Today we're going to deal with the helmet of salvation And we'll start by looking at Ephesians chapter 6 We're back in our Ephesians series Ephesians chapter 6 at verse 10 Finally my brethren Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand an evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you'll be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. And we'll end right there. Our text for today Ephesians 6 17 the first part and take the helmet of salvation Introduction Have you ever said to yourself what's the use Is there ever a time where you felt like giving up People give up on hobbies and projects all the time I have Sometimes people give up on other people. This is just not worth it, one might say. I'm just wasting my time. I'm getting nowhere. Thoughts like this tend to lead people into getting divorced, selling houses and cars they once liked, giving up on people they thought they could help, quitting jobs. It's a common thing to see people quit things that once meant something to them. A diet, a New Year's resolution, an exercise program. Yeah. All given up in short order, always accompanied by similar words. What's the use? But something much more important can also be quit. And we see this from time to time. A fellow believer who once was on fire for Jesus is now no longer walking with the Lord. They came to a point in their life where they decided Jesus was just not worth it. And we wonder, is this apostasy? They quit the fellowship, prayer, worship, Bible reading, preaching, and teaching. And whatever means of grace and whatever position they had, they're gone. And they've gone back and stopped following Christ. Were they ever saved to begin with, as discussed in Hebrews? Sometimes they are most irritable about it, too. Just approach them and talk to them about it. In some sense, they've fallen. They're not standing. They came to a point in their walk where they figured it was a waste of time. Have you ever been tempted to feel this way? Have you ever heard the tempter's voice saying this to your heart? When things get rough, persecution begins. When faith costs something, or just when the devil starts imparting his kind of wisdom, I have. If we are truly saved, we will not permanently fall away. I've seen some. that have fallen away for a time and they come back. Not all, but sometimes it happens. We can be held back and de-energized and made to stumble in this condition. We all get attacked by Satan and his armies, every one of us. If we're really Christians, we're going to get attacked. And we all need the armor that God provides to us. God knows what we will face and he has prepared equipment for those days for us. Today we're going to look at a piece of armor that God wants us to wear to help us stay on track. Now last week we looked at the shield of faith and we saw that shield was something Roman soldiers had. It was roughly the size of a door. They would go into battle with these, and they would deflect and extinguish projectiles that were shot from an enemy army. Arrows, darts, and they were not only sharp and piercing, but they were also on fire. We saw that the devil uses devices much the same way his own devices. The shield was our faith in God. who is there for us. He's always present and all powerful, and we can depend on him. We can trust him. He's all wise. We can put our trust in him, our faith, and we put our trust in his word as well, his promises, his power, because the darts will come. And we saw what these fiery darts are from the evil one. There are temptations and suggestions and accusations that cause doubts and lusts and pride and fear, despair, rage, and other sinful mindsets in Christians who desire to live godly. There are attacks on the mind by Satan. And they are very effective if they find their mark in you and me. We don't see them. We don't hear them. But man, do we feel them when they hit. Today we'll see another way Satan attacks us. We'll see the piece of armor God has designed for us to wear to avoid falling and to remain standing. So let's begin with our text. It says in letter A, and take the helmet of salvation, and take. We keep emphasizing that this is not automatic. This does not come to you with our salvation automatically. It's something you and I are responsible to do. It's commanded. And it's necessary if we're to walk the Christian walk and live the Christian life successfully. It says we are to take up or to take. The understanding that this is part of the armor that is close at hand. It is the second part of the armor. And it's the second piece in the section. of the second part of the armor. The first part of the second section was the shield of faith. We pick it up too. The first part was armor that the soldier continuously wears. The breastplate he doesn't take off. The belt he doesn't take off. The boots he doesn't take off. But he does lay his shield aside, he does take his helmet off, and he does lay his sword aside at times when he's not in active battle, ready at hand to be picked up when necessary. And we see here that the six pieces of armor are divided into two sections. One is the part that's always attached to you and constantly worn, and the other parts are parts that can be put down and picked up as needed. A soldier does not continuously wear the shield. He picks it up when going into battle, and he sees the attack coming. At the right time, we're to take up this God-provided and God-designed protective part of the armor. So what is this article that we're to pick up then? It says to take up the