Truth unapplied becomes useless facts to you.
- dougjdees
- Jul 19
- 2 min read
Knowing Truth versus Believing Truth
You probably have knowledge right now on your belt, but you have not used that knowledge on your shield. That’s not good! Remember, it is the shield that extinguishes the flaming arrows, not the belt. The enemy does not want you to knowany truth. And he also does not want you to believe that truth. He would even be okay with you knowing, but not believing. He would rather get stuff stuck in your head, but never your heart. You can believe truth, and not act on it. “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?” (Jas. 2:19–20, emphasis mine). The demons know the truth, but they shudder to think about it. But disciples confess the truth (see Romans 10:9–10).
You have to put truth into action.
If you do find and know (mentally) some truth, the enemy will even do what he can to keep it only on the belt. That foe will never let you actually believe it, and then place that belief/faith in that truth on your shield and use it to stop the flaming arrows. The facts you know about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and Their ways, are true facts. But truth unapplied becomes useless facts. The demons have facts.
Truth unapplied becomes useless facts to you.
That hurts. Truth, but useless. Just like ointment not applied to poison ivy. It is useless while it’s in the bottle. The truths below are useless to you if you do not apply them.
What God Says
God is big and powerful; He created everything (see Colossians 1:16).
He sees and knows everything and can do anything (see Isaiah 55:9; Hebrews 4:13; Ephesians 3:20).
He has always been that way (see Psalm 90:1–2).
He “‘is the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty’” (Rev. 1:8).
He cares about each of us (see Matthew10:29–31).
He loves us, no matter what, even to the point of laying down His life for ours (see John 3:16).
He wants to spend time with us and for us to know Him (see Revelation 3:20).
He protects us and helps us and never moves (see 2 Thessalonians 3:3).
We may know all that, but do we believe all that? If you know it, but don’t believe it, it is barely on your belt, and definitely not a part of your shield.
p. 115, "Tiny Armor"