It Starts Small

Stop for a moment and imagine going into a battle where the enemy is so numerous you can not even count them. Add to their number the fact they are invisible. Their deadly weapons of choice are hurling fiery arrows that could be as innocent as a thought.

This is not a science fiction movie. The plot to a novel. This is our reality of today. Right now. This very moment is what we deal with and it will continue until Jesus returns or our Heavenly Father calls us home. Satan has influenced and infected this world. Darkness is all around us. HE seeks to take our minds. The battlefield is the mind and he seeks to lead us astray from God’s Word and God’s Truth.

The Good news is we have been transferred out of his kingdom!

He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.

Colossians 1:13

The word “domain” is an interesting Greek study from the word exousia. In this verse it means his “right and might.” This means that Satan has no right or might over us. Our battle with him is not a power struggle, but a truth struggle. This battle is not on a mountain top or open field. It is right in our minds.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—

Ephesians 5:8

The confrontation we are having with darkness has been made light. We have been made light and we are told to walk as children of light.

Our scripture today, Paul is telling to, “Take the helmet of salvation.” He puts two things together in this verse. Just like the belt and breastplate need each other, we are going to learn that the helmet and sword are needed together.

In Isaiah 52 and 59, Isaiah talks about our Lord Jesus Christ being our mighty warrior. During Jesus’ time, the people thought He was literally going to amass an army and over throw the Roman empire and they would rule the earth again. However, Jesus did not come to start a war. It was already raging.

Think for a moment about the Roman soldier. They wore very heavy helmets. They were protected from swords, axes, and spears. The helmet was bronze and were lined with felt to the soldier could bear he weight. The helmets had face plates that protected their face.

The first step to putting the helmet on is obedience. Our righteousness cannot come any other way. It is produced by faith. I also know I have a firm grasp on the gospel. That is the only way the good news of the gospel works itself out. I’ve got to be obedient. That is the shield. But secondly, I’ve got my helmet on.

I think we assume that because Paul uses the word “salvation” he is speaking about our saving salvation from Jesus, but I think Paul is speaking about something a little deeper. Follow me a moment.

Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:7

Paul explains in this scripture that we are going to be raptured. No, the Greeks did not have the word rapture. The Greek verb is actually harpazo and means snatched out. But continue on with Paul,

About the times and the seasons: Brothers and sisters, you do not need anything to be written to you. ² For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. ³ When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴ But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the dark, for this day to surprise you like a thief. ⁵ For you are all children of light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. ⁶ So then, let us not sleep, like the rest, but let us stay awake and be self-controlled. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled and put on the armor of faith and love, and a helmet of the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. ¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Do you see a bit of coloring Paul adds to the word “salvation”? It is not just salvation but EVERYTHING that has to do with salvation. It includes all the promises of salvation and the ultimate purpose which is our hope!

Paul writes in verse 9, “God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

It is not just salvation, but also the day of redemption when Christ comes to snatch His church out of the earth. Our hope of salvation is the final hope of being taken up with Christ. It is the final culmination of everything God has promised. The word salvation covers everything about God from start to finish.

Paul is saying, when you have that kind of hope, you are daily looking forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. This attitude becomes your helmet and prepares you for battle. This helmet protects the essential part of you because you are not basing your life on promises of the world, rather promises of God! Realizing this truth will do something radical to your life!

We all love to read Revelations. We study it and debate it…but have we missed the point? Jesus is coming one day. Do we really believe it in our heart of hearts?

If we really believe this, then each day we go out into the warzone of this world committed to obeying Christ who is our shield. We have the motivation that says:

No one who waits for you
will be disgraced;
those who act treacherously without cause
will be disgraced.

Psalm 24:3

Putting the shield of faith and helmet of salvation on is deadly combination of defense to our enemy.

 See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him. ² Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is. ³ And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure.

1 John 3:1-3

John says the same thing. Notice what John is saying is almost like what Paul has done in the book of Ephesians. He tells us who we are, He tells us whose we are, then he tells us the war zone that we are in and how to have victory in it.

Have you ever thought about that phrase? Does it ever bring tears to your eyes? Do you ever just ride down the road and say, “I am a child of the King!” 

1John 3:3 says, “And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

Do you think it is strange that the people of the world don’t understand us? Why? Because they are living in a world infected with darkness, programmed by it. We have been made light. What a difference!

When I am submitted to truth, committed to righteousness produced by Him, when I have a grasp on salvation, then I can take up that shield, which is my willingness to obey truth regardless. Then I can have the inner motivation of having on the helmet, the hope of my salvation. It is like a warrior going out to battle with a helmet on because everything about me is protected. I am not going to be led astray by the promises of the world. I am going to stand firm on the promises of God.