“If we are walking worthy of our calling…then we can be absolutely certain that we will have opposition and conflict” (John MacArthur, Ephesians: Our Immeasurable Blessings in Christ).
This month we are talking about the armor of God and our need for it as we stand firm against Satan and his host of demons. The truth is that Satan does exist and he wants to do all that he can to make your Christian walk miserable. Not just miserable; he wants you to fail.
Praise the Lord we are not left to battle these evil forces on our own. We have the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the support of the Church, and we have the armor of God.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 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. 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. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 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… (Ephesians 6:11-18)
The Purpose of the Helmet of Salvation
In verse 17, Paul tells believers to “take the helmet of salvation.” A helmet is designed to protect the head from injury. We see them on cyclists, those in boxing rings, astronauts, construction workers and many athletes. Helmets are designed to protect the physical structure of our cranium and brain. The Helmet of Salvation, however, is designed for much more than that.
Salvation refers to our deliverance from the consequences of our sin — the fact that we deserve eternal separation from God. Salvation is not something that a person can earn. God’s salvation is freely given to us the moment we place our faith in the truth that Jesus took on our sin and paid our debt when He let sinners hang Him on a Roman cross. Just before Jesus took His last breath, He said, “It is finished.” This forever signified that the finally sacrifice had been made and work would no longer need to be done to please God the Father.
Satan, however, doesn’t want us to believe this truth.
He attacks with weapons of doubt, so God gives us the helmet of salvation.
The purpose of this helmet is to guard our thoughts from the enemy’s attack. Satan would love nothing more than to get us to doubt our salvation and God’s for us. He wants us to believe that maybe we haven’t actually been saved. He wants us pondering whether or not we have to earn God’s favor or take on some responsibility in our salvation.
If Satan can get into our heads he can do all sorts of damage.
Doubt in the Lord’s salvation may manifest itself in different ways. A believer may:
- live outside her calling and take on more responsibility than she was designed for in an effort to earn her salvation,
- ignore her doubt, never confess it to Jesus, and miss the opportunity for her faith to grow, or
- walk away from Christ all together.
How to Take The Helmet of Salvation
Paul says “take the helmet of salvation.” Take is a verb. It is something we must do. No, not something we must do to earn salvation. Rather, we must do it to remember our salvation. Perhaps to take the helmet simply means to take the time to remember that our salvation has already been accomplished. It doesn’t take much for us to start taking for granted all that Jesus went through in order to secure our salvation, so it’s important practice meditating on the Cross.
Here are a few simple ways to “take the helmet of salvation” and prepare us for the enemy’s attacks:
- When reading the Bible, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you how the passage is connected to God’s salvation for mankind.
- Take the time daily to thank Jesus for the Cross.
- Partake in communion with your local church.
- Spend time worshiping God for His sacrifice on your behalf.
These are effective ways to prepare yourself for the attack of the enemy. However, they will not stop the attacks.
When Doubt Hits
Satan will do all he can to make you doubt. And sometimes, you will doubt. When that happens do this:
Confess “I believe, but help my unbelief!”
In Mark 9 the father of a sick boy has a mixture of belief and doubt that Jesus could heal his son. The father doesn’t let the doubt take over. He doesn’t pretend he has only faith. Instead he confesses the truth — that he believed, but still possessed some doubt. Its the most amazing thing! He gave his mixture of faith and doubt to Jesus. It was the best thing for the man to do. It is the best thing for us to do.
When we are attacked by Satan’s weapons of doubt we can let the doubt take over, we can try to pretend it doesn’t exist, or we can confess it to Jesus.
To take the helmet of salvation means to put into place the simple practice of remembering what Jesus has done for us. And when we doubt does creep in, it also means trusting Him enough to cry out for help.
Lord, I know that You have provided my salvation. You have saved me from my sins. I trust that You are enough. But sometimes I don’t. Sometimes my daily practice of remembering the cross is forgotten. Sometimes I am lazy and take for granted all that you have done for me. I take off my helmet rather than take it up. Forgive me. Help me to prepare for the enemy’s attack. And when his weapons do find their target, help me to remember to cry out to You. You are my only help! You are my only strength and my defense. I need you. I believe, but help my unbelief! Amen.
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