The Helmet Of Salvation

Ephesians 6:13–20 NKJV

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Pray

Confession of Faith

I am not moved by what I see or by what I feel. I am moved by what I believe. I believe the WORD of God! The victory is mine! I have it now! I can see it through the eyes of my faith! In Jesus Name

Intro:

Last week we began looking a the the thing that are provided of God, but that we have to take up! In This Spiritual War. The first was the Shield of Faith!

Today we are going to look at the next piece we are told to take up, the "Helmet of Salvation".

Ephesians 6:17 (NKJV)

17 And take the helmet of salvation

Let's look at the soldiers helmet and it's purpose

The helmet covered the head and the mind of the soldier. The head, of course, was the core of a soldier's power to wage war. His thinking ability was the most important factor in determining his victory or defeat. Therefore, the soldier needed a helmet to protect his skull and neck from his enemy’s weapon and from falling debris. Sometimes the soldier would put a sponge inside to serve as padding.

The soldier’s helmet, was made of metal or leather, was designed to protect the most vital part of the body. In every war - just like the ones in Iraq and Afghanistan, Vietnam - many soldiers came home disabled. We saw them coming home without legs and arms but to lose one’s head meant certain death.

The sign of the Christian soldier is the helmet of salvation (deliverance). He must protect his mind and its thoughts, keeping all thoughts focused upon Jesus Christ, and His objective of reaching the world with the good news that man woman boy and girl can have eternal life

The helmet that protects the mind of the Christian soldier is salvation. Unless a person has been saved, their mind cannot be protected from the fiery darts of temptation. The mind of an unsaved person is focused upon this earth; it is normal and natural for them...

• to seek more and more.

• to possess more and more.

• to look at the opposite sex with desire.

• to taste and indulge the good things of the earth.

• to feel and experience, satisfying his desires and passions.

• to have and hoard even when others have little or nothing.

The unsaved person sees nothing wrong with being their own person and doing their own thing just so they are reasonably considerate of others.

Their mind and thoughts are upon the earth; and the fiery darts of things like extravagance, indulgence, pleasure, self-centeredness, worldliness, license, hoarding, and immorality are a part of the unsaved world's daily behavior.

But this is not so with the saved person.

The mind of the saved man, The mind of the saved woman, The mind of the saved boy, The mind of the saved girl is focused upon Jesus and the mission - the mission of sharing the good news of life! Like abundant here on earth and life eternal.

See, it’s because of this mission ,Satan launches his fiery darts of temptation against the mind of the believer, trying to get theirs thoughts and attention off of Christ and the conquest and ministry to souls.

The Christian soldier desperately needs the helmet of salvation. The helmet of salvation means the knowledge and hope of salvation. Knowing that we are saved and hoping for the glorious day of redemption...

• The helmet of salvation stirs us to keep our minds and thoughts upon Jesus and off of sin and this world.

• The helmet of salvation arouses us to focus upon Jesus Christ and His mission to carry the gospel to a needy and dying world.

Romans 8:6 NKJV

6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Paul also tells us in

Romans 12:2 NKJV

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

This is a spiritual battle for Christians - the enemy is after your mind! .

Here me now, When we take up the helmet of salvation we are talking about protecting your mind!

You have to protect your mind to know that the Salvation you walk in has already made you righteous in the eyes of the Lord!

That’s called Justification

It happened immediately when we accept Jesus Christ as personally Lord and Savior! Put on the helmet of salvation, protect your mind from the lies of the enemy! You are without Sin! You have been made righteous in the Lord’s eyes

Listen to me now, When we take up the helmet of salvation we are talking about protecting your mind! You mus know without a shadow of doubt that we are all going through a process as Christ Followers to be made into the image of Christ!

That’s called Sanctification! Remember and don’t let the enemy tell you anything different! Although we are put in right standing with God because of Jesus we are not without sin! It’s a process - protect your mind

Ephesians 4:22–24 NLT

22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Here me now, When we take up the helmet of salvation we are talking about protecting your mind! There will be a time when we will be as Christ! This is called Glorification! This is a time when we are in his presence, when we are holy and perfect and when we are totally without sin, Just like Jesus! So don’t you give up on the battle, you keep fightin evening when it seems like you are in the battle all by yourself!

Don’t allow the enemies fiery darts of depression, of anxiety, of the past, of the hurt, of the pain, of the deceit stop you from walking in your victory!

I’m not sure who I am talking to - but the enemy wants you to give up- He’s telling you you have tried and things are not working, he is telling you all sorts of lies, but I am here to tell you to remember who you are

You are a child of God, Justified, Sanctified and Ultimately Glorified by our creator, our, redeemer, our way maker

Isaiah 26:3 NKJV

3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

Philippians 4:8 NKJV

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

This Helmet of Salvation is given to us to take up or to use in the battle. It guards our minds against the wicked one.

The enemy one will attack our salvation. The helmet helps protect the mind in these situations. The devil want you to question your salvation.

2 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV

5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

The enemy wants us filled with doubt! He wants us to question our salvation based on out past, Why would God send His Son to die for someone like you?

The enemy wants us to question our present, If you've been saved why are you still sinning?

The enemy wants us to question our future, Are you sure where you're going to heaven?

He attacks our minds continually trying to find that chink in the armour. But if we take up the helmet of Salvation those blows can't get through to do us harm.

Remember we are justified, made righteous. We are being Sanctified, being made more like Jesus . And we are going to be Glorified, We will be like Christ!

Here me now, I want us to understand, that the whole armour of God is just that. It is Provided by God, it is of God, that we have available to us! we have not made one piece of this armor.

The belt is Christ provided by God. The breastplate is God's righteousness, we are not righteous of our selves it is by Jesus Christ we are made righteous.

The Gospel was prepared for us from the beginning, we had no part in it. It was not us who died on the cross to pay the penalty for all of mans sin. we couldn't because we have sin!

God provided the means for salvation. It is Him who gave us the gift of faith to accept Christ, as well as to trust Him daily. And it is Him who gives us the helmet of Salvation to guard our minds! When the enemy attacks our mind it is Salvation that guards us.

We are Justified, we are being Sanctified, and we will be glorified! Next week we will look at the sword of the spirit... May God bless you and keep you until we meet again is my prayer !

We are Justified, we are being Sanctified, and we will be glorified! GNext week we will look at the sword of the spirit... Let's pray!