The Full Armor of God Part 5&6

The Helmet of Salvation

Ephesians 6:13–17 ESV

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,

We have been talking about the Armor of God, including the truth, righteousness, the Gospel of Peace and Faith.

This week we will be discussing the final two parts of the armor.

The Helmet of Salvation-

The gift of reconciliation and redemption by the grace of God.

The assurance we have of our inheritance.

The hope we have as a result of the work of Christ

Ephesians 1:3–14 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

The Hope of our Salvation is a powerful weapon.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 ESV

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 Hope of our Salvation= Joy

Psalm 51:12 ESV

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

The Hope of our Salvation= Confidence and Assurance

Isaiah 49:23 ESV

23 Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.”

When we wait for the Lord, and hope in the Lord of our inheritance, we can live and walk confidently and assuredly while we wrestle against Satan.

The Sword of the Spirit/Word of God

Translators have taken two different Greek words and translated them both into our English word “Word”.

Logos- Meaning “an account” The Scriptures/God’s Special Revelation

Rhema- a specific word, in Ephesians 6:17 it denotes a particular verse/word of Scripture that the Holy Spirit brings to our minds in a particular situation.

In either case, the qualities and characteristics are the same.

The Word of God is . . .

The Word of God (The Bible/Scripture) is Truth

John 17:17 ESV

17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

The Bible is certainly the Word of God, but in Eph 6:17, it is speaking of specific verses that the Holy Spirit brings to mind, which is only possible as we soak our minds in the Word and meditate on it daily.

The Word of God is Righteous/Just

Isaiah 11:4 ESV

4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

Psalm 33:4 ESV

4 For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.

The Word of God is Living, Active

Isaiah 55:10–11 ESV

10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

The Word of God is Powerful, Incisive & Keen

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

The Word of God is Everlasting

Isaiah 40:8 ESV

8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

Matthew 24:35 ESV

35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

The Word of God Life Giving

Matthew 4:4 ESV

4 But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

The Word of God is Profitable

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The Word of God is The Sword of the Spirit- Our offensive weapon is God’s Word, given to us by His Spirit

Ephesians 6:17 ESV

17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

Take= Receive, Accept

This word is slightly and subtly different than word “take” used to describe what we are do with the shield of faith.

Paul seems to go back and forth between describing our part and the work of God in this arming process/preparation for battle. Which may be why he used “Rhema” rather than “Logos” in describing the Sword of the Spirit.

James 1:21 ESV

21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Every aspect of our lives/ministries must align with the Word of God if we are going to be used by God to establish His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven and stand against the evil schemes of Satan.

The doctrine

The Children’s Program

The Bible Study and Sunday School curriculum

The Prayers, finances and physical labor

The Outreach Efforts

The Fellowship

All of these things must be properly motivated and executed in alignment with the Word of God, the Sword of the Spirit.

Reading and Meditating on God’s Word is the most effective things we can do. It is how we are able to “take Up” the Sword of the Spirit.

Example of how this works.

If I were to squirt you with a squirt gun full of water, what would happen to you? You would be wet, right? You would have water on you, right? Why is that? Because there was water inside the squirt gun. What if I had filled the gun with vinegar? You wouldn’t get water on you, right? You would get vinegar on you, because what is inside, is what comes out. This is an overly simplified version of what I’m talking about.

We need to fill our hearts and minds with the WORD OF GOD, and take up the Sword!

This is not some random selection of Scripture

Matthew 27:5 ESV

5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

Luke 10:37 ESV

37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Some practical ways of reading and meditating on Scripture

One Proverbs and Psalms every day

One OT and One NT Chapter every day

S.P.E.C.K.S.

S-Sins to Confess & Avoid

P-Promises to Claim

E-Examples to Follow

C-Commands to Obey

K-Knowledge about God

S- Specific Plan to Implement

The Association of Certified Biblical Counselors: “A good counselor must first be a good counselee.”

Of course, this makes sense, if we believe that the Word of God is Profitable for teaching reproof correction and training in righteousness. Then we need to allow it to have do those same works in our lives, before we are able to counsel other.

Are we in the Word enough to hear the Sword of the Spirit in our lives?

Do we merely hear or do we listen to the Spirit’s prompting throughout the moments of our day?

James 1:22–25 ESV

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

These verses tells us that we should be doers of the Word and not hearers only. These verses sum up what Paul’s command to take the “Sword of the Spirit” is really all about.

When the Holy Spirit brings to mind a passage of Scripture/a principle of Scripture, we need to do it, not just listen to it.

In order for us to know that it is the Holy Spirit prompting us, we need to be in the Word of God (The Scriptures) studying it and meditating on it each and every day.