Latest / Marriage Life and More and Bible Study / The Battle Within: Choosing the Helmet of Salvation against Satan and His Demons - 167
Transcript
- 0:03Daniel Moore: How do spiritual battles manifest themselves throughout our daily lives?
- 0:07Daniel Moore: How do we navigate spiritual battles and why is God so concerned about our minds?
- 0:16Daniel Moore: Well, this week we're going to discuss that and more in our continued study on spiritual warfare.
- 0:22Daniel Moore: In this episode of Connecting the Gap, we're continuing our series, the Battle Within Overcoming the Invisible War.
- 0:29Daniel Moore: This week we're in Part 13.
- 0:31Daniel Moore: We'll be back right after this, and a word from our sponsor.
- 0:36chataboutjesus.com: They, they say that it is darkest right before the dawn.
- 0:40chataboutjesus.com: So remember, no matter what battle you are facing, what war is raging the dawn is coming.
- 1:26Daniel Moore: Prepare for battle, prepare for victory.
- 1:30Daniel Moore: Be sure to visit our sponsor's website at wearewarriorsapparelcom.
- 1:36Daniel Moore: Welcome to another episode of Connecting the Gap podcast.
- 1:40Daniel Moore: I'm Daniel Moore and we have a good one lined up for you this week, as we're in part 13 of our 17-part series on spiritual warfare the battle within, overcoming the invisible war.
- 1:52Daniel Moore: Thank you, guys, for taking some time to join me this week as we continue this study.
- 1:56Daniel Moore: Don't forget that you can visit my website, connectingthegapnet.
- 1:59Daniel Moore: There we have a merch link that you can go buy some Connecting the Gap merchandise hoodies, shirts, sweatshirts, cups, mugs, hats all kinds of different things are available there.
- 2:10Daniel Moore: We have a few different designs that you can pick from.
- 2:13Daniel Moore: There are some more coming here in the near future, so please go check that out.
- 2:17Daniel Moore: You can find that link on my website and then, if you'd like a transcript for this week's episode, you can find that there as well.
- 2:24Daniel Moore: At connectingthegapnet, you can see the evidence of worry on his face.
- 2:37Daniel Moore: Years and years of anxiety were written into each wrinkle, the graying eyebrows, the sagging corner of his eyes and even his pale coloring.
- 2:46Daniel Moore: He had been a faithful Christian from early in his life church every Sunday, almost regular Bible readings, consistent tithes, service as a deacon and no hint of moral failure.
- 2:57Daniel Moore: He had been married for decades and raised a couple of respectable children, and he had run his business honestly.
- 3:05Daniel Moore: He was a fine, upstanding citizen with an awful lot of stress.
- 3:10Daniel Moore: His stress had compelled him to live his life extremely conservatively.
- 3:15Daniel Moore: In his business, that made for moderate success.
- 3:18Daniel Moore: As a Christian, that made for mediocrity.
- 3:22Daniel Moore: He dismissed opportunities for extravagant steps of faith.
- 3:26Daniel Moore: They were always too risky, something an unstable person would do.
- 3:31Daniel Moore: Besides, he said, you could never know if God was really leading you or not.
- 3:36Daniel Moore: He also dismissed opportunities for extravagant generosity.
- 3:41Daniel Moore: He never gave more than a tithe because quote one never knows when one might need something for a rainy day.
- 3:49Daniel Moore: Unquote.
- 3:49Daniel Moore: He rarely expressed any emotion to anyone really, but especially in his worship to God.
- 3:57Daniel Moore: He may have loved others, but no one could tell.
- 4:00Daniel Moore: He never let his love show itself.
- 4:03Daniel Moore: That would have required too much vulnerability.
- 4:07Daniel Moore: Though he had never made any major mistakes not the kind people can see.
- 4:12Daniel Moore: Anyway, he was full of regrets.
- 4:14Daniel Moore: His sins were relatively few, but he had no hope of putting them behind him.
- 4:20Daniel Moore: He was only human after all.
- 4:23Daniel Moore: He did know a few Bible verses about forgiveness, but only the really important ones.
- 4:29Daniel Moore: You know.
- 4:30Daniel Moore: John 3.16, of course, and his favorite.
- 4:33Daniel Moore: You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free in John 8.32.
- 4:37Daniel Moore: Except he looked like the truth had made him miserable.
- 4:41Daniel Moore: He did everything that people expect a good Christian to do, and he did it with painful persistence.
- 4:49Daniel Moore: What was this man's problem?
- 4:51Daniel Moore: Well, he was eaten up with doubts, anxieties, a lack of confidence in God's power and a fear of the unknown, and to him almost everything was unknown.
- 5:03Daniel Moore: He was certain that he wanted to be a Christian, but he was uncertain about everything else.
- 5:09Daniel Moore: He believed the Bible is the word of God, but he was too suspicious of his understanding to ever stand firmly on it.
- 5:17Daniel Moore: He took steps forward in his Christian walk, but they had to be small and predictable steps.
- 5:24Daniel Moore: He could never bring himself to believe God's extravagant promises.
