…And take the helmet of salvation…Eph 6:17. The apostle Paul lists the helmet of salvation as the fifth piece of the armor of God, but what does it mean for us today and how do we put it on? In biblical times when a soldier suited up for battle, the helmet was the last piece of armor to go on. It was the final act of readiness in preparation for combat. A helmet was vital for survival, protecting the brain, the command station for the rest of the body. If the head was badly damaged, the rest of the armor would be of little use. Still to this day helmets remain and have increasingly become a critical piece of protection for the head not just for the military but in sports and activities of all kinds such as football, where the player stands ready on the sidelines, suited up for “battle”, and when the time comes for him to go out on the field he puts his helmet on as the last and final critical piece of protection. Our spiritual helmet is the assurance of our salvation and is our impenetrable defense against anything the enemy throws at us. Paul states in verse 12 : “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
So we understand that our battle is not against people and things in the fleshy realm, but against demonic forces that influence and control people and events.
So as we suit up for spiritual battle each day we put on that helmet and buckle it on tightly.
Salvation is not limited to a one time act when you surrendered your life to Jesus, but it is an ongoing eternal state that we enjoy in the present. It is daily protection and deliverance from our sin nature and Satan‘s schemes. Our helmet protects our mind and our thoughts from the enemy getting a foothold on us, and we’re able to “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ”. (2Cor. 10:5.)
And because of the power of what Jesus did on the cross, our enemy no longer has any hold on us. Here are a few examples of that from his Word:
“For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”
Romans 8:2
“For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.”
Romans 6:10
“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:18
So what can we do as a follower of Jesus to put on this helmet and keep it fastened and functioning?
Renew our minds, because they are the battlefield. The outcome of those battles determine the course of our lives. Romans 12:1-2 gives us direction in this.
Reject doubts, lies and fears that arise from circumstances or other people. Walk by faith (Hebrews 11:6) and choose to trust in the One who loves you completely and Who will never leave or forsake you. Jesus promised “…And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20.
Keep an eternal perspective. When life crashes in around us or we’re just simply in a momentary struggle, we must remember to look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Our salvation is the most precious gift we have received, and keeping our eyes on that will help us weather life’s storms. “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”.Colossians 3:2.
Remember that victory is already accomplished. When we consider ourselves “dead to sin and alive to God”(Rom 6:11) we eliminate many of the opportunities Satan uses to entrap us. When choosing sin is no longer an option for us because we recognize ourselves to be “new creatures”, we affectively cut off many avenues of failure. (2Cor5:17, 1John 3:9)
Find all our hope in Him. Psalm 73:25 says “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.” Our helmet is most effective when we treasure what it represents. The salvation Jesus purchased for us cannot share the place of importance in our hearts with earthly things. When pleasing the Lord is our supreme delight, we eliminate many of Satan’s lures and render his evil suggestions powerless.
So as we wear the helmet of salvation every day, our minds become more insulated against the suggestions, desires and traps the enemy lays for us. We choose to guard our minds from excessive worldly influence and instead think on the things that honor Christ(Phil 4:8). In doing so, we wear our salvation as a protective helmet that will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7).
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