The Belt Of Truth

People who fight for a living are called prized fighters, whether they are boxers, kick boxers, mixed martial arts fighters, or  karate tournament combat contestants.

They fight for trophies medals or belts.

Belts are the main prize when it comes to combat sports, outside of money.

These are not cheap belts, they are prize belts which have a lot of history and tradition behind them that legends of that sport have held unto with pride.

Specially crafted, laced with gold, silver or sometimes precious stones, they can be custom made for the individual, the tournament or occasion.

In combat sports belts show your rank, your status, your achievement, they tell a story; your story. 

They show you have paid your dues. 

They communicate to us that you are not a push over in your chosen sport, they tell us you are experienced, they inform us you're a champion and you are following the path of legends before you.

The belt shows you have fought your way up.

Judging by the prized fighters belt we can tell if the fighter is a world champion, unified champion, or undisputed champion.

From the fighter's belt or belts, we know whether the combatant is a world player, continental, national player or regional player.

Belts have sanctioning bodies, these sanctioning bodies 'empower' the belts.

We have spiritual belts too, spiritual belts and sashes.

I believe they come in various colors with the colors having different meanings.

A belt spoken about in scripture is the belt of truth.

The belt of truth is part of the believers armor.

The belt of truth is a precious and very valuable possessions we are blessed to be custodians of through our Lord Jesus Christ!

No earthly belt is as valuable, precious, exquisite or expensive as the belt of truth.

The belt of truth is priceless.

We can't afford it, we receive it by grace and the Lord's good will towards us.

The belt of truth is not only part of our spiritual armor, it tells a story; a history of the love and goodness of our Savior towards us.

It is evidence of the Creator's love to us.

It is an armor, it is a gift, it is sacred and it is a reward to us, as spiritual combatants and warriors in Christ Jesus that we are.

In the same way, sanctioning bodies determine the value of the belts boxers win, the kingdom of God empowers the belt of truth.

The belt of truth is for only those who have been translated into "the kingdom of God's dear Son."

Combat sports champions display their belts with pride, and rightly so.

They labored for it, it has been sweat, blood and tears and may hours of training and sparring. 

They fought their way up to earn it, they took out many tough men and even champions to become dominant in their division.

The belt(s) are part of their reward and identity.

The belt of truth is part of our identity.

It shows we are the Lord's champions, it shows we have our armor on, it shows we cannot be deceived anymore and deception and error has no place around us.

The belt of truth shows we are the real deal spiritually, we are no fake.

The belt of truth tells our story and we must wear it with pride because legends in the faith have worn such belts before us.

The belt of truth shows our rank in the kingdom, it shows our rank in warfare, it reveals we are warrior princes and princesses of the kingdom of God!

In karate, the color of the belts contestants receive goes from light to dark as they move up the ranks in their discipline. This symbolizes a students journey from a beginner to a seasoned expert.

They have about eight color belt variations- white (beginner), yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, , brown, and black belt (highest rank)

Truth is of the highest quality and rank.

The belt of truth is of top quality and rank.

The Father of all spirits in His wisdom didn't give us a sash, but a soldier's belt of truth, a combatants belt. 

It is the belt of warriors and champions.

Belts can be fashion accessories and an integral part of our dressing.

The belt of truth looks good on us spiritually.

It is an impartation, it imparts the nature of Jesus Christ into us for He is the Truth!

The belt of truth protects our groin region spiritually.

Belts are used to hold up our trousers.

The belt of truth holds us up spiritually!

The belt of truth makes the enemy of our souls respect us, even as championship belts bring respect to the fighter in combat sports.

"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist....."

Ephesians 6:14

The Fight

The 'fights' often determines your 'height'.

That there is a fight before you is evidence there is a new height ahead of you.

Those going to the heights fight the most battles.

The fights of life that keep coming your way are evidence you are rising up the ranks.

Your tough opposition is evidence of your own strong stance and position.

Life presents its battles.

Life comes with its storms, challenges, resistance, opposition and warfare.

They should not break us, if anything they should make us.

