¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Verses 14 to 16 challenge us to stand against the devil by putting on our spiritual armor.

Stand therefore,

The word “stand” is a command in the Greek and signifies urgency. This word repeatedly occurred in verses 11 and 13 [twice], but in this verse it is an imperative. It is the primary admonition of this section of Ephesians. The believer needs a sense of resolution to engage in this battle. The Christian is to maintain his spiritual ground and not yield to the attacks of Satan. He needs to take a stand against Satan.

having girded your waist with truth [truthfulness],

“Girded” and “put on” are the two means of standing. The Roman soldier’s belt was a leather apron. Girding connotes the idea that a soldier pulled up his long robes to tuck them into a belt around his waist. The soldier tucked his long garments in this belt to make his movements freer. He needed this for freedom to battle his enemy. The belt had a military function for it kept clothing and other weapons in place during conflict.

The first piece of armor for the Christian is “truth.” Truth here is the widest sense of the elements of character. The first means of confronting spiritual evil is to put the belt of truth around our waist (1 Pe 1:13). As the Roman soldier held his armor with a belt around his waist, so the believer uses truth has the foundation for what he does. “Truth” is the believer’s integrity. He gets his “truth” from God.  “Truth” here means knowledge and belief of the truth.

PRINCIPLE:

The integrity of biblical truth in the life of the believer is his foundation for Christian living.

APPLICATION:

The believer does not engage in spiritual battle blind. People who have confidence apprehend and believe biblical truth. Landing on one idea rather than many produces a person of conviction.

There are those who will fall away from the truth (1 Ti 4:1). However, God’s truth is the only way to counter Satan’s schemes. The believer receives his genuine integrity by imbibing God’s Word.

Girding the waist with truth relates to readiness for battle. It gives freedom to act. Truthfulness frees us to act with integrity.