Belt of Truth

2026 Theme:  Gentleness

Series Title:  Gentle Warrior

Scripture:  Ephesians 6:10-18

January 11^th, 2026

Something to think about:

It may seem odd to begin a new year focused on Gentleness with a “warfare” series, but the weapons and tactics of the war that we fight spiritually cannot be fought with the weapons of the world.  Yes, this battle can be violent, and yes, the war we face is difficult and painful at times, but the spiritual war we are in must be fought by those who have dedicated their lives to love, peace, and justice.  However, this is not the love, peace, and justice that the world offers, which are deviations of true love, peace, and justice as GOD has defined and which rule His Kingdom. 

To explore this further, we must understand each piece of armor that GOD provides and know how to wear and use them for protection in battle properly.  We must also learn how to advance the cause of Christ on the battlefield of life in a way that glorifies Him.  The only way to do this is to be completely committed to Him and His will as we fight this good fight of faith.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the Battle Armor of the follower of Christ:

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NLT),

¹⁰ A final word:  Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  ¹¹ Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.  ¹² For we^* are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

¹³ Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil.  Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.  ¹⁴ Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.  ¹⁵ For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.^{*  16} In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.^{*  17} Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.  Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.^{* [1]}

Key Point:  “A gentle warrior wears truth as the foundation of all other pieces of spiritual armor.”

So, what does the belt of truth do for its wearer?

1. The belt of truth allows for  of  .

John 8:31-32 (NLT),  ³¹ Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.  ³² And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

2. The belt of truth holds all the   together.

Colossians 1:15-17 (NLT),  ¹⁵ Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.  He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,^{* 16} for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.  He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.  Everything was created through him and for him.  ¹⁷ He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

3. The belt of truth holds the  of the  .

John 17:17 (NLT),  Jesus prayed… “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.”

Something to take home:

Tim Clinton and Ron Hawkins write,

“These verses found in Ephesians are not a magical formula that defeats the enemy when recited like a mantra.  It is a biblical truth conveyed in a word picture.  For example, putting on the belt of truth means that we are to know and to adhere to the truth as spelled out for us in God’s Word. 

It is important not to overemphasize demonic influences in our lives; at the same time, it is important not to underemphasize the fact that we do have an enemy who leads an army of demons.  Their job description is to steal, kill, and destroy (see John 10:10).  The enemy wants to harm us, yet God promises to protect us.  When we step outside of God’s will, we automatically open up the door for the enemy to sow seeds of destruction.  This doesn’t mean that all struggles involve demons, but consistently opening ourselves up to evil will bring us into contact with the evil one and his messengers.

Discernment becomes important when determining demonic involvement in a person’s life.  Sometimes spiritual warfare occurs because a person is right in the middle of God’s will.  Bible giants such as Daniel, David, Paul, and even Jesus himself fought against the schemes of the devil.^[2]

In the midst of spiritual warfare, if truth doesn’t rule the believer in Christ, they will be tossed about by every clever, witty, convincing argument that comes their way.  Truth – GOD’s truth – is imperative if we are to win the fight against evil.  Remember it is Satan who is the father of lies,[3] but it is Jesus who is the way, the truth, and the life.[4]  So, therefore, gird yourself with the truth and allow the Spirit of Truth to guide your life.

^* 6:12 Some manuscripts read you.

^* 6:15 Or For shoes, put on the readiness to preach the Good News of peace with God.

^* 6:16 Greek the evil one.

^* 6:18 Greek all of God’s holy people.

^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. 2015. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^* 1:15 Or He is the firstborn of all creation.

^[2] Clinton, Tim, and Ron Hawkins. 2009. The Quick-Reference Guide to Biblical Counseling: Personal and Emotional Issues. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

[3] John 8:44.

[4] John 14:6.