Salvation

Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

This past month at the Bible college my daughter attends, a preacher stood and challenged the student body to spend one hour a day in prayer for a solid week.  He asked them to determine for themselves if it made a difference in their lives.  My daughter called me up early on Friday morning last week and began telling me how God had changed some things in her life because she had accepted the prayer challenge.  I listened to her and my mind went back to the time when I was her age in Bible college and a preacher came through and made a similar challenge.  Those are sweet memories because it is where I learned to put on my helmet of Salvation (deliverance).

I believe that once we:

1. Gird ourselves with Truth
2. Protect ourselves with the Breast Plate of Righteousness
3. Shod our feet with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace
4. Shield ourselves with Faith

the enemy gets very frustrated.  He has tried everything to take us down and we are protected at all sides, so he tries to confuse us until we stumble, lose our armor and are no longer a threat to him.

How does he confuse us?  By messing with our minds.  Satan wants us to believe that our situation is hopeless and that there is NO deliverance!  This is why we need the Helmet of Salvation.  We must not let wrong thinking undo everything we have learned. 

It is wonderful that my daughter is becoming an adult and maturing in her faith in God.  It is wonderful that she is wanting to talk to God for longer periods of time and share her heart.  But I know the devil is going to take a spin at her life until she feels dazed and confused about all the Truth that she has learned and known about God.  I know this because I have experienced it.  So have many of you. 

So, how do we practically put on the Helmet of Salvation?  We test all thoughts and ideas by the Truth of God's Holy Word.  This means making sure we are reading and studying an untainted translation of the Bible.  This means making sure we are listening to preaching that lines up with that Word and isn't sugar coated just to make us feel good.  It would be sad if all we cared about was feeling good in life because it lasts for just a brief second and is gone.

Ask yourself:

Am I filling my life with things that are contrary to God's Word?  If so, why? 
Am I testing my heart against what God says or am I basing my decisions on feelings?

If a gospel song is leading your life, you have got problems.  God's Word cannot be reduced into a chorus that you hum during the day.  You need to read It so that you know what It says so you can live It, not just sing about it. 

If quotes of past preachers and noted Christians are leading your life, you have got problems.  God's Word cannot be left to cute quotes and sayings.  It is the Living, Inspired and Preserved Word.  It should dominate our lives so that we know when wrong thoughts are presented and we can reject them. 

I imagine I will go to my grave trying to weigh wrong thoughts against Truth.  It is a difficult area for all of us, so why not encourage each other with Scripture before cliché?  I know when I have asked a friend for prayer and they quote a Scripture, it brings immediate answers to me.  Sometimes it is peaceful, other time it shows me I am in need of some confession time with the Lord and making something right that is wrong spiritually.  But either way, I am wearing my helmet of Salvation and testing all that comes into my mind.

I hope you will put on your helmet and protect your mind today.  The enemy would love to see us walking around in a daze and not accomplishing what we need to for the Lord.  Don't let him mislead you today.  Seek and follow Truth.  There is NO confusion in what is right.

Until next time, Lord willing,
Sheri