The Armor of God

After answering my prayer for fear of the Lord, God showed me the prayer to test the spirits and the prayer to put on his armor. 

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (Ephesians 6:10-17)

I confess that I never saw this as something a person actually did and never imagined this as something a person did as a prayer. Mark Bubeck did and his book The Adversary was one of the first God led me to. Putting on the armor of God became the first thing I did every day. 

“Father, I thank you in the name of Jesus for your armor. I put on your armor: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. I pray for all men, that we might live lives of peace, godliness, and honesty.”

I’ve since added “health, prosperity, and unity” to the end of the prayer.

After putting on the armor I noticed an immediate reduction in the amount and intensity of temptation. It was far easier to overcome the temptation that did come.

One day the level of temptation was higher than it had been and it was much more difficult to deal with. I realized that I had forgotten to put on the armor. I immediately put it on.

I had this thought, “You are doing it wrong. You are trusting in the armor instead of trusting in God.”

This was a particularly dangerous attack. If I was to draw back and abandon the armor I would lose its benefits. If I actually trusted in it rather than God that would cause a different problem.

“No. I trust God. He said to put on the armor so that is what I’m doing. He told me to put on the armor because it works. I’m putting in on because he said to and I trust him.”

The armor of God is critical to withstand the forces Satan arrays against us. God has made his armor available to us and instructed us to put it on because he knows we need it. Putting on the armor is one of our most essential prayers.