Don't Lose Your Mind!!

Don’t Lose Your Mind

GLOBAL BIBLE STUDY LESSON
Thursday 11, 2010

Ephesians 6:13-17
13vs Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14vs Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15vs and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16vs In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17vs Take the helmet of salvation…


Intro: It seems that each piece of armor in this list describes our conversion experience, saying something about how we came to faith in Christ. Truth, righteousness, gospel of peace, faith, salvation… these all come into play when we call on the Lord for forgiveness and experience a life change because of His grace at work in our lives. However, each of these also become an ongoing reality. Truth must be sought through diligent prayer and study. Righteousness is maintained by continually trusting in Jesus and His work on the cross. Peace with God is kept through humility and repentance, since God resists the proud. Faith or trust requires continual growth and must not become stagnant.

-Today, as we look at the helmet of salvation, we will see both a current and a future reality. When we first put our trust in Jesus to take care of our sin problem, we are covered by His goodness, saved from spiritual death, from doing life without God. The term “Salvation” means preservation or deliverance from destruction, difficulty, or evil.


-The helmet of salvation is one way Paul described the fact that Jesus has and will save us from certain destruction. We were doing life on our own without God, and were headed for the wrong finish line. We were going the wrong way, which would have ended badly, being separated from God forever in a place of suffering. That was not God’s plan for us! He offered us the only alternative (grace and forgiveness), and saved us from the trap of the enemy of our souls.
So Paul says that believers should take this helmet of salvation (bronze, leather with cheek pieces) and put it on (v.13 says to put on the full armor of God). Now why would Paul be telling those who are already followers of Christ to get their salvation on? Isn’t it already on? I think the main thing Paul meant to convey here was the idea that believers need to look at life through the lens of salvation. This perspective is more than just the fact that they are saved from who knows what right now, or saved from a worse life. That is important, but this helmet of salvation is an awareness of the continual and progressive nature of God’s work in us. What’s more, it helps us remember that our total salvation is closer than ever

- our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The crowning moment of our salvation will be the day when Jesus comes back to this earth in person to finalize what we’ve been waiting for – seeing Him and being joined to Him forever.

-And here is the main truth of the message today:Prop: Keeping a salvation mindset will protect us from distraction, disorientation, and discouragement as we keep our eyes on the prize.-Let’s look at what this helmet of salvation means and how it can affect our lives as we stand our ground against a fierce, dangerous enemy.

I. Head Protection against sin (past, present, future)-The first part of God’s salvation plan for us includes bringing us to a place where we recognize how much we need Him. We are struck by our own sinful choices and behavior and long to be free from the cycle of shame and failure. If we allow our faith to overcome our objections, we find ourselves calling on the Lord to forgive us and to change our hearts. And the cool thing is – He does! We experience a new birth on the inside! Our spirit is transformed within us and we begin to experience God’s salvation in our lives.

-This is amazing! Nothing on earth is like it! Only those who taste of it know how sweet it is! Where there once was bondage there is freedom. Where there was depression there now is joy! Where there was guilt and shame there is now peace and hope. The old has gone the new has come. We begin to get acquainted with Jesus through prayer and through the Bible, and it makes all the difference in the world! What a great thing God has done for us! We are at peace with God! The past is taken care of! But there is more to this salvation.

-God speaks to us through His Holy Spirit and helps us work out our salvation each and every day. We do not save ourselves. That was done by Christ alone when He died and rose again

II. Head Protection against confusion

-Head wounds can be fatal – the helmet keeps us from becoming disoriented. A blow to the head can really mess with your equilibrium and make you lose your balance and your focus. We can lose our balance in so many areas if we do not guard our minds.

-Paul warns about this in Romans 13:11-12 “…understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12vs The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

-Do you ever think about the shortness of time? We don’t have forever on this earth. There is an urgency to this battle! Now will not always be now. Things will not always remain the way they are. Final salvation is coming. But along with it, final judgment for those who would go against God and His offer of life.

-If the enemy can keep us confused and off balance, we won’t even think to be concerned about those around us who need love, acceptance, and peace. We may go into self-preservation mode or survival mode, not having the strength or courage to help anyone else. This must not be! That is not what God has prepared us for! That is why we must keep our helmets on. As someone said, “Get your game on!” It’s so much more than a game. It is life – ours and the lives of others.

-Keep your wits about you. Ask the Lord to help you see things through the lens of eternity. Salvation is a huge thing because it is a forever thing! It is a huge thing because it is an irreversible thing! Hebrews 9:27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.

-Our enemy wants to confuse us, making us think that what we see with our physical eyes is most important. If we can just make a little more money and buy a few more things, and have a little more comfort, then we will be winning the battle. But that lie shouldn’t get past our belt of truth. It is a distortion of reality!

-Our enemy wants to confuse us about who we are, about who God is, and even about who our enemy is. God has given us the reality and the mindset of salvation to clear up any confusion about what is at stake here. God will save us, but we must keep trusting in His promises and obeying from our hearts. God doesn’t want you to live dazed and confused! He wants you to keep your head, know your resources, know your target, know the tactics of your opponent, and know that salvation is coming!

-The enemy will try to intimidate us into backing down. He will try to lull us to sleep. But God has given us protection for our minds that we need to receive and put on.

-We can be confident as we stand our ground because the helmet of salvation reminds us that our past is forgiven, our present is a work in progress, and our future is closer than ever – when Jesus comes back for those who are looking for Him. We don’t have to be intimidated or dazed and confused. When you don’t know, just trust! Trust that God will do all that He promised in His time. He has given us Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, and Salvation.

-I’d like to leave you with some words Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica. If you remember Peter wrote that the day of the Lord would come like a thief in the night. Well, Paul seems to respond to this in 1 Thessalonians 5:4-9 4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.

7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

-Put on the hope of salvation as a helmet. The promise that Jesus is coming back for us so that we can be with Him forever gives us hope. That is the helmet of salvation. Are you ready for His return? Not everyone is.

Conclusion - Where is your helmet? Where is your hope of salvation? God has offered it. Have you taken it? Have you put it on to protect you from sin and from losing your focus? Do you believe Jesus, when He said He would come again and receive us to Himself? If that has not been a present reality to you, I pray that it will become real to you today. You can’t believe the rest of the Bible if you don’t believe one of the central promises of Scripture – Jesus is coming back to earth on a mission – to save you and all who call on Him in faith from a world that is going to be destroyed. Sound far-fetched? A lot of people think so. Please don’t be one of them. Heaven is real! God is real! Forgiveness is real! Salvation is real, and it is coming sooner than you think! I pray that you will never look at life the same again. When you wake up each day, remind yourself that you are one day closer to salvation, brought by a Savior who loves you more than you can imagine.

Prophet Antonio Schroeder - Senior Pastor
Kingdom Tabernacle Ministry International
www.ktmiGlobal.tk