- 5:28Daniel Moore: Any voice that urged him to cast all his cares on his father came across to him as the voice of irresponsibility and wishful thinking.
- 5:39Daniel Moore: He gave what was necessary of his time, talents and treasure, but he never gave out of any kind of passion.
- 5:46Daniel Moore: Passion, in fact, had to be subdued.
- 5:50Daniel Moore: It's hard to be filled with doubts and enthusiasm at the same time.
- 5:54Daniel Moore: Uncertainty won't allow for that sort of nonsense.
- 5:58Daniel Moore: Not in worship, not in service, not in relationships, not in work.
- 6:03Daniel Moore: I mean really not in service, not in relationships, not in work, I mean really not in anything.
- 6:07Daniel Moore: When it came down to it, this man wasn't even sure of his own salvation.
- 6:11Daniel Moore: To him, the gospel was only a reasonably safe bet.
- 6:15Daniel Moore: His thinking may have made him a solid citizen, but he was a miserable Christian.
- 6:20Daniel Moore: He had lost the battle for his mind long ago, and it was written all over his face.
- 6:27Daniel Moore: There's an answer for someone in that kind of bondage to his own distorted thinking.
- 6:33Daniel Moore: In fact, it's more than an answer.
- 6:36Daniel Moore: It's an effective antidote to worry, discouragement, doubt, despair and even boredom.
- 6:42Daniel Moore: It applies when we are tempted to embrace relativism, another religion, a watering down of the gospel or any other such tactic that corrupts our understanding.
- 6:53Daniel Moore: It won't guarantee that we will never fail, but it will guarantee that failure isn't final.
- 6:59Daniel Moore: Underneath all the uncertainties of life is a rock-solid foundation, and the only way we can stand on it is the way we think.
- 7:07Daniel Moore: Our thoughts have far more influence on us than our circumstances or our relationships do.
- 7:13Daniel Moore: If a redeemed mind truly understands salvation and is set on the Spirit of God Himself, it will lead to fruitfulness and victory, and it will have to be protected very, very well.
- 7:28Daniel Moore: Francis Schaeffer once said the spiritual battle, the loss of victory, is always in the thought world.
- 7:35Daniel Moore: In our fast-paced microwave popcorn society, it is increasingly evident that there is a relentless and ongoing battle for our minds.
- 7:44Daniel Moore: This battle, however, extends beyond the reality of external influences such as advertising, social media, the woke society that we increasingly have to deal with, or the problems and emergencies life throws at us every day.
- 7:57Daniel Moore: It dives into a deeper dimension, a spiritual one that often goes unnoticed or ignored.
- 8:04Daniel Moore: Unnoticed or ignored, the spiritual battle for our mind encompasses the conflicts between positive and negative, light and darkness, truth and deception, righteousness and evil.
- 8:15Daniel Moore: It is a struggle of cosmic proportions, fought not only in the physical realm, but also in the world of thoughts, beliefs and emotions.
- 8:25Daniel Moore: The human mind is a powerful and enigmatic entity.
- 8:29Daniel Moore: It is a battleground where ideas, ideologies and belief systems clash for supremacy.
- 8:36Daniel Moore: It is in this battlefield of the mind that our thoughts take shape, shaping our perception of reality, influencing our decisions and, ultimately, defining our actions.
- 8:48Daniel Moore: This spiritual battle manifests itself in various ways throughout our daily lives.
- 8:52Daniel Moore: It can be seen in the constant stream of distractions and temptations that seek to divert our attention from what truly matters.
- 9:00Daniel Moore: It can be observed in the inner turmoil that arises from conflicting values, desires and motivations, that arises from conflicting values, desires and motivations.
- 9:11Daniel Moore: It can even be felt when we face challenges or adversity that test our resilience, faith and character.
- 9:14Daniel Moore: The spiritual battle for our mind is waged on multiple fronts through media, advertising, peer pressure and societal norms that often promote superficiality, materialism and selfishness.
- 9:28Daniel Moore: It has also fought through our own inner demons, doubts, fears and negative thought patterns that sabotage our well-being, personal growth and inner peace.
- 9:40Daniel Moore: To navigate this battle, it is crucial to cultivate awareness and discernment.
- 9:43Daniel Moore: We must strive to recognize the influences that seek to manipulate or control our minds and consciously choose what we expose ourselves to.
- 9:53Daniel Moore: This involves critically evaluating the information we consume, questioning its sources and intentions, and being mindful of its potential impact on our thoughts and beliefs.
- 10:04Daniel Moore: Satan loves to package up a bag of doo-doo and serve it as a lamb chop.
- 10:09Daniel Moore: Fostering a strong spiritual foundation can provide us with a solid framework to counteract the forces of darkness.
- 10:17Daniel Moore: It requires us to seek a higher wisdom or guidance from God.
- 10:21Daniel Moore: The spiritual battle for our mind is an ongoing process that requires constant vigilance and hard work.
- 10:29Daniel Moore: It calls us to examine our thoughts, beliefs and actions and consciously align them with values, principles and truths that promote growth, compassion and a more solid walk with God.
