However you start each day, and whether you realize it or not, you are a warrior rousing from sleep. You are a soldier preparing for battle. You are a knight donning armor, Leonidas at Thermopylae, Henry V at Agincourt, George Washington at Trenton, Wellington at Waterloo.
You may not feel that way, but how you start each day can not only set the tone for your day but also invite victory. How? By putting on your armor, as the Bible suggests.
Paul, the great first-century church planter, addressed the early Christians in and around Ephesus, by urging them to “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Therefore, he said, “put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:11-13, NIV)
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He expanded the metaphor, equating the Christian’s spiritual blessings and advantages with a Roman soldier’s armor: “the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:14-18, NIV)
So why not consciously and prayerfully apply Paul’s metaphor to your morning routine? As you brush your hair, picture the helmet of salvation covering your head, protecting you from temptation and condemnation.
As you don your clothes, thank God for the righteousness of Christ that covers you. As you fasten your belt, contemplate the truth of the Gospel that encircles and surrounds you. Step into your shoes, reminding yourself that everywhere you go, you do so as a representative of Christ and His Good News.
As you put your smart phone in your pocket, purse or briefcase, picture a soldier sliding his sword into a scabbard, so the Word of God goes with you to defend you and support you through the day.
When you put on a jacket or coat, picture how your faith, your trust in God, protects you and helps you to fend off all the attacks of the enemy. And as you leave the house or start your car or begin your day, heed Paul’s admonition to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18, NIV), because prayer is the lifeblood that flows through the warrior’s veins, giving light to the eyes and strength to the limbs.
So put on the armor of God. Start your day like a warrior and end it as a victor.
