The Importance of Armor Maintenance: The Belt

This is the second of an eight-part series. Miss the first installment? Find it on our blog page.

You may be familiar with championship belts worn by professional wrestlers. They are usually enormous and shiny -- difficult to miss. And, unlike typical belts, they aren't usually worn around the waist. Instead, professional wrestlers often sling their massive belts over a shoulder as a symbol or message. The belt tells the world that the carrier is a powerful champion who has won difficult battles. Our belt is a symbol, too, but it is more than that. It is foundational to who we are in Christ. The Belt of Truth is the first piece of armor that Paul tells us to put on in Ephesians 6. That makes the belt significant for a couple of reasons. 

First, it was crucial to the rest of the armor, helping hold the heaviest piece of armor, the breastplate, in place and serving to hold the sword. I have read that soldiers also tucked their long tunics into the belt to allow them to run with less encumbrance. Just as the belt is foundational to the soldiers' armor, knowing God's truth is the basis of every piece of armor. None of the other things will work without truth.

The other reason the soldier's belt was important is that it indicated status. Roman soldiers wore their belts, even when off duty. They were as much a status symbol as they were part of the uniform. People recognized soldiers because of their belts and, most assuredly, gave them respect because of it. Laws forbade anyone else to wear the belt, similar to our laws against impersonating police officers. Just as important, if soldiers lost their respectable standing, they also lost the right to wear their belts. How about our belt of truth? God will not take away our right to wear it, but we need to recognize that it is something people can see. Do people recognize it? Does it let them know that we are Christian warriors? 

How do we maintain our belt of truth?

First, we need to check our relationship with God (His truth).

Are we grounded in God's truth, or do we believe inaccurate things about God? Do we see Him as ultra-controlling? Ultra-permissive? Neither of those is an accurate representation of God, and they can alter the way we connect with Him. We should examine what we have been taught and what we teach others. The Apostle Paul also wrote about truth in Romans 1:21,22. In my own paraphrase, he described people who knew God's truth, but they lost their connection with Him because they neglected worship. They neglected God’s truth. We need to be sure we are building our relationship with God to grasp His character better.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.

Romans 1:21,22

Before Jesus went to the cross, He prayed God would give believers a special blessing – preparing us for his purposes through the truth, God's Word. Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth. (John 17:17 AMP) And, who is the Word? Jesus. Being in a relationship with Jesus, the truth, is a foundational necessity. To maintain our belt of truth, we need to study the Word, learning God's truth.

Second, we need to inspect our personal integrity.

What is your truth? Is it relative to different interactions? Is it compromised? Or is it God's truth? Yes, God is constantly renewing us, refining us for his purpose. However, the world often rejects God's truth just like they rejected Jesus, which we have already established was the walking embodiment of God's truth. Sometimes we may need to clean off the grime that comes from contact with the world. It is important to be aware that distractions can clutter our beliefs. It is frequently not the angry person shouting lies who changes our minds. It is the quiet, reasonable, friendly people who plant ideas of compromise and doubt that can grow into clutter that covers our truth. Doubters can discourage us, but we need to hold on to knowing that God's truth does not change.

After prolonged battles, we may need to tighten our belts. During struggles, it could be stretched or pulled out of place. Have we stretched the truth to cover mistakes? Maybe our belt has scuffs or cuts from the attacks to our belief of who God is. Doubting Him could cause a tear. It is even possible our lies have added oils to the leather or rust to the metal.

How do we repair our belt of truth?

One way to repair our belt is to reconnect our hearts with his. In quiet moments, recall what He has done for you during other seasons. Have you walked through seasons with Him? How has He shown up when you were not expecting him?

Let's talk about a truth we can agree on: we know we live on Earth. The places we live may be very different, but we are still on Earth, whether we are on mountains, on a boat, or in a desert. In the same way, God is our god. What is true about Him is always true. God is holy. He is all-powerful. He loves us. He is good. He is faithful.

Now. Whether we are on a financial mountain, in a titanic health crisis, or in a desert of deep grief, the attributes of God are nevertheless true. We need that truth to be planted deep inside so that our perception of God doesn't get destroyed during attacks. Additionally, after those attacks, we may need to repair our belt of truth.

Spend some time in worship. Maybe you need to write down lyrics to a song. Lord, you are good, and your mercies endureth forever.... Get it stuck in your head. Let it be your worship chorus for a while, confessing it all day. 

Talk with Him specifically about things that have shaken your trust. He is probably more aware of them than you are. For example, when you got sick, or your family member died, or the dream you were pursuing blew up, how did you feel? Let down? Betrayed? Angry? Pray through the emotions, maybe with your Bible open.

Did you know you can make your own championship belt? Yep. You can go online to numerous sites and choose the design, wording, and even size. Does that change the way you think about the belt? What does it signify? I mean, I could walk around with a world championship belt, but it doesn't have real meaning because I haven't put any work into it.

However, I need to work to maintain my Belt of Truth. We need to know who God is, and we need to ensure our integrity. Wipe away the oils of sinful hands from the leather. Keep the rust of disuse from attacking the metal. Wear the foundational belt of truth as a basis for your other weapons. Let your spirit show the love and truth of God so that others recognize you as a powerful soldier. It's not a belt you can order online. It's a belt given by God to fortify you in battle.