- 10:41Daniel Moore: This brings us to the last piece of armor that God would have us to put on, which is the helmet, or, as it is biblically known, the helmet of salvation.
- 10:53Daniel Moore: The helmet worn by a Roman soldier was called a galea.
- 10:55Daniel Moore: It was an essential piece of protective equipment that played a vital role in safeguarding the soldier's head during battle.
- 11:03Daniel Moore: The design and construction of the galea evolved over time, adapting to the needs and preferences of the Roman military.
- 11:11Daniel Moore: The typical Roman helmet consisted of several components.
- 11:15Daniel Moore: The main part was called the skullcap.
- 11:18Daniel Moore: It covered the top of the head and extended down toward the nape of the neck.
- 11:23Daniel Moore: The skullcap had a rounded shape to deflect blows and featured a ridge along the top called a crest.
- 11:30Daniel Moore: For additional reinforcement To protect the face, a face mask or visor was attached to the front of the galea.
- 11:38Daniel Moore: This visor was hinged so that it could be lifted or lowered as needed during combat.
- 11:43Daniel Moore: The face mask generally covered the lower portion of the face, leaving the eyes and the region around them exposed.
- 11:50Daniel Moore: It provided protection from slashing or stabbing attacks, while also allowing the soldier to have a clear line of sight.
- 11:57Daniel Moore: The galea was typically made of metal, most commonly iron or bronze.
- 12:03Daniel Moore: Layers of metal would be hammered or molded into shape, creating a sturdy and durable helmet capable of withstanding direct hits.
- 12:11Daniel Moore: Some helmets featured additional reinforcement in the form of cheek guards or extra ridges for added protection.
- 12:18Daniel Moore: To ensure a proper fit, a leather or padded liner was often placed inside the galea.
- 12:25Daniel Moore: The liner absorbed shock and provided a cushioning effect, increasing comfort while wearing the helmet for extended periods.
- 12:33Daniel Moore: It also helped to secure the helmet in place, minimizing movement during intense combat situations.
- 12:41Daniel Moore: In terms of protection, the galea offered vital defense to the soldier.
- 12:45Daniel Moore: Its primary purpose was to safeguard the head from direct blows that could cause severe injury or even death.
- 12:52Daniel Moore: The rounded shape and sturdy construction helped disperse the impact of a strike, reducing the chance of skull fractures or brain trauma.
- 13:01Daniel Moore: The face mask provided protection for the soldier's nose, mouth and cheeks, shielding them from sword slashes or spear thrust.
- 13:09Daniel Moore: It served as a crucial barrier between the soldier and his opponents.
- 13:14Daniel Moore: Additionally, the visor could be raised during less intense moments of the battle, allowing ventilation and improving visibility.
- 13:21Daniel Moore: While the Galea provided vital head protection, it was not entirely impenetrable Blows from powerful weapons or concentrated strikes could still prove dangerous, and certain vulnerable points like the eyes remained exposed.
- 13:36Daniel Moore: However, overall, the Galea played a significant role in enhancing the soldier's survival chances on the battlefield by providing valuable head and facial protection.
- 13:48Daniel Moore: Now, wouldn't it be awesome to have that kind of protection from Satan and his mind darts?
- 13:55Daniel Moore: Well, in case you weren't aware, we do have protection as part of the armor of God.
- 14:02Daniel Moore: There is an obvious allusion in this metaphor to the security we have in our salvation in our new birth.
- 14:07Daniel Moore: As we accepted, christ was baptized and justified through faith and delivered from eternity in hell and darkness.
- 14:15Daniel Moore: In the scripture in Ephesians 6.17,.
- 14:18Daniel Moore: Taking up this helmet gives us active deliverance from sin in the moment.
- 14:23Daniel Moore: The present evil that we live in today creates a battle that we have to fight moment by moment.
- 14:28Daniel Moore: There are many senses of salvation in the Bible, such as being delivered from enemies, calamity, sin and captivity, just to name a few.
- 14:37Daniel Moore: There are also three tenses of salvation in the New Testament.
- 14:41Daniel Moore: In the Bible, the concept of salvation is often described in three different tenses past, present and future.
- 14:50Daniel Moore: These three tenses show us different aspects of the Christian believer's journey and experience.
- 14:56Daniel Moore: With salvation Number one, we have been saved or justified.
- 15:02Daniel Moore: In Romans 8 24 and Ephesians 2 8, the idea of being saved or justified is portrayed in the past tense.
- 15:09Daniel Moore: It refers to the initial moment of salvation when a person puts their faith in Jesus Christ.
- 15:16Daniel Moore: This act of faith enables believers to receive forgiveness of sins, be reconciled with God and establish a new relationship with Him.
- 15:25Daniel Moore: This past salvation or justification is not based on our own works or merit, but is a gift of God's grace received through faith.
- 15:34Daniel Moore: Secondly, we are being saved or sanctified.
- 15:40Daniel Moore: The present tense of salvation, often referred to as sanctification, is depicted in 1 Corinthians 1.18.
