The Helmet of Salvation

For the next few weeks, our ministry will be covering the topic of spiritual warfare from the epistle of Ephesians. This epistle is a GREAT call to work, meaning live worthy of our call. To do this requires us to continually be arrayed with spiritual armor. This message is about the “Helmet of Salvation”, using the King James Version for text.

Ephesians 6:17: And take the helmet of salvation

As I began to prepare for this message, I began thinking about our salvation. When Jesus died on the cross so many years ago, He died for us. He died to save us from sin and move us into righteousness. He redeemed us, saved us, rescued us and gave us back what was rightfully ours in the beginning - a right relationship with God. But our salvation does not automatically take place just because He died on that cross for us. It is not an instant magical “poof”, and we're changed.

Salvation takes place in the gradual cleansing of our minds and changing of our thoughts or our consciousness. It takes place as we change internally. As I thought about this, the term “internal combustion” came to my mind, and I wondered what internal combustion had to do with the cleansing of our minds.

“Internal combustion uses a fuel-air mixture to create a controlled explosion in an enclosed chamber. The explosion creates mechanical energy that can be used to power something."

In the spirit, this internal combustion or “controlled explosion” is fueled by the air, meaning the breath of God. This breath of God creates a God-energy that is used to power us for the kingdom of God.

As this cleansing takes place, we begin to take on the mind of Christ, and God burns out of us all that is not like Him. 1 Cor. 2:16 states that “we have the mind of Christ”.

But as we think about the salvation that was brought to us by Jesus's death, let us also think about where Jesus died. He died at Golgatha, the place of the skull. As I thought about this, I kept thinking how awesome God is. He had this planned out that Jesus would die at the place of the skull to show that man's carnal mind had to die and be cleansed, and our worldly thoughts had to die there. That is where the internal cleansing began for us - when we went to Golgatha with Christ.

Salvation is something that we want to and need to protect. It is our life – to be in right relationship with God – and we will do all in our power to stand with God and keep that devil under our feet.  So what do we do to protect our salvation – to protect and fortify our cleansed minds? We put on the helmet of salvation!

In our world today, there are all types and shapes of helmets – bicycle helmets, motorcycle helmets, construction hard hats, military helmets, astronaut helmets, etc. They are all used as a means of protection for our heads, whether we are in a physical battle or just for protection if an accident occurs. There have been all kinds of helmets in this world for centuries because man learned early on about the importance of protection for their heads. This protection could mean the difference between life and death.

Our heads contain life-giving anatomy and systems. The head and neck of the human body are critical to our quality of life and include the brain, bones, muscles, blood vessels, nerves, glands, nose, mouth, teeth, tongue, and throat. Also included with this anatomy are the circulatory system, lymphatic system, nervous system, respiratory system, oral cavity, and endocrine system. The head is the thinking part where choices and judgments are made, where attitudes are developed; the area that holds knowledge, understanding, wisdom.

The most important part of our heads is the cranium, or the skull, which is the part that encloses the brain. Cranium in the Greek means helmet. God gave us our physical helmet, which covers our brain. “Helmet” in the Greek (perikephalaia) means an encirclement of the head; the cranium is just that.

The helmet of salvation covers the divine mind, or the mind of Christ in us. We don't have to go out and buy one to wear everyday. God already provided for us.  But what does this mean in the spiritual sense? Our heads or minds are filled with our thoughts, our concepts, our beliefs. Our minds are the devil's battleground, and we need constant protection for our mind from the “fiery darts” of the devil.

We all know how quickly and cunningly the devil can come and “take a hold of” or “seize” our thoughts. Doubts may arise in our minds about what Christ has done for us or who we are in Christ. It is that Helmet that guards our minds from the snares of Satan to steal our joy from us.  The Helmet of Salvation to protect our thoughts and minds is a crucial piece of armor. We cannot survive without it.

When a warrior is suiting up for battle, he will put on his breastplate, protection for his loins, and foot coverings. But the helmet is the last piece of armour that a warrior puts on his body to wear. We must always have on our helmet of salvation to protect the divine mind of Christ, and we must never take it off!

Let me leave you with this thought:

If you break out the word “helmet”, it reads “hell” and “met”. Hell is met if we don't have on the protection of salvation!

~ Rachel West