There are two sections to Part 3.
In understanding how integrity can help us defeat Satan, it will be helpful to look at some people in the Bible who were victorious because they put on the girdle of truth. We will also look at others who were defeated because they did not have it on. We will see from their example why the girdle of truth is so important on the battlefield.
The first war in the Bible is found in Genesis 14.
Abraham became involved in that war because Lot, his nephew, had been captured by the opposing army. Abraham won the war and delivered Lot, but why was Lot captured in the first place? Why was he found in the wrong camp? Because he was double-minded.
We find Lot's background in Genesis 13. He was afflicted with double vision —he had one eye on the heavenly city and one eye on Sodom. Genesis 13:10 says, "And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar,"
Lot had taken off the girdle of truth and had lost his integrity. Why? Because he had a double: minded approach to life. He had his eyes on the land and how rich he could become instead of having his eyes on the Lord. He drifted off into wicked Sodom.
When the people in Sodom were taken captive, Lot could do nothing about it. He didn't have any armor to protect him. As a result, He lost ground. He was forced to depend on Abraham, a man with integrity, to deliver him.
We can see Abraham's integrity when the king of Sodom came out to meet him. The king said to Abraham, "Take all the wealth (the spoils of battle) that you want" (Genesis14: 21). However, Abraham re-plied, "I made up my mind before this battle ever started that I wouldn't take so much as a shoelace from you" (Genesis 14: 22,23). That's integrity! Abraham didn't go out to battle thinking, I wonder what I'm going to get out of this. His only thoughts were about rescuing his nephew, Lot. Abraham was a winner, while Lot was a loser.
Another illustration is found in Joshua 5. Before the battle of Jericho, Joshua was out assessing the situation. "And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went
unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for out adversaries?" (Joshua 5:13). Joshua had integrity. He didn't think, I wonder whose side he's on and whether or not I can pacify him. I wonder if I can do a ittle politicking here. No, he pointedly asked,
"Whose side are you on?" Like Joshua, when you go out to fight the battle and face the Enemy, you'd better have on the girdle of truth and know which side you're on.
Throughout his life, Joshua's integrity and loyalty to God never wavered. Just before his death, he urged the people, "Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth" (Joshua 24:14). No wonder Joshua was able to defeat his enemies and conquer the land.
Joshua's life stands in stark contrast to that of Achan, a soldier in Joshua's army (Joshua. 7). Achan was double-minded. He didn't enter the battle because he wanted to win a victory for the Lord; he was wondering what he could get for himself. He had a double heart. Part of his heart loved wealth and material possessions more than God. The Lord had instructed the Israelites to take no spoils from the battle but to dedicate everything to Him (Read Joshua 6:18,19). However, when Achan saw the great wealth of Jericho, he stole some of it and buried it under his tent (Joshua 7:20,21). He was double-willed.
He was trying to serve two masters. What happened? It killed him. He was responsible for the defeat of the whole army when they went to fight Ai.
When Joshua discovered that their defeat was due to sin in the camp, Achan's sin was uncovered, and he and his family were stoned and burned along with all they owned (Joshua 7: 24 26).
A third example of the results of integrity and of duplicity can be seen in the lives of David and Saul.
Have you ever wondered why God chose David to replace Saul as king? Psalm 78:70-72 gives us the answer: "He chose David also his servant, and took hem from the sheepfolds: from following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands." David had integrity. David's life teaches us that it doesn't matter how skillful our hands may be. If we don't have integrity in our hearts, God can't use us.
David went from victory to victory because he was a man of integrity. As David prepared to face Goliath, Saul wanted him to wear his armor. But David replied, "I can't use your armor; I haven't proved it" (Read Samuel 17:38,39). Rather than trusting in human protection and resources, David put on the girdle of truth and was able to defeat the enemy in battle after battle. Why was David victorious? Because he had integrity and trusted in God rather than in his own abilities. He was a man after God's own heart (see Acts 13:22).
David's life was vastly different from that of Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul didn't have integrity.
While David sought the will of God, Saul was always devising some scheme or plot. David stood firm, but Saul continually vacillated. When David sinned, he humbly confessed it to God. However, Saul only made excuses for his sins. Because Saul tried to live a double life, God rejected him as king. The Lord could not bless Saul because he refused to put on the girdle of truth.
Satan loves duplicity, for he knows that a "house divided against itself shall not stand" (Matt. 12:25).
We must decide, once and for all, that we are going to be completely yielded to Jesus Christ. Paul wrote concerning the life of a Christian soldier: "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier" (Il Tim.2:3,4). A good soldier of Christ concentrates only on following the orders of his Commander. When we have this integrity, this singleness of purpose, Satan's weapons are useless against us.
There are no exceptions or compromises to God's explicit standards of morality. No matter what others may say or do, we need to stand firmly on God's side, saying, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24:15). When we put on this girdle of truth and stand firm in our integrity, we can enter the battle boldly, knowing that Satan is powerless against us.
I hope you are enjoying reading these devotionals. I will continue releasing more parts to this devotional theme. Please continue reading this series.
I pray these devotionals will help you become a stronger Christian.
I would love for you to comment on or share this devotion.
All verses are KJV.
See past posts to find previous parts and sections.
Until Next Time…..
Sincerely,
Nataly Russell
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