The 60-Second Armor Prayer

When Paul wrote Ephesians 6, he was chained to a Roman soldier. The Holy Spirit prompted him to look at what that soldier was wearing and compare it to what we’ve been given. Six pieces, tailor-made and already paid for:

• The belt of truth. It held everything together. Our culture says truth is subjective. It’s not. You start with God’s truth, not your feelings.
• The breastplate of righteousness. Think of a quarterback’s flak jacket. It isn’t your goodness. It’s Christ’s.
• ‍The gospel boots of peace. When you have peace with God, you can have the peace of God, ready to move wherever he sends you.
• The shield of faith. Roman shields were wood covered in leather, and the leather was dipped in water so the fiery darts would go out on impact. Your faith gets soaked before the arrows come.
• The helmet of salvation. The battle is in the mind. You can’t always control your feelings, but you can take a thought captive the moment it lands.
• The sword of the Spirit. When the devil came at Jesus, he answered three times: “It is written.” If the Son of God used this sword, we can too.

So every morning before your feet hit the floor, get dressed on purpose. Pray through every piece, out loud if you can.

Father, I put on the belt of truth today, your truth, not my feelings. I put on the breastplate of righteousness, not mine, Christ’s. I put on the gospel boots of peace, ready to move where you send me. I take up the shield of faith, already wet, already ready for whatever gets thrown at me today. I put on the helmet of salvation, guarding my mind before the enemy gets a foothold in it. I take up the sword of the Spirit, your word, gripped with more than two fingers. And I meet you here, right now, on my knees, in the war room, because this is how I fight. Not for a win. From one.

Sixty seconds. That’s all it takes. Don’t let the simplicity fool you. Soldiers don’t need complicated gear. They need to actually wear the gear they’ve already got.