Hi Girlfriends!
Can you believe it? We’ve made it all the way to Week Six of our study. Good for us! That is no small task in the summertime, when life takes on a whole different meaning to those of us who are called, “Michiganders”! Winter comes all too soon, so during the summer months we are all clinging to the warm weather and trying to suck dry every ounce of sun before it’s gone.
I’m really impressed that you have carved out some time for God in your busy summer days. Jesus told Martha, that Mary had chosen the better part (Luke 10:42). She just wanted to spend time with Jesus. Can you relate to Mary? Mary wanted to sit at the Master’s feet and listen. I’m so grateful that God has given us His Word so that we can also sit at His feet and listen to Him.
This week we are focusing on Ephesians 6:17a, “and take the helmet of salvation”.
So what exactly does it mean to “take” or “put on” the helmet of salvation? I think it means to allow God’s Word to influence my thoughts, my attitudes, my decisions, my mind. I think it means to allow God’s Word to change my mind so that it will reflect His views, His purpose, and His character. My salvation through Jesus Christ will form a protective helmet to cover my ears and my mind from the lies of the enemy.
The devil is trying his best to prevent us from taking God’s Word too seriously. He’s okay with us reading Scripture, as long as we don’t actually believe it! In other words, I can go to church, be in a bible study – and the devil is okay with that – until I begin to take it seriously, and realize that I really am a daughter of God, and with my salvation has come a whole new identity. My identity changed when I was reborn. My spirit is now alive and I am being transformed by the Holy Spirit! Once we begin to think like God wants us to think – once we put on our helmet of salvation – the devil has just lost the battle!
Consider this:
- How has your salvation changed how you view yourself?
- Who is winning the battle for your thoughts? By this I mean, do you look at your situation as hopeless? Are you discouraged or depressed? Or do you look at your life through a filter of God’s Word, knowing that He has everything under control?
This week we will be examining our inheritance in Christ. What is the inheritance, and what are our benefits? In order for us to have protection from the enemy, we MUST KNOW what God’s Word tells us about our inheritance. We need to understand what our salvation means to us.
When the devil tells me that I am:
- Unworthy
- Unloved
- Incapable
- Undesirable
- Unforgivable
- Unknown
- Insignificant
- A mistake
I can demolish those thoughts by just refusing to believe them. Instead, I need to fill my head with what God says is true. I speak to myself something like this… “I reject that thought. I refuse to believe that I am unloved, because God’s Word tells me that He loves me.” I agree with God, even when I don’t feel particularly loved. I trust God is telling the truth. Always.
“The weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:4-5 HCSB)
My precious sister, you are so valuable! You are so greatly loved by God! Your life has great significance!
Do you believe that? Let’s put the helmet of salvation on and keep it there!
This is a subject that I know well, because I have struggled and battled so much with thoughts about myself that were the opposite of what God’s Word says.
Like most of you, I believed many untrue things (lies) about myself. As a child, I was rejected by people I loved, and made to feel I was not smart, and that I was insignificant. My self-identity was formed by what people told me. No one told me that God loved me, or that God had a good plan and purpose for my life. I didn’t read the Bible, and obviously wasn’t saved. But one day, I was led to saving faith in Jesus Christ, when a friend shared the Gospel with me. That day I was reborn and my identity changed forever – but I didn’t understand my inheritance until much later. Satan could still deceive me and use people to make me believe the lies, because I didn’t know about my inheritance. Do you know who you are, now that you are saved?
Maybe in your case, it was just the opposite. Maybe you were told that you were the most wonderful, beautiful, intelligent person in the world. Maybe you were filled with untrue things (lies) about yourself that filled you with pride and vanity, and a self-glorifying image.
It doesn’t really matter what you were told before you were saved, because now you need to learn your true identity based on what Jesus Christ has done in you and for you. Remember – there will always be some people who think highly of you, and some people who don’t. You can’t let people’s opinion decide your identity. I am NOT who people say I am. I am who God says I am. God is the only One who can tell me the truth about my identity. I can trust Him.
One thing we need to understand is that whether we think too highly about ourselves or think too poorly about ourselves, it is too much time thinking about OURSELVES! One of Satan’s snares is to get us to keep our focus on us, so that we won’t have time to reach out and bless others. Let’s not be ignorant of his devices. Put your helmet of salvation on, and understand that everything that is good came from God – we didn’t do it! Praise His Holy Name!
Questions:
- Can you say with me, “I am who Jesus Christ says I am”? If you said no, why not? What is holding you back?
- What are some of the lies that the enemy uses to keep you defeated or at least keep you from experiencing God’s hope and joy?
Not only did Jesus’s death and resurrection save you from experiencing God’s wrath, it also equipped you with everything you need to experience entrance into His Kingdom. Only holy people are allowed there. If we are going to be living in God’s holy presence, we will need to think holy thoughts. Let’s put on the helmet and begin thinking like He thinks!
“Finally brothers (and sisters), whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise – dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8
Let’s talk! Please respond to this blog and let me know how Week Six is going for you!
You are greatly loved, Daughter of God!
Cheryl Bongiorno
Oakwood's One Heart Bible Studies 