By Josie Siler

What would you say if I told you I ride a Harley Davidson Nightster Motorcycle? Unfortunately, I can’t see your face right now; I love the looks on people’s faces when they find that out! Granted, I don’t get to ride very much because of my health. In fact, I’m sad to say that I haven’t driven it at all this year. However, when I do go for a drive I make sure that I am well-protected. I always put my leather coat and chaps on, even if it’s hot out. I have my riding boots with a nice firm toe for shifting and soles with great traction so I don’t dump the bike when I stop. I wear either full finger or half finger gloves, depending on the weather and most importantly I put on my full face helmet to protect my noggin. I’m sure you’ve seen people driving motorcycles on the interstate with nothing on but a pair of shorts and flip flops. The thought of what would happen to them if they got in an accident makes me cringe. I, for one, would like to keep my skin fully intact, thank you very much!

Now that you know my riding history, you can appreciate this billboard I saw in North Africa several years ago. One of my friends took this picture, and even if you can’t read Arabic, the message is clear. Helmets are a very good thing!

Today I want to talk to you about the helmet of salvation. This very special helmet is part of the spiritual armor that God gives us in Ephesians chapter six. The beginning of verse 17 tells us to “…take the helmet of salvation….” I’m fairly certain that when the Apostle Paul wrote to the people of Ephesus and told them to take the helmet of salvation it was an active term. They weren’t supposed to just pick it up and walk around with it under their arms. Like a motorcycle helmet, it does no good strapped to the back of the bike; it’s only useful if you put it on your head and securely fasten it.

We know why motorcycle helmets are so valuable, but what’s the value of the helmet of salvation? Let’s think this through. A helmet protects your head. It keeps it from being physically harmed in case of an accident. It withstands forceful impacts and, if made well, takes the beating that our head would have taken, and is destroyed in the process.

Our spiritual helmet does the same thing on a spiritual level. Remember, it is the helmet of salvation. Salvation comes to us when we believe in the saving work of Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. This is what protects our head – our mind! Because it’s part of our spiritual armor, it is what protects us when we are attacked by Satan. One of Satan’s favorite things to attack is our minds. He is constantly whispering lies that make us doubt what God has said. When we’re wearing our helmet of salvation, when we are constantly aware that Jesus died in our place and that we are right before God because of Him, the lies of Satan can’t get to us. We are protected by the blood of Jesus.

Just as a motorcycle helmet is destroyed when it saves a rider’s life, so Jesus was destroyed by saving our lives. The good news is the grave could not hold Him. He rose from the dead, conquering sin and death once and for all. He sits at the right hand of God and He intercedes on our behalf. Romans 8:33-24 confirms this. “Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

We’ve all heard the lies that Satan likes to tell us. Lies about our worth, our identity, our value, our inability to contribute to society, the list could go on. Next time you hear one of those lies, make sure your helmet of salvation is on to protect you from those lies. Remember your salvation. Remember the work that Jesus has already done to bring us freedom.

Every rider has a decision to make before getting on their bike. We can decide to protect ourselves by wearing a helmet or we can choose to risk it and let the wind blow through our hair. You have that same decision to make. You can choose to put the helmet of salvation on or you can choose to risk it and leave yourself unprotected. What will you choose today?

“But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” –1 Thessalonians 5:8-11, NLT

© July 31, 2013

By Josie Siler

I have a confession to make. I like war movies. Before you think I’m a horrible person and an even more horrible Christian for enjoying movies where people kill each other, let me explain. War movies are epic battles between good and evil, light and darkness. It’s no coincidence that in old cowboy movies the good guy always wore the white hat and the bad guy wore the black hat. It is thrilling to watch the battle play out, and in the end, have good conquer evil. These movies tug on our emotions because we all want to be free from something. We want to have victory and see justice win and evil put in its place of shame and defeat.

I think the reason I like war movies so much is because it reminds me of the spiritual battle that is raging in the heavenly realms. It reminds me that good ultimately will overtake evil once and for all in the end. It reminds me that I too have something to fight for. We all do. In Ephesians 6, we find everything we need for the battle at hand. We are given the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and shoes to shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

God has also given us the shield of faith. Ephesians 6:16 says, “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one….” Flaming darts can also be translated as javelin, pointed weapon, arrow, or missile. This is some serious ammunition the Devil is throwing at us. However, we are protected by our shield of faith.

Faith can be difficult, especially when we are under attack. However, even a small amount of faith can do great things. Jesus tells His disciples in Matthew 17:20 “…For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” Mustard seeds are incredibly small, yet they grow to good-sized trees. All we need is a little bit of faith to start with and God will make it grow.

