For the month of May, we're at the penultimate item on the Apostle Paul's list for the full armour of God. I pray my poem and meditation on the Helmet of Salvation can be a great reminder for us to guard our thoughts. God bless you, love Lucy x
Ephesians 6:10-18The Whole Armour of God
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore put on the full armour 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.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
The Helmet of Salvation.
Brethren, we are in a battle. We do not have time to waste.
Clocks are ticking loudly now, and we must armour up, post-haste.
First, we must be strong in Jesus and the power of His might.
Foolish is the one who thinks their strength could ever win this fight.
Not against the flesh, we wrestle, though the flesh can bring us woe.
Brethren, we engage in warfare with a fiercer, darker foe.
One who seeks to bring destruction, for he knows his end will come.
How do we defeat the darkness? Seek the light of Christ, the Son!
Do not let the devil bully nor beguile your heart and mind.
Whether it be force or fraud, he seeks to ruin all mankind.
God forbid his lies take root in those who wear the Kingdom crown.
Brethren, stand upon the truth and tear those wicked strongholds down!
Armour up and screen yourself from wicked blows of every kind;
The helmet of salvation will protect the thoughts within your mind.
Shield against discouragement—a weapon to immobilise
The child of God with disbelief! So lend no ear to Satan’s lies.
Christian, capture every thought and test its source to surely see
If it be found in Jesus Christ; for at His name we bow the knee!
Choose the joy available and leave all dark despair behind,
For battles can be won or lost, depending on our state of mind!
Focus not on earthly struggles; live in hope and don’t retreat.
Rejoice, for our salvation is inscribed upon Christ’s hands and feet!
A promise for eternity! The victory is safely won!
We persevere in confidence, all thanks to Jesus Christ, God’s Son!
Philippians 4:8
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
Points for Reflection and Insight
So far, the Apostle Paul’s list in Ephesians 6 has consisted of the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace and the shield of faith. The penultimate item we now find on his inventory for the Christian warrior is the helmet of salvation. This is the second part of armour we’re instructed to “take” (the first being the shield) in addition to the previous three which we are to already “have”.
The principle Paul is highlighting here is that “having” comes first, and so as warriors of Christ, we are to be rooted in truth, in righteousness, and with a readiness to share the Gospel of peace. These are the foundations of success in spiritual warfare and the fixed armour we must “wear” at all times. We are then instructed by Paul to “take” the shield of faith, followed by the helmet of salvation. These are two of the three items we are to actively “pick up” so that they can be applied at the necessary moments of warfare.
Notably, the helmet is the final thing that the soldier would place upon their body, and it’s also the last piece of defensive armour that would protect the warrior from the attacks of the enemy.
A Roman soldier’s helmet, known as a ‘galea’ or ‘cassis’, was often made of steel or bronze. They were usually decorated with a colourful plume, perhaps made from horse hair, which would signify the soldier’s regiment and sometimes identify their status within the army.
Clearly the helmet is of vital importance because if the head is damaged, the rest of the armour is of little use. So too with the helmet of salvation, as it’s the knowledge of our redemption that connects us to the hope and joy we have in the saving work of the Cross. This is what equips and enables us in the midst of battle to remain hopeful and stay focused on eternal matters. As the motto goes, “If it doesn’t have eternal significance, it’s not important.”
So many verses in the Bible draw attention to the relevance and power of our thought life and the impact a poor state of mind can actually have. I remember once reading an observation that said, “Your thought life is like a train on a journey. If you entertain negative thoughts, don’t be surprised when you end up at a negative destination.” This is so true, as I mentioned in the poem, entire battles can be won or lost, depending on our outlook or mindset, so it cannot be overestimated how imperative it is to make sure we’re aware of the battlefield within the mind.
Romans 12:1-2 passionately declares:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Italics are mine)
The enemies’ arrows of despair, doubt, fear and discouragement are not lacking in our daily lives, and so having the helmet of salvation shields our minds from these attacks. As children of God, we have the assurance of eternal life and the surety that Christ’s work on the Cross has saved us, both in this life and the next. The Christian warrior can be confident because the knowledge of this promise frees us from the shackles of uncertainty and disbelief, instead reinforcing us in the solid hope and peace found only in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 affirms this truth with the words,
“But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.” (Italics are mine)
Scripture makes it very clear that our secure hope of salvation is the key to keeping the mind positive and upbeat in the midst of fiery trials. How powerful a warrior is when they remain calm, clear-headed and unflustered by the efforts of the enemy to rattle and unravel them. As 2 Timothy 1:7 declares,
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Our salvation is a form of defence that cannot be penetrated by the arrows of hardship. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 reaffirms this by stating that our hope in the Lord is a divine power that will demolish strongholds, destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God. These Scriptures create such an incredible picture! A Christian soldier, fully armoured and protected by our Saviour, is a powerful force indeed.
As I mentioned earlier, the Roman soldier’s helmet would not only protect but also identify the individual’s regiment and status. Paul’s comparison of our salvation to the helmet emphasises this truth for us too as Christians. We also find our identity and who we are in Christ, and so the helmet of salvation directly connects us to and identifies us with the hope we have through our Saviour, Jesus Christ. We are called to take up this helmet on a daily basis as a reminder and declaration to both us and all those around us of who we are in Christ.
Questions for personal reflection.
What kind of thoughts are dominant in my mind today? Are they positive or negative? Have I ever thought about the fact that the mind is a battleground? Do I regularly find myself wrestling with negative thoughts? If so, do I dwell on those negative things and allow them to influence my day?
There are a few key things we can do to ensure we’re taking up the helmet of salvation each day and guarding our thought life.
1.) We can renew our minds and choose to replace fear-driven or hopeless thoughts with the truth of salvation. When we dwell on what Christ achieved for us on the Cross, thoughts of fear and hopelessness will soon be replaced by joy, hope and peace.
2.) Reject doubts that arise from circumstances. As Christians, we can use the promise and hope of our salvation to combat feelings of doubt or unworthiness planted by the enemy. Changing circumstances don’t alter the unchanging truth of God’s Word or the finished work of the Cross.
3.) Keep an eternal perspective. When the storms of life have us feeling the pressure, we must keep our eyes up and remember that Jesus is sovereign throughout all seasons of life. We can use the hope of salvation to maintain joy and confidence during our trials. He is God of the valley as well as God of the mountaintop.
4.) Remind ourselves who we are in Christ. Our helmet is most effective when we value what it represents. The salvation we have through Christ is a treasure that cannot be purchased and cannot be given the same place of importance in our hearts alongside earthly things. When our desire for the things of the Lord takes precedence in our hearts, many lures of this world will become of little desire or interest to us as our identity, status, contentment, peace and fulfilment will be found in Christ and Christ alone.
5.) Remember that the victory is already won. Our seasons of hardship are only for a time, and our current sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us. There is coming a day when all sorrow will be ended and all tears will be wiped away. The helmet of salvation reminds us of this truth and spurs us on, encouraging us not to give up.
If God is for us, who can be against us? The helmet of salvation is a reminder that we have been saved by the blood of Jesus, and the promise of victory holds fast not only for this life but also for the next! This is a heavenly, eternal promise that no earthly or demonic force can penetrate! The work of the Cross is finished! The promise of eternal life is inscribed on the palms of the Son of God for eternity! The victory is already written, and it’s written in the blood of the Lamb.
So let’s armour up today, take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ as we filter it through the pure and refining fire of God’s Word. May we, as the army of the Risen King, entertain no wicked thought but instead have unity of mind as we disarm the weapons of our enemy with the impenetrable force that is the helmet of salvation!
