Old Testament: 1 Kings 11-12
Poetry: Proverbs 14
New Testament: Ephesians 6:17a
Ephesians 6:17a – “Take the helmet of salvation…”
Here’s a disquieting fact to start our devotion today: According to the International Brain Injury Association, 5.3 million Americans are living with some kind of disability due to a traumatic brain injury. 5.3 million is the population of South Carolina! Of course there are varying degrees of injury, but most are due to car accidents and sports-related incidents.
And while 5.3 million is a staggering number, I’m willing to bet that there are so many more people living with spiritual battle scars in their minds.
Our minds are such a vulnerable space and it’s one of the enemy’s favorite areas to attack. At least, that’s been my experience. Anyone else struggle with random thoughts popping up that obviously aren’t from God?
But why attack the mind? Why not make the heart the primary target? Because our thoughts turn into words, which turn into actions, which turn into habits, which turn into our character. James, the half brother to Jesus, said it this way, “It is the evil that a person wants that tempts him. This desire causes sin. Then the sin grows and brings death.” (James 1:14-15, ICB) This is why it is imperative to protect this part of our body.
For the apostle Paul, the author of this Epistle, the helmet was the perfect metaphor; after all, he was under house arrest when he wrote this letter. He probably had a lot of face time with a Roman guard who most likely wore some kind of helmet. Each piece of the helmet added another layer of protection against injury or death.
Paul calls this piece of the armor the helmet of salvation. The Greek form of the word for salvation is used only in this verse in all of the New Testament and it means “peace”. As we don this piece of armor, we can have the “peace of God that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”. (Philippians 4:7)
Where does this salvation or peace come from? It comes from being in the Word of God daily: reading, studying, meditating, and memorizing it. We need to be intentional about the media that we consume and the conversations that we participate in. We need to be aware of entertaining the thoughts that seem to come out of nowhere. Protecting our minds against the thoughts that flow in and out should be something that is carefully monitored as we go about our daily living.
If you want to be in God’s Shalom peace while you engage in spiritual battle, be sure to wear the helmet of salvation.
-Bethany Ligon
Reflection Questions
- How do you think the enemy attacks minds? What about yours in particular?
- Describe the progression from thoughts to words to action to habits to character. Give an example that leads to ungodly character. Give an example that leads to godly character. Which type of thoughts do you work at thinking most?
- What protection is available to you against the thoughts that lead to ungodliness and death? In what ways can salvation and peace mean the same thing? What can you do (today) to strengthen your protection that God has made available to you?
Seek Grow Love 