- 15:46Daniel Moore: It represents the ongoing process of transformation and growth in the life of a believer.
- 15:53Daniel Moore: After accepting Christ, christians are continually being conformed to His likeness and are called to live a holy and set-apart life.
- 16:02Daniel Moore: Sanctification involves the work of the Holy Spirit within us, gradually maturing and shaping our character to align with God's will.
- 16:10Daniel Moore: It is an ongoing journey of learning, repentance and reliance on God's grace to become more like Christ.
- 16:17Daniel Moore: And thirdly, we will be saved, or glorification.
- 16:24Daniel Moore: The future tense of salvation, also known as glorification, is discussed in 1 Corinthians 3.15 and 1 Peter 1.5.
- 16:32Daniel Moore: It refers to the ultimate completion of our salvation, when Christ returns or when we depart from this earthly life, believers will experience the fullness of salvation.
- 16:44Daniel Moore: This includes the resurrection of our bodies and our ultimate transformation into a state of perfection, free from the presence of sin and its effects.
- 16:54Daniel Moore: Glorification marks the consummation of our salvation, where we will enter into eternal life in the presence of God.
- 17:02Daniel Moore: While we have already been saved and justified by faith, we continue to be sanctified through a process of growing in Christlikeness.
- 17:10Daniel Moore: Ultimately, we look forward to the future hope of glorification, when we will experience the fullness of eternal life with God.
- 17:19Daniel Moore: We are used to the concept of salvation in the past tense.
- 17:22Daniel Moore: That's the moment that we came to Christ with our life and submitted it to Him to fulfill His ordained work.
- 17:28Daniel Moore: Through us, we give ourselves to His purpose.
- 17:32Daniel Moore: But the word salvation literally means deliverance, and it is more often than not used to describe us being delivered from a threatening enemy.
- 17:42Daniel Moore: Through salvation, god protects us from the enemy.
- 17:45Daniel Moore: Today, this is an ongoing experience of protection and deliverance from sin daily.
- 17:51Daniel Moore: The visual of the helmet of salvation, then, is the absolute certainty of deliverance from the enemy and protection for our minds during times of battle.
- 18:02Daniel Moore: The helmet of salvation gives us the capability of reasoning logically and wisely from a biblical perspective and worldview, no matter how that worldview comes under attack.
- 18:13Daniel Moore: This is a battle that has been proven time and time again that we cannot win for ourselves, but it is a protection we can choose to receive from God.
- 18:23Daniel Moore: It is up to us to make that choice to win or lose God.
- 18:31Daniel Moore: It is up to us to make that choice to win or lose.
- 18:32Daniel Moore: To see how that works, let's look at it from a different angle, using Romans 12.2.
- 18:35Daniel Moore: In Romans 12.2, the Apostle Paul urges believers to renew their minds and not conform to the pattern of this world.
- 18:41Daniel Moore: This transformation involves a conscious choice to let God's truth and wisdom shape our thoughts, beliefs and actions.
- 18:48Daniel Moore: By aligning our minds with God's will and discerning what is good and pleasing to Him, we can experience spiritual growth and protection from the detrimental influences of the world.
- 18:58Daniel Moore: Similarly, the helmet of salvation is a spiritual metaphor reminding us of the importance of guarding our minds.
- 19:06Daniel Moore: Just as a physical helmet protects the head, the helmet of salvation defends our minds from negative influences, doubts and attacks from the enemy.
- 19:16Daniel Moore: It reminds us that the assurance of our salvation and our identity as children of God serve as a protective covering for our thoughts, emotions and beliefs.
- 19:27Daniel Moore: By consciously choosing to embrace our salvation and the truth of God's Word, we can equip ourselves with the helmet of salvation.
- 19:35Daniel Moore: This involves regularly studying and meditating on the scriptures, seeking a deeper understanding of God's promises and His love for us.
- 19:43Daniel Moore: Through this process, we develop a strong foundation of faith which helps us combat the lies, temptations and doubts that may assail our minds.
- 19:53Daniel Moore: The helmet of salvation also reminds us that our transformation and protection from the battles of life are not solely dependent on our own efforts.
- 20:03Daniel Moore: It is through the power and work of the Holy Spirit that we are enabled to discern and follow God's will.
- 20:09Daniel Moore: By surrendering to Him and allowing His transformative work in our lives, we align ourselves with His purposes and experience His guidance, strength and protection.
- 20:21Daniel Moore: We're going to take a break here for a moment.
- 20:23Daniel Moore: We come back.
- 20:24Daniel Moore: We're going to continue the discussion this week on the helmet of salvation and how that protects us and the mind games that Satan tries to throw at us each and every day.
- 20:34Daniel Moore: We'll be back right after this.
- 20:46chataboutjesus.com: Where is Jesus in your marriage?
- 20:48chataboutjesus.com: God gave us marriage as a sweet gift.
- 20:50chataboutjesus.com: It's supposed to be a covenant relationship that a husband and wife enter into with Jesus.
