(Armor of God 6) Helmet of Salvation
Notes
Transcript
Today we are in our 6th sermon in the series titled “the armor of God”
(if you missed any...)
The first piece of armor Paul list is the Belt of Truth...
The Belt of Truth Holds Everything Together. (faith secure in truth)
The Belt of Truth Brings the Freedom to Fight (free to swing my sword)
3. The Belt of Truth Must Be Worn, Not Just Known (know about Christ vs living in Christ)
The 2nd piece of armor is the Breastplate of Righteousness.
The Breastplate of Righteousness Marks My Identity (armor is unique to the army you fight for… Righteousness is unique to us...)
2. The Breastplate of Righteousness Protects My Heart (assurance and security in knowing I am right with God)
3. The Breastplate of Righteousness Gives Me Courage to Stand (Accepted by God vs man)
The 3rd piece of armor is the Shoes of the Gospel of Peace.
The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace Empower Me to Stand Ready (Ready to go wherever the Holy Spirit leads)
The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace Give Me Stability in the Battle (I am not moved by the battle as I am firmly planted in the Gospel)
The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace Allow Me to Have Rest in the Storm (I have rest in the shelter of the most high)
The 4th piece of armor is the Shield of faith.
1. The Shield of Faith Is for All Circumstances (True Faith is not conditional it is foundational)
2. The Shield of Faith Extinguishes the Flaming Darts (Lies, Doubt, condonation, shame, … stopped by the shield of faith)
3. The Shield of Faith Unites Us in the Battle (united by our faith in Jesus)
As I have said many times throughout this series,
at the very heart of this study lies a central thesis:
The Armor of God equips the believer to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
There is a real spiritual war between...
good against evil,
right against wrong,
truth against lies,
and for believers to remain standing we must be dressed for battle.
To ignore the reality of spiritual warfare is not neutrality—it is surrender.
The devil does not wait for our acknowledgment to wage war;
he only gains ground when we refuse to stand.
I believe firmly that the enemy wants us to grow complacent and be lulled to sleep,
in order for the kingdom of darkness to advance.
The church has given up territory by allowing the schemes of the devil to gain ground,
because we have ignored the reality of spiritual warfare.
Therefore,
it is time for us to go to battle,
and take back what the enemy has stolen.
It is time for us to go to war,
and posses the land God has given us.
(Israel in the Bible example.… walked away...) SATISFIED [milk vs meat]
Helmet of Salvation… with a tremendous gift comes a great price… (Jesus paid that price) [with a tremendous gift also comes a great responsibility…] (it is our responsibility)
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,
I will be unpacking 2 points about the Helmet of Salvation today....
The Helmet of Salvation Protects My Mind
(The Helmet of Salvation serves as a Constand reminder of my Salvation in Christ)
[Salvation is on my mind because the helmet of Salvation is on my head]
1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
When we receive the gift of salvation,
our focus needs to change.
The things that dominate our thinking,
should no longer be the thoughts that feed the flesh,
but rather thoughts that nourish the soul.
(Paul tells us as believers what think on)
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
The problem is that many times,
We have already set patterns in their thinking that are the opposite of what the Bible says to think on...
True (False and wrong),
honorable (dishonorable),
just (unjust),
pure (impure or dirty),
lovely (hateful),
commendable (disgraceful),
What we think about the most,
demonstrates what we have given the greatest focus to in in our lives.
When our thoughts are on things that satisfy the flesh,
it demonstrates that our focus is on this earthly kingdom,
instead of God’s heavenly Kingdom.
Therefore if we are living according this earthly kingdom,
the thoughts that will manifest in our lives,
are thoughts of the flesh instead of the spirit.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7a For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God,
The reality is the mind is the greatest battlefield.
And the reason that I would say that the mind is the greatest battlefield,
is because our thoughts give birth to action...
(Example Adultery, Murder, Stealing,)
I would say that sin manifest itself first in the mind,
and than with action of the flesh.
(Jesus called for a higher standard of thinking...)
So How do we walk in victory of the mind?
Because if someone has thought a certain way for 10, 20, 30, or more years…
(Example of the mind…) thinking is like a trail or road that is made in your mind...
How do we blaze knew trails in our mind?
(First step is we have to deal with, is what are we allow into our minds?)
Story of Ephesus… after they came to Christ they did this...
18 Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. 19 A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.
To win the battle in the mind you need to burn and destroy those things in your life that are inarched in darkness...
(Desensitized… music… books... movies...)
