Spiritual Warfare Study #2

	If you and I are to be successful in spiritual warfare, we've got to pay close attention to this example if we are to fight the good fight of faith. Our spiritual armor is mighty, and it will see us through any situation. It's available to every Child of God, but we've got to put it on.In our study we shall look briefly at Seven pieces of Armor.
		LOINS "Stand therefore, having your LOINS girt about with TRUTH." Ephesians 6:14
	The body is knit together through the loins. Your loin is the part of the side and back between the ribs and the pelvis. When you are tired physically, nature prompts you to support one hand or both hands on your loins for strength and support. At strenuous sporting events or when there is fatigue, often times you see many with their hands on their waist for support. I can tell when I am truly tired. I develop a sharp pain in my lower side. I then know that it is time to rest, because this loin ache is a call to rest. Rest is the only cure. Your loins are the strength of the body. If the loins fail, the entire body sinks. The Roman Centurion made sure that he had his loins girded. The pieces of armor which defended the upper torso of the body, and those pieces that defended the lower part of the body were connected together at the loins. In combat, if your loins were not girded, it could cause separation of your armor and leave vital organs exposed which could result in sure death. The use of and proper fitting of this piece of armor was of utmost importance in battle. In our text, Paul is letting us know that our loins need to be girded about with truth. We must be careful because the devil and his host are walking about appearing as angels of light (2 Cor. 11:14,15) with lies, error, and half-truths. These tactics are used by him (the devil) to steal, kill, and destroy. Yes, there is a spirit of error in our land. All around us are many cults, ism's, schism's, and doctrines of devils. Seducing spirits are leading many to hell (by way of) many different religious roads (I Tim. 4:1). Look at some of these erroneous roads: ♦ "God is too good to send anybody to hell." ♦ "Any religion will take you to heaven, as long as you are sincere." ♦ "Just follow the golden rule and let your good out-way your bad and you'll make it in." ♦ "We are all God's children." ♦ "All you need to do is just be a member of a church and be water baptized." ♦ "It doesn't take all of that holy living stuff." Many are drinking from everybody's cup, and many of them are slowly being poisoned by these lies, errors, and half-truths. You've got to be careful with half-truths. You may be standing there holding on to the wrong half. If you are not standing on Scriptural ground, the devil has his net spread and he's waiting to devour you ( I Pet. 5:8). God knows all about the tactics of the enemy. Therefore, He has given us a girdle of truth for protection. One goal of Scripture is to establish us with truth. Jesus said, "and ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). God's Word will not only make you free, but it will keep you free. If you learn a little about the basic doctrines of the Bible (God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Salvation, Grace, Assurance, Substitution, Covenants, Redemption, etc.), you will be able to sit with anybody over the Word of God and never be shaken. It will not matter how many years they have been IN THE WAY, or what religion they represent. If your life is knit together with the truth of God's Word, you will be just like a tree planted by the rivers of water. You will be solid, strong, and not tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine (Eph. 4:14). God wants our loins girded about with TRUTH. In spiritual warfare, to defend ourselves, we must be girded - staying with and standing on the TRUTH of God's Holy, Infallible, and Inerrant Word. It is TRUTH that holds all the other pieces of the armor together. Remember: As the Word is being preached and taught, pay close attention to the Doctrinal parts as well as to the Daily Application parts. You need both. One part makes you stable and solid, and the other part moves, motivates, and encourages you as a believer. I thank God for TRUTH that counters lies, error, and half-truths!

	Breastplate of Righteousness "and having on the breastplate of righteousness..." Ephesians 6:14
	Paul now mentions "having on the breastplate of righteousness." In those days, it was foolish for a soldier to even think of running out onto the battlefield without his breastplate. Without a breastplate the soldier was at a very serious disadvantage, because the breastplate covered some very delicate vital organs, especially the heart. The soldier could survive an injury to the arm or leg, but a dagger in the heart was certain death. In order to be an effective soldier in spiritual warfare, we must have on this valuable piece of armor. The devil attacks our lives from many different areas and angles. The enemy comes against our health, our family members, our finances, our marriages, our mental well being, and through many other ways and means. As tough as these things can be, to the devil, these are only symbolic to a flesh wound in the arm or the leg. What the devil really wants to do is strike the killing blow; he wants to put a spiritual dagger in and corrupt our hearts. The devil wants to destroy the powerful organ of personal holiness in our lives. In Genesis 3, Adam was doing fine. He was bold in his relationship with the Lord. God would show up in the cool of the evening, and Adam would run toward God. His heart was pure and clean, but when the devil drove that dagger of sin in and corrupted his heart, Adam had no more confidence toward meeting God. He ran and hid in the bushes, trembling in fear. The devil used sin rob him and corrupt his heart. As a result, his courage was gone. The only way to recover this courage is to recover your holiness! "Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight" (I John 3:21,22). The way to have spiritual power with God is to walk in holiness (which is the breastplate of righteousness). "The righteous are as bold as a lion" (Prov. 28:1). The devil hates righteousness, because he knows the impact and power of a daily walk of holiness. *Don't let the devil shut up some little sin in the attic of your heart, and rob you of the confidence to go to God.* Unconfessed sin in your life will seriously affect your walk of victory, and your ability to bring deliverance to others. Three kinds of righteousness: ♦ Mans ♦ Imputed ♦ Imparted *Man's righteousness* - is no good as far as God is concerned. "All our righteousness is as filthy rags" (Isa. 64:6). We are all sin sick! "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). Imputed righteousness - is righteousness that is transferred to us through a relationship with Jesus Christ. As a believer, I now stand righteous before God, in Christ (Rom. 4:22). Imparted righteousness - is the new life of desired righteousness that is planted in the heart by the Holy Spirit, to every believer (2 Cor. 5:17). This is a desire, a pant, a hunger, and a thirst to be like Jesus. If you really have been born again, God has put a seed of holiness and righteousness in you (Rom.6:6). Beware: If you lose your desire for righteousness, God has a thing called "His Names Sake." David said, "He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Names sake." In other words, if you step out of line, God has ways and means to bring cleansing and righteousness back into your life (Heb. 12). I thank God for the breastplate of righteousness. When God gave us this piece of armor, He gave us a fortress for our souls. I'm glad that I don't depend on my own righteousness - past, present, or future. In times of personal failure, or when a battle is lost, I'm glad that I don't have to wallow in discouragement or defeat. His righteousness has already taken that into account (Heb. 4:15). He knows, cares, and understands. I can come to Him in repentance and He restores my soul, and leads me back onto the paths of righteousness. "Father, whatever the cost or the price, help me to get rid of every spot, wrinkle, and blemish, and be just like Jesus. Help me to show forth daily that I do have on the breastplate of Your righteousness." Amen
	►Contine on to Spiritual Warfare Study #3