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Helmet of Salvation
Lesson 8 - Armor of God Series

This Armor of God Bible study lesson deals with our thoughts and how salvation can actually protect our minds and focus our thoughts back to Jesus and the hope found in Him.

Topic:  Salvation - an Armor of God Bible study

Title:  Be Careful Little Mind What You Think

Preparation: Bring a helmet of some type or even a hat as a visual object. Bring coins or other items for memory game activity.

Focal Scripture: Ephesians 6:17

“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

Key Take Away: Salvation protects & directs our thoughts toward hope.

Photo credit:  Pexels

review previous Armor of God lessons (5 min)

Review Lessons 1-7: Give each student a sticky note with either the piece of armor of God or the corresponding characteristic of the piece. Have students then try to silently find their matching partner – aka “shield” + “faith”. Then have students discuss what they’ve learned about each piece.

Introductory Activity - Helmet of Salvation (10 min)

“Charades”

First hold up a helmet of some type. Have students share what a helmet does.

Introduce the focal verse and piece of armor – “helmet of salvation”. Ask students why a helmet is worn. Then have students act out and guess different people who usually wear a helmet such as: motorcycle rider, baseball player, soldier, jockey, fireman, football player, etc. Discuss how a helmet protects each one.


Core Lesson:  Helmet of Salvation
(30 min)

Ephesians 6:16

“In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”

Point 1 - Salvation Protects & Directs Our Thoughts  

Activity: “I know what you’re thinking”

• Think of a number

• Double it

• Add 6

• Halve it

• Subtract the original number

• You now have a number; that number is… 3

Do you really think I could read your mind? No; it was a trick. Remember Satan may be a powerful enemy, but He is not God. He cannot read our thoughts. He can however put things around us that give us thoughts.

The two main ways are located on our heads…our eyes & our ears! Yes…we need the helmet of salvation to protect our minds from thoughts that are against God.

What type things that you see may put wrong thoughts in your mind? What type things that you hear?

Can you stop thoughts from things you see or hear?

Even if I told you, “Don’t think about pink elephants,” are you able to not think about pink elephants? No.. We may not be able to stop a thought from coming in, but we can choose to not entertain it and let it remain!

Look up 2 Corinthians 10:4-5-

“Since the weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ.”

We can filter our thoughts through the truth of God’s Word. When we know Jesus through salvation, we are better able to know what truth is from God and what are Satan’s lies. The Holy Spirit of God lives within us and helps us know Jesus and begin thinking like Jesus does. That is part of how Salvation protects and directs our thoughts. And the more we “feed” our minds good thoughts from God’s Word, the more protected our minds become. Salvation continues to make us more and more like Jesus as we spend more & more time with Him.

Why is this important? Because thoughts lead to desires and desires lead to choices. If we believe the wrong thoughts, we will end up making wrong choices. “What you believe to be true will determine how you live. It will also determine your thoughts about God.”

Example:

• Wrong thought – “A small lie won’t hurt anything.”

• Truth – God’s Word says “Don’t lie.” and “God is truth.” A small lie can make it easier to tell more lies. It also can destroy others trust in us. God knows best; we can trust His Word!

• Wrong thought – “I messed up too bad; God won’t forgive me. I am lost again.”

• Truth – God promises to forgive us. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us from all unrighteousness.”

Romans 8:38-39 says “For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!”

• Wrong thought – “If God let something bad happen, He is not good.”

• Truth – Mark 10:18 Jesus says no one is good except God.  Romans 8:28 goes on to say that God causes all things to work together for our good & His glory for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Point 2:  Salvation focuses on Hope

Activity: Game of Focus

Have you ever thought about how the game of concentration is all about focusing & controlling your thoughts? Lay ten coins (mixed…some pennies, nickels, dimes & quarters) in a pattern or sequence on the table. Have students look at them for about ten seconds; then cover with a towel, sheet of paper, etc. Mix them up and have a volunteer see if they can recreate the exact pattern, sequence with the coins. You may want to snap of picture with your camera phone before you cover to help remember yourself!

Talk about how students had to think about the arrangement of coins they were seeing and remember. They had to focus.

When a soldier was wearing his helmet, he didn’t have to worry about what might  hit his head from behind or on top or from the side. All he had to do was keep focused on what was ahead.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:8- 

“But since we belong to the day, we must be serious and put the armor of faith and love on our chests, and put on a helmet of the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation though our Lord Jesus Christ.”

No matter what happens in life, if we have salvation through Jesus, we don’t have to worry. We can know God’s got it. He is on our side. Even death can’t separate us from Him. He promises us eternal life in Heaven with Him because of Jesus.

There is always hope in Him!

Repeat Armor of God Key Take Away: Salvation protects & directs our thoughts toward hope.

Prayer time (10 min): 

One word prayer guides: Use the following words to direct students’ thoughts for prayer. Give them a few moments to think and pray about each. You may want to write these on sheets of paper or index cards to hold up or print them on a sheet.

Jesus

Family

Friend

School

Teacher

Sad

Afraid

Joyful

Excited

Thanks


Printable copy of  the Helmet of Salvation Lesson

Pieces of Armor of God Diagram 


Armor of God Lesson Series

Next piece of the armor of God - Sword of the Spirit


© Copyright 2016, Susan Smart Permission granted for personal use or small group only.

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