Battle instruction No 2: the Helmet of Salvation

Helmet of Salvation

You will soon discover—if you don’t already—as you study the scriptures that salvation is in three folds. There is the salvation of the Spirit, the salvation of the soul and salvation of the body. The first one we get as soon as we give our lives to Jesus. Once you believe in the sonship, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and appropriate them for yourself, the Holy Spirit comes into your spirit and saves it from the power of sin and death. Thereafter, you are supposed to conduct yourself as is becoming of Christian. To be able to do this, you will need to know the will of God and getting configured to be able to do them. You know the will of God and get the right configuration to be able to carry them by getting transformed in your mind (Rom 12:2). This transformation is achieved by learning of Jesus and knowing Him (Col 3:10). Now this whole process of Knowing Jesus and  becoming transformed thereby which helps us to know and do God’s will is called the salvation of our souls because it is the process of redeeming our souls gradually from the decadence that it acquired in its long walk in the old nature. This is a process which is our responsibility. We are to do this with reverend fear and trembling (Phil 2:12).

There is however a third stage of salvation called the  hope of salvation. This is the salvation of our bodies. It is the moment in which our bodies shall be transformed within a twinkling of the eye at the time of Rapture. (1Cor 15:51-57). We have not yet attained it. Attaining it is not a process. However, if we are faithful in making our election sure; if we are faithful in working out the salvation of our souls, Jesus will come and suddenly grant us the salvation of our bodies. This we earnestly wait for as a blessed hope. Now this is what we are to wear as an helmet. The Holy Spirit through the same Apostle Paul clarifies it in 1Thes 5:8 that this hope of salvation out of the three stages of salvation is what our text referred to. The question is why is this our helmet needed?

NEED FOR THE HELMET

There are many times in which the devil will send his darts against our heads—the centre of intellectualism and reasoning. He will ask you why you are not enjoying the things of this world like others. You’d see yourself as though you are denied of the good of the earth. You must be prepared for this dearly beloved. In fact you will see yourself being denied of justice and God says you should simply commit yourself to God. You shall be slapped on the one cheek and Jesus says you are to turn the other—no more revenge. Someone who is not as powerful as you will sometimes make you remember those days when you were in the world. In fact here’s what Jesus says;

"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. "You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer,

(Mat 5:38-44 MSG)

In fact to an ordinary man, the expectation of Jesus from us seems unreasonable. You might even be called a fool by the worldly wise man if you are to fulfill these conditions. Some pastors even seem to indicate that Jesus did not mean exactly what He says in the passage we just read. But that scripture is as true as John 3:16. If you must meet these conditions, you definitely need an amour so the devil doesn’t shoot at your head and make your head rule over you. That armor is called the HELMET OF SALVATION. It actually is the hope of salvation. The efficacy of this armor is seen in the lives of the heroes of faith who have gone ahead of us and are now the thick cloud of witness who are watching us as we run our race.

In this great hall of fame we see Abraham, who left his comfort zone and went through the rigors of a sojourner all his life because “he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”  (Heb 11:10)

 We also see Moses who “chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.”

(Heb 11:25-26 KJV)

 What about Paul? He says;

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;  (2Co 4:8-17 KJV)

Lastly, even our Lord Jesus Christ had a need for this great helmet. The bible says;“They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right.” (1Pe 2:23 MSG). the writer of Hebrews—and I firmly believe its Paul—says;

Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed--that exhilarating finish in and with God--he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! (Heb 12:2-3 MSG)

 

All these preferred to put on the helmet of faith than the hat of worldly wisdom. They allowed themselves to suffer. They could go through all of that because they had a hope. They knew that the world was not worthy of them. “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” (Heb. 11:16 KJV)

The hope of salvation is the only means by which we can put up with all that the world throw at us. No wonder we are told to comfort ourselves with the second coming of Jesus (1Thes 4:16-17). Brethren it is our Joy that our salvation is closer than when we first believe. Jesus is coming back again and that is our joy. It is the reason why we can face tomorrow. He says “because I live, ye shall live also.” It is the reason why we can put up with all wrongs done to us for we know that this world is not our home. Though we are in the world we are not of the world. We know that it is the time of the devil and his agents and so men can do whatever they want against us. But our own time is coming when we shall reign as kings forever. What a blessed hope! It gives us grace to put up with so much and still smile. No wonder Jerome could sing Psalms while he was set ablaze for his faith. Record has it that even after his voice could no longer be heard because his vocal cords had gone up in flames, his lips were still moving in prayers. Friend, put on this great armor and you will not yield to the taunts of the world. Join me as we sing and pray:

Thou my everlasting Portion,more than friend or life to me,
All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with Thee.

 

Refrain
Close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee,
All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with Thee.

 

Not for ease or worldly pleasure, nor for fame my prayer shall be;
Gladly will I toil and suffer, only let me walk with Thee.

 

Refrain

Lead me through the vale of shadows, bear me over life’s fitful sea;
Then the gate of life eternal may I enter, Lord, with Thee.

Refrain

 

Beloved, Thanks for reading. Please make sure you check back every Wednesday when new posts come out.

xox,
Pst Sam