Truth

     Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with the truth.
                        Ephesians 6:14a


     Truth is foundational for everything else. What good is it to believe something, to shape your life by those beliefs, only to find out in the end that it was error?
     To live the Christian life it is of utmost importance to be grounded in truth. People today like to think that there are many religious systems, and it is merely a matter of one's personal preference which one they will follow. This is absurd, there is only one true God, and He is worshipped according to truth (John 4:23-24).
     Jesus said That He was the way, the truth, and the life. He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). He said that His disciples would know the truth, and the truth would set them free (John 8:31-32).
     In contrast, the devil, who is behind false doctrine, does not stand in the truth (John 8:44). It is through deception, that he leads multitudes into error. We must be diligent to test every spirit (1John 4:1). Study the word of God. It is truth. Don't blindly believe everything you hear a pastor, teacher, or anyone else for that matter, say. Does it line up with the word of God?
     God promises that His followers will have an anointing from Him that will protect them from error (1John 2:20-21,27). A true disciple will know the voice of Jesus. He will not follow a stranger (John 10:4-5). When John wrote "greater is He that is in you, than he who is in the world," he was writing about overcoming deception (1John 4:1-5).
     Like a belt, the truth holds everything together. If your armor is held in place by the truth, you will prevail. If it is held by deception, false doctrine, and lies, you will certainly fall.