helmet of salvation. Using a Roman soldier as an illustration again, Paul continues. The helmet was used by Roman soldiers to protect their heads, simple enough. Usually made of tough leather, maybe metal overlays. The helmet might also have a feather plume or some other decorative device on the top. A soldier would have this close at hand while he was at rest or off duty. But as soon as it was time to do battle, he put on his helmet and head out the door. He would not take his helmet off until the work was done, because while he's in the battle, he needs his helmet on. We're looking at a helmet of a different kind, though. We're looking at a spiritual helmet, and this is what the Apostle Paul wants us to look at. We're looking at a helmet that will protect us against some of Satan's attacks. If worn, as the Apostle instructs, it would be very effective, a very effective piece of armor. So what is this helmet we're going to take up and put on our heads then? It says that we take up the helmet of salvation. The obvious question, what's salvation? Some problems here, if we're thinking. Is Paul talking about getting saved here? Surely you can't wear a helmet if you're not saved. Paul addresses this letter to believers. They were already saved. What about this present salvation? Who was on the Lord's side, one might ask? Protect your thoughts and heart with knowledge that you are saved. Yeah, but that's not quite it. What about future salvation? Kind of makes you a little nervous to hear that phrase, doesn't it? Future salvation, we're saved once for all, aren't we? Well, let's look at this. Paul's writing to those who are already saved, the church, the believers. We're not talking about getting saved. A person cannot take up the helmet if he's not yet a soldier. So in context, this cannot be speaking about our initial salvation. To consider our present salvation is closer to the idea we are being sanctified day by day. The understanding that we are saved is a great protection to us when we're in this battle. knowing that one is a child of God, puts the mind and heart at great rest. Understanding that we are indeed in the Lord's army is awesome. Presently working out our salvation with fear and trembling, it says in one place. Certainly, there's a lot to be said about this. And it can keep a soldier focused if he knows he is who he is. That's not what we're talking about here. There's a great feeling about considering I am where I am supposed to be doing what I'm supposed to do the way I'm supposed to be doing it when I'm supposed to be here. It makes a person feel good about what they are doing at the present, knowing you are the Lords and are acting within his will. is great motivation. But we kind of dealt with that back with the shield of faith. We kind of dealt with that with the feet about the preparation of the gospel of peace, the feet shod. And we dealt with that with the breastplate of righteousness, our present salvation and what we are right now. But now we're going a little bit different direction. So let's consider again what we just looked at. We were saved when we first believed. The Lord saved us. We are saved and being sanctified, living for the Lord presently. But there's another way of thinking of salvation that we will consider for most of our lesson here today. Even more to the point, we shall be saved. If we want to find out what scripture is talking about, we look at scripture. Scripture interprets Scripture. And Paul uses the same illustration in another place. In 1 Thessalonians 5.80 he says, but since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. The hope of salvation. This is what Paul has in mind when he speaks of the helmet here in Ephesians as well. the hope of salvation. The word hope does not have the same meaning here as we use it today. We might be thinking of a phrase, I hope so, actually having no idea if something's going to happen the way we want it to or not. We're unsure. A lot of times our hopes are dashed. We do not get what But the hope used here is a certain hope, a knowing and a waiting. More to the point, a better word for it would be the anticipation of salvation. You know what is coming. It's a sure thing. It is yours. It's coming. Wait for it. I can't wait. I see the goal. Here comes the finish line. I see light at the end of the tunnel, and it's not another train coming. There is a certain expectation of what is promised. You have no doubt. Like a kid waiting for Christmas. He knows it's coming, but he just can't wait, and he hopes. Like waiting for ketchup to come out of the bottle. Remember the old song, Anticipation? We are to keep our eyes on the prize. That will summarize pretty much the whole idea here. Salvation is a process. I've got to be careful with how I say this. Because it might sound like I'm going into heresy, but salvation is a process. Some may object to the idea. Once saved, always saved. Jesus said, it is finished, didn't he? Consider when he said he was finished, you weren't born yet. And you weren't saved yet. You hadn't believed yet. There's a process to this, a timeline. But the truth is, there is a then, a now, and a not yet. To God, it may be all at one time. But to us who are limited by time, it is linear. Let's look at the then. Our salvation began long ago. Salvation way back then, before the foundation of the world, we were predestined. There's a sense in which back then we were saved. At the cross, we were purchased when Christ died on that cross. Again, he saved us then. The transaction was completed. It is