Now as nightmares go, this one wasn't too bad, but it was at least heart pumping enough that I am now awake and can pretty much remember what was going on. In this dream, I was being taunted by someone who was much bigger and who obviously could do me harm. He was making veiled threats and I could tell I was in real danger. Fortunately, someone came into the room and distracted him, and I made my get away. I had gotten outside and was going down a dark outdoor hallway toward my car. I was walking as fast as I could, which wasn't nearly as fast as normal because I was wearing heels! Just as I reached the door, I felt the person's hand grab my shoulder. That's when I woke up.
So what's all this got to do with the helmet of salvation? The helmet is a part of our armor designed to keep us from losing our head....and to protect our mind. Our mind is a powerful tool! It registers things we think it doesn't and then processes them later on while we think we are doing nothing...like sleeping! It's important to keep your mind safe, to not allow it to be hit by the enemy. We are given the helmet of salvation to help protect our minds from the enemy's arrows. Last night, however, I took off my helmet.
No, I wasn't out on the town, and I wasn't doing anything that most people would consider even remotely harmful. I was just sitting on the couch watching TV. As I was flipping channels looking for something to watch, (that should have been a sign right there to turn the stupid thing off), I came across a show that I really like. I won't say the name of it in case it's one of your favorites, but it had to do with people who commit crimes against others. As I think about it, it has to do with the mind as well. Anyway, I am pretty careful to change the channel if something gory comes on, but this episode wasn't gory. It was about a stalker. I watched only a few minutes and then finally listened to that little voice inside (that was by now practically screaming at me) and changed the channel. Evidently, I didn't change it fast enough because I'm pretty sure that's where my dream came from.
As I lay there in the dark thinking about the weird dream and wishing I could go back to sleep, I thought back to an moment from over 20 years ago. My husband and I were taking a movie back to the rental place and as I looked at the movie title in my hand I had a conversation with God. It was actually more of a "listen to God." You know, one of those times when you know that you know what you are hearing is His voice in your heart. I sat there looking at the movie cover and this is what I heard. "Why do you ask me to station angels round your house and then you walk right past them and carry this inside?" I could see the picture very clearly. I had asked God to protect me and my home, yet I went boldly up the steps to the front door and right past the angels. They were there to keep me safe, but they would not, could not interfere when I made the choice to walk past them carrying destruction right into the house myself.
I have never forgotten that day. I'm not perfect...sometimes I still find myself bringing things in and hoping the angels are looking the other way, but the only one I'm really fooling is myself. I know that the way things get into my heart is through my eyes and ears. It only takes a tiny seed of fear, doubt, or evil to take root in the fertile soil of my mind, and the next thing you know I've got a full grown forest of problems. The best way to keep that from happening is to keep my helmet on and not allow the enemy access to do any planting!
I'm not presuming to tell others what to do. I'm only testifying to what I have seen to be true in my life. I have to keep my helmet on because my enemy is prowling around like a lion looking for whom he may devour. I don't want to be his next snack! That means I have to be aware of what I allow in. I can't mindlessly watch TV or listen to the radio, or even the idle conversations of some people! If I do, I'll find myself with a mess before I know it! It's sort of like that "spot" that everyone has in their house. You know the one...it's that one surface where if you allow yourself to put one thing down on it, the next thing you know you'll have a tower of stuff covering the spot. If I'm not careful, I can allow the same thing to happen with my mind. I mindlessly put things there and before I know it I've got a tower of junk to deal with! I'm better off not putting the junk there in the first place.
As I end today's random thought, I am reminded of a children's song, "Oh be careful little eyes what you see; oh be careful little eyes what you see. For the Father up above is looking down in love. Oh be careful little eyes what you see." As for me, I think it's time I had another cup of coffee. The five minutes of that show I watched last night stole a lot more than 5 minutes of my sleep! It's also time to put my helmet back on!
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
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