3. Helmet of Salvation…
•Before we moved, Missouri
passed a ‘no-helmet law’ for
motorcycles
•Riders who are dumb enough to
go ‘helmet-less’ think they are
invincible
•I think, they’re just plain stupid
4. Take the Helmet…
•Helmets, too, have come a long way
in 2000 years of technology
•In Paul’s day, it was a leather cap
embedded with pieces of metal, designed
to withstand a crushing blow to the head
•Paul obviously referring to protection of mind
•Satan knows the value of footholds in thought
5. “14…HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH and
HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET
WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;
16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith
with which you will be able to extinguish all the
flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take THE
HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Ephesians 6:14-17, NASB
6. “14…HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH and
HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET
WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;
16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith
with which you will be able to extinguish all the
flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take THE
HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Ephesians 6:14-17, NASB
7. A. Helmet of Salvation…
•Why wear a ‘Hemet of
Salvation’ for spiritual
warfare, when I’m already
saved?
•Yes, John 10:29 says can’t
lose it, but…
•2 things to remember…
8. A. Helmet of Salvation…
•2 things to remember…
1. ‘Salvation’ in Greek: three tenses…
•Past- Jesus saved us from our sins–
Justification
•Present– H.S. saves us from sin on a daily
basis– Sanctification
•Future– saved from future Judgement--
Glorification
9. A. Helmet of Salvation…
1. ‘Salvation’ in Greek: three tenses
2. Proof of ‘True Conversion’ is in how we live out our
lives to the end
• Many people think they will go
to Heaven because they are
“basically good” people
• This is a godless life, no
different than Atheists
• Same for so-called Christians
who think the Bible is not
absolute and live how they feel
10. B. Protecting the Mind (Heart)…
•After passing through the flaming arrow
barrage, hand-to-hand combat
•Spiritually it’s the same– first the arrows
of worldly temptations, discouragement,
condemnation, deceptions, etc.
•Then the ungodly thoughts crush our
minds– with the Helmet we can fight
thru the H.S.– without, we give in first
11. 21 “You have heard that the ancients were
told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and
‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to
the court.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone
who is angry with his brother shall be guilty
before the court…”
Matthew 5:21-22(a), NASB
12. 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU
SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’; 28 but I say to
you that everyone who looks at a woman
with lust for her has already committed
adultery with her in his heart.”
Matthew 5:27-28(a), NASB
13. B. Protecting the Mind (Heart)…
•We DO HAVE a choice; to give in to
temptation, or fight it off with the H.S.
•I know I’m guilty here, you?
•Murder in my heart for politicians
•As far as God is concerned, hatred
towards someone, or lust after a
particular person; makes us guilty
14. C. Protecting the Mind (Spirit)…
•God wants to protect our
minds and thoughts from
more than bad acts, but
by no longer desiring and/or
thinking about ungodly things
•So how does “wearing” the
Helmet of Salvation help me
control my thoughts?
15. C. Protecting the Mind (Spirit)…
•When I wear the Helmet of
Salvation, I consciously do not
entertain thoughts that are
sinful or spiritually harmful
•No, I can’t stop them from
happening, but I CAN stop them
from moving in and making a
home in my mind
16. Still sounding a little vague?
•Let me help– the Apostle John broke
this down for us into 3 different
categories of temptation
•1 John 2:16 says, “For all that is in the
world--the lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes, and the pride of life --is
not of the Father but is of the world.”
17. 3 Categories of Temptation
1. Lust of the Eyes—mental temptation
•What we see, think about, fantasize over–
most sin begins here (sight to mind)
•We can’t control the world, but
we can control what we are
exposed to: TV, movies, books,
magazine articles, the music we
listen to… (HELMET!!)
18. “We are destroying speculations and every
lofty thing raised up against the knowledge
of God, and we are taking every thought
captive to the obedience of Christ…”
2 Corinthians 10:5, NASB
19. 3 Categories of Temptation
1. Lust of the Eyes—mental temptation
2. Lust of the Flesh– usually follows the eyes
•Thoughts now translated to actions– giving in
to the impulse of temptation
•Kind of like dogs do; hunger,
bathroom, destruction--they
give in to impulse
•Unfortunately, like some “believers”
20. 3 Categories of Temptation
1. Lust of the Eyes—mental temptation
2. Lust of the Flesh– usually follows the eyes
3. Pride of Life– much more subtle
•These people don’t indulge the flesh in “sin”
•Good families, no drinking, no gambling, hard
working, pursuing excellence, religious even
•Egotism and Pride are just as deceptive as 1&2!
21. 3 Categories of Temptation
•Eve fell to all three of these in her first
recorded sin in the garden…
22. “When the woman saw that the tree was
good for food, and that it was a delight to the
eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make
one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and
she gave also to her husband with her, and he
ate.”
Genesis 3:6, NASB
23. “When the woman saw that the tree was
good for food, and that it was a delight to the
eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make
one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and
she gave also to her husband with her, and he
ate.”
Genesis 3:6, NASB
24. “When the woman saw that the tree was
good for food, and that it was a delight to the
eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make
one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and
she gave also to her husband with her, and he
ate.”
Genesis 3:6, NASB
25. “When the woman saw that the tree was
good for food, and that it was a delight to the
eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make
one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and
she gave also to her husband with her, and he
ate.”
Genesis 3:6, NASB
26. 3 Categories of Temptation
•Eve fell to all three of these in her first
recorded sin in the garden…
•Lust of the Flesh
•Lust of the Eyes
•Pride of Life
•The Enemy will hit us in these areas over and
over again
27. D. We need a godly replacement
•It is not good enough, as Believers, to
have ungodly thoughts in our hearts
and in our minds, Matthew 12:43-45
28. 43 “Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man,
it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and
does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my
house from which I came’; and when it comes, it
finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.
45 Then it goes and takes along with it seven other
spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and
live there; and the last state of that man becomes
worse than the first. That is the way it will also be
with this evil generation.”
Matthew 12:43-45, NASB
29. D. We need a godly replacement
•It is not good enough, as Believers, to
have ungodly thoughts in our hearts
and in our minds, Matthew 12:43-45
•We must replace ungodly thought with God-
approved thoughts, Philippians 4:8
30. “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever
is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is
pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good
repute, if there is any excellence and if
anything worthy of praise, dwell on these
things.”
Philippians 4:8, NASB
31. D. We need a godly replacement
•It is not good enough, as Believers, to
have ungodly thoughts in our hearts
and in our minds, Matthew 12:43-45
•We must replace ungodly thought with God-
approved thoughts, Philippians 4:8
•Be careful what you allow into your thoughts
and mind– Wear your Helmet!!
32. Take Home!
1. We can’t control the length
of our lives, but we can
control its depth
2. Keep your Helmet of
Salvation on! Otherwise,
Satan has an easy means of
attack, by crushing your
mind in temptation!!
