“Pablo Picasso’s creative genius towers over twentieth-century art,” Christian author and sociologist Os Guinness writes in his classic book, The Call. “But in his relationships, especially with women, he could be a devouring monster. The ‘Minotaur’ was his own name for himself, and ‘monster’ was the word used by friends such as sculptor Alberto Giacometti. ‘When I die,’ Picasso said, ‘it will be a shipwreck, and as when a huge ship sinks, many people all around will be sucked down with it.’”
Indeed, when Picasso died in 1973 at the age of 91, those closest to him despaired – some committing suicide, others having “psychiatric breakdowns.” But Francoise Gilot – one of Picasso’s mistresses, 40 years his junior – survived the monster’s death and recounted her experiences in the book, “Life with Picasso.” According to Guinness, Gilot shared in her memoir how she could avoid being devoured by Picasso’s manipulative ego. Anytime she entered the painter’s presence, she said, she would gird herself with what she called “the belt of truth.”
Of course, this phrase comes from a famous biblical passage penned by the apostle Paul. In Ephesians 6:10-17, Paul urges Christians to “put on the full armor of God” so they can withstand “the schemes of the devil.” Christians can face grim spiritual battles each day, with an onslaught of pitfalls and temptations. As such, we must prepare ourselves for battle, girding ourselves with the belt of truth daily.
Therefore, in what follows, I’ve compiled a list of 12 truths that can give us strength as we daily surrender ourselves to God and resist temptation (James 4:7-10). I encourage you to read closely the Bible passages mentioned with each point, and – as you do so – consider what other truths may encourage you to stand firmly in life’s spiritual battles.
1. In Christ, you are not Your own, but you belong wholly to Him and are loved by Him. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Galatians 2:20).
2. In Christ, you are free. By the gracious power of the Holy Spirit, you can truly say “No” to temptation and “Yes” to God (Romans 6:3-8; Galatians 6:13-26; Titus 2:11-12).
3. Even if you don’t know anything else about God’s will for your life, you can be certain that it involves sanctification and holiness. (1 Thessalonians 4:3, 7-8; 1 Peter 1:14-16; Romans 12:1-2; John 17:17)
4. God will never tempt you! Instead, God rewards you for remaining faithful and steadfast under trial. (James 1:12-18)
5. God, as it has been said, “keeps the devil on a short leash.” God is in control, not the devil. (Ephesians 1:20-22, 6:12-13; Romans 16:20)
6. God will never let you face temptation without providing His provision and a means for escape. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
7. The same power that rose Jesus from the dead is available to you as you face temptation. (Romans 8:9-11; Ephesians 6:10, cf. 1:19-20)
8. As mentioned above, God provides an armory for your spiritual defense. (Ephesians 6:10-18)
9. Even if you feel alone in your battle against temptation, you never fight alone: First of all, Jesus has gone before us into the battle, and He stands with us now. (Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 12:1-4) Second, we are surrounded by “a great cloud of witnesses” who have gone before us in facing temptation. (Hebrews 12:1; e.g., Hebrews 11:24-25). Third, we can look for support from brothers and sisters in Christ within the church (Galatians 6:1-5). Finally, we stand alongside Christians around the world who are also fighting against sin, and some of them are resisting sin “to the point of shedding” their “blood” (Hebrews 12:4; compare also to Hebrews 11:24-25). They are suffering and dying for their faith. Although we may be fighting on a different front than they are, we’re all fighting in the same spiritual war, against the same enemy. And, besides praying for them, we can support them by standing firm in our daily battles.
10. Fear God, and you don’t need to fear anything else. (Matthew 10:26-33; Hebrews 12:29; Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 55:22; Proverbs 29:25)
11. Anticipate Christ’s return. He may come at any moment. Don’t risk living in sin when he returns; you’d be ashamed as a result. Instead, live every moment to bring a smile to His face, eager to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)
12. Don’t lose heart if you sometimes fail. Jesus died for you and intercedes for you even now. If you trust Him and have surrendered your life to Him, you belong to Him. And He’ll never leave you nor forsake you. So confess, repent and cling to Christ all the more as you strive once again to follow Him (1 John 2:1-2; Romans 8:35-39; Hebrews 4:14-16).