Pursuing Truthfulness - Protestant Caucus/Devotional

"Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth" (Eph. 6:14). Truthfulness is the best defense against Satan’s lies.

The first piece of armor Paul mentions in Ephesians 6:14 is the belt of truth. Roman soldiers of his day wore a tunic, which was a large square piece of material with holes for the head and arms. A belt kept the tunic from flying loosely and getting in the way in the midst of battle.

The phrase "having girded your loins" was commonly used for gathering up the loose material of one's tunic or robe when preparing for battle or travel. It speaks of preparedness, as in Exodus 12:11, where God tells the children of Israel to gird their loins for their exodus from Egypt. Jesus used it in a figurative sense in Luke 12:35, where He warns us to gird our loins or "be dressed in readiness" for His second coming. Peter said we're to gird our minds for action (1 Pet. 1:13).

The Greek word translated "truth" in Ephesians 6:14 can refer either to the content of that which is true or to an attitude of truthfulness. Both are implied in the verse. In Ephesians 4 Paul combines both aspects in warning us not to be "tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming" (vv. 14-15). Instead, we are to embrace sound doctrine and always speak the truth in love.

The way to defend yourself against the cunning deceptions of Satan is to gird yourself with a thorough knowledge of God's Word and a firm commitment to obedience. Yet many Christians remain vulnerable because they're unwilling to do that.

Just as Paul exhorted the Philippians to excel in knowledge and discernment and to remain sincere and blameless until in Christ's presence (Phil. 1:9-10), so you must also do the same. Never be content with your present level of spirituality. Keep learning and growing. Demonstrate an attitude of truthfulness that reveals your commitment to God's Word and your readiness for battle.

Is your life characterized by truthfulness? If not, you're a ready target for Satan's schemes. Confess it to the Lord and ask Him to cleanse your heart and give you a love for His truth. Begin today to apply His Word to your life.

Read verses 1-4 and 13-15 of 2 Corinthians 11, noting the tactics of Satan and his servants.

I’m thankful for God’s Truth. Without it we perish.

Prayer To Know The Truth

Heavenly Father, give me a deeper knowledge and understanding I pray, of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Way and the Truth and the Life, and Whom to know is life eternal.

Father, You promised that in Christ we would know the truth and that the truth would set us free, and You also promised that the Holy Spirit would guide us into all truth. Lord this is my desire, to know the truth, to know the Lord Jesus better, and to know Him more and more abundantly.

Father, it was Pilate who asked the question, what is truth? But Your Word makes it perfectly clear that the answer to that question is Jesus. He is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and I pray that I may know Him more intimately with each passing day.

The enemy seeks to hide or distort the truth, through deceit and lies, but I pray that You would give me wisdom and discernment to know when the truth of Christ is being twisted or misrepresented. Help me increasingly to know Him more, and the power of His resurrection, being made conformable unto his death, for I have died and my life is hid with Christ in God. Praise His holy name.

Amen.

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/prayer/prayer-to-know-the-truth-1420

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