When the Devil attacks, we hold up our shield of faith and his flaming arrows are extinguished. We do this by remembering who God is and why we love Him. We have faith not in ourselves, but in the God of all creation who sent His Son to be a ransom for our sins. It is this God in whom we have faith. It is this God we ask God to help us.  Lysa TerKeurst puts it well when she says…

Like any battle, victory sometimes comes in numbers. In times when our faith is small God gives us the faith of friends to help us through. Roman soldiers had this down to a science. Even their armor was designed to work as one.

When the Roman army went into battle they developed a strategy called, ’Testudo’ (it became known as the, ‘Tortoise’). The command, ‘As One’ was given and each soldier would stand with his shield overlapping the shield of the soldier next to him. Thus producing a near impregnable unit and a battle formation that crushed the front lines of the enemy forcing them to break rank; this unity of locking shields as one won many battles. -Peter Wilson¹

When you are being attacked by the Devil, you don’t have to fight alone. If Roman soldiers were “as one” how much more are those of us who are one in Christ? “And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:27-28).” In unity we will have victory. By faith we will extinguish every flaming missile the Devil sends our way.

If you are being attacked by the Devil, hold up your shield of faith. Ask God to protect and defend you. Call, email, or text a friend and let them know you need help fighting the good fight today. You are an overcomer. Victory is yours because victory is the Lord’s!

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” -1 John 5:4

© July 17, 2013

¹http://peterwilsonministries.org/blog/?p=559

By Josie Siler

“One Size Fits All” is a label that I’ve learned to despise. It’s not true. It’s not even close to being true. Imagine this: you find the perfect hat. It’s your favorite color, a shape that looks good on you and it’s on sale for 75% off. Excitedly you try it on and quickly realize it’s much too big for you. You take it off, check the size and see those words, “One Size Fits All.” I have seen these words attached to hats, rings, bracelets, even shirts and slippers! I know I’m not the norm. I’m tiny. My ring finger is a 3½ …if it’s hot out and my fingers are swollen! I have been known to shop the kids section when I’m looking for those One Size Fits All items. However, recently I have made a discovery.

What would you say if I told you that I have found a pair of shoes, sandals really, that truly are One Size Fits All? These shoes fit anyone…men, women, kids…from little kids to Big and Tall, they’ll fit. These shoes are part of our spiritual armor that we put on every day. We read about this incredible piece of footwear in Ephesians 6:15 (ESV) “…as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.”

I have to admit that of all the pieces of our spiritual armor it is the shoes that I have been the most confused about. What does it mean to put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace? Over the years, I have thought it meant to be ready to share the gospel with others. Recently, I have learned that is so much more than that; it is something very encouraging to those of us who are chronically ill.

The New American Standard version of the Bible, even though very close to the English Standard Version, presents us with a more literal translation of this verse. It reads, “and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” The Greek word translated “shod” means to put on or bind on sandals, or more accurately, the military sandals that Paul was used to seeing while he was imprisoned.

That leaves us with the question, what do these military sandals we just put on represent? Ephesians 6:15 tells us that we shod our feet “with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Jamieson and Fausset suggest this is a “preparedness to do and suffer all that God wills; readiness for march, as a Christian soldier. The ‘peace’ within forms a beautiful contrast to the raging of the outward conflict.”[1]

As a person who suffers from chronic illness, I am deeply encouraged by this piece of spiritual armor. I am willing to suffer for the sake of Christ. All good soldiers suffer physically. In this battle called life we get knocked down, we get hurt, and we suffer greatly. But like any good soldier, we don’t stay down. We get up to fight again.

We fight physical illness, but we also fight “against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).” Outwardly our lives are a raging battle, but inside we have an incredible peace that comes from God Himself. We know that in the end we will experience victory because Jesus experienced victory when He overcame death and rose from the grave. He died for our sins and even though we have many things to fight against in this world, we are free in Christ and know that our victory is sure.

I am reminded of the hymn Eugene Bartlett wrote in 1939, “Victory in Jesus.” Eugene wrote this song two years before he died and it was the last hymn he wrote. He penned these words after a serious stroke that left him very ill, confined to one room and unable to talk. It took him almost a month to write this song, as he was slowly dying. In the midst of his pain and weakness he boldly proclaimed that he had victory in Christ. (History of the song found here: http://youtu.be/AISwG6fMWBk) 

You can listen to “Victory in Jesus” by watching the lyric video below. Remember, you have victory in Christ. Put on your One Size Fits All sandals and get ready to fight!

[1] Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Eph 6:15). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

© July 3, 2013