Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17 NIV)
This week I will examine the helmet of salvation. The helmet of salvation protects the mind, so this article will be a continuation from last week about the importance of filling your mind with the Word of God. A spiritually healthy believer will always be giving attention to the Word of God.
Here is some background information on the Roman helmet from MercyDrops.org.
"Roman helmets were made of bronze with a leather strap. It was carried usually on the soldier's belt until he went into battle. It was always at his side or on his head. He never entered battle without first placing it on his head. In battle, the two areas of vulnerability are the heart and the head. These were the targets of the enemy. If a soldier is wounded in either of these places he will most likely die. For this reason the helmet was a very vital part of the Roman soldier's armor. The head is the core of a soldier's ability to think, plan and wage war. His thinking ability was the most important factor in determining his victory or his defeat."
The focus of the mind must always be God and his Word. Paul said, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8 NIV)
In the lesson MercyDrops.org, they list four conditions of the mind, which the helmet of salvation prevents. Here they are:
Today I will focus on preventing the "divided mind." James said, If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (James 1:5-8 NIV)
- Prevents a Divided Mind
- Prevents a Deceived Mind
- Prevents a Doubtful Mind
- Prevents a Discouraged Mind
I don't see a real distinction between a "divided mind" and a "doubtful mind." Notice in the passage above Jesus refers to the man who doubts as a "double-minded" man. A man who is double-minded is unstable in his faith. His mind is not steadfast in believing that God will honor his Word on his behalf.
God revealed himself to man as a triune being. God is one God, yet he is revealed in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This is the mystery of the trinity.
In the same way Paul describes man as a triune being in I Thessalonians 5:23. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV)
When a person is born again, his spirit is made alive to God. All things become new relating to the spirit of man. (See II Corinthians 5:17) However the realm of the soul (mind, will, emotions) remains unchanged. Faith proceeds from the spirit of man, and that faith grows as that person feeds on the Word of God. The mindset of a man changes as he submits to the process that Paul described in Romans 12:2. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (NIV)
As a man meditates and thinks on the Word of God, his mind is renewed and his thinking is transformed. The new birth is an instantaneous happening. The transformation of the mind is a life long adventure.
In Romans 8, Paul refers to the spiritual mind, and to the carnal mind, or the mind controlled by the flesh. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:5-8 NASV)
Faith grows in the spirit of man. What Paul refers to as the flesh, or the sinful nature, is at work in all people. Paul instructed believers in Romans 12:1 to submit their bodies to God as a living sacrifice. The desire of the flesh works through the human body and through the mind and the emotions of man. The spirit of the born again believer wants to please God. The body wants to please itself. When the body is unrestrained, then a person will be ruled by the lustful desires of the flesh.
The mind is the place where the battle is won or lost. The born again spirit wants to please God. The body, or the flesh, wants to live selfishly. When the mind is not renewed with the Word of God, then the mind will tend to work with the body and will lead the believer to sin. But, when the mind is renewed and comes into agreement with the spirit of man, then the believer will obey the Word of God and please God.
The man with a divided mind vacillates back and forth. He knows enough about the Word of God to know the truth, but his mind is not firmly established in that truth. Therefore, he believes, but then he doubts. That is not a posture of faith. The mind of the man of faith will be established in the truth of the Word of God.
Doubt will certainly attack the established mind, but the wise man will resist that doubt with the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation. As Brother Kenneth E. Hagin said, "You can't keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair." The man with a mind established in the Word of God will not allow doubt to build a nest in his mind.
When a believer has the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation firmly in place, then he is like the righteous man described in Psalm 112. Surely he will never be shaken. (Psalm 112:4a NIV) His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear. (Psalm 112:7b-8a NIV)
Keep feeding on the Word of God. Keep obeying the Word of God. Keep the armor in place and receive the fullness of the blessing of God.
Wayne L. Williams
wayne@fotwm.org
Wisdom From the Word
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