finished, he did say. This is when Jesus saved us. The salvation was then accomplished. Since that time, Jesus has been saving sinners. You were saved when you first believed. It's also part of salvation then. This is your past, the salvation storyline. We all have one. But then you come to the salvation now. Since we were saved, we have been growing. We've been constantly cleansed from sin as we confess and repent. We are being sanctified presently. We are being conformed to his image right now. We are working out our salvation in fear and trembling now. We are not. yet like Jesus. But at this time we are raised up together with him, it says in one place in Ephesians. We are not there yet, but yet we are fellow citizens with him. We do not have the purchased possession yet, but we have the Holy Spirit as a down payment for the thing promised. Until the redemption, of the purchased possession. We're in the until. We are saved now. We are Christians and saved now. We have salvation and it won't be taken away from us ever. But we're not finished yet. We're in an interim state. Our salvation is not complete yet. There is a not yet about it. And I think we all know that here. The not yet portion is a future salvation or redemption, sometimes it's referred to. Remember Christ said, when you see this happen, look up for your redemption draws near. Well, I'm already redeemed. There's something more coming. We've been constantly, or I'm sorry, the major part of our salvation is yet to come, that eternal part. We were not saved to just hang around here on the earth in this particular time. This is just a hallway that we're going through in order to get where we're going. We were saved to a promise and that we have not yet obtained. We look forward to our earthly death, where we'll be absent from the body and present with the Lord, as the Apostle Paul says. In this state, we'll never die again. And in that state, we will never sin again. We will see the Lord then. Our souls will be, as we say, in heaven. But yet, we're still not done. Even that point, we long at that point to be clothed in our glorified bodies. We're waiting in heaven for the day of the Lord. When the trumpet sounds and our bodies are raised incorruptible, as it says, maybe we're in the rapture. Never physically die, what a blessed thought. We're taken up to meet Jesus in the air. And we look for the promise of his second coming, his return, his kicking the backsides of evil world leaders, his taking out the Antichrist and the false prophet. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see that. I'm not particularly wanting to see the Antichrist, the false prophet, but seeing Jesus overcoming his enemies, that's something I'd love to see. We look forward to a millennium time, And we will live as Christ rules here on the earth. And even that isn't a permanent state. It's still part of the progress and the process. A more peaceful and righteous time on this earth, that millennium. Then there's a coming final conflict with the devil. And again, Christ puts him down with a word. Don't you want to see that? It's part of our salvation, to see this, to be there. Satan swimming around in the lake of fire screaming his head off. Yeah, I like that. Salvation of not being judged at the great white throne, the judgment seat of Christ and the promised rewards, the new heaven and the new earth, the new Jerusalem, the marriage supper of the Lamb, tears being wiped away, no sin, no sickness, no death, no goodbyes, no carpet tax, no more curse, no weakness, no weariness, no tiredness, no more evil. Being God's people, God being our God, God dwelling with us or tabernacling with us, it says. Perfect fellowship with God. The inheritance we have as joint heirs with Christ. In the ages to come, God displaying his grace. In the ages and ages and ages to come, never dying. Always having more and more revelations of his love and grace. Our salvation is forever to be revealed to us. There's a timeline for us. And that's what we're referring to here when I say about future salvation. This is what our helmet of salvation is to be all about. It is part of the faith. Our hope of those things is certain because they were promised by him who was faithful. Things in the later part of our salvation, we are to wear the helmet of the not yet. salvation. We're to wear the helmet of certainty of the purchased future we have. It is a helmet of the hope of salvation. It is faith. Because we have a hateful, crafty, cunning, wicked enemy who's bent on doing us much harm, he would devour us like a roaring lion if he could. We wear these helmets to protect ourselves against his strikes against our minds. We look at the glory that is to come as a certainty to keep us pressing on. But we must protect ourselves at the present time. Let's look at some of the things we're protecting ourselves against. There are very real attacks against us. He's very wise and cunning in what he does, Satan is. He's very good at it. And he's having his way with every Christian who does not wear his or her armor. Consider that. If you have not yet ever put on your armor, He has been all along having his way with you to one extent or other. Is he having his way with you now? One of the things he does is cause Christians to feel hopeless. I'm never gonna make it. A Christian may feel like giving up. He may feel like he's worn out and for no good reason, weary. He may look at the cost that he's already paid for the faith. This is nuts. Why am I doing all this, he might say. She may look at what she has