In our study of Ephesians 6 and the Armour of God, this week we come to the final two pieces: the Helmet of the Hope of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit – which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).

Recent studies show that ⅓ of Singaporean youth and 10% of Singapore’s overall population suffer from anxiety and depression. There is a great need for hope today – and no better hope than that of our salvation. Not only do we experience the greatest and most secure hope in our salvation; our hope is continuous: we rejoice in the past because we have been justified by Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross, and we experience His sanctification in our lives in the present, and we look forward to our glorification in the future, when Christ returns. Therefore, as the enemy focuses his attacks on our minds, we wear the helmet of the hope of salvation and experience His security and peace. 

Scripture often uses the image of a sword to describe God’s word. The Bible is not just a book. It is a double-edged sword that “pierc[es] to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). We must know scripture to effectively wield this piece of armour – the only offensive weapon we carry into spiritual battle.