Christians are Always in the War Zone–As Christians, as long as we’re in this world—we’re always under impending danger of an ambush by the enemy, and especially when we think everything is going great and we’re unsuspecting. The enemy picks times to attack when we’re hungry tired, and weak physically. So we’re continually reminded: 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. We are responsible for grabbing the helmet. That doesn’t mean that we are responsible for our salvation—everyone who has God’s armor of light is already saved, and a follower of Jesus. It means that we believers are responsible for grabbing the helmet, and remembering to put it on, and keep it on. Why? Because in the world, we’re in a war zone; in hostile territory. Jesus said in John 13:33b In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” And John later reminds us in 1st John 4:4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. Why is that? Because God knows that being a Christian in this world is going to come with a lot of discomfort, persecution, trouble, tribulation, persecution, and even martyrdom. Wearing the helmet is uncomfortable sometimes. It’s expected. 2 Tim 3:12 says Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 1 Peter 4:12-14 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
The helmet which is salvation–More than any other piece of armor, we most easily identify the helmet of salvation directly with Jesus. If He is the central reality of our lives, our thoughts, our words, then His covering our minds with His salvation makes perfect sense. Acts 4:12 As And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. God’s plan of salvation is through Jesus John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. We have no hope apart from Him. It is our faith, putting trust in Him for the care of our souls in faith that God accepted His payment, proving it by raising Him from the dead, that saves us. Rom 10:9 Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
The Hope of Salvation–And that means that we must keep our helmets on 1 Thess 5:6-9 6 so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, let’s be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, Most people are hoping to be saved. Nobody wants to go to hell, and not many people actually think that they will, even though the Bible assures us in Matthew 7:13-14 13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it. So, this vague hope that most people have is nothing that we can put faith in. Their hope of salvation provides them no protection, no basis for security or hope. That’s not the hope that Paul is talking about when he says “the hope of salvation”. In the Bible, hope is never a vague optimism that everything is going to work out in the end. Rather, hope is a settled conviction about where one will spend eternity with a foundation in Person and Work of Jesus. Biblical hope is sufficiently sure that we can and must give a reason for it 1 Pet. 3:15 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect; 16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who disparage your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. Unless you can give a good reason for your hope that you are going to heaven—a reason that starts and ends with Jesus, you are not likely going there. But the Bible tells us we can know for sure that we are going to heaven. The apostle John says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). John wants us to know for sure that we are going to heaven. How could we know such a thing for sure? Certainly we can’t if it depends on our own goodness. But John explains how we can know this when he says, “This is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11–12). John explains it in simple terms. If we have Jesus, we have life. If we don’t have Jesus, we don’t have life.
Blessed Assurance–The assurance of salvation is our impenetrable defense against anything the enemy throws at us. Jesus said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). As we prepare for Satan’s attacks, make sure that the helmet is buckled on tightly. Salvation is not limited to a one-time act of the past or even a future hope. God’s salvation is an ongoing, eternal state that His children enjoy in the present. It is daily protection and deliverance from our sin nature and Satan’s schemes. Through this helmet of salvation, we can “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).There are several actions a believer can take to keep this helmet fastened and functioning:
Renew our minds–Our minds are battlefields. The outcomes of those battles determine the course of our lives. Romans 12:1–2 Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. These verses instructs us to renew our minds by allowing the truth of God’s Word to wipe out anything contrary to it away from us. Our old ideas, opinions, and worldviews must be replaced with the Truth of God’s Word. In Romans 13:12-14 Paul again links our lifestyle in following Christ, with putting on the armor, saying in Romans 13:12-14 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let’s rid ourselves of the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let’s behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and debauchery, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
Reject Doubts During Difficult Circumstances
When life gets hard, you find out what your headgear is made of. Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” God rewards our faith. With the helmet of salvation firmly in place, we can choose to believe what appears impossible. Heb 11:1 and 6 Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen…6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him. If we keep our eyes upon Jesus, then despite our circumstances, we will continue following in faith. 1 Peter 1:8–9 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Keep an eternal perspective–When life crashes in around us, we must remember to look up. Our salvation is the most precious gift we have received. Keeping our eyes on that can help us weather life’s storms. We can choose to live our lives by the motto: “If it doesn’t have eternal significance, it’s not important” The day to day distractions can be used by the enemy to make us less effective for the Kingdom of God. Paul says in 2 Tim 2:3-4 3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him. Our real life is hidden with Christ. When we consider ourselves “dead to sin but alive to God” Romans 6:11-14 11 So you too, consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore sin is not to reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the parts of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead, and your body’s parts as instruments of righteousness for God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under the Law but under grace. By following these instructions, we eliminate many of the opportunities Satan uses to entrap us.