Uncommen: Armor of GodSample

Gird and Breastplates

Paul informs us that we must stand firm, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH. When this was written, men would often wear a tunic that would flow around their legs (think kilt), and you would likely end up tripping over it or not be able to run and pivot as needed. “Gird” meant to gather the tunic from the front, pull it back between the legs, and then split it, tying it in the front. Your legs would be exposed, making it easier for battle. Why is this important? Because we are told that we must gird our loins with truth. Truth is not something someone exposes to us once, and all is good. We must lean on truth our entire lives because the battle is long!

Whether it be a sexual battle, jealousy, anger, and so on, these are not things that go away with a quick sword fight. When we have the truth of Christ with us, we have an important tool to fight off the deception the enemy uses to cause us to stumble. Paul says to prepare for the long battle by girding our loins and living in the truth every day!

We must also have the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. We protect our hearts with the righteousness that comes from the Holy Spirit. Our actions, thoughts, and purpose should be focused on hearing the Spirit and honoring the Lord. It is easy to feel heartbroken when we lose a job, do not get that raise, or have trouble in our marriage. Righteousness does not mean being right, though, as we may think. It means having the right mindset going into a situation and guarding against an emotional response that can dishonor God.

Paul advises us to shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE. Our feet move us and get us going in the right direction. When we prepare our walk with the Gospel, we find truth and righteousness. We can wander around aimlessly without the Gospel. Truth and righteousness can turn into what the world believes they are, so the Gospel is what sets us apart!

By being ready every day with the truth, guarding our hearts with righteousness, and the Gospel as our core, we can tackle our daily changes!

Question 1: Do you believe the truth is absolute? Why?

Question 2: How do you prepare each day?

Challenge: For the rest of the week, envision yourself preparing for battle. See how that changes your day!