I post on my Facebook Author’s page every day, most often using photos or Bible verses, or “sayings” that have spoken to me. Sometimes I select the postings days in advance, scheduling them for a later time. After the post is published, I review it, as though I haven’t seen it before.
And always – it speaks anew to me.
God’s Word is like that. Always fresh and new. It’s alive, and it speaks. I try to listen because I know He’s speaking.
This illustration, which I recently posted on my FacebookAuthor’s page, displays and briefly comments upon the armor of God. (Perhaps you saw it. Click here to discover and follow my Facebook Author’s page.) Reviewing it, trying to let it “all sink in,” I turned in my Bible to Ephesians, chapter 6 to spend some time reflecting upon the armor. I started with the “Helmet of Salvation” at the top of the illustration. I’ve often studied the pieces of the armor and have written about them in the past, but today, I just couldn’t get past the “helmet” without pause and reflection.
In the Roman army, the helmet was the last piece of the armor to put on, but in our lives, it must be the first. That “Helmet of Salvation” is also called “The Hope of Salvation.” (1Thess. 5:8) In the Bible, hope is the confident expectation of what God has promised, and hope’s strength is in God’s faithfulness. “The Hope of Salvation” is the confident expectation of our salvation. When we truly accept Christ’ finished work on Calvary, God puts that salvation on us! As a result, we know that hope. We can fully depend upon His promises. It’s the “hope [that] does not disappoint.” (Romans 5:5) The assurance of salvation is our impenetrable defense against the enemy.
We must continue to “put on the helmet of salvation,” (Eph. 6:17) after we are saved – not to save us but to protect us. Putting it on shows that we are living by what we first believed when we trusted in Jesus and received His grace. Therefore, when we put on the Helmet of Salvation, we are putting on Jesus. In essence, we are putting on Hope.
The Helmet of Salvation is vital. Its protection . . .
Renews our minds
Our minds are the battlefields of our souls. I don’t know about you, but a battle is often going on in my mind, whether it is the initial engagement by the enemy, a skirmish, or an all-out war. 
Only one thing fights that battle: the Word of God. Romans 12:1-2 tells us to renew our minds. How? We need to let the Word of God wash away the filth and lies of the enemy and put on the new life of righteousness and holiness Jesus came to give. The truth of God’s Word wipes out anything contrary. Our minds are renewed.
The helmet’s protection also . . .
Removes doubts and fears
Placing doubts in your mind is a favorite pastime of the enemy, Satan, and his workers. I can just picture him laughing as he places another doubt in our mind. If we believe a doubt – something contrary to the Word of God – we are believing a lie. The best weapon against the attack of doubt is the Word of God. Speak it aloud – over and over if necessary – to combat this assault.
Fear is very real. It comes directly from the enemy, most often when we are mentally or physically depleted. That’s when the enemy especially wants to hit us. I’ve experienced it. Often. The enemy has stuck his knife of fear into my gut and twisted it – time after time – often to the point of nausea. Yes, fear is from the enemy, and as with doubt, we need to fight it with the Word of God.
Even the smallest doubts can turn into the biggest fears! When we doubt or become fearful, we need to speak the Word. The Word is the protector of our minds.
The helmet’s protection also . . .
Restores our vision
Jesus delegated us to go into all the world, make disciples, baptize, and teach. This is it. Period. And in order to follow that commission, we believers are instructed to “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:12). We can keep our eyes fixed when we put on the Helmet of Salvation.
The writer of Proverbs says, “pay attention . . . listen closely . . . keep these words . . . Let your yes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you . . not to the right or the left . . .” (22:17, 4:25, 4:27).
Our helmet protects our vision, allowing us to look straight ahead – toward Jesus. It keep us from gazing to the left or to the right. The helmet keeps us focused. It keeps us looking ahead. It restores our vision, thus restoring our hope. It protects us from the corruption and perversity of the world that distracts us from our commission. We are protected only by the Helmet of Salvation. But we must put it on.
In her article in Crosswalk.com, Hope Bolinger aptly illustrates the importance of the helmet. She writes,
“For any of us who have seen the movie Saving Private Ryan, there’s a scene where a soldier takes off his helmet to analyze a bullet that just hit it. The moment he does so, a soldier takes advantage and shoots his exposed head, killing him instantly. . . In the same way, the helmet of salvation protects us spiritually from a powerful blow . . . from the devil. Without the helmet, we leave ourselves exposed on the spiritual battlefield.”
The Helmet of Salvation is our Hope of Salvation. It offers the greatest protection to renew our minds, remove our doubts and fears, and restore our vision. Let’s keep it on!
I would be honored to speak to your group. Contact me here.
Wow this is so powerful! You are a gifted writer! Putting on my helmet!