Behind Enemy Lines (8)

Step Into the Armory (5)

Text: Ephesians 6:10–20

Ephesians 6:10–20 (ESV)

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

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.

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 firm.

14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Focus: The Helmet of Salvation

Introduction:

In 2004, during a patrol in Iraq, U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith found himself in the middle of an intense firefight. Enemy forces had taken high ground and were pouring bullets down on his unit.

In the chaos, a single round struck him square in the head. The impact knocked him to the ground and stunned him. For a split second, he thought it was over.

But when he regained his senses, he realized the bullet hadn’t pierced his skull—it had struck his Kevlar helmet. The helmet was dented, the padding shredded, but it had done its job. It had absorbed the impact and saved his life.

Later, when asked about the incident, he said, “If I hadn’t been wearing that helmet, I wouldn’t be here today.”

That’s exactly what the helmet of salvation does for us. In the heat of spiritual battle—when the enemy’s attacks are aimed at our mind and our heart—God has given us a helmet, not made of Kevlar or steel, but of eternal salvation, to protect us from the fatal blows of the enemy.

Paul compared the believer’s salvation to the Roman soldier’s helmet, and there are several reasons for this.

Show Helmet

The Roman helmet was a heavy piece of metal—most likely brass or copper—with padding inside for comfort. It was the last piece of armor to be put on before battle. It was designed to protect the head from crushing blows and to clearly distinguish the soldier from his enemy.

Part of the soldier’s daily discipline was maintaining that helmet. At the end of each day, he would use olive oil and charcoal to polish it, removing the dirt and sweat from the day’s battle. Without regular care, corrosion would quickly set in.

That reminds me of Paul’s words to the Philippian church: “Work out your salvation”—in other words, put into practice the important things of your faith.

There are daily disciplines we must follow if we want to be effective for the Lord. If we are to be good soldiers, our armor must be in good working order—and the helmet we wear is called our salvation.

When we are saved, we are given access to God’s armory. But like the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, and the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation must be deliberately put on before we face the daily battle.

Today we look at the helmet of salvation. We wear it for…

1.  Protection

This is safety in the Lord.  When we take the helmet of salvation we are saved, we are born again and we are delivered from the penalty of sin.  

Romans 6:23 (ESV) For the wages of sin is death. . .

We are now protected from the just payment of our sin debt - he Wrath of God!

Zephaniah 1:14–17 (ESV) 14 The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. 

15 A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. 

17 I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.

When we are saved, God’s promised salvation is our protection against His wrath and our sentence of death. We are covered against that awful moment when those who have refused His call will hear His words: “Depart from me, you accursed worker of iniquity, I never knew you.”

But we also wear it to prevent Satan’s attacks on our mind.

Think with me for a moment—how often are you discouraged because of some issue you are facing in life?

Satan attacks us when we are vulnerable. When things are down, we face an enemy who will use our weak moments to take our minds off the mission.

Illustration – “The Sniper’s Target” In World War II, snipers were trained to aim for the head—it was the quickest way to take out a soldier. That’s why helmets weren’t optional gear; they were life-or-death necessities. A soldier who stepped into battle without his helmet was inviting disaster. Likewise, when you step into your day without the helmet of salvation, you are giving the enemy a clear shot at your mind.

2 Timothy 4:16–17 (ESV) 16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.

Paul saw that those who should have stood with him left for their own safety—even to the point that he was in the arena facing the lions. But look at what he said: “The Lord stood with me…”

That is a man who has the helmet of salvation firmly affixed to his head. His mind is protected against the attacks of the enemy and he stays on mission.

2.  Perspective

The word “Take” in this passage means to receive as if taking a gift.

We receive the free gift of salvation. It never forced but it is highly recommended. And when we do take the helmet of salvation it changes our perspective.

Hebrews 2:1–4 (ESV)

1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

The soldier wore his helmet and it changed his perspective. He knew that the brother on either side was not his enemy, but the one facing him, coming at him, looking for a way to kill him, that was his enemy.

He is now a member of a community of soldiers fighting together.

The helmet forced him to look ahead to look at the enemy and not his fellow warriors.

And that solid weight that he felt sitting atop his head was a sense of security and hope. 1 Thess. 5:8 Paul describes the helmet as “the hope of salvation.”

We could face the enemy knowing that our salvation is secure and we are covered in the strongest possible armor.

With his helmet in place, the soldier knew that it would be a difficult thing for the enemy to get to his head with any weapon.

God secures his sons and daughters who by faith have come to Him and received the helmet of salvation.

3.  Preservation

Just as the head of the soldier was preserved in the battle, so to are we preserved for eternity.

Philippians 1:6 (ESV) 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Paul and the church were in the same fight, just not on the same battlefield.

The helmet isn’t just for the first blow—it’s for the long battle.

Roman helmets were designed not just for a quick skirmish but for prolonged campaigns. Likewise, salvation is not a momentary shield but a continual preservation of the believer’s soul into eternity.

Isaiah 59:17 (ESV) 17  He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head;. . .

God will complete everything He has promised and He will deliver us safely into eternity, preserved no matter what we may have faced here in this life.

When we receive the helmet we are safe - safe from God’s wrath - safe from Satan’s arrows - safe from the evil that works to destroy all that God loves and holds dear.

Paul saw the helmet of salvation, worn by the Christian soldier, as the guarantee of divine protection and ultimate deliverance.

This means you don’t have to fear losing your salvation every time you stumble. God’s saving grace preserves you. Just as a helmet keeps a soldier alive through battle after battle, the saving work of Christ keeps you secure for eternity.

4.  Power

A soldier who knows he’s protected fights with boldness. The assurance of salvation gives us confidence, courage, and clarity in the fight.

2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV) 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

We are to be alert that we are in a spiritual conflict one that has as its purpose the destruction or the discouragement of the people of God.

Do not for a second think that the enemy of your soul is resting and taking a break. He seeks to destroy your confidence in Christ create doubt about your salvation and standing with God.

But you have unlimited power when the helmet of salvation is placed upon your head. You are covered in the divine power that raised Jesus from the dead.

Too many Christians are acting like they have no power over the will of the devil or their own bodies.

Once the helmet of salvation has been received, you have the power to overcome all doubt - fear - discouragement and disability.

1 Thessalonians 5:6–8 (ESV) 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

The enemy wants to paralyze us with doubt, fear, discouragement but the helmet reminds us who we belong to and what power resides within us.

Conclusion:

I want to conclude today with a passage of encouragement for all of us.

You should take this heart, learn it, memorize it and use it each time that you find the enemy trying to destroy your faith in God’s good plan for your life.

He opens with two questions and then proceeds to answer the questions with a series of other questions.

Romans 8:31–39 (ESV) 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So here’s the challenge: Before you walk out your door tomorrow morning, make sure your helmet is on. Don’t face your day bare-headed.

Pray it on - Think it on - Live with it on.

Remind yourself:

I am protected by God’s grace.

I am preserved for eternity.

I have the power to stand and not be moved.

Because the soldier who wears his helmet walks into battle not with fear, but with confidence—knowing the victory is already his in Christ.