Expect Good from God’s Word
Ephesians 6:17
17And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Salvation here is called a helmet, and together the helmet and the Sword of the Spirit are called God’s word. We know that helmets protect us from head and brain injury. Once the brain is injured or knocked out, we are powerless to defend ourselves. To use these helmet and sword tools, we are actually taking the God’s word to protect ourselves and keep ourselves from being rendered powerless against the negative circumstances that come against us.
The way the devil throws the knock-out punch, is by negative things we see all around us, and by adverse circumstances that make us doubt that God’s word is going to work for us. But we take the sword of the Spirit and expect good to happen because it is God’s word. We expect the negative things all around us to disperse and the adverse circumstances must line up with God’s word as we expect good to come from our faith in Jesus.
God’s Word Opposes Negative Expectations
When children are growing up and experience pain they cry. Then they try to learn to avoid what caused the pain. In learning how to constantly avoid the pain growing up through life, we are inclined to expect bad news first instead of good news so we can plan on how to react.
After you become a Christian, and learn how God wants to bless you, these negative expectations become fiery darts from the devil to discourage you. These thoughts being contrary to God’s word try to remove God’s word from having first place in your mind. (Ephesians 6:16) So to guard our minds against negative thoughts, we are told to put on “the helmet of salvation”, which is “the hope of salvation”. (1Thessalonians 5:8)
In God’s boot camp, we are to train ourselves to expect what God’s word has for us is going to happen instead of the negative thought we just had. We can trust our heavenly Father in that if God be for us who could be against us. (Romans 8:31) We know that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purposes. (Romans 8:28) Through God’s word we begin to have positive expectations.
God’s Word gives us Hope to Expect Good
When the devil tempted Jesus how did Jesus react? He put on the helmet of salvation and took up the sword of the Spirit. With every bad thought and temptation that came to Jesus, His response countered the situation with God’s word. By putting on the helmet of salvation and taking up the sword of the Spirit, Jesus defeated the devil and the devil left Him.
Beloved, when you have situations that are bringing bad thoughts to you, contrary to God’s word, instead of entertaining the thoughts, do what Jesus did. Slip on the helmet of salvation and poke the devil with the sword of the Spirit by saying God’s word.
There is every reason for you to expect good things to be happening to you, and not evil, as God’s word prevails in your life!