The Lord Jesus Christ was once in a ship with his disciples, this ship had a lower deck where Jesus was sleeping or pretending to sleep.

While the ship was journeying on the high seas, the storms raged and the seas were unsettled.

The disciples of Jesus were afraid, they thought they would sink!

Like the disciples of Jesus, we sometimes feel afraid and get unsettled when life seems to be 'fighting' us.

Lets not be like the disciples of Jesus who thought the worst.

They ran down to the lower compartment of the ship where Jesus was sleeping on a pillow or perhaps pretended to sleep, they woke Him up asking why He wasn't afraid the ship would sink.

Jesus arose and rebuked the wind and the storm. Wind, and sea, obeyed Him!

There was a great calm and their ship made it to the other side, to their destination.

Liken that ship to your life, the seas the ship was traveling on to your life's journey and the destination of the ship to your destiny.

On the path to destiny there can be resistance, distractions and storms.

Sometimes these opposing forces seem to be fighting us rather fiercely.

The enemy of our souls fights hard to resist our destiny, our godly success, and our life's path.

It can be overwhelming and daunting  like a real boxing match!

A make or break fight.

If you persist, stay the course, trust the process, and especially trust your Creator you will journey successfully to your destiny where glory awaits you and God will be glorified.

Be like the disciples of Jesus who did the right thing by reaching out to the right person for help!

When Jesus is in the boat/ship of your life, you won't sink, peace will manifest and you will journey through life safely to the other side (your place of destiny).

Life can be likened to boxing, in many ways.

In the sport of boxing, there is resistance and you face an opposition who is contesting with you for the same belt, the same glory.

At the end of the fight, one boxer's hand will be raised as the winner, someone has to win.

Be the one who wins.

Occasionally, boxing fights can be a draw, a tie.

Fight to win.

Be the one who's hand is raised as the winner.

Don't have a tie or a draw with your enemy.

The good Book encourages us not to let anyone take our crown.

Be determined that your reward, your crown, your glory for the fights of life will not be taken or given to anyone else.

You don't have to be defeated.

In the sport of boxing, each boxer has a team, each boxer has his own side, and each boxer has his own supporters among the crowd/audience watching the fight.

Your team is called your corner during the match.

The team or corner of a boxer can determine whether the boxer wins or loses, they can determine how far the boxer goes in his boxing career.

The team or the corner of a boxer look out for the welfare of the boxer during his fight.

How good your team is determines how far you go.

Winning teams often have or produce winning fighters.

A boxers team is made up of a promoter, a coach or coaches, a nutritionist or nutritionists, the bucket man and a medical teams.

They work together for the benefit and enhancing of their fighter.

In life you are fighting, you're a fighter and you have opposition.

Listen to the team you've been given, there are things you can't do alone.

You need others to a certain degree in your life's journey.

The Creators camp is the winning team.

Let the Jesus team be your corner during your life's fights and battles.

How far will a boxer go if he tries to be an effective boxer, and be his own promoter, his own strength and conditioning coach, if he wants to come up with his own strategies, if he wants to be his own bucket man and do the work of the nutritionist and cook, as well as being his own cut man and doctor (medical team)?

He definitely won't go far.

As you move from one level of glory to the other, as you go up the heights in life, appreciate those who helped you get to your next level.

Appreciate the good people who come your way, who contribute to your development and favor your righteous cause.

In life you have your own crowd of supporters, value them and appreciate them.

They are cheering you on.

We have spiritual crowd/fans/supporters too, they cheer us on from the grand stands of heaven, we have the cloud of witnesses.

We must not fail our own, our people, our supporters.

We must fight a good fight, we must win and we win through the Lord.

In boxing, the coach of the boxer is responsible for coming up with the strategies, tactics and gameplan a boxer operates with.

Who is your coach in life, business, career, finances, family and ministry?

Who you take instructions from and listen to matters.

The Holy Spirit is the best coach!

Just like the game of boxing, your team can't fight your battles for you, they don't step into the ring.

Your teams job is outside the ring.

They have done their bit, they are doing their bit, but they can't get into the ring and fight for the boxer.

