Sermon June 14, 2009
Sermon Series: Sermons on Spiritual Warfare
Sermon #04: The Shoes of Peace
Scripture Ref: Ephesians 6:10-18 Verse #16:
10: “Finally, my brethern, be strong in the LORD & in the power of HIS might. 11: Put on the whole armor of GOD that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12: For we wrestle not against flesh & blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13: Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of GOD, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, & having done all, to stand. 14: Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with the TRUTH, & having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15: & your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16: Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17: & take the helmet of salvation, & the sword of the SPIRIT, which is the word of GOD: 18: Praying always with all prayer & supplication in the SPIRIT, & perseverance & supplication for all saints.’
Introduction:
This morning we’ll take a look at the 3rd PIECE of SPIRITUAL ARMOR we’re admonished to put on before we DO BATTLE against THE DEVIL.
The 1st PIECE of ARMOR was the BELT of TRUTH. SATAN’S MOST EFFECTIVE WEAPON is DECEPTION & the only way to COMBAT DECEPTION is with TRUTH.
The 2nd PIECE of ARMOR was the BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEOUSNESS. COVERED By the RIGHTEOUSNESS of JESUS CHRIST enables us to LIVE a GENUINE CHRIST-LIKE LIFE.
The 3rd PIECE of ARMOR is the SHOES of PEACE.
We LIVE in such a WEARISOME & a TROUBLESOME DAY. I’ve given this quite a bit of thought this past week & I cannot think of anyone who ISN’T FACING some sort of TROUBLE or TURMOIL either in their OWN LIVES or in the LIVES of SOMEONE CLOSE & DEAR to them.
JESUS referred to SATAN as a THIEF. He comes to STEAL from us & WHAT the DEVIL would LOVE to STEAL ----- & WHAT he PLANS & WORKS toward STEALING from each of us is, OUR PEACE. To have a HEART FILLED with PEACE is WORTH MORE than SILVER & GOLD. If we have PEACE we are RICH & if we do not WIN this WAR against the DEVIL he will ROB us all of our PEACE & our SERENITY.
All over OUR NATION FAMILIES are PRAYING for their LOVED ONES to come home from a TROUBLED MIDEAST. This FINANCIAL CRISIS that we are FACING today has so many people WORRIED about what the NEAR FUTURE is going to bring.
In the COMMERCIAL FIELD there are HORDS of PEOPLE who are becoming WEALTHY by selling their WARES to people who are TROUBLED & DEPRESSED. Their ADVERTIZEMENTS promise them a BETTER & HAPPIER LIFE but leave them EMPTY & DRY.
Luke 21: 26 JESUS said in the LAST DAYS men’s HEARTS would FAIL them for FEAR & from LOOKING at those things which are COMING upon the EARTH.’
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The BIBLE does say that there is a PEACE to be HAD in this WORLD but it is TEMPORARY at its best.
How many of you KNOW that ALMOST ANYONE can have SOME SENSE of PEACE when THINGS are going THEIR WAY? However, IF THOSE TIMES do come, they DO NOT LAST very long!
BUT when the STORMS COME & the RAINS FALL & the HOWLING WINDS SOAR (& they will) there is ONLY ONE PEACE that can really SUSTAIN US & I speak from a PERSONAL EXPERIENCE & that PEACE is ----- the PEACE of GOD!
JESUS told HIS DISCIPLES in John chapter 14: (paraphrase)
‘I am going to LEAVE with you MY PEACE & the PEACE that I GIVE you is NOTHING LIKE the PEACE which the WORLD has to GIVE.’
& I SPEAK once again from a PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ‘The PEACE of GOD by far SURPASSES ALL HUMAN UNDERSTANDING.’
Many have been the TIMES when if NOT for the PEACE of GOD & the CALM from the LORD – I don’t know WHAT I would DO or HOW I would have COPED.
