Ephesians 6:17b KJV 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
A Roman soldier wore a helmet of metal or one made out of leather with metal pieces. The enemy would use a sword 3 to 4 feet long and with both hands would raise the sword up over their head to bring it down upon the head of the
soldier. This was done with the intent of striking a fatal blow. To do this the soldiers had to be face to face. When we take up our shield of faith and the helmet of salvation we are on the front lines of the battle and in face to face combat. Satan attacks us from every angle in order to strike us with a disabling blow. Satan attacks the certainty of salvation and God being faithful. He accuses us before God night and day (Revelation 12:10). We must be sure of and understand our salvation.
The Helmet of Salvation
But we belong to the day, so we should control ourselves. We should wear faith and love to protect us. And the hope of salvation should be our helmet (1 Thessalonians 5:8 ).
I am a believer because I have received salvation through the gift of God’s grace and faith in Jesus the Christ.
This means I live to please God.
The words make it seem easy but it is not.
At the moment we trust in the name above all other names, Jesus, we are taken out of the kingdom of darkness and put in the kingdom of light, God’s kingdom. We at that moment enter into war with the heavenly realms. So, the helmet of salvation is not addressing receiving salvation.
So What Is The Purpose Of The Helmet?
Philippians 2:12 KJV Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
The helmet of salvation is for the present because I am now working out what was put in me. Basically this means God, Holy Spirit, is working in me to will me to live to please Him. Satan attacks our thinking towards God’s character and His will. Satan does not want any believer to become stronger in their faith or mature in the Lord.
Romans 5:5 KJV Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Working Out Our Salvation
Work of past salvation – we are justified, no longer guilty before God. We are at peace with God through faith in Jesus the Christ.
Present salvation – Through our faith in Jesus the Christ we are standing in God’s grace. Our present salvation gives us joy because of our hope of God’s glory. That is in the future we will share in God’s glory. Which also causes us to have joy during times of trouble, why? Troubles and suffering in our life before salvation brought no real change.
We would fill the hole only to immediately start digging another one, that caused us to end up in the same place.
But now trials have purpose and meaning, that is the work of trials and suffering produce patience. That is during a time of hardship we wait on the Lord we are at the same time exercising our faith which proves our faith is strong, which gives us a hope that never disappoints.
How do we know this hope will never disappoint us?
Because God filled our hearts with His love through the Holy Spirit. We were given the Holy Spirit at salvation and the Holy Spirit lives in us forever.
Before salvation we were children of darkness but now in salvation we are children of light. We not only have salvation in the present but we have an eternal salvation.
Hebrews 5:9 tells us through the Son of God we have an eternal salvation.
1 John 3:2 KJV Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Revelation 21:3 KJV And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Our Eternity Can Be With Jesus In Heaven
There is coming the day when our war will be over and we will be raised in glory and power in heaven. There will be no sin. We will worship God always filled with joy surrounded by the love of God. So, when we go through trials, sorrow, and suffering here we use our helmet of salvation to remind us our life here is but a breathe compared to our future eternal glory.
2 Corinthians 4:17 KJV For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
1 Corinthians 2:9 tells us we have not seen or heard or thought of what God has prepared for us who love Him. Don’t allow the lies of Satan to take your eyes off of Jesus and all His glory that we will witness one day.
