The Helmet Of Salvation And The Sword Of The Spirit Series

THE HELMET OF SALVATION AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

EPHESIANS 6:17

I WANT TO BEGIN BY WISHING ALL OF THE FATHER’S PRESENT A VERY HAPPY FATHER’S DAY. I HOPE YOU HAE A GREAT DAY. I REALIZE THAT FOR SOME OF US OUR FATHER’S ARE NO LONGER WITH US, BUT WHAT I’VE FOUND IN MY LIFE IS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME SUCH A WEALTH OF MEMORIES, THAT WHILE I MISS MY FATHER, AT TIMES MORE THAN OTHERS, I HAVE MANY MORE TIMES OF LAUGHTER AND PLEASENTNESS THAT I CAN SHARE WITH OTHERS. I REMEMBER HIM WITH FONDNESS TODAY AND I HOPE YOU CAN REMEMBER YOURS IN THE SAME WAY.

TODAY WE ARE LOOKING AT THE LAST TWO PHYSICAL ELEMENTS THAT PAUL LISTS AS THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, THE HELMET OF SALVATION AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT.

WHEN PAUL WROTE EPHESIANS HE WAS IN PRISON AND CHAINED TO HIS ROMAN GUARD. THIS ROMAN OFFICER PROBABLY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE AS TO WHAT PAUL WAS THINKING OF, BUT WE CAN BE GRATEFUL FOR PAUL’S CLARITY AND IMAGINATION IN WRITING THIS DESCRIPTION.

THE THING THAT IS SO IMPORTANT IN TALKING ABOUT THE ARMOR OF GOD IS THAT THE PIECES WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT THE CHRISTIAN FROM THE ATTACKS OF SATAN. IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT WE MAY NOT BE AS STRONG IN SOME AREAS OF OUR FAITH AS WE ARE IN OTHERS. THIS IS WHY THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD IS SO IMPORTANT TO US. WHEN WE WEAR IT PROPERLY SATAN WILL HAVE TO GET THROUGH MULTIPLE LAYERS BEFORE HE CAN HURT US. THE SHIELD FOR EXAMPLE COMES BEFORE THE BREASTPLATE, AND HIS DART WILL HAVE TO EVADE BOTH IN ORDER TO PENETRATE INTO OUR LIVES.

LETS TAKE A MINUTE TO REVIEW THE PIECES OR ARMOR THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT:

FIRST IS THE BELT OF TRUTH:

THE TRUTH SPOKEN OF HERE IS THE WORD OF GOD USED IN SPECIFIC SITUATIONS AGAINST SATAN. WHEN WE STAND ON THE TRUTH OF THE WORD WE BECOME PEOPLE OF INTEGRITY. WE NEED NOT FEAR THE ATTACK OF SATAN AS THOSE WHO KNOW US AS PEOPLE OF INTEGRITY WILL KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SITUATION.

JESUS SAID:

JOHN 14:6: JESUS ANSWERED, “I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME.

JOHN 8:31-32:

31 TO THE JEWS WHO HAD BELIEVED HIM, JESUS SAID, “IF YOU HOLD TO MY TEACHING, YOU ARE REALLY MY DISCIPLES. 32 THEN YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE.”

UNDERSTAND THAT THIS ONLY OCCURS IF WE DO OUR PART AS WELL. WE MUST HOLD TO JESUS’ TEACHING.

THE NEXT PIECE IS THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

THE BREAST-PLATE COVERS THE VITAL ORGANS OF THE BODY BOTH FROM THE FRONT AND THE BACK.

THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY THERE IS NO SPIRITUAL ARMOR TO COVER THE BACK, AND THIS IS NOT THE CASE.

WE MAKE A MISTAKE THINKING THAT SATAN WILL ALWAYS ATTACK IN A FRONTAL MANNER WHICH WE CAN EXPECT AND PREPARE FOR. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN SATAN WILLA TTACK THE CHURCH AND THE INDIVIDUAL FROM DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS IN DIFFERENT WAYS. HE CAN ATTACK USING DIFFERENT PEOPLE, HE CAN EVEN ATTACK THROUGH THE CHURCH.

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS HIS GIFT TO US AT CONVERSION, AND THE BREAST-PLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS DEFENDS US WHEN SATAN ATTACKS OUR THOUGHTS AND MAKES US QUESTION OUR OWN SALVATION.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:21: GOD MADE HIM WHO HAD NO SIN TO BE SIN FOR US, SO THAT IN HIM WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.

NEXT WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING OUR FEET PREPARED WITH THE READINESS OF THE GOSPEL.

WHEN OUR FOOTING IS SECURE IN CHRIST WE NEED NOT WORRY ABOUT THE PUSH OF THE ENEMY. OUR SECURE FOOTING WILL PROTECT US FROM THE EVIL TRAPS THAT THE ENEMY MAY TRY TO CATCH US IN.

IF YOU CAN HURT A SOLDIER’S FETT YOU CAN EFFECTIVELY TAKE HIM OUT OF THE ACTION, WHICH IS WHAT SATAN WANTS. THEY OFTEN SET BOOBY TRAPS FOR FEET DURING THESE TIMES.

THE NEXT PIECE OF ARMOR WE LOOKED AT WAS THE SHIELD OF FAITH:

THIS WAS A LARGE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT DESIGNED TO FEND OFF THE FLAMING ARROWS AND DARTS OF THE ENEMY.

SATAN WILL OFTEN ATTACK IN VARIOUS WAYS USING GOSSIP, SHARP TONGUES, AND OTHER MEANS LIKE THIS. WITH CHRIST AS OUR SHIELD OF FAITH THESE FLAMING ARROWS AND DARTS WILL NEVER FIND THEIR MARK.

NOW WE MUST LOOK AT THE LAST TWO PHYSICAL PIECES OF OUR SPIRITUAL ARMOR THAT PAUL TEACHES ABOUT.

THE HELMET OF SALVATION:

I BELIEVE THAT THE MIND IS THE BATTLEGROUND FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE. THE MIND IS WHERE WE FACE TEMPTATION IN IT’S FIRST FORM. TEMPTATION IS ALWAYS A CONCEPT THAT IS BIRTHED INTO SIN.

GENESIS 3:2-6:

2 THE WOMAN SAID TO THE SERPENT, “WE MAY EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREES IN THE GARDEN, 3 BUT GOD DID SAY, ‘YOU MUST NOT EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREE THAT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN, AND YOU MUST NOT TOUCH IT, OR YOU WILL DIE.’ ” 4 “YOU WILL NOT CERTAINLY DIE,” THE SERPENT SAID TO THE WOMAN. 5 “FOR GOD KNOWS THAT WHEN YOU EAT FROM IT YOUR EYES WILL BE OPENED, AND YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL.” 6 WHEN THE WOMAN SAW THAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD AND PLEASING TO THE EYE, AND ALSO DESIRABLE FOR GAINING WISDOM, SHE TOOK SOME AND ATE IT. SHE ALSO GAVE SOME TO HER HUSBAND, WHO WAS WITH HER, AND HE ATE IT.