Armed and Ready: Helmet of Salvation

“and take the helmet of salvation…” (Ephesians 6:17, ESV)

It’s interesting that here in the middle of the passage we get to the helmet. The helmet protects our head which is symbolic for our intellect and thinking. This is where we develop strategy. It would seem like we should talk about the helmet first, but in spiritual warfare, other things needed to come first. This is important for a few reasons.

Sometimes attacks hit our emotions and threaten our faith before anything else. Sometimes we find ourselves feeling overmatched and stumbling into sinful situations we never saw coming.  Sometimes we’re just not ready. Sometimes we think life’s getting the best of us, but here in the middle of the armor we are reminded to put on the helmet of salvation. 

For some of us, we know exactly what this means. For others, we may need to learn a little more about salvation. Chapter 2 of Ephesians says more…. 

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4–10, ESV)

Putting on the helmet of salvation is a reminder that God has already won. God has already saved us. He has already shown immeasurable kindness to us through the riches of His love, grace and mercy. We are born into sin, and that renders us dead and separated from Him, but Jesus died to pay for our sins, and to give us victory over them forever. We are destined for heaven. We are already citizens there. Everything we face here and now is temporary. We have everything we need.

In times of battle, when the fiery darts are being hurled at as, we don’t trust in a literal armor, we trust in what the armor stands for. Our helmet protects our mind in order to let the knowledge of how great God is and how amazing his grace is compel us through everything life brings our way. Without our helmet of salvation we lose perspective, we think it’s all about us, and we are vulnerable. With it we stand firm, we have God fighting for us and with us, and we are safe a secure for now and for all eternity.  

Questions for Reflection

1. Read back over Ephesians 2:4-10. What did you need to hear from that today?

2. As you think about the helmet of salvation, why is that important?

3. How is the faith of salvation different from the faith we talked about yesterday?

4. How do you feel your readiness for standing firm growing from this reading today?

Please remember to let us know if we can answer any questions you might have, connect you with resources for help of any kind or pray for you. 

Armed and Ready: Present Darkness

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. (Ephesians 6:12, ESV)

Part of what we have to be prepared for is that we’re engaged in more than we can even see. Not only do we face challenges in the physical world, we also face challenges in the spiritual world. 

This is not easy for everyone to swallow, but it makes a lot of sense if you think about it. A lot of our fiercest battles are against what we can’t see. The bible talks about two unseen battles we face. 

1. Our own thoughts and beliefs. It’s not an actual obstacle opposing us, but more like a thought or a belief. We believe lies about our self or others. We let fear cripple us. We sabotage our best opportunities. Even some of our deepest temptations are birthed from our own desires. It is true that sometimes we’re our own worst enemy. 

2. The Bible teaches us that followers of Jesus have an enemy in the Spiritual realm. That enemy’s name is Satan, and we are told that he prowls around like a lion looking for people to devour. We are told that his mission is to steal, kill and destroy. If you align with Jesus at all, he deems you a target worthy of attack. He will work to distract you at least and destroy you (or the things most important to you) at worst. He fights dirty and is an expert at telling us lies that sound like truths. 

Next time you feel like you’re in a battle…consider that you’re up against more than you think you are. Think about these two possibilities. Where is the attack coming from? The next several days will focus on the tools God has given us to BE STRONG and STAND FIRM in the midst of the battles we will find ourselves fighting. On the other side of battles are blessings that can only come from making it through. 

Remember, God’s got this, and He’s got you no matter what. Keep fighting!

Questions for Reflection:

1. When have you overcome a battle with yourself?

2. What battles are you fighting against yourself right now?

3. What lies are you most prone to believe?

4. How have you experienced the enemy fighting dirty against you?

5. How can you focus on God during times of battle?

Please remember to let us know if we can answer any questions you might have, connect you with resources for help of any kind or pray for you.    

Armed and Ready: Be Strong!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. (Ephesians 6:10, ESV)

A life of faith is not an easy life. Choosing to follow Jesus and to live differently from what most of the world calls normal will lead you into battles. Some people misunderstand the Christian life and think it’s rainbows, potlucks, side-hugs and singing Kumbaya. But, if that were the case, this passage of Scripture would be completely unnecessary.

The truth is that it can be hard to be faithful. Any given day will bring challenges. Some small. Some large. Some simply annoying. Some potentially devastating. The key to persevering through it all is to be armed and ready for what we’re going to be facing. 

The next few days will tell us more about getting armed and ready for battle, but before we get to that, it’s good for us to be reminded at the start to BE STRONG. Being weak in battle will not go well. Being strong in battle is what we need to be. Here’s the best part. Our strength doesn’t come from how strong we are, but it comes from how strong God is. 

Look at the verse again. “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” Over and over again God demonstrates that He is able and mighty. There’s nothing that intimidates Him. There’s nothing He’s worried about. It should be comforting that the verse doesn’t say, “Be strong in yourself and in the strength of your might.” 

When the battles come, remember you’re strong enough…not just because of the strength you’ve developed, but because of the mightiness of God who loves you, knows what you need and fights for you. 

Questions for Reflection

1. How have you experienced difficulty in being faithful?

2. What helps you when times are hard?

3. How have you experienced being strong IN THE LORD?

4. How do you struggle to rely on His strength and not your own?

Please remember to let us know if we can answer any questions you might have, connect you with resources for help of any kind or pray for you.