ARMOUR OF GOD
In his letter to the church at Ephesus Paul points to her high responsibility, her special place in the plan of God. She has been called to victorious life in her risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, victorious life in the spiritual warfare against invisible and perilous powers of Satan, continuously opposing her on her way to perfection.
In his letter to the church at Ephesus Paul points to her high
responsibility, her special place in the plan of God. She has been
called to victorious life in her risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
victorious life in the spiritual warfare against invisible and perilous
powers of Satan, continuously opposing her on her way to perfection.
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not the love of the truth, that they might be saved' (2 Thess.<br />
2:9-11).<br />
Satan does not hesitate to imitate the words and signs of God in<br />
order to tempt people to leave God. We have to gird ourselves with<br />
truth against this refined policy of lies. The lie ties us to the father of<br />
lying, but the truth ties us to Jesus, the Truth. Ifwe are standing and<br />
remain standing on the Word of God as on the Truth, whatever may<br />
happen, the truth will become active for us, do something for us. 'If<br />
ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall<br />
know the truth, and the truth shall make you free' (John 8: 31-32).<br />
The truth must fill us. Paul says: 'As the truth of Christ is in me'<br />
(2 Cor. 11 : 10). The truth of Christ, which fills us, is a condition, a<br />
first demand, before taking up the battle against the spirits oflying in<br />
the high places, and against the demons which attack the truth of<br />
Christ's victory.<br />
To the girdle is attacherl ' he sword, the sword of the Spirit, the<br />
Word, the truth of Jesus. Ot. .le buckles of the belts of the German<br />
army in World WarII were engraved the words 'Gottmituns' (God<br />
with us)! The German war leaders appropriated God to their<br />
worldly aims of'flesh and blood'. That is why they lost this battle, it<br />
became a terrible failure. 'Gott mit uns' is the promise for a different<br />
kind of battle, the spiritual battle of God's children against the<br />
spiritual wicked powers in the heavenlies, the demons, Satan and his<br />
host<br />
The first defensive weapon in the armour of God is the truth,<br />
the truth of the Word of God, the Kingdom of God, the only reality<br />
entitled to bear the name: truth. We must learn to understand what<br />
the issue really is. The Lord wants us to have open eyes for the<br />
reality of this battle. Our task is to unmask the lie through the truth, to<br />
penetrate the darkness with the light of God. 'I send thee, to open<br />
their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the<br />
power of Satan unto God' (Acts 26: 17-18).<br />
The truth cannot bear distortion, error. 'Now the Spirit<br />
speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the<br />
faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;<br />
speaking lies in hypocrisy' (1 Tim. 4: 1-2). The Lord wants us to<br />
plough straight furrows, to be girt with the truth, to stay away from all<br />
appearance of evil; the Lord wants us to lift up the light high in the<br />
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