Title: The shoes of preparation of the gospel
Text: Ephesians 6:15
and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;
Introduction
Paul was one who was much acquainted with spiritual warfare. Paul experienced spiritual warfare in the area of persecution. He was beaten, stoned and was even left to die when he was at Iconium. When he was arrested in Jerusalem, he was probably weighed down by much discouragement. He wrote in 2Timothy 4:6
“At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.”
Paul was also given a thorn in the flesh which was described as a messenger of satan. Paul stood firm until the very end despite the fierce warfare he had undergone.
It is not surprising that the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write an important passage in Ephesians urging believers to stand firm in spiritual warfare.
All believers in Christ are engaged in spiritual warfare in one way or another. Some believed that if you leave the devil alone, he will not harass you. That is totally untrue for the bible says in 1 Peter 5:8
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
He will devour you, if you are not in your protective armour. For this reason, it is extremely important for all believers to put on the full amour of God and for today’s message I will be emphasizing on the shoes of the preparation of the gospel.
1. The Importance of the battle shoes
The battle footwear is extremely important.
The Christian soldier who has carefully girded his lions with truth and put on the breastplate of righteousness, but does not shod his feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, he will stumble and fall and suffer many defeats.
Let us turn to the bible in Ephesians 6:15
and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; (NASB)
and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (NIV)
When Paul wrote about the battle shoes, he was evidently referring to the battle sandals worn by the Roman soldier.
The Roman soldier’s shoes were not an ordinary kind of shoes. They were made out of bronze or brass—usually brass—and the shoes were primarily composed of two parts: (1) the greave, and (2) the shoe itself.
The greave was a piece of beautifully tooled metal that began at the top of the knee and extended down past the lower leg, finally resting on the upper portion of the foot. This tube like piece of metal caused the Roman soldier’s shoes to look like boots that were made of brass!
This upper portion of his footwear was very important! This piece of armour protected the soldier’s legs from being bruised, lacerated or broken in battle. Commanding officers gave orders that required Roman soldiers to carry out difficult missions. At times, these dangerous missions required the soldiers to walk through rocky places and to scale difficult barriers. Without protective guards on their lower legs, their legs would have been severely wounded and bruised as they dragged their legs past rough and sharp rocks.
The shoe itself was made of two pieces of metal. On the top and bottom, the foot was covered with fine pieces of brass. The sides of the shoe were held together by multiple pieces of durable leather. On the bottom, these shoes were affixed with spikes that were one to three inches long. This gives the soldier greater traction he climbed a slippery slope and greater stability as he fought.
The Word “preparation” or “readiness” in the verse comes from the Greek word “hetoimasia” and it means a prepared foundation. This means that the gospel shoes have the ability to provide a firm foothold for the Christian soldier who is engaged in spiritual warfare.
When the Christian soldier put on the gospel shoes, he will be able to march victoriously in their daily life without the fear of slipping or falling. He will be able to stand firm when the enemy launches an attack against him.
Next I want to explain to you:
2. What are the shoes of the preparation of the gospel peace?
The battle shoes can refer to the preaching of the gospel of peace or the protective peace that comes from God. For my message today, I want to focus on the protective peace of God.
There are basically three types of peace
i. Peace with God which comes at our salvation
The bible says in Romans 5:1
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Before we were saved, we were alienated and hostile in our mind against God but through the cross, we obtained peace with God.
Without a genuine conversion experience we will never obtain peace with God.
ii. Peace of God
Many believers are at peace with God by virtue of the salvation experience, but they do not walk in the daily protective peace of God.
I want to clarify that the peace of God is not the absence of problems and troubles. The peace of God means to be assured, confident and secure in the love of care of God. It means that even when one is faced with difficult situations, there is a calmness knowing that God is in control.
Many believers walk in defeat, because they have allowed fretfulness, anxiety and worries to stumble them in their daily walk. Some even backslide when they are faced with difficult circumstances. These believers have not learnt to allow the protective peace of God to govern their hearts and mind.
Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Paul told the Philippi church which was going through some difficulties, that the peace of God is the protection against anxieties. When the enemy hurls thoughts of discouragement, fears and anxieties against us, the peace of God is like the spikes of the battle shoes that sink deep into the ground providing a firm footing, enabling us to stand against the waves of spiritual attack.
When he throws obstacles along our paths, the peace of God protects our lower limbs from injury, enabling us to keep walking.
One of my friends, told me about an incident when he was on a mission trip. In the early hours of the morning while he was still sleeping, he received a phone call from his family members in Singapore that his wife was in hospital and that the doctor said that she was likely to lose the unborn baby.
He was crushed and darkness surrounded him. He wished he could be back in Singapore and be with his wife. Instead of remaining crushed, he started to sing in the Spirit and worshipped God. As he did that, the peace of God flooded his heart and he knew that all will be well and he was able to sleep peacefully. The child was born and they name the child Melody because in the midnight of his life, God gave him a song in the night.
iii. Peace with each other
The strength of the Roman soldiers lies in their formation. They march in tune with each other. They formed the tortoise formation which was impenetrable. The battle shoes enabled them to march as one. Soldiers, who decided not to march in formation, will soon die at the enemy’s hands.
Col 3:15
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. Always be thankful. (NLT)
God has called different soldiers of one army to be at peace with one another. Christian soldiers who are not at peace and cannot march in tune in vision and direction will soon drop out of the ranks. When you are out of the ranks you will be susceptible to enemy’s attack.
That is why; we often refer to the church as our spiritual covering. Spiritual covering does not come when you have a membership certificate. Spiritual covering comes when you are at peace with the church body, having a willingness to submit to God’s ordained leadership, willing to march in tune together with the church in vision and direction.
Finally I want to come to the most important point in this message and that is:
3. How do we put on the shoes of the gospel of peace?
Ephesians 6:15 says “And having shod”
The word “shod” or “fitted” conveys the idea of “Binding the shoes tightly”. The Christian soldier must take the action to bind the peace of God tightly to his life or else in the heat of the battle it might drop off.
How are we to bind the shoes of the gospel of peace tightly to our feet?
I want to suggest that we:
i. Learn to commit every situation in prayers
Paul said “In everything by prayer, supplication and thanksgiving present your request to God.”
How often we panic when things go wrong and we fear for the worst? Do you go through sleepless nights because your name might be on the retrenchment list? When your children fell sick, what were your first actions? When your exams draw nearer do you forsake your time with God and even skip church, because you are so worried that you can’t do well?
Paul commanded the Philippians, do not let anxiety strike you down, learn to commit every situation to God in prayers.
- Surathani incident
ii. Learn to pray in the right posture
Some asked “Why is it after praying I am still worried and anxious?” The reason is because many of us pray in the wrong posture. Many pray wanting a quick solution to the difficult situation. When you pray in such a posture, the peace of God will never rule your heart and your mind.
Instead our posture should be one of yielding to the sovereignty of God, believing that He is in control and he is committed to our good in all situation and circumstances.
2CO 12:7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!
2CO 12:8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.
2CO 12:9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”
Paul was troubled by the thorn in the flesh which was described as a messenger of satan. He prayed three times for it to be removed, but God replied Paul, my grace is sufficient for you. Paul yielded to God and experience peace even though the thorn in the flesh was still present.
iii. Learn to walk in obedience to the Lord.
Phil 4:9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Paul told the Philippians, to practice the teachings taught by Paul and emulate the way he had lived his life. “Follow me as I follow Christ.” Only then the God of peace will be with them.
Walking in obedience is therefore a prerequisite to the protective peace of God in our lives.
iv. Learn to walk as a peacemaker
MT 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Choose to be one who creates peace within the body instead of strife. A peacemaker is one who quenches the voice of division and strife. He choose to march in step with the body, understands what is biblical submission to God’s leaders.
A divisive person will never experience God’s peace and will ultimately be attacked by the enemy.
Conclusion
Are you defeated in your daily walk with God? Has the enemy been hurling his missiles at you, and you have been tripping and falling? The reason may be because the shoes of the gospel of peace are not bound tightly to your life. Take the necessary steps to put them on. When the enemy comes at you again, you will definitely be able to stand firm.
