The helmet of salvation is protection against the fatal blows of the enemy. It protects our minds. It’s always a battle over our thoughts. The fiery darts of the evil one are directed primarily at what we think. He uses the world (its systems & values) as well as our flesh (our lusts and passions), to incite rebellious thinking in the hopes it will result in rebellious actions. We might not be able to prevent the thoughts from striking us, but the helmet of salvation will help prevent their penetration into our souls. The fiery darts of despair, discouragement, depression and defeat are all instrumental weapons which are used skillfully by our enemy to weaken our faith and open our minds to inappropriate thoughts which will lead to sinful actions. The exhortation in this whole passage on the Armor of God contains the call to “Stand firm” several times. We are not to give way, surrender ground, or retreat from our position in Christ.

Knowledge (mind) of God’s Word is the material with which our helmets are made. The first and most important bit of information we get from God’s Word is the truth of Christ’s salvation by His marvelous grace, through the channel of faith. The Messiah would come, according to Isaiah 59:17, fit for battle against evil. It says, “He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head.” As Paul almost literally quotes this passage in Ephesians we see again that what we’re called to put on is His righteousness. Our righteousness will not protect us. His will. It’s His salvation that we use as our helmet also. Our salvation, based on our own efforts, would be most precarious. But His salvation is certain and true. We call this issue “eternal security.”

Amidst the most profound attacks of the evil one, ancient Job, wore his helmet well. In Job 19:25-26, he says, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.” He knew there was a redeemer! There is a savior amidst all our pains and struggles in life. Yes, as the old spiritual says, “there’s a balm in Gilead.” That balm is Jesus. He also knew that one day, in his flesh, he would see this redeemer. In his comments on this passage, Norm Geisler adds, “In other words, Job had present knowledge that he had been redeemed (‘my Redeemer’) and that he would see Him in his heavenly resurrected body: I ‘know’ (now) that I ‘will see God’ (later, in heaven). Such knowledge implies his assurance of eternal security.