Col 1:19-22 (NIV) For God was pleased to have all His (God’s) fullness dwell in Him (Jesus), and through Him (Jesus) to reconcile to Himself (God) all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His (Jesus’) blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies IN YOUR MINDS because of your evil behavior. But now He (God) has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His (God’s) sight, without blemish and free from accusation.

Jesus provided the peace between us and God. By making peace through His (Jesus’) blood, shed on the cross. Before salvation we were alienated from God. Once you were alienated from God. We couldn’t expect God to do anything for us. Our mind made us enemies with God because it was dedicated to evil behavior. And you were enemies IN YOUR MINDS because of your evil behavior. Then, through salvation, our mind started WANTING God and started WANTING to do the things of God. Rom 7:15 (NIV) I do not understand what I do. For what I WANT to do I do not do, but what I HATE I do.

Our WANT is VERY important to God; so, let’s ignore the “do” part for right now and just concentrate on our want, as we examine Romans 7:15. The “wanting” issue is huge with God. Prior to salvation we didn’t WANT God or the things of God. As a matter of fact Colossians 1:19-22 says that we “were enemies in [our] minds because of [our] evil behavior.” But, salvation changes our mind and our will and brings us into agreement with God about right and wrong deeds. Rom 7:22 (NIV) For in my inner being (your spirit) I delight in God’s law. So, how are we going to get to the place where we WANT God and the things of God?

Prior to salvation, the Holy Spirit had been convicting us about these right and wrong issues. John 16:8 (NIV) When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment. He started infiltrating our conscience (belief system) and caused our heart to start making us feel bad about doing things that God said were wrong and not doing certain good things that God said were right. On a certain level we were “starting” to agree with God before we were saved.

However, even though there was a conflict growing in our heart we still loved to sin and couldn’t hardly stand doing righteous things. Rom 6:20 (NIV) When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. As the Holy Spirit kept turning up the “heat,” we became more and more miserable about the sins we were committing. We started feeling a deep internal struggle going on inside us. This was our heavenly Father drawing us. John 6:44 (NIV) No one can come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.

The gospel message, is Jesus’ instructions for how to be saved. It usually comes to us at a point where we can hardly stand the way we are living. It introduces us to the saving power of Jesus. Rom 1:16 (NIV) I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. If, at that point, we accept Jesus’ help, our mind is changed. We give in to the pressure the Holy Spirit is putting on us. We start wanting to come into agreement with God.

Once we confess that Jesus is our Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead, our attitudes will change concerning SIN (deeds that hurt us and others) and RIGHTEOUSNESS (deeds that bless us and others). Rom 10:9 (NIV) That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you WILL be saved. We will start WANTING to do the right things and HATING to do the wrong things. Rom 7:15 (NIV) I do not understand what I do. For what I WANT to do I do not do, but what I HATE I do.

Salvation brings proof to us that we are saved; we receive evidence from the Holy Spirit that we are God’s child. Rom 8:16 (NIV) The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we ARE God’s children. When we receive that evidence from the Holy Spirit, we can know that a helmet of salvation is available to us. Our mind, our heart, and our will are all pointing toward God. They “want” to do what God says is right. They “want” to stop doing the things God says are wrong.

If at the moment of salvation the helmet of salvation is put on, our mind, our heart, and our will, will be SET in agreement with God. Rom 8:5b (NIV) Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds SET on what the Spirit desires. The thing that often keeps us from putting it on is a lack of YIELDING to God’s love. Rom 5:5b (NIV) God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, Whom He has given us. We HAVE GOD’S love, we just have to learn how to yield to it. The more we build an intimate, love relationship with God, the more we put on and keep on the helmet of salvation.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 gives us a full list of all the things God’s love will do for us. Here’s what God’s love has the power to do to our behavior: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. If we yield to God’s power-love, it will empower us to put on and keep on the helmet of salvation.