── daughter of zion.

• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: my God, my joy, my delight
• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: the face of the One that i love / i could never forget, never tire of

── home.

• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: to my Father and a wedding
• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: Spirit and the bride say come

── refining fire.

• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: break down the walls of all my religion / Your way is better
• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: a living sacrifice on Your altar / You keep me burning with the flame of love
• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: dancing my way through the mystery with You, Lord

Ephesians 6:14. "Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth ..."

The belt of truth is the first piece of the armor of God; it goes on first. Historically, a soldier's belt held the sword and other weapons in easy reach, secured undergarments so the soldier could move freely, and bound the armor together to prevent gaps the enemy could exploit. The imagery of the belt conveys that without truth, nothing is secure; it is truth that frees the believer to move in faith and clear conscience. While falsehood entangles movement, the truth liberates. ‧₊

The layers of truth are as follows:

• Objective truth. This is God's unchanging word, written and spoken, which sanctifies the believer. ‧₊
• Personal integrity. This is truthfulness in both private and public/internal and external conduct. ‧₊
• Christ Himself. He is Truth embodied; the way, the truth, and the life. ‧₊

── abide.

• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: how could i want my independence / when there's no life apart?
• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: i have all i need / as long as i have You, Jesus

── belonging.

• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: there's no accusation, or any condemnation / when i look into my Father's eyes

‟my flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

• live and give generously
• publish a collection of children's books
• nurture myself
• love my family (blood&found)
• love my plants
• eat tons of good food

The armor of God is a metaphorical framework that Apostle Paul uses to describe the spiritual defenses available to believers in the battle against the forces of evil. The purpose of the armor is to equip the believer to face the devil's schemes, whether felt or not. The spiritual war is constant so preparation must be constant. The armor of God consists of:

• the belt of truth
• the breastplate of righteousness
• the shoes of the gospel of peace
• the shield of faith
• the helmet of salvation
• the sword of the spirit
• and prayer.

It is worn by faith, deliberately. In addition, God provides the Holy Spirit, who plays a crucial role in empowering and guiding believers in their spiritual battle...‧₊ His presence and assistance is vital for...

── a sound mind.

• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: this is my inheritance / a sound mind
• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: the only words that matter / they come from You

── faith.

• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: my weapon is a melody / death is defeated, the King is alive
• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: it may look like i'm surrounded / but i'm surrounded by You
• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: the God of angel armies is always by my side

── thanksgiving.

• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: i'm new today because of Your love
• ‧₊˚ ୨୧: You're the God who fights for me / Lord of every victory / hallelujah, hallelujah

Ephesians 6:14. "Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness ..."

The breastplate covered a soldier's torso to protect vital organs, particularly the heart. The breastplate of righteousness symbolizes the protection that righteousness provides to the believer's heart and soul from spiritual attacks and moral corruption. This righteousness is not self-derived but is a gift from God, enabling believers to stand firm in their faith.

There are two layers to this righteousness:

• Imputed righteousness. At salvation, the perfect righteousness of Christ is credited to believers. ‧₊ This gift is not earned but is freely given by divine grace, and it is received by faith.
• Practical righteousness. This is living a life that reflects God's standards. Positional righteousness before God births transformed behavior, encouraging the believer to live in obedience...