These are the session notes from the DVD teaching:
Checking in when traveling, the TSA agent is at his/her post using specific equipment to authenticate the identification of each traveler. When we give them our ID, they look at it carefully, matching our faces to the picture on our ID. Even after the TSA agent has had a good look at us, they then take our ID and pass it under a machine - a black light. This light shines on our ID to authenticate who we are. There is a translucent seal that is revealed to make sure our ID is not fake. Only then can we pass through.
No matter how many times these TSA agents have done this, they always run it underneath the light, not trusting in what they can see with their physical eyes. They will always depend on this "light."
This is where our armor really begins: with the truth.
Ephesians 6:13-14a was our reference scripture for this session:
"Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm, therefore, having girded your loins with truth.....
The first piece of armor we need to utilize in order to stand firm against the attacks of the enemy is the belt of truth.
Why is this so important?
Because the enemy doesn't take a generalized approach when he attacks us. His approach is always specific. Priscilla said we can always know the mark of his every intention, every assignment and tactic. It is deception. According to John 8:44, the enemy is the "Father of lies." He is the master illusionist - making us to think something is real but actually is not.
He shades our reality.
What we need is an unchangeable objective standard that is outside of ourselves. A standard that will give us a clear perspective on what is happening. We cannot trust our 5 senses, our past experience or what our eyes can see.
We need a light so we do not lean to our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). Our feelings do not have intellect.
Each piece of this armor in Ephesians 6 has already been mentioned in the previous chapters. These are just symbols to show us what to do with what Paul has already explained previously.
Ephesians is divided into two segments:
Chapters 1-3 are filled with indicatives. Indicatives are things that are declared to us about who we are and what we have. They indicate to us what is available.
Chapters 4-6 are filled with imperatives. We've been told what we have but now we're being told and commanded what to do with what we have.
He is now telling us in chapter 6 to put on what we have.
The clearest verse that describes the light and the truth is Ephesians 5:13....."all things become visible when they are exposed to the light".
The first 3 pieces of armor are unique because it is introduced by a participle in our English language: "having shod" or "having put on". The job of a participle is to modify an imperative - a command. Anytime we see a command in scripture, a lot of times we will see after that a phrasing like we see here. There is a connection between how we're suppose to use these and how they impact the command we've been given.
Paul is saying to us that this is how we stand: "gird yourself with truth".
Let's be women who gird our loins up with truth, to bind ourselves to the word of God. His word is the unchanging standard that has to dictate our life.
The "belt" of a Roman soldier was the first piece of armor that he put on. They needed extra stability at their core to be able to stand (70 pounds of armor).
We also need core strength when the pressures of life are too much to handle, weighing us down.
Look to scripture for the deciding factor. Gird up our desires and decisions and tuck them into truth.
Read about Joshua and Caleb in Numbers 13. They had to gird themselves up with truth to believe God above what they saw.
The Bottom Line
Truth is God's opinion on any matter. Let's pledge our allegiance to the true standard - God's word.