I don’t have ANY DOUBT of the REALNESS of GOD. GOD has so MANY TIMES been my STRENGTH & my FORTRESS & my HIGH TOWER & my REFUGE. I have stood behind this PULPIT in the past 10 YEARS with a SMILE on my face but UNKNOWN to you –the ONLY WAY I was ABLE to STAND was DUE to the STRENGTH & the PEACE of GOD!
Some 700 YEARS before the birth of CHRIST ISAIAH wrote of HIM, Isaiah 9: 6 “& HIS name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty GOD, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.’
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The SHOES of PEACE:
The Roman soldiers wore SHOES that were NOTHING LIKE the BOOTS we’re accustomed to our SOLDIERS wearing today. Their SHOES were like OPEN HOBBED TOED SANDALS that were made of a STRONG LEATHER & they had STRAPS that tied around their ANKLES & up around their CALVES. On the bottom of the SOLES were CLEATS similar to what is found on today’s GOLF SHOES or FOOTBALL SHOES. The GROUND there was often ROCKY & UNSTABLE & SLIPPERY & these CLEATS ALLOWED the SOLDIER to STAND FIRM & STRONG when he was ENGAGED in BATTLE.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
& here in Verse #16 Paul likens the PEACE of GOD to those SHOES that enabled the SOLDIER to STAND STRONG & FIRM & STEADFAST during the time of embattlement.
When we’re ENGAGED in BATTLE with the DEVIL it is so many times the PEACE of GOD in our HEARTS & our LIVES that KEEPS us STANDING FIRM & STRONG. We’re FIGHTING the DEVIL HARD & those about us are WONDERING WHAT’S KEEPING US GOING --- It is that PEACE of GOD that SURPASSES all HUMAN UNDERSTANDING. THANK GOD for HIS PEACE!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT IS THE PEACE of GOD?
What is PEACE?
Is it just some WARM --- COZY FEELING inside of us?
What is the PEACE of GOD that is such a POWERFUL WEAPON against SATAN?
1st PEACE is about OUR RELATIONSHIP with GOD:
That has to be 1st in a PEACE that exists between US & GOD.
We have MADE OUR PEACE with GOD.
It means that we are CLEAR of OFFENSE TOWARD GOD.
It means that we have RECEIVED GOD’S FORGIVENESS & NOW we are FREE from ALL GUILT & CONDEMNATION & we STAND before GOD JUSTIFIED in CHRIST JESUS!
We’ve NOT tried to HIDE ANYTHING from GOD – It is ALL OPEN before HIM!
The OLD ACCOUNT has been SETTLED!
We need this PEACE with GOD to COUNTERACT the DEVIL’S CONSTANT ACCUSATIONS AGAINST US.
He keeps REMINDING us of WHAT WE WERE & WHAT WE HAVE DONE.
Our PEACE comes from KNOWING WHAT GOD DID with those CONFESSED SINS.
Psalm 103:12 ‘As far as the east is from the west so far has HE removed our transgressions from us.’
Isaiah 38:17 ‘………..For YOU have cast all my sins behind YOUR back.’
Isaiah 43:25 ‘I, even I, am HE who blots out your transgressions for MY own sake; & I will not remember your sins.’
Tell the DEVIL to TAKE a HIKE & ENJOY the PEACE of GOD about our RELATIONSHIP with HIM.
I John 3:2 ‘Beloved, now we are the sons of GOD & it does not yet appear what we shall be.’
The 2nd PEACE is about a REFUGE we have in GOD.
It is an AWARENESS that at ALL TIMES & in EVERY WAY --- regardless of WHATEVER HAPPENS in our lives, GOD has us COVERED. GOD has GOT OUR BACK.
That’s the 2nd AWARNESS of PEACE with GOD.
It’s a PEACE that comes from KNOWING that even though the STORMS are BLOWING against us & we may have some VERY DIFFICULT TIMES to come our way, GOD has us COVERED & HE is going to TAKE CARE of us.
