Understanding The Armor of God by Stella Ashworth | Page 16

Ephesians 2:4-8
“ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our
trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with Him
and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages He might show the
immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through
faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”
Paul makes it clear that "have been saved" equates to the forgiveness of sins and coming under God's grace. We have
been taken off death row.
Our ultimate salvation depends on whether or not we choose to endure to the end.
1 Thessalonians 5:8-11
“8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of
salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus
Christ. 10 He 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, just as in fact you are doing.”
We can receive tremendous hope and comfort by focusing on the incredible sacrifice Christ gave to save us and the
amazing Kingdom that is the goal of our salvation. This hope works like a helmet to protect our minds from the
discouragement and despair in this world.
John 17:15-16
“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of
the world, even as I am not of it.”
Christians have been called out of this world. Though we remain in it, we are not of it and remain separate from it. Our
way of living and even of thinking should differ from the world’s. We are to develop the mind of Christ and as we have
seen, that means having God's laws written on our hearts and minds so we can remember to always obey God.
1 Peter 5:8-9
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to
devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is
undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
Our enemy hates that we have chosen this path and will stop at nothing to destroy us because of it. Just as the helmet
protects the vital but vulnerable head from otherwise fatal blows, the hope of salvation can protect our thoughts from
our enemy's attacks and temptations to disobey God.
Without the helmet of salvation, we will be unprotected from the "cares of this world" that bombard our thoughts and
feelings. Imagine not knowing what the future ultimately holds. The worries and problems produced by living in this
world would overwhelm us!
Psalm 27:1
“The L ORD is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The L ORD is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be
afraid?”
With the helmet securely fastened. We understand that it doesn't matter what happens to us now. No matter what
trials we face, we know that at the end of it all waits God's Kingdom and an eternity of His perfect reign and what
could be better than that?
How do I keep the helmet secure?
Psalm 3:8
“From the L ORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.”
Remember that salvation comes from God, and that God is on our side. If we commit to fully follow and obey Him, it is
impossible for us to lose our battle or our salvation.
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