Fighting within the square circle is the exclusive assignment of the fighter/boxer.

It's the boxer who does the fighting in the ring.

The boxer's team's work outside the boxing ring should hopefully reflect in the ring, with a great performance from their fighter.

It is the boxers responsibility to fight according to the game plan.

If the boxer steps into the ring and sees that his coache's game plan can not deliver him the victory based on how his opponent/opposition is fighting; its the fighters responsibility not to stick rigidly with his teams game plan and fight using his initiative!

In life's battles and fights, we have to be wise, flexible and use our initiative to get the best result.

Just like it is in the sport of boxing, as a rising fighter moves up the ranks in his boxing career, the quality of his opposition gets tougher.

The tougher the opposition, the higher up the boxing ranks with each victory and the bigger the glory the boxer enjoys.

Successful boxers fight quality opposition, they don't face journeymen all through their boxing careers.

Quality opposition is tougher opposition, tougher opposition means more skillful, durable, and talented opposition.

Boxers often start their careers fighting 'nobodies'  and journeymen but they fight quality opposition in time and move up the boxing ladder.

Life can be like that.

There are minor challenges you've overcome, there are tough opposition you've overcome.

Now, you've noticed the opposition has increased, the challenges are tougher, the resistance is more fierce.

It's because you have climbed higher, your past victories have qualified you for higher heights.

So, the quality of your opponents are tougher.

When more wicked spirits start coming against you, when principalities and powers start noticing you, when more skillful and obstinate enemies start trying to get the better of you; its because your influence and status has increased.

More so, spiritually.

It is popularly said, that "with new heights come new devils".

"For a great door, and effectual, has opened unto me, and there are many adversaries."

Fight, fight to win.

You're a winner!

Shine Don't Dim

 To shine is to generate, give out or reflect light.

To dim your light is to reduce or diminish the intensity of the light you generate, give or reflect,

Luminous bodies like stars generate their own light.

Non luminous bodies like the moon also shine by reflecting light.

The moon reflects the light of the sun.

The value of heavenly bodies is in their light.

Both luminous and non luminous objects can shine.

The sun is a yellow dwarf star located at the center of our solar system.

The value of the sun is in its light, its shinning.

If the sun ceases to generate or emit light, it is of no value to us.

The light of the sun must not be dimmed.

Your value is in shinning your light not dimming your light.

The purpose and value of stars is in their light, they are meant to shine their light not dim their light.

You are created to shine, to reflect the Savior's light.

When you do good, you are shinning.

When you use your gifts and talents the right way, you are shinning.

When you stand for what is right, you are shinning.

When you make progress, you are shinning.

When your ideas and dreams come to pass, you are shinning.

When you bless others, you are shinning.

When you pray and the Lord responds, you shine!

When you use what you have been given, you shine.

Your light is needed, let it shine!

The Lord would have you shine.

The value of candles is in their light.

When a candle is lit, it benefits everyone in the room or house where its been lit by its light.

There is a light you have been given, the world must see it, and be blessed and benefit from it.

The world, even your world needs your light.

Don't dim you light.

Insecure people will want you to dim your light.

Wicked people want you to dim your light.

Spiritual thieves want to steal your light.

Don't dim your light for anyone.

Don't let anyone steal your light.

Don't cover your light and don't let anyone cover your light.

Jesus the Christ is the Light of the world.

The Pharisees couldn't cover His light, they couldn't dim His light and they couldn't put out His light.

The Sadducees didn't have any answer to His light.

Misguided Jews tried to put out His light through death, but death failed.

Light is that which is superior within you.

Light wins.

Light is divine.

Light is excellent.

Light is immortal.

Light is legendary.

Light is that which contains and represents everything positive, good, heavenly, virtuous and glorious.

In light there is visibility, order, speed, progress, and establishment.

There is prosperity, divine virtues, and a kingdom in the light.

Light makes manifest.

Let good manifest through you.

Be the light and let the Light manifest through you.

Our heavenly Father is the "Father of the heavenly lights."

