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.
YOU CAN SEE IN THIS ACCOUNT OF THE FALL HOW SATAN IMPLANTS THE IDEA FIRST BY TALKING TO EVE, AND THENV GOES ON TO ADMIRE IT’S BEAUTY, AGAIN IN THE MIND, AND ONLY THEN DOES HE CHALLENGE EVE TO PHYSICALLY FALL INTO SIN.
WHEN GOD CONTROLS THE MIND, SATAN CANNOT LEAD THE BELIEVER ASTRAY.
2 PETER 3:18: BUT GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. TO HIM BE GLORY BOTH NOW AND FOREVER! AMEN.
THE HELMET WAS ORIGINALLY MADE OF SKIN, STRENGTHENED WITH BRONZE OR OTHER METAL. IT WAS FURNISHED WITH A VISOR TO PROTECT THE FACE.
PAUL TEACHES US IN EPHESIANS:
EPHESIANS 6:17: TAKE THE HELMET OF SALVATION AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD.
“TAKE” IN VERSE 17, IS A DIFFERENT GREEK WORD THAT IS USED IN VV.13, 16. HERE IT MEANS TO “RECEIVE” AS OF FROM GOD. WHAT PAUL IS TELLING US IS THAT WE ARE TO RECEIVE SALVATION AS FROM GOD.
THIS IS NOT SPEAKING OF THE ACT OF OUR SALVATION, BUT IT SPEAKS OF THE “HOPE OF OUR SALVATION”. RECEIVING THE HELMET OF SALVATION CAN BE UNDERSTOOD AS RESTING OUR HOPE IN THE FUTURE AND LIVING IN THIS WORLD ACCORDING TO THE VALUE SYSTEM OF THE NEXT.
THE HELMET OF SALVATION THEN STATES, THAT WE WERE SAVED AT THE TIME OF OUR CONVERSION, WE ARE BEING SAVED NOW, FROM THE ATTACKS OF SATAN, AND WE WILL BE SAVED UNTIL THE TIME WE ARE PRESENT WITH GOD IN GLORY.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:8: 8 BUT SINCE WE BELONG TO THE DAY, LET US BE SOBER, PUTTING ON FAITH AND LOVE AS A BREASTPLATE, AND THE HOPE OF SALVATION AS A HELMET.
NOTE THAT PAUL IS TEACHING THE THESSALONIANS THAT IT IS THE “HOPE” OF SALVATION, AND THAT IT IS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY, A TIME IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE ARE UNITED WITH THE HEAVENLY FATHER.
SALVATION IS AN ACTION, BUT IT IS ALSO A CONTINUING THEME THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE.
ONE WRITER STATES:
“IT PICTURES A RANGE OF WAYS IN WHICH GOD RESCUES, AND REDEEMS THOSE WHO TRUST IN HIM. A GOOD HOPE OF SALVATION, WELL FOUNDED AND WELL BUILT, WILL BOTH PURIFY THE SOUL AND KEEP IT FROM BEING DEFILED BY SATAN, AND IT WILL COMFORT THE SOUL AND KEEP IT FROM BEING TROUBLED AND TORMENTED BY SATAN.”
THE HELMET OF SALVATION COMES FROM ISAIAH 59:17 WHICH STATES:
ISAIAH 59:17: 17 HE PUT ON RIGHTEOUSNESS AS HIS BREASTPLATE, AND THE HELMET OF SALVATION ON HIS HEAD; HE PUT ON THE GARMENTS OF VENGEANCE AND WRAPPED HIMSELF IN ZEAL AS IN A CLOAK.
HERE PAUL IS TELLING US THAT GOD AS THE VICTORIOUS WARRIOR IS NOW GIVING HIS HELMET TO BELIEVERS TO WEAR FOR PROTECTION.
ONE WRITER STATES:
“HENCE, IN SCRIPTURE OUR SALVATION IS PRESENTED AS PAST, AS PRESENT, AND AS FUTURE. AS PAST IT IS ONCE FOR ALL RECEIVED BY INITIAL FAITH IN CHRIST, AND, IN VIEW OF THEIR FAITH, PAUL HAS NO SCRUPLES AS TO SAYING TO THE IMPERFECT CHRISTIANS “YE HAVE BEEN SAVED.”
