Ephesians 6:17 - Daily Protection with the Helmet of Salvation

Today, we want to talkabout the past, the present, and the future power and protection that thehelmet of our salvation gives us.  Oursalvation isn't something that just gives us the confidence that I'm saved. I'mgoing to heaven. Putting on the helmet of our salvation each day has the powerto protect us from the fiery darts of the evil one. We see this in three greatdimensions.  First,is our justificationwhich has to do with our past. We remember Romans chapter 5:1: “Therefore,being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”.Our past has to do with the justification that we have before the court of aholy God. We're made at peace with God because we're justified. We arejustified in the fact that we have a right standing before a holy God. All ourpast sins are under the blood of Jesus Christ. That's why Romans 8:1 says, "Thereis therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus."  Myfriend, the moment you got saved, you were placed in Christ Jesus. You werebaptized into Him by the Holy Spirit of God into His body. Now God sees you inChrist and He sees you without sin. That includes all the sins of the past. Thedevil loves to drag up those terrible, terrible sins that you committed in thepast, throw them into your mind to make you think God can't use you today todiscourage you and to drag you down. That is why you must remember God's Wordand you put on the helmet of salvation. You know there's no condemnation. Second,is our sanctificationwhich has to do with the present. God has not only saved us from our past sins,He's presently continuing to sanctify us. This speaks about our presentstanding before a holy God. Romans chapter 6 teaches this so vividly. In Romans6:6 we read: “Knowing this that our old man was crucified with Him that thebody of sin might be done away with and that we should no longer be slaves ofsin for he that has died has been freed from sin”. Verse 14 continues: “Forsin shall not have dominion over you, for you're not under the law, but you'reunder grace”. How wonderful that is. The fact is that even right now, Jesusis saving us. Christ is saving us day by day from sin's power. We no longerhave to sin. Sin is no longer our master. Romans 6:22 assures us with thesewords: “But now, having been set free from sin and having become slaves of God,you have your fruit to holiness and the end everlasting life”. It's a presentprotection against the devil. Third,is our glorificationwhich has to do with our future. One day, we will stand before a holy God andwe will be saved eternally from sin's presence. We will stand in glory. We willbe made just like Jesus Christ. 1 John 3:2-3 tells us about this: “Beloved,now we are children of God and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be,but we know that when He is revealed. We shall be like Him for we shall see Himas He is”. Then verse 3 goes on to tell us: “Everyone who has this hopein Him purifies himself just as He is pure”. This future aspect, the hopeof what's coming is what strengthens the helmet. We are motivated to dailycleanse ourselves from sin and live a pure life so the devil has nothing to accuseor condemn us with! Myfriend, the battle is not forever. This darkness is not permanent. The strugglewith sin, “with the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the prideof life”, is not in the future chapter. We will eternally be saved evenfrom the presence of sin and that is our glorification in Christ we will haveat His coming in the future. What a glorious standing we have when we daily puton the whole armor of God. And especially, the helmet of salvation that haspower to protect us from our past sins and failures, to protect us in ourpresent battle with sin, and even to protect us in our future. God bless you, andmay you have a wonderful, wonderful day.