If God is your heavenly Father, shine your light!

Shine, don't dim your light.

Light is within you.

Stubborn Optimism

 

Optimism is a worthy virtue.

Being optimistic has to do with the mind.

To be optimistic is to have a positive mindset and outlook to life and issues.

It is having a positive perspective to matters and life's experiences.

Optimism is an important part of spirituality, it is an aspect of faith.

Optimistic people are hopeful people, optimism and hope are intertwined.

The state of being optimistic is worth learning and cultivating.

For the tough times the world is in it will serve us well to be stubbornly optimistic.

Stubborn optimism is optimism that refuses to give up or give in to negativity.

Stubborn optimism is optimism that does not cave in despite the odds.

Stubborn optimism is what an individual has when he or she has every reason to give up but doesn't.

When situations, and circumstances don't look favorable but you keep going believing for a good outcome and positive change despite the contrary physical and natural evidence it can be said that you have stubborn optimism.

Stubborn optimism believes a way will be made where there seems to be no way, stubborn optimism sees a door where others see a sealed brick wall, it sees a road where others see a wilderness.

Faith has stubborn optimism in it, and stubborn optimism is an aspect of true faith.

Stubborn optimism has to do with how you think!

We need to think right!

A Christian writer, motivational speaker, and a Pastor of blessed memory by the name of Norman Vincent Peale wrote books on optimism and positive thinking.

He was an inspiring writer who wrote the best selling book The Power Of Positive Thinking.

Norman Vincent Peale influenced a generation through his books, he influenced people all over the world and from every walk of life including the present President of America Donald J. Trump.

Donald Trump and his father Frederick Trump used to attend Norman Vincent Peale's meetings and church services at Marble Collegiate Church.

 A generation of writers and ministers of the gospel who are of Vincent Peale's school of positive thinking thought and who have been influenced by his works continue till this day.

Norman Vincent Peale's work on positive thinking was so well received because people realized the need and the place of positive thinking in a world that can be gloomy.

Many people learnt how to be stubbornly positive through Norman Vincent Peale and his writings.

Being stubbornly optimistic is something you probably need to learn too.

The Bible is a book that gives us a positive perspective and outlook to life.

When we contact Bible faith we become stubbornly optimistic.

It won't be an optimism based on mere motivation, temporary excitement, or being pumped up by a great speaker or a wise man's advice.

Through Bible faith we develop a stubborn optimism that's powered by the Spirit of the Lord!

A Spirit generated way of thinking, seeing, and believing that only the Lord's Spirit could produce.

It will be a faith and optimism only the Spirit of the Lord can give.

Stubborn optimism is an aspect of being tough minded!

Tough mindedness is essential to doing the right thing, achieving in life, standing out in the world and glorifying God!

Defeating The Resistance

 Facing resistance is not a strange thing in this world if you are up to something good, be it a cause, building a legacy, establishing a business, pushing against some form of evil or speaking up for those who can't.

If you stand for truth and propagate truth expect resistance!

If you have a good heart and do things for the greater good, expect resistance!

If you are contributing your own quota for the greater good of humanity, expect resistance.

If you choose to be light in a dark world, expect resistance.

If you discover yourself, your true purpose and start manifesting your real identity and begin to walk in your assignment; expect resistance!

If you choose to be more than average, if you choose excellence over mediocrity you can expect resistance.

You are born for greatness, you are born to manifest a great destiny.

The moment you realize this and choose to shine and not dim your light, you can expect resistance.

We live in a world where many people are very 'black and white' in their thinking.

Most people assess situations wrong, especially when it comes to their fellow man.

We live in a world where many people think they have the answers regarding their fellow man's issues and predicament but they're often greatly mistaken.

These are people who don't know the solution to their own personal challenges, yet they act like specialists to others facing challenges.

Such people leave us more miserable than we were before they crossed our paths.

Such people are not worth seeking for advice, they don't often have the gift to counsel us.

Most times such people are often abrupt if they have access to us, they don't ask for our permission to speak into our lives or advise us.

