Part 7
(Ephesians 6:10-18 NKJV) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. [11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. [12] For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. [13] Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. [14] Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, [15] and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; [16] above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. [17] And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; [18] praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
The Apostle Paul was guarded by a fully armored, highly impressive and intimidating soldier. This soldier would have been of the Roman special forces – highly trained and highly skilled at his job. This would have been the inspiration that the Holy Spirit would have used in Paul’s thinking to write these verses.
The Helmet of Salvation
The Roman soldier’s helmet was a fascinating and beautiful part of his armor. It was a flamboyant piece, very ornate and intricate. It was highly decorated with etchings and could even be formed into the shape of the head of an animal such as an elephant, horse, etc.
Very often there was a large plume of brightly colored feathers or horsehair that stood straight up out of the helmet.
These helmets were very heavy and designed to protect not only the head but also the cheeks and jaws. They often had padding on the inside to ease the massive weight on the head. These helmets undoubtedly made the Roman soldier very noticeable.
Why would the Holy Spirit compare a piece of weaponry like this to salvation?
Because your salvation is the most gorgeous, most intricate, most elaborate, and most ornate gift God ever gave you!
Remember, the more noticeable the soldier’s helmet was, the better.
- When a person is confident of his salvation and walking in the powerful reality of all that salvation means for him – that person is noticeable!
Why was this helmet so important? Their enemies carried a battleax that we designed to take off your head. If the soldier did not have on his helmet – he was sure to lose his head.
If you don’t walk in your salvation and all that your salvation entails, you may feel the brunt of the enemy’s battleax coming to attack your mind and steal your victory.
Your enemy wants to chop the multiple benefits and blessings of your salvation right out of your belief system. He’ll whack away at your spiritual foundation, trying to tell you that healing, deliverance, preservation of mind, and soundness are not really part of Jesus’ redemptive work on the Cross.
To face the adversary without your helmet of salvation is the equivalent of spiritual suicide!
- Never forget, the devil comes to attack your mind!
(2 Corinthians 2:11 NKJV) …lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
The word “devices” is the Greek word “noemata” and denotes the insidious plot of the enemy to fill the human mind with confusion.
Another way of saying this is that it bears the notion of “mind games”. “…We are not ignorant of the mind games that Satan tries to pull on us…”
- When you embrace the devil’s mind games and perceive them as truth, you give power to them!
We begin to put faith in those lies and give them power to create that reality in our lives.
What is a Stronghold?
(2 Corinthians 10:3-5 KJV) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: [4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) [5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
The word “stronghold” (Greek: ochuroma) Means a fortress or a prison which tells us that a stronghold is designed to keep outsiders from getting in and insiders from getting out.
When someone has a stronghold in their mind, he has walls around him that are so thick, others cannot seem to break through to help him.
These walls are built over time as lies from the enemy go unresisted in one’s mind. Suppose someone permits wrong thinking and wrong believing to go unchallenged hour after hour and day after day. The devil will begin to use those lies, insinuations, and unrealistic fears to build thick, impregnable walls around that person’s life.
Two types of Strongholds:
- Rational strongholds are the hardest to deal with because they usually make sense.
(2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Imaginations: Greek: logismos – where we get the word logic
The logical mind unchecked will begin to dictate your life from a stronghold of natural reason. The logical mind, although necessary and wonderful, will work against your spiritual life unless it is submitted to the control of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
- Irrational Strongholds primarily have to do with fears and worries that are completely unrealistic and often are not founded on fact.
Fear of dying early in life, abnormal fear of rejection, a fear of financial collapse.
The first step to eradicating strongholds in your life is to recognize YOUR responsibility in the matter!
Repentance for allowing the mental and emotion strongholds to develop in your life is absolutely essential – before all else.
2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
- If you don’t take your thoughts captive, your thoughts will take you captive!
We must take those “mind games” (devices) that the enemy uses captive and force them into a subordinate position. You must lay hold of your mind and tell it to submit and listen to what the Word of God has to say!
- When a strong knowledge of your salvation is wrapped around your mind, you will not fall prey to the devil’s deceptive tactics.
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
This means having a saved or delivered mind. This is a mind that has been set free and is thinking correctly!
When you “walk” in the helmet of your salvation, you think like God thinks, you reason like God reasons, you believe like God believes and you act like God acts!