My first new series for 2026 will run from January to June and is called "Armour Up!" It'll probably come as no surprise that I'm taking my inspiration for this series from Ephesians 6:10-18. This portion of Scripture was written by the Apostle Paul as he encourages us to "put on" the full armour of God so that we might be able to take a stand against the evil schemes of the devil.
Anyone who has been a Christian for any length of time will know that we are in a battle, and this is not just any battle. This warfare is spiritual, so we’re going to need way more than our feeble earthly strength to fight in this war. In the face of all of this, Paul instructs us to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power because greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world!
Through this series I'm going to focus on each item listed by Paul when it comes to our spiritual armour and take a closer look at what this means for us as warriors of Christ. I pray these poems and teachings can be insightful, edifying and encouraging as we journey into 2026 together! We can enter this year confidently knowing that Jesus has already won the victory and we fight on the winning side! Let's set aside distractions and be about our Father's business as we await our Saviour's return!
To begin this series and kick us off for the New Year, we start with...The Belt of Truth.
Ephesians 6:10-18Anyone who has been a Christian for any length of time will know that we are in a battle, and this is not just any battle. This warfare is spiritual, so we’re going to need way more than our feeble earthly strength to fight in this war. In the face of all of this, Paul instructs us to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power because greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world!
Through this series I'm going to focus on each item listed by Paul when it comes to our spiritual armour and take a closer look at what this means for us as warriors of Christ. I pray these poems and teachings can be insightful, edifying and encouraging as we journey into 2026 together! We can enter this year confidently knowing that Jesus has already won the victory and we fight on the winning side! Let's set aside distractions and be about our Father's business as we await our Saviour's return!
To begin this series and kick us off for the New Year, we start with...The Belt of Truth.
The Whole Armour of God
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
The Belt of Truth
Brethren, we are in a battle. We do not have time to waste.
Clocks are ticking loudly now, and we must armour up, post-haste.
First, we must be strong in Jesus and the power of His might.
Foolish is the one who thinks their strength could ever win this fight.
Not against the flesh, we wrestle, though the flesh can bring us woe.
Brethren, we engage in warfare with a fiercer, darker foe.
One who seeks to bring destruction, for he knows his end will come.
How do we defeat the darkness? Seek the light of Christ, the Son!
Do not let the devil bully nor beguile your heart and mind.
Whether it be force or fraud, he seeks to ruin all mankind.
God forbid his lies take root in those who wear the Kingdom crown.
Brethren, stand upon the truth and tear those wicked strongholds down!
Armour up, and set your mind on things which are beyond reproof.
Get yourself prepared for war and buckle up the belt of truth.
Gird your waist and listen not to any of the devil’s lies.
Falsehood brings no victory! So Christian, do not compromise.
Truth is not some mere adornment, twisted by the devil’s hand.
Truth is the unchanging rock and solid ground on which we stand.
Truth will hold all else secure, it’s vital for our strength of core.
Truth remains unwavering and casts deception to the floor!
Brethren, do not play with fire. Read God’s Word and bow the knee.
Do not undermine the Gospel; only truth will set us free!
Point the lost to our Messiah, share our Saviour sacrificed.
Stand upon the truth of God and tell the world of Jesus Christ!
Hebrews 13:8
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
Isaiah 40:8
“The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Points for Reflection and Insight
The book of Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul, and the first word he writes in this passage of Scripture is “Finally”. Whenever we read words such as “finally” or “therefore” in the Bible, we know that the coming verses are relating back to what has previously been said. The next section is going to build further upon the teaching already given or expand the message with extended instruction.
In this instance, Paul writes the word “Finally” at the end of a letter where he has carefully established our place in Jesus, and then the basics of the Christian walk. This last section is where Paul deals with that walk, and as he writes “Finally”, we can translate that as “In light of all the things I have previously said”. In other words, in light of all that God has done for us, in light of the glorious standing we have as children of God, in light of the way God would have us conduct ourselves, in light of all of this, there is a battle to fight in the Christian life.
In the face of this battle, Paul instructs us to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Both elements are essential for the Christian, and what’s really important is that we cannot neglect the first element else the second is futile. Paul begins with the principle that we must be strong in the Lord in order to be of any service in the battle against the powers of darkness.
When we consider that we are soldiers, fighting in the Lord’s army against principalities and powers, it makes perfect sense to realise we must be strong in the Lord to be effective in this war. It’s a spiritual battle, so we’re going to need way more than our feeble earthly strength to fight.
If we picture things in a physical sense, a weak frame cannot take the weight of armour, so a physically weak soldier will be easily defeated. A depleted, broken warrior can be given the best armour the world has to offer, but they’ll be completely ineffective if they don’t have the strength to even carry the weight of the armour, let alone wield a sword and fight in the battle.
