The International Missions Director of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Emmanuel Agyeman Bekoe, has indicated that salvation of the believer is critical in equipping the church for battles.
“One of the weapons in the Christian journey is the helmet of salvation,” he said during the opening session of the La Area Officers’ Retreat (Apostolisation), on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, at Dr. Thomas Wyatt Temple.
Delivering a sermon on the topic, “Significance of the Helmet of Salvation,” Apostle Agyeman Bekoe defined salvation as, “being saved or delivered from sin through Jesus Christ.”
Using scriptural references from Ephesians 6:17 and 2 Corinthians 5:17, he revealed that the new creation or new birth of a believer comes with the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and personal Saviour.
“Not until one accepts Christ as Lord and personal Saviour, they are dead and have no connection with God,” he stated.
Quoting from 1 Thessalonians 5:23 and Hebrews 4:12, he noted that man, being tripartite, is made up of body, soul, and spirit. He also said that the spirit of man serves as the communication channel between God and man.
“If anyone is not in Christ, their spirit is dead, hence, there is no communication network between them and God,” he declared.
He further added: “The moment one comes to accept Christ as their Lord and personal Saviour, that communication channel is opened, and they can talk to God, hear from Him, and be able to wear the helmet of salvation.”
Describing the soul of man, Apostle Agyeman Bekoe said that the mind, will, and emotions, are trained and disciplined to align themselves with the spirit of man when one becomes born again. This, he said, makes the individual spiritual again.
“If the soul aligns itself with the body instead of the spirit, they fight against the spirit, and the individual behaves carnally even though they have accepted Christ,” he noted.
He urged ministers and officers of the church to strive to put on the helmet of salvation which will push them from the past into the future.
The IMD revealed that the helmet of salvation also has a decorative purpose which beautifies and announces the presence of a true born-again Christian after every battle.
He then encouraged the Church to always work at their salvation to help protect their minds from the disruptions and interferences of this world, especially with new converts who need to be focused, determined, and resolute in their faith.
“The battlefield is the mind of the believer. The devil or enemy will throw many negative thoughts in the mind of the Christian, but with the help of the helmet of salvation, they can withstand all the devices of the devil and the pressures of life,” he emphasised while entreating the members of the church to understand the worth of their salvation.
Concluding his sermon, Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe asked members of The Church of Pentecost to be agents and ambassadors of Christ.
The four-day teaching and prayers retreat for ministers and their wives as well as officers of the church will end on February 11, 2022.
Report by Gina Akua Padi.