- 20:55chataboutjesus.com: Too often we get caught up in life, work and raising kids and we leave Jesus behind in our marriages.
- 21:01chataboutjesus.com: We forget that glorifying God is part of what marriage is actually about.
- 21:05chataboutjesus.com: Jesus wants to be first in your marriage and in your heart.
- 21:09chataboutjesus.com: If you want to learn how to have a personal relationship with Jesus, then call or text us at 888-NEED-HIM.
- 21:33Daniel Moore: Welcome back to the podcast this week.
- 21:34Daniel Moore: I'm Daniel Moore, your host.
- 21:35Daniel Moore: Thank you for joining me.
- 21:37Daniel Moore: We're continuing our series this week on the battle within overcoming the invisible war.
- 21:43Daniel Moore: It's our extensive study on spiritual warfare as we kick off the second half here.
- 21:48Daniel Moore: Why is God so concerned about our minds?
- 21:51Daniel Moore: Well, god is deeply concerned about our minds because it is the battleground where spiritual battles are fought.
- 21:58Daniel Moore: Our thoughts, beliefs and mindsets shape our perception of reality and influence our actions and responses.
- 22:05Daniel Moore: In 2 Corinthians 10, 3-5, these verses emphasize the spiritual warfare that occurs in our minds.
- 22:12Daniel Moore: They speak of weapons that are not carnal but mighty through God, able to pull down strongholds and bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
- 22:22Daniel Moore: This indicates that our thoughts and the strongholds of false beliefs or deceptive thinking patterns must be confronted and transformed by aligning them with the truth of God's Word.
- 22:32Daniel Moore: It underscores the importance of having a renewed and transformed mind In John 17, 17,.
- 22:40Daniel Moore: Jesus prays to the Father saying sanctify them by your truth.
- 22:44Daniel Moore: Your word is truth.
- 22:46Daniel Moore: The emphasis here is on the truth of God's word, sanctifying or setting believers apart.
- 22:52Daniel Moore: God's word reveals truth and when we embrace it, it shapes and purifies our minds.
- 22:58Daniel Moore: It guards us against deception and falsehood and aligns us with God's perspective.
- 23:05Daniel Moore: In Romans 8, verses 6-7,.
- 23:07Daniel Moore: These verses show the contrast between the mindset on the flesh and the mindset on the spirit.
- 23:12Daniel Moore: The mindset on the flesh is described as hostile to God and unable to please Him.
- 23:18Daniel Moore: Conversely, the mindset on the Spirit brings life and peace.
- 23:23Daniel Moore: It shows that our mindset and orientation determine our relationship with God.
- 23:28Daniel Moore: A mindset on the flesh limits our spiritual growth and hampers our ability to discern and please God, while a mindset on the Spirit leads to a transformed life and deep communion with Him.
- 23:40Daniel Moore: Set on the Spirit leads to a transformed life and deep communion with Him.
- 23:46Daniel Moore: In 2 Corinthians 4.4,.
- 23:47Daniel Moore: This verse speaks of the God of this age blinding the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel, which leads to death.
- 23:53Daniel Moore: It reveals that spiritual battle for our minds is not limited to believers, but extends to those who have yet to accept the truth of God's word.
- 24:01Daniel Moore: Satan aims to distort and blind minds to hinder people from embracing the truth and experiencing salvation.
- 24:09Daniel Moore: This is how Satan deceives non-believers from accepting the truth of God.
- 24:14Daniel Moore: He has blinded their minds.
- 24:16Daniel Moore: God is concerned about our minds because our minds influence every aspect of our lives.
- 24:22Daniel Moore: He desires to renew and transform our minds through the truth of His Word, enabling us to discern and embrace His will.
- 24:29Daniel Moore: Our minds are the gateway to our relationship with God, impacting our ability to align with His truth, experience His peace and resist the deceptions of the enemy.
- 24:40Daniel Moore: Experience His peace and resist the deceptions of the enemy In our daily lives.
- 24:46Daniel Moore: The emphasis on renewing the human mind and wearing the helmet of salvation plays out in various ways.
- 24:49Daniel Moore: As we navigate struggles, doubts and the constant barrage of lies from the enemy, one thing we have to do is recognize and reject false teachings.
- 24:58Daniel Moore: The New Testament warns about the presence of false teachers who distort the truth.
- 25:02Daniel Moore: By renewing our minds through studying and meditating on God's Word, we develop discernment to recognize falsehoods and deception.
- 25:10Daniel Moore: This enables us to protect ourselves from being led astray and make choices aligned with God's truth.
- 25:17Daniel Moore: Another way renewing our mind helps us is overcoming struggles and doubts.
- 25:23Daniel Moore: Renewing our minds with God's truth helps us combat struggles and doubts that often come our way when we face challenges.
- 25:30Daniel Moore: The helmet of salvation allows us to cling to the eternal truth revealed in the Bible.
- 25:35Daniel Moore: This truth reminds us of God's faithfulness, love and promises, giving us the strength and confidence to overcome difficulties and trust in His plan for our lives.
