way we speak. This will build up rather than tear down. A life so lived filled with the Spirit will be a sure defense against Satan and will prevent him from gaining a toehold in our life.)

Ephesians 5:9 (note) (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth) (Comment: We are now light in the Lord and as we walk in a manner worthy of that new identification and do it in the power of the Spirit, the Spirit bears fruit - goodness, righteousness and truth, that truth which others see  in our practice or conduct being in agreement with the truth that is in us - the indwelling Spirit of truth, Christ in us = Jesus Who is the Truth, the Word of Truth, God's Word. And this gives God the glory as others see our good works)

Ephesians 6:14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Wayne Barber explains girding your loins with truth...

We need to start by understanding what the word TRUTH is. It is aletheia. It is used several times in the book of Ephesians. Let me give you the basic understanding of that word. The basic, simple understanding of that word is a manifestation of a hidden reality. When you go into a courtroom and you are going to be a witness in a trial, they say, "Raise your right hand. Do you swear that you will tell the truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?" You say, "I do" and you sit down. What are they saying by using the term "truth"? They are asking, "Are you willing to come into this courtroom and manifest something that is hidden to us that only you know so that you will bear evidence to that?" You will manifest a hidden reality. That is what the word "truth" means. It is something that is manifested of a hidden reality...There are many things that you could say are true. Now a lot of things in life can be said to be true. But what we are seeing in Ephesians is the essence of all truth, The Truth (Ed note: See Scriptures above). You see, we are to be affected by what truth really is, and Ephesians tells us what it is. (See all the uses of truth in the preceding section)...

We then are to gird our loins with the belt of truth which is pure, which has no deception but instead accurately manifests some hidden reality. To be clothed with truth means to be sincerely committed to truth. In other words, I am totally sold out to who God is. I am totally sold out to what God has done. I am totally sold out to what God has said. I am yielded to Him. It is the truth, and I am now completely surrendered to Him.

"HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH" is an aorist middle participle (having girded) which means I can’t put it on for you. A lot of people come to church, and they feel like when they walk in the door, everybody is just going to love Jesus. The problem is, you can preach the truth but an individual has to make up his own mind as to whether or not to adhere to that truth. I can’t make it happen. It is a choice that we make,  constantly choosing to be affected, to be totally committed to that which God says, to what He is, and that which He has done (these are all "truth"). To be girded with truth means that I am sincerely, totally, wholly committed to truth which most obviously is found in God’s Word. Paul is saying "Having girded your loins with truth, you must choose to allow truth to influence your life."

Why is this girding with truth a piece of the armor and why is it so important in warfare? We live in a darkened, deceptive world. The devil is constantly deceiving the whole world. Now believers have been made light in the midst of that darkness (see note Ephesians 5:8). If we are going to stand firm and wear the garment, part of that garment has a thread and it is armored. That armored thread is that we be totally committed to truth, who God is, what God has said and what God has done.

"Loins" refers to the lower back and Paul's analogy is beautiful. Your lower back is what helps you to stand. If you have trouble in your lower back, you are going to start bending and falling. Years ago I bought a little car to save gas. One day I came to the church, got out of the car and when I did, I swung my body the wrong way. Something went out in my lower back and I fell on my hands and knees and could not get up. I could not stand. Something happened in my lower back that brought me down.

The word osphus refers to the five lower vertebra of the back. The Apostle Paul is describing a Roman soldier who wore wide belts that carried their weapons. But also the belt would protect the lower back. When they went into combat, they were hand to hand, constantly digging in and standing up. Something had to gird and strengthen them. Paul says, "You are in a dark world. You are in a deceived world. When you get up on Monday morning and walk out you face it." Even on Sundays folks, we face it in the church. It is all around us. People who are not surrendered to Jesus Christ and to His Word don’t understand how sincerely wrong they can be because the mind is the key. Someone asked me, "Do you mean if you don’t wear that belt, the whole garment falls off?" I am not sure we can biblically say that, but that is good to remember. If you don’t have the belt of truth on, forget the rest of the armor. Truth means I am totally sold out, loving who God is, what God has said. I am not going to listen to what the world says. I am going to listen to what God says. Now this is an armored thread in that garment. It protects me because the one thing the devil wants to do is to deceive me.

What we don’t understand is, if we are not putting the Word of God into our minds, balancing out the error and deception we are being pounded with every day, we are already being misled and don’t know it. Listen, just because you think it doesn’t make it right. Examine it. Look at what God says. Folks, we are living in an upside down world and only the Word can put it right side up.

Now Paul is not specifically talking about just the Word. There is no definite article. But he is talking about truth and its essence—who God is, what God has done, what God has said. It is all wrapped up in that. Friend, if I am not going to be surrendered, if I am going to do stupid things, fill my mind with things of the world, then what happens next is my own fault. I wake up with a negative, critical and discouraged feeling that simply overwhelms me. Have you ever done that? I walk around thinking, "What is wrong?" What happens is, you start being suspicious. You start being critical. You start being bitter. Why? This is where we live every day folks. The way you are thinking right now is determined by some standard in your life. If it is not the standard of truth, you have already lost your garment, you are already led astray and you don’t even know it. That is what Paul is saying. It is urgent. The Word has to be in your life.

Folks, listen, they are telling us on the news that we are not going to have enough room for everybody in the world in a few years. I was watching CNN the other night and they said Social Security is going to go bankrupt. Who cares! God is not bankrupt! What does God say compared to what the world is saying? We talk about truth, and we will defend truth, but how many people are living in it? Folks, until you are adhering to truth, you have no strength. No wonder you have grown weak in the back. No wonder you are trying to cower down. No wonder you have been knocked down. Only truth can gird your loins and cause you to be able to stand.

Jesus said the devil is a liar and there is no truth in him. If I can’t do anything else in this series to convince you of anything, let me convince you of one thing. It is not a power struggle. If you put Satan up next to Jesus, he doesn’t show up on the scale. But his power is his power to deceive and he is deceiving us if we are not living according to the Word of God. It scares me how much deception is already in my mind because I have not examined everything by the counsel of the Word of God. (See