With so many 'experts' in the form of therapists, motivational speakers, advisers and so called life coaches out there, it can become a web of entanglement and complication if we are not well guided.

Some people don't help us get better, they leave us worse off, whether deliberately, ignorantly, sincerely or not.

Such people are not equipped to help us.

They remind me of the miserable friends of Job.

These were friends who came to sympathize with Job during his affliction, but they were mistaken in their analysis and assessment of what Job was going through.

One of them even concluded that Job was going through his predicament due to sin and wrong doing.

Shallow people think that way, they assume every challenge, suffering and difficulty is due to challenged people reaping what they have sown or getting their payback for wrong doing.

Such people, no matter how educated they seem or wise their philosophy, have not spiritual depth.

They fail to understand people can suffer in this life for reasons they know nothing about, for choosing good or for being righteous.

We live in a world where people with good hearts can suffer and the righteous face challenges.

Bad things can happen to good people.

You can face resistance and suffer for doing the right thing.

In seasons of warfare and battles, which cause resistance, be careful who you believe, listen to and trust.

The challenges and resistance you face can be evidence of your strong position in life and destiny.

Great men face great resistance, great people face great trials and great destinies have great enemies.

The challenges you face and the resistance to your advancement can be evidence of your progress.

The story of Job comes to mind, he was progressive in all areas of life, just like you and I should be.

Job was enjoying the Lord's blessing.

He was fruitful in his family life and his business.

He was prosperous in the filed and at home, the Lord's protection was around him and all he had.

Job was a man of God, spiritually he was doing well, he enjoyed God's secrets and the candle of the Lord was over his home. He had a beautiful relationship with God and would often hear God.

The Lord was proud of him, God saw him as perfect and boasted about him.

This attracted the enemy's notice,    for anyone God loves gets the enemies attention.

Anything or anyone God loves the enemy touches.

A lot of the challenges and resistance we go through happens because God loves us.

They happen because we have an enemy, the enemy of our souls.

When God is being glorified or about to be glorified in our lives, resistance builds against us.

Some sufferings and resistance happen to some because of the kind of assignment and destiny those individuals have come into the world with.

The enemy is clever enough not to waste his time and ammunition on nobodies.

Resistance can happen because you're being productive.

Resistance can come because you are fruitful or about to be fruitful.

Your impact can attract resistance.

Your choice to do right can attract resistance.

Making a decision for righteousness and living by it can cause resistance.

The evil hearts of men can cause you resistance as a result of their envy, jealousy or illiteracy.

Resistance can be broken, defeated and overcome.

The Lord can also resist.

The Lord resisting you is not something you want.

If God resists you, who will help you?

It is in our interest to have the Lord on our side, not against us.

For it is the Lord who strengthens us to overcome every resistance against us.

It is the Lord who helps us overcome and defeat every resistance.

He gives us the wisdom to have the advantage over the resistance.

He gives us the knowledge to have the knowhow to crush the resistance.

He gives us the understanding to know the weakest link to the resistance we face.

By His power the chains of resistance are broken!

By His grace the burden of resistance are lifted off us.

By His authority the yoke of resistance is broken off our necks!

Arrows In His Quiver

 Archery is an interesting sport.

It shows the archers ability to aim, target, and hit his mark.

Archery is the sport, practice or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows at a target.

Archery is done as a sport, but has also been a means of survival for hunters.

Hunters while at work hunting game, have used archery to put food on their table.

The bow and arrow does the job.

The steady hand and clear vision of the archer plays a vital role in archery.

Hunters carry quivers on their shoulders.

Quivers are cases archers use to hold their arrows.

They have straps that make it possible for archers hold them on their shoulders.

The Lord God is the Archer.

His people, His children are His arrows.

His quiver is His kingdom.

The string on His bow is grace, the string of grace.

The quality of the string of an archers bow, determines how far back the archer can pull the arrow and string.

Good strings are flexible.

His people are citizens of His kingdom and are in His kingdom even as arrows are in the archers quiver.

Each arrow has a purpose, each arrow is designed to be effective when the archer picks it from his quiver.

