Daily putting on the armor of God is a declaration of alignment with Him and His kingdom. Every piece of armor is found in relationship with Jesus. When we pray on the full armor of God, we are effectively putting on Christ, clothing ourselves in all of Him.

 
Take up the helmet of salvation . . . Ephesians 6:17 

Without the helmet of salvation, the rest of God’s armor is useless. You can’t even put on the other pieces of armor until you’ve accepted salvation through His Son. Salvation is what identifies you as belonging to Christ and the essential component needed to activate the rest of the armor.
 
In God’s kingdom, the helmet of salvation is a crown—those who are God’s crowning glory are crowned with Christ’s salvation!
 
Paul’s exhortation to put on the armor of God was written to the people of Ephesus who were under Roman rule and familiar with battle armor. They were accustomed to seeing stadium gladiator events and Roman centurions everywhere, armed and ready for battle. Paul’s imagery was a reminder that the Roman helmet had two purposes—protection and identification.
 
Roman helmets were made of iron and reenforced in the most vulnerable places. They usually came with cheek and neck guards to protect the entire head. Many helmets had the name of the soldier inscribed inside. On the outside they bore indication of badge or rank.
 
In times of war, a helmet tells others who you belong to, what side you’re on. It sets you apart. When you take the helmet of salvation you are identified as belonging to Lord Yahweh, the Commander of Angel Armies. You are fully under His protection and moving with His company of believers. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13 NIV
 
While wearing the helmet, your face is obscured from the enemy. He can’t see if you’re shaking on the inside, sweat pouring from your brow, worry and fear in your eyes. He can just see that you are crowned with God’s helmet of salvation and you are standing! Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm. . . Ephesians 6:13-14 NIV.
 
The exhortation here is to take the helmet of salvation. It’s to receive from God His greatest gift to mankind—to reach out and seize salvation through Jesus Christ, your Savior and Defense. You are not exhorted to do the helmet of salvation. You are simply to take it from the hands of Him who offered His body and blood to purchase it, and who now sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Salvation is wholly God’s gift which keeps you strong and safe when you choose to receive it.
 
God’s gift of salvation is an ongoing, eternal state.
It is past—salvation received when you accept Christ;
It is present—protects your mind in the day of battle;
and it is future—your hope of eternal life.
 
Your mind is your biggest battlefield and the place where much of your warfare takes place. The enemy can’t hear what you’re thinking but he knows how to attack places of vulnerability and how to influence your thoughts, which in turn influences your actions. One major focus of attack by the enemy is to move you to doubt your salvation. If he can convince you to doubt this or question the validity of your relationship with God, he can erode your confidence in your salvation.
 
When you put on the helmet of salvation you are placing Christ over your thoughts and on your mind. His salvation and authority crown you for battle and protect your mind from enemy incursions. But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16 NIV
 
The assurance of God’s salvation renders fear powerless to disturb you. The helmet of salvation guards your thoughts and mind against enemy attacks. It protects your mind from worldly imaginations and prevents you from coming into agreement with present-day trauma. When you’re armed with the helmet of salvation, You can demolish every deceptive fantasy that opposes God and break through every arrogant attitude that is raised up in defiance of the true knowledge of God. You capture, like prisoners of war, every thought and insist that it bow in obedience to the Anointed One. Since you are armed with such dynamic weaponry, you stand ready to punish any trace of rebellion, as soon as you choose complete obedience. 2 Corinthians 10:5-6 TPT.
 
Your hope—past, present and future—is in Christ’s salvation. The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but even in death you remain victorious. Your crown of salvation protects you in battle, identifies you as belonging to Christ, and ensures your hope of eternal life. Death is swallowed up by a triumphant victory! So death, tell me, where is your victory? Tell me death, where is your sting? . . . But we thank God for giving us the victory as conquerors through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 TPT.
 
How does the idea of being crowned with God’s salvation change the way you see yourself?

 
Change how the enemy sees you?


Change how God sees you?