Life Group Leaders’ Notes
Series: Living In Victory
Title: It's Time For You To Belt Up!
Key Text: Ephesians 6:10-18
Every day everyone faces battles and challenges that need to be conquered. But you can be what the Bible calls an overcomer. You can come over your problems and pressures. You don’t have to be a victim in life: you can be a victor. The Bible is very clear that this world is a battleground between the kingdoms of Darkness and Light. But we can stand strong and overcome all opposition with God’s help. But we also must play our part and put on our spiritual armour (Ephesians 6:13).
The apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6:14: ‘Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist…’ A belt may not seem to be that important but in fact it is highly significant. In certain circumstances wearing or not wearing a belt can literally be a matter of life and death. Similarly, the belt of truth is armour to protect us.
The Roman soldier‘s belt was wrapped tightly round his waist, fixing his tunic breastplate in place. In the same way, knowing the truth holds you together, supports you, and guards you from the danger of deceptions that could come from any direction. The riveted leather steps at the front are a flexible form of armour that provides vital protection against attacks that come from an enemy attacking you below the belt. Knowing the truth brings protection. The belt held all a soldier’s weapons and loose equipment close to hand. When you’re under attack, you need to know truth already to be able to respond readily. Each time Jesus was attacked by the devil, He responded: ‘it is written…’. And this belt would not be comfortable to sleep in, so like a soldier you need to be in the habit of consciously putting it on again every morning in readiness for the day. That means a daily habit of reading and living by the truth of God’s word.
So truth is something that must be literally wrapped tightly around you. It’s absolutely essential that you develop the habit to always buckle up your spiritual seatbelt. Today there is a great battle for truth. But truth is objective: if something is true, it is true for everyone, whether they agree with it or not. You may believe that you can fly out of a window, but if you jump you will find there is a truth about the law of gravity.
We need to know the truth, especially about the purpose of life on earth and the One who gave it to us. Knowing the truth about God was one of the key focuses in the early church. The apostles’ teaching and doctrine was fundamental. So we’ve got to get our thinking straight.
Like the Roman Governor Pilate, many people are asking ‘what is truth?’ But there IS truth. The Bible is the truth - it is a revelation of God’s truth (2 Tim 3:16-17). Jesus said ‘I am the truth’ (John 14:6) and the Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth (John 16:13). Here are some truths that we need to keep around us:
1. The truth of Christ’s victory through the cross and resurrection (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:18; Acts 4:12; 1 Corinthians 15:14; Acts 2:22-24)
2. The truth of who you are in Christ (Psalm 139:16; Ephesians 1:4-5; 1 John 3:1; Isaiah 43:25; Genesis 1:26-27; Jeremiah 1:5; Ephesians 2:10; Genesis 12:2)
3. The truth about the promises of God (Hebrews 13:5; Isaiah 26:3; Psalm 32:8; Psalm 37:4; Isaiah 40:31; Ephesians 4:14)
Apply
We must live with the truth of Christ’s victory through the cross and resurrection. These are the foundation truths of Christianity. They are not make believe. They are truths that hold us secure. Jesus’ death on the cross was the centre point of history. The whole way through the Bible there are prophetic revelations and allegories pointing to Jesus’s death as the biggest event in time. Right from the moment of the fall of man, when sin entered the world, God had a redemption plan. Jesus’ death on the cross is known as the divine exchange. He paid the price of our sin so that we can enjoy eternity in heaven (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:18; Acts 4:12). Jesus’s death was followed three days later by his resurrection to indestructible life. Paul said that “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:14). But Christ was raised from the dead and because of that we can have newness of life (Acts 2:22-24). Christianity is based on fact not fiction. Jesus is unlike any other person in history and unlike any other political or religious leader. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses, the prophets and priests, Mohammed, Buddha and Jesus all lived and all died. But Jesus came back to life and is alive today to help us and guide us in every area of life and assure us of eternal life. You will live in victory in life when you buckle up daily with this truth.
You must also know the truth of who you are in Christ:
- You are not a mistake. You are precious to God (Psalm 139:16)
- You are not rejected by God. You are chosen (Ephesians 1:4-5)
- You are not hated. You are dearly loved and adopted (1 John 3:1)
- You are completely forgiven and a new creation through the blood of Jesus (Isaiah 43:25)
- You are made in the image of God and given authority (Genesis 1:26-27)
- You have a purpose (Jeremiah 1:5; Ephesians 2:10)
- You have great potential to be a blessing in this world (Genesis 12:2)
Knowing your true identity will protect you from always selling yourself short, from living under a constant weight of condemnation and from wasting your life on empty pursuits.
And you must live with the truth of the promises of God. Did you know that there are 7,487 promises in the Bible made by God personally? For example:
- He will be with you at all times (Hebrews 13:5)
- He will give you peace (Isaiah 26:3)
- He will guide you (Psalm 32:8)
- He will fulfil your dreams (Psalm 37:4)
- He will renew your strength (Isaiah 40:31)
When we wrap such truths as these around us then we will not be at the mercy of our feelings or emotions; we will not be battered by circumstances when we put His belt and wrap ourselves round us (Ephesians 4:14). With His belt of truth we will stand firm in the day of battle. So get ready and buckle up right now.