So it is with spiritual warfare. We are up against forces that no mere mortal can even attempt to face. Paul highlights the principle that our own strength will always be insufficient, it’s the Lord’s strength we are going to need for this fight. He emphasises the truth that we, as Christians, need to be rooted in our Saviour, close to the Throne of God on a daily basis, and relying on Him to be mighty in His power, not our own. Jesus is the True Vine, we are the branches. Without Him, we can do nothing. Yet with Him, we can endure all things.
So, before we armour up, Paul declares, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” Might is the power of force, and the reserve of strength. A strong, muscular pair of arms visually shows that the person has strength that can be readily called upon, even if it’s not currently being put into action. Power is the exercise of might, and the reserve of strength being put into operation. When that same muscular pair of arms lifts some heavy weights off the floor, that’s when we can see the strength that was already there now being put to good use.
It’s exciting to consider that God has vast reserves of might that can be put into action as power in our Christian lives. This won’t happen as we sit passively, however; it’s when we step out in faith to do God’s work and rely on His strength to enable us to engage in the battle that we see God’s power in action in our lives.
Of course, Paul didn’t call us, as believers, to enter into spiritual warfare; he clearly announced that as a Christian, this is something we are already in. It’s a given fact that we can’t ignore. His instructions in this passage are to equip us on how to be effective and successful in our current realm as we step out as children of God and warriors for Christ.
So having begun on the premise that we are not to rely on our own strength but to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power, Paul then exhorts us to “Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.”
It’s interesting to note that the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians while he was in prison, and so would have been watching the Roman soldiers in all their armour, coming and going each day. It would have been easy for him to look at the physical equipment of his guards and make the parallel for how God has spiritually equipped the believer. It’s also worthy to note that Paul lists the armour in these verses in the same order in which the soldier would put the armour on.
The first thing mentioned in this list is the belt of truth, in verse 14. Curiously, Paul doesn’t instruct us to put on on the belt of truth, it’s something he declares we must already have. Technically, the belt isn’t actually part of the soldier’s armour, but before the armour can be put on, the garments underneath must be gathered together and held firm by the belt. The belt is essential for keeping other parts in place and in securing the soldier with freedom of movement during the battle.
Interestingly, when a soldier sat down, they took off their belt. Putting it on was a sign of getting prepared for action and put the soldier in the battle frame of mind. We see this same idea communicated by Jesus in Luke 12:35-36. Those verses read,
“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.”
As Paul tells us to stand firm, with the belt of truth buckled around our waist, what we see is that truth is symbolically represented as something that both protects us at our core, and also gathers up our garments so that we can fight effectively. It’s a picture of sturdy stability, of basic foundation and an essential part of the equipment which will secure and distribute the weight of the other components. The belt is clearly no mere adornment as it holds everything else together and in place; the same can be said for truth.
Evidently, the belt of truth is something we must already have. If we compromise as Christians and start trying to shoehorn in secular beliefs with what the Scriptures say, we are not standing on the truth and are unfit for battle for God’s Kingdom. We do not fight in Jesus’ army if we do not stand on His unchanging, unshakeable truth. If we fight in falsehood, twisting the Scriptures and falling for the lies of the enemy, we are doomed to failure.
Many people these days think the church will never go forward until it takes off the belt of truth, whereas the complete opposite is true. Our understanding and confidence in basic doctrine stands upon the unchanging bedrock of truth, and this is where the power lies. The kind of power that will call a lost and broken soul out of darkness and point to the glorious light of Christ Jesus. The kind of power that will cut through the lies of the enemy and lead a sinner to their salvation. Having the belt of truth calls the Christian to stand boldly upon the foundation of God’s Word and fight unwaveringly for the lost souls of this world.
I remember having a conversation with someone a while back, and while this person professed to be a Christian, they were also attempting to discard the truth of Scripture in an effort to be “more relevant”. At one point in the conversation, this person tried to dismiss something I’d said with the comment, “Well you think like that because your’e a “traditional Christian.” I responded, “No. I’m a biblical one.” As Psalm 33:11 declares,
“The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.”
A quote from 19th century preacher, Charles Spurgeon, reads, “One era’s wisdom is another era’s folly.” In other words, the popular and acceptable way of thinking for society changes with each generation. What’s considered to be “right and true” in the eyes of man is constantly changing and adapting with time and tendencies. Not so with God’s Word. God’s Word is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God does not change, His Word does not change, truth does not change. As Isaiah 40:8 declares,
“The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”
Questions for personal reflection
Have I considered that as a Christian, I am already engaged in spiritual warfare? Am I trying to fight this battle in my own strength, or in the strength of the Lord? Am I standing on the truth of God’s Word, or am I trying to twist the Scriptures to accommodate modern day agendas?
I pray these Scriptures can encourage us to open our eyes to the very real battle we’re in as Christians, but also stand boldly and confidently on the truth of God’s Word, knowing that it’s the Lord’s strength that equips and enables us. Let’s heed the words of the Apostle Paul and stand firm, with the belt of truth buckled around our waists as we prepare to armour up, and fight as mighty warriors in the victorious army of Jesus Christ.