lost because of her faith in Christ. Family, friends, jobs, respect, opportunities, comfort, health, safety. Worse, perhaps there's persecution. or torture, even death threats. Yes, you may be killed for your faith in Jesus. It happens many times over the centuries, even wholesale mass slaughters. Here in America, we don't have anywhere near as bad as it is now in the Middle East and China. It's possible for a Christian to lose his faith. Is this Jesus really worth all this? You might ask. To turn around and walk away is a suggestion that's given to us. I've had it, I'm going home. Remember Rick talking about Hebrews, how some had turned and walked back to the Judaism they grew up in and back to the society that accepted them. True Christian will never turn away for good. He will return. But a warning is still there about turning back nonetheless. Book of Hebrews is a place that addresses this issue perfectly. Book was written to encourage Hebrew Christians not to return to Judaism while they were under persecution. Many were leaving Christ and returning to their old ways. The writer of Hebrews is making them focus on what lies ahead. He encourages them to look toward the awesome promised end. He gives examples of some who did not lose the faith. Some gave up position and power and riches like Moses. Hebrews 11, 24 through 26 says, by faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ's greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. And it says, for he looked to the reward. There's the helmet. Some gave up their lives and were sawn in two. They endured, looking ahead to the promise of God. They had their helmet of salvation firmly attached, their helmet of hope for the completion of their salvation. Christians are to protect themselves against satanic suggestions. Is Jesus really worth all this? The folks back home really miss you, he might say to you. Remember how nice it was in your old church? This is crazy. Why are you working your heart out, and for what? I'll bet you will live this life and find out there's nothing to it at the end, he says. You know you can't keep this up. Don't just walk away. Run, he says. Well, you certainly didn't think this would end up in your... Well, you certainly didn't think this would end your marriage, did you? Did God really promise what you think he did? And he'll keep at you like a drill bit milling around through wood. And if you let him, he will cause you to quit. He'll cause you to lose focus. on the reason you're here. He will cause you to stumble and fall. He will ruin your hope and steal your joy and dampen your enthusiasm. He'll make you return to your sin if he can. He'll make you turn away from Christ altogether if he can. This will reveal if you were ever saved to begin with, I understand. He'll try to blind you to the promises that you have. We're protecting our minds against Satan's attack that would cause us to lose focus on our certain future. The salvation that we came to when we first believed and is now being worked out in our daily lives will someday be completed in the eternal state. This is a timeline to our salvation. a then, now, and a not yet. We must keep our focus on where we are going. Satan tries to blur that vision. He tries to distract us with present day troubles and trials and doubts, but we must wear the helm of salvation to guard our minds against his onslaughts. We anticipate that promise being fulfilled and we work toward that goal. The promise is found in his word. This is the biblical way Christians are to live their lives, and this is the way we're to protect our minds. So let's look at some examples of the helmet of salvation in scripture. In Job 19.25, Job says, for I know that my Redeemer lives, and he shall stand at last on the earth. And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another, how my heart yearns within me. Job knew he would be redeemed and that he would be resurrected. This was his hope. that kept him going. It was his helmet. See, his heart yearns. The helmet will cause us to do that. In Ephesians 1.14, it says the Holy Spirit, who is a guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory. Guaranteed inheritance. redemption for his praise. He will accomplish it. We have faith in that. It's a certain expectation, an anticipation, a hope where this is a helmet of salvation, a future salvation, a future revelation of our salvation being revealed. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 9. 1 Corinthians chapter 9. We'll start with verse 24. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run? but one receives the prize. Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now, they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus, not with uncertainty. Thus I fight, not as one who beats the air, but I discipline my body and bring it into subjection lest when I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified. It's like running a race for a prize, a crown. It is future, it's to be obtained. Paul here puts on his helmet, he is running, and his running and putting on the helmet at this present time is demonstrated the fact that he's temperate in all things and he's competing. He's not doing it with uncertainty. He works hard and has focus on the prize. He is wearing, in this point, his helmet of salvation. 