Helmet Laws

Helmet Laws

"Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the Word of God." Ephesians 6:17

Driving through Arkansas and Texas on the way to Dallas, you couldn't help but notice the motorcycle riders without helmets. Having spent most of my years in New York and Michigan, states that require helmet use on motorcycles, it seemed odd. It has been an argument for many years, the desire for the freedom to choose versus the government's concern for safety. (I've lost a similar argument on having to use my seatbelt for many years.)

We faced a similar issue on a vacation to Martha's Vineyard when we inquired about bicycle rentals and found that the island had a helmet law for bicycle riders. Needless to say, we didn't rent bikes that trip choosing instead to buy a bus pass and tour the island that way. But despite my personal reluctance to wear a helmet, the obvious need to protect such a vulnerable part of our bodies, especially with children and in dangerous activities, is hard to argue with.

But while some states do one thing and other states another in this area, the spiritual truth of "putting on the helmet of salvation" is non-negotiable. Joyce Meyer and others have talked about the battlefield of the mind. If ever there was a need for protection and helmet-wearing, it is in the spiritual world where we are bombarded and attacked in our thought life and in our minds on a daily basis.

Let's look at a few examples of the thoughts the enemy tries to speak into our minds, with the hope that after seeing these, we will all become "helmet-wearers":

1. Thoughts that create doubts about God's love and concern for us.
2. Thoughts that raise doubts about our future and what is ahead.
3. Thoughts that try and convince us that things will never change in our lives.
4. Lies about other people and whether they really care about us.
5. Half-truths about words spoken and the motives and intentions of others.
6. Reminding us of mistakes and failures that God has forgiven and forgotten.
7. Raising doubts about the power of God that is available to meet our needs.

Laws may vary for those riding motorcycles and bicycles but in the kingdom of God, the need to "take the helmet of salvation", protecting our mind from the constant bombardment of the enemy, guarding the thoughts that can dictate our moods and emotions, and rejecting the lies of the enemy is absolutely essential. Take the first step by challenging thoughts that don't line up with what the Lord has revealed to us in His Word. And then question thoughts that only create division and discord in your relationships with others and violate the law of love and forgiveness.

It's time to protect ourselves from serious injury, the kind that comes from believing lies, half-truths, and the deceptions of the enemy- time to become a "helmet-wearer".

God Bless,
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church