That kind of PEACE is a GREAT SOURCE of STRENGTH when we’re ENGAGED in BATTLE with SATAN. We do EXPERIENCE PAIN & DIFFICULTIES & HURTS at times. We do have THINGS to BATTLE & ENEMIES to FIGHT but we RECOGNIZE as CHRISTIANS that the LORD ALMIGHTY has our LIVES COVERED & ABSOLUTELY NOTHING is going to HAPPEN in our lives ---- that FALLS OUTSIDE of GOD’S PLAN & HIS WORKING in our lives.
& when we have that PEACE that GOD is OUR REFUGE in TIMES of TROUBLE then we can say as the Apostle Paul did in Romans 8:38 ‘For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39: Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of GOD, which is in CHRIST JESUS our LORD.’
As the song says: Well, I’ve got a feeling everything is going to be all right
That’s a vital part of the PEACE of GOD.
I’m CONFIDENT that I am GOING to MAKE IT.
I’m going to BE ALRIGHT WHATEVER COMES MY WAY.
SONG: Some through the water, Some through the flood,
Some through the fire, But ALL through the BLOOD.
Some through great sorrow, but GOD gives a song.
GOD leads HIS dear children along.
GOD takes care of us in life.
We’re not FRETFUL & WORRIED when TROUBLE comes our way, because we DECLARE in our HEARTS “The LORD has me in HIS HAND & HE is TAKING CARE of me.’
Give the LORD PRAISE & GLORY!
The 3rd PEACE is about THE ROAD MAP of GOD:
That is the PEACE that comes as we BELIEVE that in ALL THINGS as CHRISTIANS, when we DO OUR BEST to FOLLOW the LORD, as we are WALKING in OBEDIENCE to the SCRIPTURES, & we are SEEKING the LEADING of the LORD ---- THEN as we FOLLOW HIM with our HEARTS ---- that HE is going to TAKE US to the PLACE that HE WANTS us to be.
& our JOURNEY is NOT going to be FRUITLESS & FUTILE but our LIFE is going to have PURPOSE & in the PLACE where GOD wants us to be.
As we FOLLOW the LORD to the BEST of our ABILITY there are TIMES in our life when we SEEK an ANSWER & a DIRECTION from the LORD. & we don’t get a CLEAR ANSWER.
How many of you have ever been there?
Have you ever ASKED the LORD ‘LORD do YOU want me to do this or do that?’
& you EARNESTLY SEEK the LORD, but we didn’t get a CLEAR ANSWER.’
Some people pray about all kinds of decisions:
What kind of car to buy, a Chevy or a ford?
When we SEEK the LORD’S WILL & HIS DIRECTION with our HEARTS & we DO OUR BEST to FOLLOW HIS DIRECTIONS & HE DOESN’T GIVE us a CLEAR ANSWER about WHAT TO DO,
Then I BELIEVE the LORD is saying to us, to GO AHEAD & DO WHAT you WANT & I’ll BLESS you.
How many of you KNOW that GOD is a GOOD GOD?
Don’t get all FRUSTRATED & BENT OUT of SHAPE because you think the LORD has to SPEAK to you AUDIBULY to tell you to TAKE a LEFT TURN or a RIGHT TURN to get you to WHERE you want to go.
If you DON’T HEAR a CLEAR VOICE from the LORD then your BEST OPTION is to ALWAYS FOLLOW the SCRIPTURE & DO the BEST to FOLLOW the LORD. The LORD WANTS us to BE in HIS WILL MORE than we WANT to BE in HIS WILL.
WHEN we TRULY SEEK the LORD to the BEST of our ABILITY then we have the PEACE of GOD that HE is OUR ROAD MAP.
Romans 8:28 ‘& we know that GOD causes all things to work together for the good to them that love GOD, to them who are the called according to HIS purpose.’
SOMETIMES we may NOT be HAPPY WHERE we are in LIFE but KEEP ON being FAITHFUL, SERVING the LORD & HE will WALK with us DOWN the ROAD we’re on. GOD is WALKING BESIDE US & LEADING our way. Oh what PEACE that affords.
