Weapon of Salvation

Once upon a time, I did a short stint as a telemarketer for a philanthropic organization.  I suppose I ought to be embarrassed admitting having done the job that so many of us hate on the receiving end.  But I was going on a mission trip and I wanted to pay my own way.  Lacking my own funding, I told God I would not look down on any legitimate job He provided.  And so I did it.  Fortunately God provided a different job after about 4 weeks.  I wasn’t sure how much more of telemarketing I could take.

It was an instructive experience for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was having ample opportunity to realize that fighting the spiritual battle frequently results in blows to the head.

Discouragement!  Doubt!  Rejection!  Resentment!

These beat up our minds and the shockwaves get carried throughout our entire bodies.  One day when I got home from work, I realized that discouragement from rejection enters through the mind and gets firmly lodged in our flesh.  No amount of washing will wash it away.  I learned a profound truth about the spiritual battle from that job.  Spiritual battles cannot be fought with earthly weapons.

Just as a person riding a bicycle or motorcycle wears a helmet to protect against head injury, the spiritual warrior needs a good helmet of salvation.  In the full armor of God, we’re covered head-to-toe with the powerful protective weapons of God.  The helmet of salvation protects the mind.  When discouragement comes because of the world and its troubles, the mind is protected with knowledge that salvation has been accomplished.  Doubt?  How can we doubt when God gave us His Son Jesus to save us?  Will He not give us what we need?  Rejection?  God has not rejected us.  He has elected us to have salvation in Jesus Christ!  Resentment at life’s circumstances and questioning God’s goodness will be washed away by His love for us.

To keep ourselves from injury in the head games of the evil one, put on that helmet of salvation.  In doing so, you will have the complete set of God’s protective armor to carry you through the spiritual battle.  From head to toe, you will be standing firm in the truth God’s love for us and the salvation He provides in Jesus Christ.