“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.“

Ephesians 6:17 

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November 17, 2025

Our brains are the center of our consciousness.  Our thoughts shape our personal identity, inform decisions regarding beliefs and actions, and influence the words we speak and those we choose not to.  Nothing defines us more explicitly than what occupies our minds.  When a believer intentionally takes up the helmet of salvation, all of these mental processes that comprise our personhood are now encompassed within an awareness of deliverance from the old self and deep gratitude for new life in Christ. 

We can take no credit for salvation.  It is an act of God through the Holy Spirit who softens our hearts to see how our sinful condition separates us from the holy God.  And then the Spirit opens the eyes of our understanding to see what Jesus has done for us in His life, death, and resurrection.  These two realizations culminate in belief in the gospel, which brings salvation to each of us who has placed our faith in Jesus.  

Salvation saves from something and for something.  We are saved from the futility and eventual frustration of living for things that ultimately do not matter, including personal comfort and security, not to mention hell itself.  We have been freed from the power of sin, such that we recognize its presence in our lives, and we can intentionally turn from it in repentance.  No one ceases from sin in this life; thus, we engage in repeated confession, knowing that forgiveness is ours in Christ.  We are encouraged by small victories over our sinful nature and humbled by how far we fall short of God’s glory. 

We are saved for service in the kingdom of God.  We have the Holy Spirit to lead us into places and roles where our spiritual gifting can be employed to accomplish the work of God.  Each one of us has great potential to be used by God.  The beauty of this is that we can lose ourselves in the process of serving our Lord.  We must not engage in any of this for recognition or personal advancement, because we are motivated by One who is all-knowing and weighs the intent of our hearts.   

Our lives have been given a purpose by the living God to love Him and to make Him known by word and deed, empowered by His Spirit.  Because God has so loved us, we can be channels of His unconditional love to a dark and broken world, seeking to bring heaven to earth.  We know these things to be true.  May God convert this knowledge into action that conforms to His will.       

Questions for reflection and discussion:    

  • Give some thought to your past and recount to yourself some things that the helmet of salvation has protected you from.   
  • Review your walk with the Lord after coming to salvation and remind yourself of some things that God has saved you for.    
  • What might be something that God has saved you for, which is yet to happen?  How will you pursue it? 

Church Reading Plan: 1 Chronicles 9-10; Hebrews 12