Ephesians 6:17

“Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.”

We are told to take, or receive, the helmet of salvation. The helmet is obviously important to protect the head. A blow to the unprotected head can easily kill or render unconscious a soldier. This form of protection is vital.

salvation, in the sense of our redemption from sin by Christ's death on the cross, is the first meaning of this phrase. To even get into the battle and to be spiritually alive, we need to first be saved. A person foolish enough to enter the battle without salvation will suffer a fate similar to that of the seven sons of Sceva (Acts 19:13-16).

The helmet of salvation protects our thought life after we are saved. Our thoughts are being constantly filled with ideas from outside. Some of these come from the Holy Spirit. Others come from human sources such as the media, entertainment, philosophy, politics, and so on. Still others come from demons seeking to undermine our determination to fight for the Lord.

When I first came to know Jesus, at the age of 18, I was excited to find out more about my relationship with God. I filled my mind with the Bible and with Christian books. The helmet of salvation protected my thought life from ideas opposed to God's ways by filling my mind with His Word.

Over time we can tune out the Holy Spirit and allow other thoughts to enter our thinking. These might be thoughts about compromise, doubts, pleasure, or outright temptation to sin. If we allow these thoughts to take root in our mind, then our relationship with God can be destroyed.

To take the helmet of salvation means that we allow the Holy Spirit to direct our thinking. This might take self-discipline on our part as we learn to say “No” to thoughts that originated in the flesh or from demons.

If we allow our thinking to be corrupted by satan, it is every bit as fatal to our spirit as a blow to the head can be to the body. This helmet of salvation is vital.

Along with the helmet of salvation, we need to take up “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

This connection between God’s Word and a sword is not unique to this passage. In Hebrews 4:12, we are told that “ the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.” Revelation 1:16 describes Jesus as holding seven stars “ and from his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword.”

The word of God is a powerful tool that the Holy Spirit uses to bring discernment and judgement to the heart. Like the helmet of salvation, this sword brings our thinking into alignment with God's purposes.

The word for “sword” used in Ephesians 6:17 is makaira, a razor sharp sword used in close combat. The sword is an offensive weapon not a defensive implement like a shield or helmet.

We need to remind ourselves that the fight is against powers, principalities, and demons. Too often the Bible has been used as a bludgeon to bash people into acquiescence. We can quote the Word of God to condemn, humiliate, or repel people we do not like.

The proper use of the Word in warfare is against the spirits, that is, in prayer. We pray the promises of God; we command demons to flee on the basis of Scripture; by faith we speak things into being.

When the Bible is used to bring the power of salvation then it is used effectively as the sword of the Spirit. The word of God, properly, passionately, and pastorally preached is a powerful weapon in evangelism.

The phrase “ the word of God” can also be used in regard to spoken words brought through the agency of the Holy Spirit - words of knowledge, wisdom, faith, and prophetic words are amongst these. We should not think that Paul is exclusively thinking of Scripture in this verse. In 1 Corinthians 14, he speaks of how prophecy and tongues should be used in christian gatherings in order to bring the unbeliever to a place of repentance.

Key points in this verse

• The helmet of salvation is essential protection in spiritual warfare

• The Holy Spirit protects our thinking in order to help us overcome the evil one

• The sword of the Spirit is the word of God

• We need to use the Bible as a sword against evil spirits, not as a weapon to condemn people

• The word of God includes not just the Scriptures but genuine words from the Holy Spirit spoken by individuals