- 25:45Daniel Moore: Another thing renewing our minds does for us it filters out the enemy's lies.
- 25:50Daniel Moore: The enemy constantly bombards us with lies trying to lead us away from God's truth.
- 25:56Daniel Moore: Wearing the helmet of salvation means actively guarding our minds against these lies.
- 26:01Daniel Moore: It involves continuously filling our thoughts with scripture, prayer and seeking God's wisdom.
- 26:07Daniel Moore: By doing so, we fortify ourselves against the enemy's attempts to deceive and discourage us.
- 26:14Daniel Moore: And a fourth thing that renewing our mind does for us it cultivates a transformed mindset.
- 26:19Daniel Moore: The renewing of our minds is a transformative process.
- 26:23Daniel Moore: As we immerse ourselves in God's word, his truth becomes deeply ingrained in our thinking patterns.
- 26:29Daniel Moore: This renewal reshapes our perspectives, attitudes and responses to life's challenges.
- 26:35Daniel Moore: Instead of being overwhelmed by worldly concerns and anxieties, we learn to view situations from a heavenly perspective, trusting in God's sovereignty and depending on His guidance.
- 26:47Daniel Moore: Wearing the helmet of salvation in our daily lives is a conscious and intentional choice.
- 26:52Daniel Moore: It requires a commitment to regularly engage with God's Word, being open to the Holy Spirit's guidance and actively rejecting the lies and deceptions of the enemy.
- 27:02Daniel Moore: By doing so, we safeguard our minds, ensuring that God's truth remains firmly planted and influential in every area of our lives.
- 27:11Daniel Moore: When we actively protect our minds from the enemy.
- 27:15Daniel Moore: We can default to truth when we are in the midst of an attack.
- 27:18Daniel Moore: That's when we need it the most.
- 27:21Daniel Moore: When we're filled up with real knowledge of God and his truth, there isn't any room for counterfeits.
- 27:26Daniel Moore: Paul used this metaphor again in 1 Thessalonians 5.8, where he told us, as believers, to put on the hope of salvation as a helmet.
- 27:35Daniel Moore: We need to remember when we are in a supernatural battle, the front line of conflict is between our ears.
- 27:43Daniel Moore: Back in 2008, my wife Michelle and I went through a very difficult time in our marriage.
- 27:48Daniel Moore: It actually went so far as for her to be looking at apartments and I truly thought that our marriage was going to be over.
- 27:55Daniel Moore: We were both at fault.
- 27:57Daniel Moore: I had to come to terms that things I had done to kickstart our marriage off was done in the wrong way, which led her to not have the love for me that she once had.
- 28:05Daniel Moore: I had let her down in so many ways and it cultivated a true hate for me inside of her that eventually ate on her so long that she was done.
- 28:14Daniel Moore: I spent many hours walking the floor praying after I realized what had been done and when all hope seemed lost and all I could see was a wave of darkness.
- 28:25Daniel Moore: God's light shone through, only through God, we started working on our marriage again.
- 28:32Daniel Moore: I could once again see a glimmer of hope where there was seemingly no hope.
- 28:37Daniel Moore: God eventually restored us back and we started over again.
- 28:42Daniel Moore: In the years to follow, we were heading toward some seriously rough times with my wife's health.
- 28:47Daniel Moore: Michelle had always fought bad migraines, ever since we were first married and even before she had fought them, and they seemed to get worse and worse as time went along.
- 28:58Daniel Moore: A lot of the pain was attributed to cysts she had on her ovaries that would flare up from time to time.
- 29:04Daniel Moore: They tried an endometrial ablation surgery, where they burn and remove a thin layer of tissue that lines the uterus, hoping that would solve some of the female issues she was having.
- 29:15Daniel Moore: Over time we realized that was not the solution to the problem, so we decided, with the medical recommendation, for her to have a complete hysterectomy.
- 29:24Daniel Moore: There are two ways to have one of those they can cut you open or they can do it robotically.
- 29:31Daniel Moore: To eliminate healing and recovery time, we chose to have her do the robotic procedure.
- 29:38Daniel Moore: The surgery went well and my wife recovered from the surgery.
- 29:41Daniel Moore: A short time later she started noticing her arm swelling and hurting.
- 29:49Daniel Moore: The next day we went to help our daughter move into her dorm at college, and the pain in Michelle's arm was almost unbearable.
- 29:52Daniel Moore: We left and headed for the ER in our hometown and when we arrived they started extensive testing.
- 29:59Daniel Moore: In the process of the testing, they found a massive blood clot in her jugular, and she was then admitted into the hospital and transferred to a bigger hospital in the town next to us.
- 30:11Daniel Moore: After running extensive tests, the doctors came to the realization that when the hysterectomy was performed with the robot, it accidentally nicked her ureter, creating a pinhole, and it was leaking into her abdomen.
- 30:23Daniel Moore: To top that all off, when they went in to try to correct it, they saw that there was lots of scar tissue building up that was causing it to close off.
- 30:31Daniel Moore: They cut out the scar tissue and inserted a stent while it healed.
