Helmet Of Salvation Series

Pastor Allan Kircher

Shell Point Baptist Church

1 June 2014

Ephesians 6:13-18

THE BONNET OF SALVATION

Shield of Faith speaks:

• Daily faith/God causes us to trust Him all seasons of life

• Times/good, “Righteous shall live by faith” Rom. 1:17

• Times/bad, “Righteous shall live by faith.”

• Even when “fiery darts” devil/raining down all around us

• “shield of faith” protects us/allows us stay/fight/glory/God

• allows us to “stand, and having done all to stand

• We become an impossible target for the devil to hit.

Piece/armor/attention today/Bonnet Of Salvation

• Bible says, “And take the helmet of salvation.”

• days when men wore armor into battle

• Referred to their “helmet” as a “bonnet”

• Let’s examine/piece/armor/consider/importance/our daily lives.

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V. V. 17a THE BONNET OF SALVATION

Helmet worn/ancient soldier was utmost importance

• Made of thick leather covered by plates of metal

• or solid metal/beaten into the shape/human head

• Ancient helmets/metal extensions covered the cheeks

• Designed to protect the face.

Purpose/helmet is obvious--designed to protect/head

• ancient times many armies employed cavalry

• soldiers mounted on horseback most carried a broadsword

• This sword different from/sword mentioned v 17

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Broadsword/two-handed sword

• Three/four feet in length/double-edged blade

• sword was swung by mounted soldiers in an effort

• split the skulls/enemy, or to decapitate them

• helmet helped to deflect the blow of the broadsword

• Thus, it protected the foot soldier from injury.

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Text says spiritual “helmet” we/wear/spiritual battles is the “helmet of salvation.”

• Indicates Satan’s blows are aimed at our minds

• intent on destroying our sense of security

• Our assurance in Jesus Christ.

If the devil can strike a blow against us that causes us to become discouraged and filled with doubt

• He will have little trouble sidelining us/taking us out/battle

• Like the ancient broadsword

• sword wielded by our enemy the devil is a two-edged sword

• One of those edges is discouragement-one is doubt.

Let’s look at The Bonnet Of Salvation, and learn how this piece of the armor can protect us from both discouragement and doubt.

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I. THIS HELMET PROTECTS AGAINST DISCOURAGEMENT

If we not protected, devil will use sword of discouragement to defeat us in our walk with the Lord.

• Cause us to look at our sins/failures/problems in our lives/health issues/any other negative situation we face in life.

• When he gets our attention off the Lord

• on the negative issues we face in life

• He knows we will begin to doubt the Heavenly Father’s love and care for us.

• This has the effect of causing us to be discouraged.

Even those who have been in the battle along time, and have enjoyed much spiritual success, can find themselves the victims of discouragement and disillusionment.

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Consider/prophet Elijah

• Not many/enjoyed great spiritual victories like Elijah.

• Praying fire down from Heaven

• slaying/450 prophets of Baal after 3 ½ years

• Outrunning/chariot of King Ahab/from Mt. Carmel--Samaria.

• What a day!

Next day/came word/Queen Jezebel

• Angry at Elijah

“Jezebel sent/messenger to Elijah/say 1 Kings 19:2…

• Elijah hears this and runs for his life.

• Travels/Beersheba/under broom tree/prays to die

• 1 Kings 19:4

• so discouraged he was ready to quit on God

• Resign from his office as prophet, and go out into eternity.

God showed up/wilderness/rebuked the prophet.

• God asked him:1 Kings 19:9….

• Elijah’s reply indicated/state/his heart. 1 Kings 19:10.

God assures Elijah in a “still, small voice” that there are still 7,000 in Israel that have remained faithful and that have not bowed to Baal, 1 Kings 19:18.

• Elijah learned/spiritual victory does not insulate us against discouragement.

• “Satan has many tools, but that discouragement is the handle that fits them all.”

• There is much truth in that

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You may have been saved for years, but if the devil can get you discouraged in your walk with the Lord, he can get you out of the battle.

• If he can get you focused on your problems

• on the failures in your life

• on the shortcomings of others

• or on any negative thing at all

• he can overwhelm your defenses

• Cause you to doubt the Lord’s goodness.

We don’t think about it like this, but it’s true:

When we allow problems, pain, people, to make us discouraged to the point where we quit on God, the devil has won that battle.

• He has caused us to doubt the goodness and grace of God.

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Book of Job reveals a precious saint/God who’s helmet/place.

• Satan unleashed the fury of Hell against Job

• Still Job refused to doubt the goodness of God.

• Job didn’t understand why his children had to die