IS YOUR HELMET ON? Part 1

Ephesians 6:11, 17 "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God."


Before heading home we decided to do one more bike ride. Our family was enjoying some time in the breathtaking Sawtooth Mountains of Stanley, Idaho. On the way back to the cabin our boys were a bit in front of us and had headed down the last hill. We were on a dirt road that had lots of large rocks partially sticking out. We sped up to catch up to them and about this time, we heard the screams, not just any scream, but THE scream. Our youngest was running to us in hysteria, sobbing, blood was everywhere. We jumped off our bikes and ran to him. He kept saying over and over how much his head was hurting. Back at the cabin it was apparent he needed stitches in his chin. His head appeared fine, though he continued to cry of how much it hurt.

Our oldest proceeded to tell us the whole story. His handlebars got jumbled with a rock and he did a face plant. His head bounced off of a large rock that was half-way embedded in the road. I shudder to even consider what the outcome of this story would be if he had not had his helmet on. His head had indeed bounced off the rock and his helmet had a missing piece out of the side. Because he had his helmet on his head was protected.

We need to have our helmets on in order for us to be protected. The enemy would like nothing more than to deliver a crushing blow to our heads. He wants to defeat us this side of heaven. Protecting our heads is vital because many battles in our daily lives are won and lost in our mind. Our mind has everything to do with our thoughts. Our thoughts have everything to do with our hearts. Sometimes our thoughts are negative, sinful, evil, and deceitful. Friends, we don't have to be held in bondage to our thoughts. We have the power of the Holy Spirit to walk in victory and take captive our thoughts and make them obedient to Christ.

In Ephesians 6:10-18 Paul gives us the battle gear to defeat the onslaught of the enemy's tactics in our lives. Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil. We are instructed to put on the full armor of God. Verse 17 tells us to "take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

The sister passage to this is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:8 which says, "putting on the hope of salvation as a helmet." Our hope of salvation is the confident expectation of eternal salvation. Our expectation of heaven gives us the assurance salvation brings each day. This should motivate and encourage us to press on because we know we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

We know where our future lies with God in heaven. But, we live in the present. How does this helmet of salvation protect us now? Why is this protection so important to our Christian lives? What about between now and when we get to heaven?

Who of us has not been corrupted at sometime in our life with the assault of evil and sinful thoughts? As a mom I know I have worried and had anxious thoughts over my children and their health, their safety, their very lives and their relationship with God. I have allowed my mind to go too far with the "what if?" questions. I have caught myself playing out scenarios in my mind. I have also had doubts and insecurities creep into my mind.

As we grow and mature in our faith God makes it clear through His Word His desire for us to renew our mind to be like His. He wants us to walk in victory and in Truth. Romans 12:2 teaches us, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." We are to renovate and change our thinking from the way the world thinks to the way God thinks. "Metamorphoo" is the word used here for transformed; the same word we get for metamorphis. We renew our minds with His Word. Getting God's Truth in us is vital.

We are inundated with lies everyday. Our minds are assaulted and infiltrated with propaganda and lies. The world is trying to conform our mind. We must be intentional to renew our minds daily.

It is time for us to take inventory of our thoughts. Is there truth or deception? Constructive or destructive thoughts. By the power of the Holy Spirit we can clean out and sort the items in our thoughts that don't belong. We need to keep our helmet on. It provides protection from the enemy. We are to protect our heads in order to not lose them spiritually.

Do you have your helmet on?


Heart Work:
Defeating Satan's lies is possible by refuting them with God's Truth. What scripture can I memorize to defeat his attempts? Check a concordance or go to BibleGateway.com and type in a key word to show you related scripture.


Heart Examination:
What battles are currently raging in my mind? What ungodly thoughts need to be thrown out? How and where am I allowing too much of the world in my mind?


Heart Changing Word:
2 Corinthians 11:3 "But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ."

Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

Ephesians 6:13 "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."



Copyright 2010 by Hester Christensen. All rights reserved.