- 30:36Daniel Moore: The time came to remove the stent.
- 30:39Daniel Moore: They did so and things seemed to be better for a short period of time, but then, coming up on Thanksgiving of that year, she started hurting again with acute pain.
- 30:48Daniel Moore: Upon follow-up, they determined that the stent was removed too quickly and more scar tissue had built up.
- 30:54Daniel Moore: A surgery was scheduled to reinsert the stent, but they failed to be able to get the stent into place.
- 31:00Daniel Moore: The ureter had closed off too much, so she was going to have to see a specialist.
- 31:07Daniel Moore: We were in a race for time.
- 31:08Daniel Moore: Her kidney was shutting down and we were near Thanksgiving and we were awaiting the result of a referral we were given to KU Medical Center, where they take people by how badly they need surgery in special cases.
- 31:20Daniel Moore: Only After waiting for several days we found out that the first doctor turned her down.
- 31:25Daniel Moore: We then waited for the next doctor to respond.
- 31:29Daniel Moore: Thankfully he agreed to see her and we rushed her there to the first appointment available.
- 31:35Daniel Moore: By this point her kidney was damaged beyond some of its repair and she was very rapidly losing it.
- 31:41Daniel Moore: She was constantly in pain.
- 31:43Daniel Moore: The doctor we saw there realized the issue and told her that he could repair it, but his schedule was very tight before Thanksgiving vacation and he may not get to it until after he came back.
- 31:55Daniel Moore: He also did the manual procedure where he would cut her open to fix it.
- 31:59Daniel Moore: The other doctor that performed robotic procedures would be after January before he could get to her.
- 32:06Daniel Moore: So we decided to go with the manual procedure.
- 32:08Daniel Moore: He was talking about putting a cut in her side and inserting a drain to take the pressure off her kidney until the surgery could be done.
- 32:17Daniel Moore: Of course this was not a very feasible solution for her at the time because of her being on a blood thinner for the clotting issue, but we really didn't see any other choice if we were to save her kidney.
- 32:28Daniel Moore: Then a miracle of God happened.
- 32:31Daniel Moore: The doctor decided to move her in the day before Thanksgiving and he would put her at the end of the day for the procedure.
- 32:37Daniel Moore: He said he would just work her in and get it finished so she wouldn't have to go through Thanksgiving in pain.
- 32:43Daniel Moore: After the surgery she came out with stage three to four kidney disease.
- 32:48Daniel Moore: We knew it was going to be an uphill journey, but we were just thankful that God had intervened.
- 32:54Daniel Moore: Over the years since then her kidney has decreased to a stage two kidney disease and God also gave her a complete healing from her migraines.
- 33:05Daniel Moore: Of course, that is a condensed version of the whole story and you may ask why do I tell you this?
- 33:10Daniel Moore: Well, my mind was going nuts during this whole walk.
- 33:14Daniel Moore: We had to walk.
- 33:15Daniel Moore: There were times I was really thinking that my wife was going to lose a kidney or if it ruptured, she would die.
- 33:21Daniel Moore: In my mind I was thinking, god, why did you bring us through this marital stuff and restore us back to a godly marriage just to now be going through all of this and the possibility of losing my wife?
- 33:34Daniel Moore: I was being an Elijah, satan was messing with me between my ears and I didn't like it, but God came through in a miraculous way on all of those things I was worried about.
- 33:46Daniel Moore: My worst case scenarios never came to pass.
- 33:49Daniel Moore: My wife is now fine and we are living our life.
- 33:55Daniel Moore: Ultimate hope puts everything else in the perspective of eternity.
- 33:58Daniel Moore: That's the helmet of salvation in action.
- 34:02Daniel Moore: That helmet protects me from all my dread of failure and loss, even when the plans come from a destructive enemy such as Satan.
- 34:10Daniel Moore: This is how Paul's seemingly reckless pursuit of God's lead in his life, regardless of the dangers it entailed, can be better understood through the lens of 2 Corinthians 1.9.
- 34:22Daniel Moore: This verse states In this passage, paul acknowledges the perilous situations he faced, which could have cost him his life.
- 34:39Daniel Moore: However, he also recognizes that these trials served a purpose to remind him and others not to rely on their own strength but to trust in the power of God.
- 34:50Daniel Moore: By using the imagery of the helmet of salvation, we can better interpret Paul's mindset and actions.
- 34:56Daniel Moore: The helmet of salvation is a piece of the spiritual armor symbolizing protection and guarding the mind against doubt and despair.
- 35:05Daniel Moore: When Paul says that he has the helmet of salvation on, he signifies that his hope in God's ultimate deliverance is unwavering.
- 35:13Daniel Moore: This hope acts as a shield to the doubts and fears that might discourage or hinder him from following God's lead.
- 35:22Daniel Moore: Psalm 73, 25 speaks of the unquenchable hope that the helmet of salvation provides.
- 35:27Daniel Moore: That verse states Whom have I in heaven but you?
- 35:31Daniel Moore: And earth has nothing I desire besides you?