The arrow is meant to strike the archers prey or target, its meant to hit the bullseye if its a sporting activity.

We are the arrows in the Lord's quiver, we are designed to hit the bullseye of God's purpose, assignment and agenda for us.

The scripture tells us the Lord's government is on His shoulders.

It means He shoulders the responsibility of His kingdom, He carries the weight of His kingdom.

He carries His kingdom as an archer carries his/her quiver.

His government is His kingdom.

As arrows are safe in the quiver of an archer, we are safe in the kingdom of God.

As archers are responsible for the arrows in their quiver, so is the Lord responsible for the members of His kingdom.

If you are in Christ Jesus, you are His responsibility, He carries you on His shoulders, you are in His quiver, His kingdom!

"For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace"

The scriptures describe God as an archer, an archer who has a quiver full of arrows.

Archers look after their arrows, they sharpen them, check them regularly for cracks, and store them upright in a case (quiver) from harm.

In the same manner the Lord looks after us, he keeps us sharp spiritually and mentally by His Spirit and wisdom, He watches over us making sure there are no cracks or loopholes for the enemy to get us or destroys us. He protects us by keeping us in His kingdom just as arrows are preserved in quivers by the archer.

The Lord is a mighty and responsible Archer.

We can trust Him.

"He is like a mighty archer whose strong right arm bends the bow. His arrows are sharp and never miss their mark..."

When archers are about to shoot an arrow, they position the arrow with the bow and pull the arrow and the string of the bow backward for greater impact, once the archers steady and firm hand holding the arrow and string in place is released the string lunches the arrow forward; setting the string back in place and the arrow accelerates to hit its target.

Just like the archers arrow that's pulled back before its released, the Lord has pulled you back for a reason!

The more an archer pulls an arrow backward, the more impact and speed that arrow will cut through the air with.

He has held you back that you may go further than previous arrows He has released from His quiver.

The further the arrow is supposed to go, the more the archer pulls it backward.

The greater the impact the archer wants the arrow to make the further he pulls the arrow backward.

When the Master allows us to be behind, encounter delays, face hardships and be pulled back by obstacles, challenges, warfare and continuous battles it is not because He is unfair its because He wants to take us very far.

Be encouraged.

In due time you will be released on the strings of grace, to go faster, further and make more impact than the arrows released ahead of you.

On the string of grace, with the Master's bow, picked from the Master Archers quiver, for a select purpose!

That is your story!

Our archer knows what He is doing with you, He will achieve great purposes through us, He is on a mission and we are the arrows in His quiver.

Something Sudden!

Lightning and water mixing is not something that happens although water plays a role within the thunderstorms clouds that cause lightning strikes.

I saw water come down from heaven, the unique thing about this revelation dream is that the water didn't come from the sky to the earth as droplets or showers of rain, it came from the sky to the earth as water and light, it was a mix of water and lightning!

It came down as a continuous line, a flow, like a line of lightning.

It seemed purposeful and intentional in its movement, it seemed the water was alive with an intelligence as it motioned towards a specific person or destination with speed.

It was like seeing lightening with life, water with light, descending from the sky to a destination with a serpents gracefulness.

A very rare phenomenon indeed!

Water represents life.

Lightning is bright, powerful, fast and sudden.

The suddenness, the element of surprise with which lightening strikes is part of its awe.

Lightning represents the raw power of the Creator.

The Lord's power can be brought into a situation, circumstance, a life, a battle and destiny.

The Lord's power will make the difference in a life, it can work instantly and it is transformative.

Lightning is a messenger of God.

The Lord is a God of suddenlies.

His mighty power can bring life and bring back to life suddenly.

Sudden miracles, sudden interventions, sudden turn arounds, sudden salvation, sudden deliverance, sudden breakthroughs, sudden open doors and sudden help can happen by the power of God at work in your favor!

The revelation dream I had is a good sign.

It's not for me alone but for us.

The Lord will do something life-giving, refreshing and cleansing like water and yet powerful like lightning.

Get ready, prepare for it and release your faith!

Something sudden is about to happen!