Helmets were made from metal and leather and protected not only a soldier’s head, but also their neck and shoulders from attack. The top of the helmet showcased a crest made from dyed horse hair to signify the rank of each soldier. Confidence in our salvation given through Christ allows believers to combat doubt with the assurance of our position in God.
Have you ever left the house wearing the completely wrong outfit for the day ahead? Maybe you wore your favorite sandals on the day of an epic rain downpour. Maybe you wore a cute summer dress without realizing a cold front was coming in. Wardrobe snafus will happen. But over the years, I’ve learned how important it is to check the weather first.That’s because when I know what’s ahead, I can be dressed for what’s coming.
The same thing is true when it comes to preparing and protecting our minds.
LORD, my Lord, my strong Savior, you shield my head on the day of battle. —Psalm 140:7
Now I don’t know about you, but one of the biggest battles I regularly face is fighting what goes into my head. I go back and forth between the promises of God and the lies of the enemy. I struggle with fear and negative thoughts, and I need reminders of what I know to be true about God’s nature and His faithfulness. Some of the greatest battles we’ll fight as believers aren’t necessarily on display for all to see. But it is what we allow into our heads that affects every other aspect of our life. In our mind begins the seed of every action we take.
It’s also where we know and are assured of exactly who God is. The helmet of salvation can help us keep our heads on straight. We need this helmet because our mind is where we hold on to what we know is true, and that truth is Jesus Christ. As believers, we are in a spiritual battle. We’re called to be self controlled, dressed with faith, love, and the helmet of salvation at all times (1Thessalonians 5:8).
Satan will attack our minds and thoughts. But God has given us armor to shield our heads. Scripture tells us that the Lord has the ultimate strength and the final Word. If we’ve armed ourselves with the truth of Scripture, we already know who wins this battle! You are fighting, living, and breathing from a place of assured victory.
When we draw close to God, when we dress in the helmet of salvation, He will equip us for whatever we’ll face. No matter what else you decide to wear today, don’t forget your helmet.
I am very aware of the thoughts that go on in my mind. I feel like I am continually fighting my thoughts and surrendering them to Christ. But even in all of these habits, I don’t always wear the helmet of salvation. Meaning, I don’t always walk around as a daughter of God who has already been justified and saved. I act like I still need to save myself. I pray that I would operate as a daughter of God who is already forgiven, no matter what I may do or think.
I just started reading get out of your head by Jennie Allen. And this devotional has really affirmed everything I’ve been reading and made me super aware of where my thoughts are at and how to refocus them back on Jesus.
Hi, I have never posted before, but have loved becoming part of the She Reads Truth community in the last six months, and seeing people’s comments and insights. This morning’s reading just highlighted to me again how God so often brings up the same message to us, in so many ways through our days and through different means. One day, as I read the weekly truth (on a Sunday morning here as in Australia we are always a day behind) and then I walked into church and the exact same verse was on the screen for people to read as they entered. So many people would call this coincidence, but I am reminded of part of a quote we used on our wedding invitations 20 years ago, that read “Fate is simply a secular term for the will of God, and coincidence, His grace”. This morning, I was struck by how much this reading and devotion echoes the book I was reading yesterday and the YouTube message I watched by Louie Giglio, “Don’t give the enemy a seat at your table”, and how easily the enemy can slip into our minds, control our thoughts and lead us away from God and his goodness.
Thank you all for being a blessing in my life!
@Kimn, thank you for such wisdom in the application you shared. Amen to turning our mundane daily tasks to purpose-filled Christ-centered tasks to glorify HIM in all we do. As we wait.
The verse that jumped out to me is let us not sleep, like others do, but let us watch and be sober/clear-headed. Is it possible for Christiand to not be sober, to be cluttered minded, to be indifferent and unmindful? Yes totally. The Lord was clear that His coming will be delayed (Matthew 25:5) and all slumber and sleep. But He knew this, therefore He warns us, wake up from your slumber and put on the armor of light (Romans 13:11-12), put on the Lord Jesus. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Let us think correctly. Blessed are the servants who are clear headed at the dead of the night waiting for the master to return, he is delayed in returning, may it be the second or third watch of the night (9pm to 3am), let us be vigilant and keep watch with our lamp and oil ready. Our efforts are NOT in vain. Praise GOD for these warnings.
@Leigh Gorham: beautiful encouraging words. I also was married at 39. I got my son when I was about to turn 40. After that, I miscarried and could not have more children. I am incredibly thankful to our Father for my marriage and for my son and yet… I always wanted to be a wife and mother. So to see my son now as an only child to older parents, so differently than I had hoped for ever since I was a young girl, is a sadness for which I mourn. Despite the thankfulness
This reading and God’s truth on the Helmet of Salvation is really hitting home. I do like the mental picture that maybe our helmets do match our daily outfits. And then sometimes I see the Armor of God as something invisible, in a sense that others might not see it, but God and I know it’s there, almost like undercover work for Him as I enter into a known battle ground/place of work.
KIMN – yes! I love that idea! What if?! Our car is in the shop today and I am literally trapped at home (I am a homebody, so it’s not even like I would have big plans today -haha), but I already had to catch myself giving myself permission to slack in doing just what you said. There is so much around my home, in my daily tasks that I can apply that Salvation to, and should! How effective I can be in teaching my kids simply by flipping the narrative to one of “life, and life abundantly.” How easy it is to believe that God doesn’t have time for the small and the mundane. He is in the details – He feeds the birds of the air everyday, how much more important am I? I can’t thank you enough for that reminder, seriously!