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Mar 27, 2026 06:00am

The One Thing Missing from Your Spiritual Armor

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They’ve got to be in here somewhere.

I dug in my purse, which, at the moment, felt like the bottomless pit. My hand swept across my wallet, my glasses, a pen, chapstick, some loose change, and a receipt. Everything but the one thing I was searching for.

I just knew I had put them in this pocket.

I searched another. And another. And another. Good grief! How many pockets does this bag have?

Frustrated and a little frantic, I kept digging, thinking maybe I had overlooked them.

Was I going to have to dump this bag out in the middle of this parking lot?

See, we can have a great car. It can pass all the safety standards, win lots of awards for its style, gas mileage, and reviews. It can have the latest technology and be equipped with all the bells and whistles, but it has to have one thing, or it doesn’t work. Every vehicle has one just for it.

It brings the car to life.

It’s the key to the source of power that turns this clump of metal into our mode of transportation.

And it’s clear to me in the parking lot that this car isn’t worth anything without the key.

We’ve been studying about the armor of God. Piece by piece, we’ve discovered the truth about how we are to protect ourselves from the enemy as a soldier in this spiritual battle. We have the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, and the shoes of peace that the gospel brings.

We are armed and ready.

But there’s one thing missing. It’s the key to the believer’s power.

As Paul wraps up writing about the armor of God, he concludes that the final piece is the key.

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” – Ephesians 6:18

Without prayer, without the Holy Spirit, our armor is useless. Just like a car without a key.

So, how do you pray at all times?

Prayer is our communication with God. He hears us, and we listen for Him. We don’t have to be hidden away for long periods of time to pray to the Father. (Although, those are great times spent with the Lord.) We can pray to God throughout our day, anytime. As we get ready, on the walk with our dogs, as we sip coffee, drive to work, make copies at the copier, wait at the doctor’s office, take out the trash, pick up the toys, or as we fold the laundry. Our praise to the Father should continually be on our lips.

He is what empowers us. We cannot fight this battle without Him.

This morning, what would you pray about if you believed God has the power to change it?

Then, pray it.

It doesn’t mean He will. He might, if it’s according to His will. His ways are far greater than ours. But how incredible that God, the Creator of all things, the Highest King and authority, the very One Who breathed life into us, desires to hear our voice? That He, the Supreme Judge and loving Father, wants to talk with us?

Prayer is not about trying to convince God that our plans or desires are good; it’s about us sharing with Him from the depths of our heart and understanding that God gives us something better.

So, pray. For your needs and for others. I’d love to pray for you. Will you comment how I can do that? Others who read this will be able to pray for you too. Today, let’s join together and pray to the Father, trusting Him to know the best way to answer.

Let me ask you something. Are you a believer in Christ? Would you say you’re a Christian? Would others know that by the life you live and the words you speak? Following Jesus is about more than being a good person. It’s more than showing up to church on Sunday, singing a few songs, and listening to a preacher. It’s more than having a Bible and reading it occasionally.

It’s about living it out. Being a follower of Jesus means walking with Him daily.

Are you ready to do that?

If you need some guidance, FOLLOW can help. This is a free resource that walks you through some basics about being a truly devoted follower of Jesus. Go to FOLLOW and start your discipleship journey.