THE SALVATION IS PRESENT, IF IN ANY TRUE SENSE IT IS PAST. THERE WILL BE A DAILY GROWING DELIVERANCE FROM EVIL AND A DAILY GROWING APPROPRIATION AND MANIFESTATION OF THE SALVATION WHICH WE HAVE RECEIVED. AND SO MORE THAN ONCE PAUL SPEAKS OF CHRISTIANS AS “BEING SAVED”.
THE PROCESS BEGIN IN THE PAST IS CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE PRESENT, AND THE MORE A CHRISTIAN MAN IS CONSCIOUS OF ITS REALITY EVEN AMIDST FLAWS, FAILURES, STAGNATION, AND LAPSES, THE MORE ASSURED WILL BE HIS HOPE OF THE PERFECT SALVATION IN THE FUTURE, WHEN ALL THAT IS THERE …. WILL BE COMPLETELY, UNINTERRUPTEDLY, AND ETERNALLY REALISED.
PAUL WRITES ABOUT THIS FUTURE HOPE IN ROMANS 8:
ROMANS 8:22-25:
22 WE KNOW THAT THE WHOLE CREATION HAS BEEN GROANING AS IN THE PAINS OF CHILDBIRTH RIGHT UP TO THE PRESENT TIME. 23 NOT ONLY SO, BUT WE OURSELVES, WHO HAVE THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, GROAN INWARDLY AS WE WAIT EAGERLY FOR OUR ADOPTION TO SONSHIP, THE REDEMPTION OF OUR BODIES. 24 FOR IN THIS HOPE WE WERE SAVED. BUT HOPE THAT IS SEEN IS NO HOPE AT ALL. WHO HOPES FOR WHAT THEY ALREADY HAVE? 25 BUT IF WE HOPE FOR WHAT WE DO NOT YET HAVE, WE WAIT FOR IT PATIENTLY.
THIS IS THE CERTAIN HOPE THAT WE AS CHRISTIANS HAVE, AND LOOK FORWARD TO, AS A RESULT OF DONNING THE HELMET OF SALVATION.
THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT:
THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT IS THE ONLY ELEMENT OF OUR SPIRITUAL ARMOR THAT CAN BE USED OFFENSIVELY AS WELL AS DEFENSIVELY. IT IS AN OFFENSIVE WEAPON, BUT IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE IT IS TO BE USED STRICTLY FOR DEFENSE.
THE GLADIUS IS A SHORT SWORD THAT IS WORN OVER THE SOLDIERS SHOULDER AND NECK OR AROUND HIS WAIST. IT IS USED FOR HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT AND INDICATES TO US THAT SPIRITUAL BATTLES ARE PERSONAL BATTLES.
THE SWORD IS SPEAKING OF THE WORD OF GOD, SCRIPTURE IS CLEAR ON THIS.
HEBREWS 4:12: 12 FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS ALIVE AND ACTIVE. SHARPER THAN ANY DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD, IT PENETRATES EVEN TO DIVIDING SOUL AND SPIRIT, JOINTS AND MARROW; IT JUDGES THE THOUGHTS AND ATTITUDES OF THE HEART.
IT IS MORE THAN JUST THE WRITTEN WORD, BUT IT IS THE WORD THAT IS SPOKEN. IT IS THE AUTHENTIC UTTERANCE OF HIS WILL IN ALL SHAPES AND APPLYING TO ALL FACTS OF HIS CREATION.
“GOD SAID” PUT FORTH THE ENERGY TO CREATE THE WORLD. JESUS SPOKE TO SATAN FROM THE WRITTEN WORD AT THE TIME OF HIS TEMPTATION.
1 PETER 1:24-25: FOR, “ALL PEOPLE ARE LIKE GRASS, AND ALL THEIR GLORY IS LIKE THE FLOWERS OF THE FIELD; THE GRASS WITHERS AND THE FLOWERS FALL, 25 BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.” T AND THIS IS THE WORD THAT WAS PREACHED TO YOU.
