We’ve previously established that God provides us with weapons to demolish strongholds affecting the decision-making “for though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does” (2 Cor. 10:3-4). The world’s weapons tend to put us on the attack, fighting in ways that tend to do more harm than good. For us as believers, however, we have a God who fights for us for the good. Consequently, He provides protective gear. Hence, if we want protection for the decision-making process, we need to “put on the full armor of God” (Eph. 6:11).
The armor includes one offensive piece, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17). That is the weapon with which we identify strongholds and take them captive, having Truth with which to replace them. — “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12)
How The Armor of God Provides Protection for the Decision-Making Process
Before getting into the various pieces of armor listed in Ephesians 6, it’s important to look at verse 12. — “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.” — In making decisions, we will come under attack by others who disagree. We need to remember that our battle isn’t with people but with the enemy. Remembering that reality will greatly affect the whole decision-making process.
Here are ways the various pieces of armor can protect us:
- To make sure we don’t build our decisions on faulty premises we need “the belt of truth buckled around your waist” (Eph. 6:14) to hold all we do together using the right criteria for determining what to do.
- Since feelings can sometimes play too big of a role in our decision making, we need “the breastplate of righteousness in place” (Eph. 6:14) to guard our hearts so we’re in alignment with God’s heart and not just what “feels good” to us.
- If we find ourselves dragging our feet when decisions need to be made we can end up complicating matters, so we need our “feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace” (Eph. 6:15).
- To avoid discouragement from criticism or obstacles in the way we need to “take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Eph. 6:16).
- Because we don’t always think rightly and our perspective can be skewed by our own experiences, we need to put on the helmet of salvation (Eph. 6:17) to protect our minds.
And, of course, as already mentioned we have “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17). We don’t need to lean on our own understanding or follow the ways of the world. We can fight off temptations and fruitless pursuits in our decision-making and align instead with God using His Word.
All Posts about Decision-Making
- Making Decisions That Line Up
- Decision-Making Questions for Lining Up
- If You Find Yourself Making All the Decisions
- Pluses & Minuses of Getting Others Involved in Decision Making
- Who Makes the Final Decision?
- Stifled in Decision-Making?
- Rushed Decisions
- Delayed Decisions
- Derailed Decisions
- Retrofitted Decisions
- Decisions Reveal Faith in God’s Power?
- Decisions You Don’t Have to Be Ashamed to Make
- Decisions Examined at Foot of the Cross
- Making Decisions from a Place of Humility
- Making Wise Decisions
- Making Decisions Void of Legalism
- Foolish Not to Pray
- Wisdom & Discernment Needed
- Decisions from a Renewed Mind
- Equipped for Making Good Decisions
- The Spirit Helps Us Make the Right Decisions, the Right Way
- The Spirit Provides Guidance and Wisdom in Decision-Making
- Decisions Worthy of Bearing His Name
- Strongholds Affecting Decision-Making
- How to Demolish Strongholds So We Make the Best Decisions
- Protection for the Decision-Making Process
- Decisions Made from Our Raised Position