The Helmet of Salvation
“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
Ephesians 6:17, NIV
Statistics show close to 80% of people in bike crashes who suffered a head injury were not wearing a helmet.
When I was training for the Ironman triathlon, I dreaded the bike portion. The Ironman is swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and then running a marathon — 26.2 miles — all in one day (in time constraints). The Ironman I was training for took place in Lake Placid, N.Y. — full of hills. BIG HILLS. I had gotten a special triathlon bike with clip in shoes, but I was fearful. Thank goodness for my helmet, because honestly, for the first couple of months, I kept falling and crashing.
We are continuing to look at the Armor of God found in Ephesians 6. The next piece of armor – the helmet. Protecting your head is paramount.
In warfare, the helmet and the sword are the last two pieces of armor a soldier would put on. The helmet — hot and uncomfortable — would only be put on when the soldier faced impending danger. In Roman times, the helmet had various shapes, but it generally was made of bronze fitted over an iron skull cap lined with leather or cloth.
With his head protected, the soldier feels safe in the midst of a fierce battle.
For believers, the battlefield often takes place in the mind. Satan will fire assaults of doubts and try to make you believe lies. When we put on the helmet of salvation, it gives us the confidence and safety during attacks from the enemy. We need to protect our mind.
But why not put on your helmet first? After all, if a soldier experienced head injuries, the rest of the armor wouldn’t matter. That’s because salvation is a protection that comes only from The Lord. We cannot put it on, only Jesus puts salvation on us.
When we put on the helmet of salvation, we put on Christ Himself. Christ protects not just our heads but our entire beings from spiritual death.
To wear the helmet of salvation means to live every day focused on eternity and the promised future we have. It changes the way we live.
Salvation is more than future benefits. It’s supposed to impact our present life. But we need to not only receive salvation, we need to apply it.
Salvation redeems us. Salvation restores, protects, and shields us from daily attacks from Satan.
SOLDIER: Put on Your Armor of God!
Strap on the belt of truth — knowing who God is, knowing His Word.
Fasten the Breastplate of righteousness and protect your heart.
Fit your feet with the shoes of peace – knowing we carry the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Put on your helmet of salvation. We must protect the head at all costs, putting on salvation. Putting on Jesus.
In Jesus, we have the victory. No matter what tactics the enemy may throw at us, God has everything under control.
Prayer: Father, today we put on the helmet of salvation. Thank you for sending Your Son, Jesus to die for our sins. Help us to renew our minds. Purge any thoughts of doubt, discouragement, fear, or anger. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds.” Renew our minds, Lord. Equip us, Lord for the battlefield today. Help us to keep our eyes focused on You – even in the midst of everything that’s going on. Keep our eyes focused on the things of eternity. We love you Lord and we put our faith and trust in You. Amen.
Mighty Warrior! Put on the helmet of salvation today. Go in confidence today, knowing that God is with you. I’m praying for you!
Christine Batchelder