2 Corinthians 4, 14 through 15 says, knowing that he who raised up our Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus and will present us with you for all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Paul knows he will be raised. He has faith that it will happen. Jesus will do this. hope in a certain future, all things for our sakes at the present time. He has this helmet of hope of salvation, future on. Second Corinthians 4, 16 through 18, we continue, therefore do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, there we have the daily trials, the temptations, the suggestions, we have the attacks, we have all kinds of terrible things happening to us in the present in our salvation. He says it's for a moment. It's working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we do not look at things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen now are temporary. But the things which are not seen are eternal. Wow, is that packed. The temptation is to lose art. Things are rough for him at that point and for us. But there are things that we're working toward today. Suffering happens. We could get down over it. but he has his eyes on the great glory to be revealed in the future. He does not yet see them, but faith, he knows by faith, he knows they are there and they are worth it. And they are working in eternal great glory. They are eternal. He's wearing his helmet, the hope of future salvation. Philippians 1.6, being confident this very thing that he was begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. He will accomplish it all. You will make it. There will be a day of Jesus Christ. When that happens, you will be complete. Wear that as your helmet. Philippians 1.23, for I am hard pressed between the two, having desired it apart and be with Christ, which is far better. Paul yearns for that other intermediate state, heaven, to be with Christ, future, not fearing death, because he looks for the promise. He is wearing his helmet. He's not falling or losing heart. He's not giving up hope, even when he faces his own death. Ephesians 2, 4-7 says, But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved, and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. It's a done deal. that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us in Christ. We are already, and yet we will be, for his glory. He is displaying his grace and his glory and his riches. It's all based on his doings, and it's certain. It can be trusted. by faith. We have it now and we don't have it all yet. There's a now and a not yet. Wear that as a helmet of the hope of salvation future. Let's go to Galatians chapter six. Galatians chapter 6 Starting in verse 8 Says for he who sows to his flesh will reap of the flesh corruption But he who sows to the spirit will of the spirit reap everlasting life Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Have your helmet on, not growing weary, not losing heart, because the temptation will be there to do that. We shall reap, it says, in the future. That's a promise. You're wearing that helmet because you're looking toward that future reaping. Hebrews 11, 11, it says, now faith is a substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith is your helmet there. It's a future salvation. The next step is hoped for. It's not yet seen, but a certain expectation and anticipation of what will certainly be. Hebrews 11, 8 through 10. whose builder and maker is God. He put up with the present, wearing his helmet. He was looking forward to that future state. He was believing God that he had something better than the world he was presently living in. He looked for what God promised. He lived as he did, enduring what he did with the expectation of the perfect to come. Abraham was wearing his helmet. Hebrews 11, 13 through 16. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them far off and assured of them. Embrace them and confess them that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly, if they had called to mind that country from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return, but now they desire a better, that is a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. There's that future salvation. They're assured of it. Those in the Hall of Faith all look toward a promise They did not lose faith nor hope. They were certain of the prize. They looked for a homeland, it says. They desired, it says. They had hope in a future salvation or a future revelation of the rest of their salvation. And God has a city prepared for them, a heavenly country they haven't seen yet. But by faith, they're doing what they're doing and putting up with what they are. They have their helmet on. They knew they were not home now. but that an awesome one waited. Again, they all wore their helmet of salvation. Second Peter 1, 10 and 11, therefore brethren, be more diligent to make your call and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble. For so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly to the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. See to your salvation. See to your growth and sanctification in the present while you're here. Do good. Look forward to that kingdom. Put your helmet on. The kingdom where The welcome is to be enormous. An everlasting kingdom. Keep your eyes on that. As Peter says, wear your helmet. Let's look at one more verse. It's a lengthy passage. Let's go to Philippians chapter three. Philippians chapter three. Verse seven we'll start with. Apostle Paul says, but what things were gained to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish. that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death if, by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained or am already perfected, but I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ has also laid hold on me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, let us, as many as are mature, have this mind, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that you have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. Let us be of the same mind. Brethren, join in following my example, and those who also walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping. They are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction. whose God is their belly, and whose glory is their shame, who set their mind on earthly things, for our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body, that it may be conformed to his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself. That's pretty much an explanation of what we've been talking about right there. Paul's talking about the present situation and two different kinds of people, those that endure and those that live for the world. And he's talking about a goal to be apprehended. He doesn't yet have attained, but yet he knows he will, and he's pressing toward the mark. Almost the type of language you use in a race again. So how does it all work? If you do not have your helmet, the things we deal with on a daily basis can be hard. There are troubles always. There are people who will become problems. Maybe you will face a bit of persecution for your faith. Temptations come. You may feel down, maybe a little depressed. You feel like giving up. You might find yourself getting an attitude. Before you know it, you're not interested in getting together with the prayer group anymore. Maybe you skip church, start sinning a little. Things are slipping. Satan tells you to give up. Why not just take it easy, he says. He tells you there is nothing to this Jesus stuff. And he wants you to walk with him instead of with the Lord. He says he can give you a far better time. He says life would be better if you just do what he says. You may feel like he may be right. Your eyes are on the present. You see nothing to strive for. You feel stagnant. You're being attacked without even knowing it. Your mind is being attacked with lies, temptations, meant to keep you from thinking about the promise we have in Christ. In this condition, you're falling. But if you have taken the helmet, you're going about your daily business when things are getting rough. You look toward the day when all will be different. You know this life is only temporary. But persecution begins because of your faith. But you know you have a promise from God and that he is faithful. You are not too concerned about this life. But things really are getting nasty these days. Satan stops by for a little visit. He advises you that you are striving for nothing. He suggests you give up. Why keep at this, he says. But you are wearing yourself out. He tries to tempt you to become depressed. you have on your helmet. You put it on and you are now thinking about how days will be different. Evil will no longer be. You think about the day you'll be with the Lord. Think about the riches of the inheritance waiting for you. You even tell Satan that you are seated with Christ in heavenly places right now as you speak. And tell them about the ages to come, that God will always be showing his mercy and grace and kindness through you, and that the afflictions you are now suffering are working out an eternal weight of glory and reward to be revealed at a latter time. Tell them that they are only momentary in light afflictions in the grand scheme of things. And even if the present distress ends in your death, it is more desirable to depart and be with Christ, tell him. Keep your mind filled with the expectation and anticipation and hope of things to come shortly. And you'll remain standing and not fall into doubt and unbelief and depression, and you'll stay at it and work for the Lord in this world because you have your helmet on. The eternal way to glory, momentary light affliction this life and the things we suffer. I used to work with a guy that when things got difficult at work, he would say, oh, it's just a mere triviality. He was going to get his way one way or another. He just had to work things through a little bit. That's sort of like we ought to think of this. The things that we put up with in this world are just mere trivialities compared to what we're looking forward to. And to say such things is to sign that we have our helmets on, the helmet of a hope of salvation. We're not hoping to get saved. We're hoping for the latter part of the show that we're in. We're in the show, but we haven't seen the end of the movie yet, and we're waiting. So I have to ask you, do you have your helmet ready to be taken up? Are you wearing your helmet? Let's close in prayer. Father, we thank you again for your word. We ask that you help us to understand it better and better all the time. We ask that you would help us to protect our minds against Satan's onslaughts and keep in mind those things that you have promised, which are a certain hope and anticipation for us. Help us to keep in mind those things that pertain to your kingdom and our future home because of what Jesus did for us. because of what he purchased for us and bought for us, because the promise is true, because he who promised is true. Lord, we thank you. And we ask that you would help us to keep it in mind and glorify you and honor you in our daily lives now, as we work our way in that direction. And we live our way in that direction, and we hope our way in that direction. Because Jesus purchased it, and it's in his name we pray. Amen.