Mornings are hard for me. I am not the person who jumps out of bed full of enthusiasm and spunk. It takes me a long time to get going; I rarely make appointments before noon; I have a routine and I am eventually ready to greet the world. But it’s a process.

Once in a while, I shower, brush my teeth and get dressed immediately upon getting out of bed. It prepares me for an earlier start to the day and, it could be argued, would be an excellent start every day. Most days I am just not there.

Another excellent routine to begin the day is to intentionally put on the armor of God to protect against the schemes and plans of the enemy. I would be prepared for whatever might come my way.

We established there is an enemy — the powers and authorities in the heavenly realms that we cannot see. So every day, we are invited to put on our armor so we are ready for battle.

¹³Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. ¹⁵For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. ¹⁶In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. ¹⁷Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. 

Ephesians 6:13-18

How does one put on the armor of God? I know of some who go through a daily routine of “putting on” the helmet, breastplate, belt, etc mentioned above. That is a great tactile way of putting this truth into practice.

Another way might be to read or recite scripture (belt of truth) directly affirming our right standing with God because we believe Jesus is God’s son and died for us (Good News). Doing this affirms your faith (shield) and salvation (helmet) by lifting up your sword (word of God). This is the beginning of unending prayer. It might sound like this:

God loves me and chose me in Christ to be without fault in his eyes. I am in right standing with him because of Jesus Christ. He purchased my freedom with his blood and forgave my sins. I am a child of God, filled with His Spirit and a full heir in the family.

What does your morning routine look like? Would you benefit from putting on the armor, maybe while you’re brushing your teeth?