- 35:35Daniel Moore: Here the psalmist expresses a deep sense of contentment and fulfillment in God alone.
- 35:41Daniel Moore: This unshakable hope and longing for God enables Paul and all believers to face danger, adversity and even the prospect of death with courage and steadfastness.
- 35:52Daniel Moore: Paul's seemingly reckless behavior, driven by his relentless pursuit of God's will, is not a result of foolishness or carelessness, but rather an image of his unwavering trust in the power and faithfulness of God.
- 36:09Daniel Moore: He knows that relying on his own strength would only lead to despair and failure.
- 36:11Daniel Moore: However, by putting on the helmet of salvation, he continually renewed his hope and reliance on God, enabling him to face any danger with perseverance and steadfastness In our own lives.
- 36:24Daniel Moore: The helmet of salvation can similarly provide us with unquenchable hope.
- 36:28Daniel Moore: When we trust in God's plan for our lives and seek to align our actions with his will, we can have assurance that he will guide and protect us through any trials that we may face.
- 36:38Daniel Moore: This assurance, rooted in the hope of eternal salvation, empowers us to face challenges boldly and steadfastly, just as Paul did.
- 36:49Daniel Moore: Christians who are not filling their minds with scriptures are like warriors going out to battle without a helmet.
- 36:55Daniel Moore: A raging battlefield is a frightening place to be.
- 36:58Daniel Moore: When your head is exposed, your shield of faith will become dramatically more efficient in quenching the enemy's flaming missiles.
- 37:06Daniel Moore: If you give faith a lot to hang on, to Let your mind be immersed in such truths and absorb them as deeply as you can, then, when you find yourself in the middle of a battle, you will know beyond a shadow of a doubt where you stand.
- 37:21Daniel Moore: That's going to do it for this week's episode of Connecting the Gap.
- 37:26Daniel Moore: Don't forget that that Bible reading time is so important, and I don't know if you have a daily Bible reading time set aside, whether if it's in the morning before you get out of bed, or maybe sometime throughout the day, in the afternoon or maybe in the evening before you go to bed at night.
- 37:42Daniel Moore: You need to figure out what works best for you and try to set aside that time to dig into God's word and let God speak to you through his word, and it will renew your mind.
- 37:54Daniel Moore: You will find that those battles that you face daily start fading into the distance and you start having victories.
- 38:01Daniel Moore: So I highly encourage you.
- 38:03Daniel Moore: If you are not into God's Word, if you're not reading, if you are not taking notes and studying and applying those things that you learn to your daily life, you're missing it.
- 38:15Daniel Moore: You're missing a lot, and I think that once you start doing that, you will understand exactly what we've been talking about today and how, if we keep that helmet of salvation on our heads, we keep those scriptures in our mind.
- 38:28Daniel Moore: As we've stated a few times here in this series so far, if there is truth in your mind and in your heart, then there is no room for lies.
- 38:36Daniel Moore: Satan has no room to put anything into you.
- 38:39Daniel Moore: If you're already filled up with what God wants you to be filled with, well, I'm out of here for this week.
- 38:45Daniel Moore: You can visit my website, connectingthegapnet, for everything about our ministry.
- 38:48Daniel Moore: You can also reach out to us there with the contact page.
- 38:52Daniel Moore: Go to Facebook.
- 38:52Daniel Moore: We're at facebookcom slash ctgaponline and we're also at Twitter with the same handle, and you can comment on our post there as well.
- 39:01Daniel Moore: We'd love to hear from you.
- 39:03Daniel Moore: Well, till next week I'm out of here.
- 39:05Daniel Moore: Don't forget that God's word never fails us.
- 39:07Daniel Moore: God's word has stood the test of time and, through Jesus' death on the cross, he has connected the gap.
- 39:14Daniel Moore: You've been listening to Connecting the Gap podcast.
- 39:16Daniel Moore: I'm Daniel Moore, the host for this podcast, and I personally thank you for listening.
- 39:20Daniel Moore: Each week In this world, there are many disconnects that cause chaos in our lives.
- 39:24Daniel Moore: This podcast is birthed from the desire to share hope and restoration of the power of the gospel by being transparent and open in our biblical walk with God.
- 39:33Daniel Moore: Each week, we take a few moments as we navigate God's Word and peer into other people's testimonies and encourage each other to connect the gap.
- 39:40Daniel Moore: We upload a new audio podcast every Thursday and a video version of it on YouTube and Rumble.
- 39:45Daniel Moore: We are also on the Christian podcasting app Edify.
- 39:48Daniel Moore: You can subscribe to our podcast on many of the available podcasting platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, deezer, spotify, amazon Music, iheart Radio, tunein Radio and many more.
- 40:00Daniel Moore: We are also available on your Alexa-enabled devices.
- 40:03Daniel Moore: If you would like to give us feedback or would like to contact our ministry for any reason, including prayer, visit our contact page at wwwconnectingthegapnet and send us a message.
- 40:13Daniel Moore: We hope you are blessed by this ministry.
- 40:16Daniel Moore: This is a production of Connecting the Gap Ministries.