Gird Up the Loins of Your Mind

Ephesians 6:14

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.

Alicia taught on Sunday, and she touched briefly on the loins, the belt, loose clothing, tightening it up… and the mind. 

So in the next several minutes, I want to build on what Alicia shared. Here’s what we’re going to learn:

• First, what "girding your loins" actually meant.

• Second, why people girded up before taking action.

• Third, how God uses that picture to tell us what to do with our minds.

A person in Bible times might be wearing a long tunic, hanging down around his legs. If he’s just standing there, fine. But if something changes, and now he has run or fight a lion or a giant or something… suddenly all that loose fabric is a problem. So he grabs it. Pulls it up. Tucks it under the belt. Tightens it around his waist.

Now, he can move.

And Paul takes that image (tunic guy)… and applies it to our minds.

Because there is a competition going on. And your mind is the arena, the battleground. And Alicia taught about fiery darts coming at our minds like: fear, distraction, worry, your phone, what happened this week, what we are still replaying from ten years ago, etc.

It’s all loose stuff. In our minds. But God says, "Tighten your belt." 

The Belt and the Loins

In Eph 6:14, it says “having your loins girt about with truth.”

"Loins." It’s a Greek word - osphus (os-foos', Strong's G3751). It means the hip… the part of the body where the belt was worn. It shows up eight times in the New Testament, and it also carries a second meaning: the seat of generative power. That is why the Word talks about "the fruit of his loins" (Acts 2:30) and Levi being "yet in the loins of his father [Abraham]" (Hebrews 7:10). Loins refer to the reproductive organs. And figuratively, the loins are the “life source.” Where things come from. The center of your commitment or your will to do things. Hold onto that. It matters in a minute.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth.

"Girt about" is one Greek word, perizōnnymi (pe-ri-ZONE-noo-mee, G4024). Peri means "around,” like perimeter. Zōnnymi comes from (zōnē, G2223) meaning a belt. So "girt about" simply means… belted all the way around.

“loins belted around with truth”

The belt, or girdle, was a wide strap around the waist. Its job was to gather up loose clothing so it would not get in the way of work, travel, or service. 

Jesus used the same idea with a servant being ready for his master: "Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning" (Luke 12:35).

And there’s an order. First is to "have your loins girt." The belt goes on first. Then, we go and do something…we move.

People Who Girded Up

We see this custom of girting your loins throughout the Word. The following three records happened before the day of Pentecost, so they are NOT written to us… but they are for our learning, and they give us a good picture.

In 1 Kings 18:46, Elijah "girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel." He was about to run, so he first… tightened up.

In Matthew 3:4, John the Baptist had "a leathern girdle about his loins." Wilderness life. Practical. Mobile. And it was a copy/paste of Elijah, who wore the same thing (2 Kings 1:8).

And in John 13:4, Jesus rose from supper, "laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself." Then he washed the disciples' feet. He was going to serve, so he dressed for the job. Alicia taught about that too.

Elijah… ready to run. John… ready for the wilderness. Jesus… ready to serve.

Same imagery. When something needs to happen… and somebody needs to move. First thing they do… tighten up.

Now, picture a soldier. Tunic. Armor. Helmet. Sword. Wide belt. But the fabric below the belt is loose and flapping. That is fine while he is standing around. It is not fine when he has to run through a troop or leap over a wall.

Nobody wants to lose a battle because you tripped over your own clothing. Bad look.

So, tighten. Because you expect to move.

The Loins of Your Mind

Turn to 1 Peter 1. 

Peter is writing to believers. 

1 Peter 1:13: Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

There it is. The loins of your mind. Gird up, tighten up, the loins of your mind. 

"Gird up" here is anazōnnymi (G328). Similar to perizōnnymi in Eph 6:14. It’s the same root word of zōnnymi, but now it has “ana” in front, and “ana” means "up." Anazōnnymi. This is the only place this word shows up in the New Testament - 1 Peter 1:13.

And "mind," in 1 Peter 1:13, is dianoia (G1271)… which means your thinking, your understanding.