HOW TO GAIN that PEACE & MAKE IT a STRONG WEAPON in OUR LIVES?
PRACTICAL PATH to PEACE:
HOW do we become PEOPLE in whose LIVES PEACE PREVAILS?
HOW MANY WANT to be a PERSON with PEACE in the GREATEST of DIFFICULTIES?
HOW do we GAIN that PEACE?
HOW do we ESTABLISH PEACE in our lives as a REGULAR TOOL & a WEAPON in our SPIRITUAL LIVES?
The WEAPON of PEACE:
Principle #1:
STRENGTHEN YOUR MIND with the SCRIPTURES:
Get into the WORD of GOD: Discipline yourselves to PRAY & STUDY the WORD:
There are SOME PRECIOUS PROMISES from GOD that can BRING us PEACE.
‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ Hebrews 13:5
‘& lo I am with you all the way, even to the end of the world.’ Matthew 28:20
‘God will put no more upon you than that which you are able to bear, but will with the temptation, provide a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.’ I Corinthians 10:13
STANDING on the PROMISES of GOD.
Principle #2:
SANCTIFY YOUR MIND from SIN & WORLDLINESS:
Romans 8: 6 ‘To be CARNALLY MINDED is DEATH but to be SPIRITUALLY MINDED is LIFE & PEACE.’
If we really WANT the PEACE of GOD then we NEED a CLEANSING of OUR MINDS:
CLEANSING our MINDS from IMPURE THOUGHTS: SINFUL THOUGHTS:
There’s a SCRIPTURE in the 1st chapter of ROMANS. After LISTING a LONG LIST of SINFUL ACTIVITIES Paul says this:
Romans 1:32 ‘Who knowing the judgment of GOD, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.’
There may be some PEOPLE here this morning WHO would NEVER THINK ABOUT COMMITTING ADULTERY but on a REGULAR BASIS you may WATCH ADULTERY taking place on some TELEVISION SHOW or A MOVIE or A BOOK.
There are hordes of PROGRAMS where all sorts of SIN & WICKEDNESS & PERVERSION take place. Many people LAUGH & get ENGROSSED & are ENTERTAINED in the SINFUL ROOTS of this world.
To have the PEACE of GOD we need our MINDS & our HEARTS FOCUSED on the RIGHT THINGS & TURN OFF from ENTERING into our HEARTS & into our MINDS the THINGS that DO NOT GLORIFY GOD.
The THINGS that GIVE the DEVIL an ENTRANCE into our HEARTS & into our MINDS.
IF JESUS WAS THERE IN THE FLESH WOULD YOU WATCH IT or BE INVOLVED IN IT?
James 1:8 ‘A doubled minded man is UNSTABLE in all his ways.’ NOT AT PEACE but UNSTABLE.
Principle #3:
GIVE THE LORD YOUR BURDENS & YOUR CARES.
TAKE YOUR BURDENS TO THE LORD & LEAVE THEM THERE.
Find an ALTAR , Make an ALTAR, Take the THINGS that TROUBLE YOU, Take the THINGS that THREATEN your PEACE to the ALTAR & LEAVE THEM THERE.
In this LIFE there are OFTEN THINGS that are BIGGER than we are.
THINGS that are OUT of OUR CONTROL.
We have TWO CHOICES:
1: CONTINUE to HANG ON to THEM & ALLOW THEM to DRAG US DOWN
Or
2: SURRENDER THEM to the LORD & SUBMIT THEM to HIS CARE:
In II Corinthians chapter #12 Paul writes of a THORN in the FLESH that was TORMENTING him.
THORNS are VERY PAINFUL. Described it as a MESSENGER from SATAN sent to TORMENT him. He SOUGHT GOD 3 times for DELIVERANCE from it.
This is the ANSWER which GOD gave him.
II Corinthians 12:9 ‘& HE said unto me, MY grace is sufficient for thee…’