[believers in Ephesus destroy millions of dollars worth of stuff, but we won’t destroy something because we are entertained by it]
Paul tells the church in Corinth...
“How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil?”
To win the battle of the mind,
we cannot be filling our mind with darkness but with light.
To win the battle of the mind,
we have to be filling our mind with things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise.
Therefore,
we can’t partake like the people of the world,
we need to partake like the people of the Kingdom of God.
Important verse...
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For transformation to happen on the outside,
first, we need to have transformation take place on the inside.
Therefore, to be fully transformed,
you must have your mind renewed by the work of the Spirit.
This work of Spirit happens when we stop conforming to the world’s way of thinking,
and start having our minds renewed by the Spirit of God.
And when you are tempted by thoughts from you old nature...
the old way of thinking...
Paul says this...
5b take every thought captive to obey Christ,
Thoughts don’t come into the alignment of the flesh,
our thoughts come into alignment with the Spirit.
Therefore, destroy or put to death,
every thought that is not in alignment with Christ.
Because you need to understand that you do have authority over your thoughts...
use that authority to take ever thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus.
(Setting new patterns of thinking by putting to death our old nature)
22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
I need to put off the former ways of living,
and put on my new nature that has been transformed to be made righteous.
Therefore, I put on the helmet of salvation—
the divine declaration that I have received the priceless gift of redemption through Jesus Christ.
I am born again into the family of God.
I am no longer an orphan of sin but a child of the King.
The weight of my past is broken and left behind.
I walk in victory, for I am a blood-bought, Spirit-Filled, saint of the Most High God.
I put on the helmet of salvation
to stand boldly and proclaim the triumph of my Savior.
I put on the helmet of salvation
to declare with confidence that I am saved by grace.
I put on the helmet of salvation
to proclaim that I possess a living hope—
eternal, unshakable, and anchored in the risen Christ.
This is my identity.
This is my victory.
This is the power of salvation that guards my mind and my life in Christ Jesus. Amen!
The Helmet of Salvation Protects My Mind (That i may think in the ways of the Kingdom of God not man)
2. The Helmet of Salvation Declares My Hope
(Paul is talking about the return of Christ)
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. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Hope of salvation because we know that this present day is not the end
(Colossians 3… set your sights… a day of future hope)
When you know that you know that you know
that you have been rescued from the kingdom of darkness
and transferred into the glorious kingdom of light...
When you know deep down in your soul
that you have passed from death into life,
from wandering in confusion to walking in purpose,
from being hopeless to being filled with everlasting hope....
When this hope of salvation begins to erupt inside of you,
you cannot be silenced!
A fire burns within you that cannot be quenched by any storm.
A holy boldness roars inside you that cannot be quieted.
You begin to stand with confidence and declare:
“I have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus!
I have been called, set apart, and made new!
The chains that once bound me have been broken,
and now I walk in freedom as a child of the living God!”
When you know who you are in Christ,
you no longer think as a victim but as a victor.
When you have the mind of Christ,
you have your sights set on the kingdom of God not the kingdom of man....
And wherever you have your sights set on,
their your heart and mind will be also.
The helmet of salvation is a constant reminder,
of were my sights need to be set on.
The helmet of salvation is always there to remind me,
of the hope that I have in Christ.
A living hope that is not silenced by this present day,
but shouts with victory the future day that awaits me!
It will be a day with no more tears,
no more sorrow,
no more pain—
for every wound will be healed,
and every broken piece made whole in His presence.
It will be a day when faith becomes sight,
when all the waiting and longing finally give way to glory.
The weight of the world will fall away,
and the joy of heaven will overflow like a river without end.
It will be a day of reunion—
a day of laughter, of embraces, of stories of redemption.
Those in Christ will see the faces of those who ran the race before us,
and together we will worship the Lamb who made all things new.
And above all, it will be the day I stand before my Savior—
the One who carried my cross,
who wiped away my shame,
who called my name from the grave and welcomed me home.
On that day, every breath will be praise,
every heartbeat will be worship,
and every moment will be filled with the light of His eternal love.
Until that day, I will put on the helmet of salvation,
and boldly declare the hope of salvation...
close with this quote from…
C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
“If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.
The Apostles themselves, who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire,
the great men who built up the Middle Ages,
the English Evangelicals who abolished the Slave Trade—all left their mark on Earth, precisely because their minds were occupied with Heaven.
It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.
Aim at Heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither.’”
(Acts 17:6 Christians“turned the world upside down”)