PAUL IS EXHORTING THE EPHESIAN CHRISTIAN TO USE THE SPOKEN WORDS WHICH THEY HAD HEARD FROM HIM AND OTHER PREACHERS OF THE GOSPEL AS THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT.
IT IS AS THE RECORD AND EEHICLE OF THAT SPOKEN GOSPEL, AS WELL AS ITS EARLIER PREMONITIONS, THAT THE BIBLE HAS COME TO BE CALLED THE WORD OF GOD, AND THAT NAME IS TRUE IN THAT HE SPEAKS IN HIS BOOK.
WE CANNOT FORGET THE SYMBOLISM OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION WHICH SAW IN THE MIDST OF THE CANDLESTICKS ONE LIKE UNTO A SON OF MAN AND OUT OF HIS MOUTH PROCEEDED A SHARP TWO-EDGED SWORD.
REVELATION 1:16: IN HIS RIGHT HAND HE HELD SEVEN STARS, AND COMING OUT OF HIS MOUTH WAS A SHARP, DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD. HIS FACE WAS LIKE THE SUN SHINING IN ALL ITS BRILLIANCE.
THERE ARE TWO WORDS THAT SPEAK OF THE WORD OF GOD. LOGOS IS A GREEK WORD THAT SPEAKS OF THE WORD OF GOD IN A GENERAL SENSE. THE BIBLE IS THE LOGOS, IT IS THE WORD OF GOD.
“RHEMA” IS ANOTHER WORD THAT IS USED LESS FREQUENTLY BY SPEAKS OF THE WORD. THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT “RHEMA” MEANS A SPECIFIC SAYING OF GOD. IT IS A PASSAGE OR A VERSE WHICH HAS A SPECIFIC APPLICATION TO AN IMMEDIATE SITUATION.
“RHEMA” IS THE WORD THAT PAUL USES HERE. IT IS THE SAYING OF GOD THAT IS APPLIED TO A SPECIFIC SITUATION.
THIS BRINGS UP A CONCERN THAT WE MUST BE CAREFUL OF.
IT IS NOT THE SWORD THAT PROVIDES US WITH THE POWER TO DEFEAT SATAN. THIS WEAPON IS NOT JUST CALLED “THE SWORD”, BUT “THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT.”
IT IS THE SPIRIT THAT ALLOWS US TO USE THE BIBLE WITH POWER AND AUTHORITY.
THE BIBLE IS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER BOOK IN THE WORLD IF THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD IS NOT ILLUMINATING IT FOR US. NON-CHRISTIANS AND CARNAL CHRISTIANS ARE NOT LOOKING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT TO TEACH THE SPIRITUAL LESSONS WE NEED.
ONE WRITER WRITES:
“ GOD’S OWN SPIRIT GIVES THE THRUST, CONVICTING BY THE WORD OF GOD. BY COMPARING IT WITH ISAIAH 11:4, WE SEE THAT GOD’S SPIRIT STANDS IN SOME RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS BREATH – THE TWO WORDS ARE THE SAME, BOTH IN GREEK AND HEBREW….IT MEANS THAT THE HOLY SPIRITIS BOTH THE SOURCE OF THE “INSPIRATION” (WHICH ITSELF MEANS TO “BREATHE IN”) OF THE WORD OF GOD, AND THE ONE WHO USES THE WORD TO SPEAK GOD’S MESSAGE TO THE HEARTS OF MEN.”
CONCLUSION:
THIS THEN IS THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD. IT IS PUTTING ON CHRIST, AND DEVELOPING A RELATIONSHIP THAT IS SO CLOSE TO HIM THAT THERE IS NO FORCE THAT CAN COME BETWEEN US. IT IS PUTTING ON EACH PIECE OF ARMOR PROPERLY AND DEPENDING ON THE ARMOR TO PROTECT US AGAINST THE WILES OF SATAN AND HIS EVIL ARMY. EACH PIECE WORKS TOGETHER AND PROVIDES US WITH NOT ONLY PROTECTION, BUT A GREAT AND ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS.
