"Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God": (Ephesians 6:13-17)
Please see:
Introduction of Seven Parts for The Armor of God
Part One - Truth
Part Two- Righteousness
Part Three- Gospel of Peace
Part Four- Shield of Faith
Part Five- The Hemet of Salvation
John Gill's commentary on the Helmet of Salvation:
.....and such an hope of salvation by Christ is a defence of the head against false doctrines; for the helmet is a piece of armour for the head; and it is an erecter of the head in times of difficulty, affliction, and distress; and it covers the head in the day of battle, when engaged with Satan, the enemy of souls.
The helmet of salvation is the 5th piece of armor in the scriptures that we are to put on or take up. Since the helmet protects the head, and we are talking about spiritual armor for spiritual battle then we can see that the helmet protects the mind. There are so many scriptures that talk about the mind that it would take too long to mention each one, but I would like to point to several:
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (Matthew 22:37)
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter 1:13)
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (Romans 8:7)
For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (Ephesians 4:23)
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5)
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled (Colossians 1:21)
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8)
After reading these scriptures about the mind, you might get the idea that the mind is very important to God. The mind controls our behavior, our way of talking and thinking.
A true godly mother has the desire in her heart to have a pure mind and to follow what God says in His Word about the mind. She desires her children to have a pure mind as well. We often blame the environment we live in or other people when we find impurity in our thinking, or notice it in our children. However, God says we wrestle not against flesh and blood, we need to realize who the true enemy is and how to have victory over this evil fiend ... have you noticed the verses in Ephesians that describe who are true enemy is?
Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:11-13)
As you can read, our enemy is satan and his hosts and they are after the minds of people!
I have been talking about putting on the Armor of God and how my children and I put on the individual pieces of armor; The girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith Now we have come to the helmet of salvation. We took the cardboard helmet and put it on the soldier and then pretended to place the helmet on our heads, I would pray something like this;" Dear Lord Jesus I place the helmet of salvation on my head. Thank you for salvation and allowing me to be your child. Please help my mind to think right thoughts, protect me from evil coming into my eyes, ears, or mind. I ask for the wisdom that is from above. Let the mediation of my heart and the words of my mouth please you." after I prayed, my children took turns and prayed putting on the helmet of salvation.
This may seem simple and silly to some people, but since God says to put on His armor, I found it a very effective way in helping my children to get the concept of spiritual warfare and the armor that God has provided.
When we put on the helmet of salvation to protect our minds, I taught my children that we must keep the helmet on during the day! I found that it is very easy to remove the helmet if I am not careful and then suffer the consequences of that action!
I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. (Psalms 101:3)
God has so much to say to us about how we should live, He has provided the helmet of salvation for us for those unsuspected attacks of the enemy that come to us daily. However, if we deliberately place wickedness before our eyes, we are inviting satan's realms into our lives, consciously or unconsciously. It is like saying "Here, the door is open, I will chance that nothing wicked will come in, but if it does, I can handle it." We exchange temporal excitement and relaxation for purity and holiness. We exchange silver and gold and riches, for hay, wood, muck and stubble, and then we cry out to God for deliverance as we feel ourselves slipping away from Him. We are weak and feeble and have not the spiritual strength that would be ours if we obeyed God's Word and refused to set that wickedness before our eyes. In order to have the strength to teach our children these truths we must be very careful to obey God ourselves!
Of course television is a major concern for purity for our eyes, but also movies and video games, radio, CD's and stories on tape...
Oh mothers beware! Fear God! For if we allow ourselves to be so busy that we place our dear precious children before the "t.v. babysitter" or movies ... what kind of wicked things are they being exposed to? We have to answer to God for the things we do... our children are precious and so vulnerable! Would we allow others to teach our children corruption and ungodly content? Oh! their little minds are so fragile, so influenced! Whatever they view when young will be burned into their memory for their entire lives! Let us involve them in all godliness that they might have the mind of God and hunger for the things of God!
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
Let us teach our children diligently the commandments of God. This is a sober day... let us stop careless behavior and take God's Word seriously!
When I put on the helmet of salvation, I always ask God for His wisdom, since He has invited us to do so. Here are some verses concerning wisdom from God:
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord."(James 1:5-7)
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:6)
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. (Psalms 111:10)
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:5)
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. (James 3:13-18)
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. (Proverbs 3:13-18)
My children have learned this song and love it:
Be Thou my Vision
Be thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart.
Nought be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought by day or by night.
Waking or sleeping, Thy Presence, my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son:
Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one.
Riches I heed not nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heavens joys, O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, what ever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.
By: Mary Byrne
Commentary of the Helmet of Salvation by Albert Barnes Be thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart.
Nought be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought by day or by night.
Waking or sleeping, Thy Presence, my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son:
Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one.
Riches I heed not nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heavens joys, O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, what ever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.
By: Mary Byrne
Eph 6:17 ... And take the helmet - The helmet was a cap made of thick leather, or brass, fitted to the head, and was usually crowned with a plume, or crest, as an ornament. Its use was to guard the head from a blow by a sword, or war-club, or battle-axe. The cuts will show its usual form.
Of salvation - That is, "of the hope of salvation;" for so it is expressed in the parallel place in 1Thessalonians 5:8: "But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation." The idea is, that a well-founded hope of salvation will preserve us in the day of spiritual conflict, and will guard us from the blows which an enemy would strike. The helmet defended the head, a vital part; and so the hope of salvation will defend the soul, and keep it from the blows of the enemy. A soldier would not fight well without a hope of victory. A Christian could not contend with his foes, without the hope of final salvation; but, sustained by this, what has he to dread?
Let us teach our children to take up the whole armor of God!
Please go to part 6-"The Sword of the Spirit"