So, Peter takes the physical action - Gird up. Tighten up. The loins. And says, "Do that with your mind - your thinking."

And remember what we said about loins. Figuratively, they are where things come from. Peter is using that second meaning on purpose. 

Our mind is generative. Our thoughts produce things. What we think about… is what we say… and what we say (or confession)... is evidence of what we believe… and what we believe… is what we receive in life… which impacts who we are.

Turn to Romans 12. 

1 Thes 2:13 says that when we receive the Word, we receive it as truth, which effectually works for us… as we believe.

So here is how we use the word in our lives. We find the promise we need. Need supplied (Philippians 4:19). Health (3 John 2). Wisdom (James 1:5). Strength (Philippians 4:13). Direction (Proverbs 3:5–6). We put it in our mind. We say it with our mouths. And we line up our thinking to that truth.

That's the belt tightening. Every time we confess a promise instead of a problem, we pull the loose stuff up. And we tuck it in. We get tight. In our minds. 

What we think, what we say, and what we do… all matter. It directly affects what we receive.

That is exactly why Romans 12:2 says what? We’re in Romans 12. Verse 2 says that we are transformed "by the renewing of our minds." 

Our thoughts. What we pay attention to. What we keep replaying over and over. What we let drag behind us all day long. What we feed our minds with. It’s all important to pay attention to.

We wake up, look at the phone, and something wants our mind. A notification. Somebody's highlight reel. A work problem. A worry about tomorrow. 

It’s all loose stuff. So, let’s tighten things up. 

Truth Is the Belt

Go back to Ephesians 6:14. 

Eph 6:14: 

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.

Truth. Not feelings. Feelings are real. They matter. But they change. Feelings are NOT good for being a belt.

The truth is. Truth gathers up our thinking. 

• Got fear? Truth says that “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

• Got worry? We tighten the belt with Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me."

• Got hurt? We tighten the belt with Ephesians 4:32: "forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you."

Problems can’t get wrapped around our ankles and trip us… while we are walking and talking with God.

Jesus Christ and Us

Hundreds of years before Jesus Christ was born, Isaiah wrote about Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 11:5). He said, “And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.” Reins there means loins (G2504).  

Jesus Christ had pressure. But he stayed tight. And because of what he accomplished, we get a belt in truth. And a breastplate of righteousness.

Two Ways to Live It

There are two ways to apply this practically in our lives. 

First: before we let the WORLD talk to us, we let the WORD talk to us. FOR EXAMPLE, before I pick up my phone in the morning, I like to thank God for everything I have. And I pray. And I think of a promise from God that I can claim that day.

Second: we tighten the belt before we react.

Most of us do not trip when everything is peaceful. We trip when somebody says something. The roommate leaves dishes in the sink. A professor gives us a bad grade. A coworker says something stupid. The Steelers lose. 

And the loose thoughts start flying.

That is the moment. Before it gets to your mind. Before it changes your thoughts. In any situation, we can ask, “What does the Word say?” 

I can put the word in my mind, in my heart. I don’t wait for something bad to happen, I’m already prepared. The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.

There’s a competition out there in the world. The battleground or arena for us spiritual athletes is the mind. Our armor is of light. Our equipment is the 9 manifestations, nine fruit of the spirit, and our rights as sons and daughters of God. And the goal is to stand. Be firm. Prepared. Strong. Don’t get tossed to and fro. But know who you are, what you have, and what you can do with it. By standing, we’ll be rewarded for doing so. 

Tonight We Learned

"Girding your loins" was a real thing. Long, loose garments. People gathered the loose fabric and tightened it with a belt. 

Then God's Word takes that picture and applies it to us: "gird up the loins of your mind." Our minds have loose stuff too. And things in the world can try to trip us up. 

And Ephesians 6:14 tells us what the belt is… truth.

I encourage you to pick one verse tomorrow morning, before you pick up your phone, say it to yourself. 

Belt first. Then the world. 

Ephesians 6:14 says, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth.” 

That's what I wanted to share.

You’re the best.