(11th article in The Armor of God Series)
This is your Daily Action Plan for putting on the Armor of God.
1. Read or listen to the Bible every day.
The reason: This gives you a reference point from which to guide your life.
Where Satan attacks: Satan will try to make you religious or politically correct. When you read scripture you defend against lies that may seem true.
Armor being put on: The Belt of Truth
Resources for doing so: Get a Common Man's Reference Bible (KJV) or go to biblegateway.com.
2. Think about WHAT salvation is and then purpose to ADVANCE God's Kingdom each day.
The reason: The Breastplate of Righteousness is about getting INTO the Kingdom of God, but it’s also about God reestablishing His Kingdom on earth through YOU. We get into the Kingdom of God when our fallen spirits are reborn by faith in the atoning work of Christ. God’s Kingdom is advanced on earth as we learn to trust Him and walk out the fruit of His life to others.
Where Satan attacks: Satan confuses the issue. He wants you to think that salvation is about YOUR action. About going to church and keeping RULES. About being a “good” person. Satan also wants you to think that salvation is ONLY about heaven. Satan wants you so heaven focused that you don’t actualize God’s purpose for your life on EARTH.
Armor being put on: The Breastplate of Righteousness.
Resources for doing so: Read my book Truth Based Thinking. Read my articles, What is the Gospel That Jesus Preached and Understand Who You Are in Christ.
3. Find and pursue the purpose God designed you for each day.
The reason: This protects your EMOTIONS as you satisfy your inner desire for purpose each day.
Where Satan attacks: Satan attacks your EMOTIONS. If he can keep you from understanding your purpose on earth he can neutralize you by making your heart sick. The Bible says that HOPE deferred makes your heart sick (Proverbs 13:12).
Armor being put on: Feet Fitted With the Readiness that Comes From the Gospel of Peace.
4. Meditate on scripture that reinforces God’s faithfulness to you every day.
The reason: Meditation helps us trust God. Meditation gets the promises of God deep into your soul so that you can reprogram your negative subconscious and cooperate with God’s plan for your life. When we learn to trust God it sanctifies our WILL, in that nothing can deter us from His course for our lives.
Where Satan attacks: Satan attacks your WILL. In this attack, the focus is on GOD. If he can get you to believe that God isn’t faithful, that God won’t fulfill His promises, then he can get you to give up.
Armor being put on: The Shield of Faith.
Resources for doing so: Meditate on the Psalms (i.e.. Psalm 1, 15, 27, 51, 55, 91). Read my article, The Purpose of Meditation.
5. Confess your sins every day.
The reason: This KEEPS you mentally IN the Kingdom. We trust God to wash us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1: 9). We know that sin cannot be fixed through self action. By confessing our sin to God, He protects our MIND.
Where Satan attacks: Satan attacks your MIND. In this attack the focus is on YOU. Satan attacks your IDENTITY in Christ. He wants to convince you that you aren’t the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5;21). If he can keep you from the grace of Christ in your life, he can keep you from appropriating who you are in heaven (a justified spirit) to your thought processes on earth (Romans 12:2).
Armor being put on: The Helmet of Salvation.
Resources for doing so: Read my book Truth Based Thinking. Read my articles, Understand Who You Are in Christ, How To Deal With Sin and How to Deal With Deep-Set Sin.
6. Take your thoughts captive every day.
The reason: By taking our thoughts captive we can defeat every pretense and lie of the enemy (2 Corinthians 10:5). We take our thoughts captive when we make ourselves AWARE of what we are thinking. When these thoughts don’t align with scripture we know that we are being tempted by Satan.
Where Satan attacks: Satan attacks our thought life. While Satan can’t read our mind, he can guide our thinking by placing thoughts there. The Sword of the Spirit is an offensive weapon. We can take the enemy head on by using scripture to make him back off.
Armor being put on: The Sword of the Spirit.
Resources for doing so: Memorize scripture. Read my article How to Deal With Deep-Set Sin. Use the submit, resist and flee concept.
Scripture for the Armor of God
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 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 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. Stand firm then, with 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 saints.
Ephesians 6:10-18