SANDALS OF PEACE
Ephesians 6.15
ILLUSTRATION PEACE IS THE BRIEF GLORIOUS MOMENT in history when everybody stands around reloading. —Lloyd Cory, Quote Unquote
Ephesians 6.15 “and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE VERSE?
Equipment used by the Roman soldier is a sturdy shoe, without it no soldier could march far for battle. The Roman soldier’s shoes were fashioned from thick leather and studded through the soles with hobnails.
The studded soles enabled the soldier to stand firm. They kept the soldier’s feet from slipping in battle. Without his shoes, a Roman soldier could not be ready and be able to maintain his position against his enemies.
The phrase “fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace” means to put one’s feet into a condition of readiness or be equipped with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
The Bible speaks of the importance for the followers of Christ to be prepared or ready for spiritual battle. Paul said that the “gospel of peace” is the foundation for preparing ourselves for spiritual battle.
HOW DO WE GET READY FOR BATTLE?
I. BE AT PEACE WITH GOD
The gospel of peace is the good news regarding the peace that God provides for all men. It is the restoration of spiritual health or wholeness that the Good News proclaims and affects. Satan is not only the great LIAR, ACCUSER, but also the great DIVIDER or DESTROYER.
In this world, we need to choose whose side we are going to – God who offers peace or the Devil who divides and destroys our lives. When we choose the devil’s side, we become enemies of God.
James 4.4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
2 Corinthians 4.4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
When we choose God’s side, we become enemies of the Devil.
1 Peter 5.8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
When we put our faith in Jesus, we have peace with God and were reconciled to God through the death of his Son.
Romans 5.1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
Romans 5.10 For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
We can only resist the devil and temptations when we are on God’s side and submissive to His will.
James 4.7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
The question now is “whose side are you?” If you belong to the side of devil, you are an enemy of God and there is no way you can win your battle against God.
But if you belong to the side of God, you are an enemy of the devil and God will enable you to win your battle against the devil. In fact, God already destroyed the power of the devil over you through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.
Whose side are you? Those who are still undecided, I hope that you will choose God. When you have chosen God through His Son Jesus Christ, you are at peace with God and that alliance with God is our strength to face the devil. We are ready to face the devil.
II. BE AT PEACE WITH ALL MEN
In addition to our peaceful relationship with God, God wanted us to pursue peace with one another. Why? Because our inter-personal conflict can be exploited by the devil and cause us to sin.
Hebrews 12.14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord
Disunity, unforgiving spirits, hatred, envy, jealousy, factions, critical spirits, and divisions are all tools of the devil. God’s peace is our weapon against all of these.
Colossians 3.15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.
Therefore aside from making sure that we are at peace with God, we must also pursue peaceful relationship with others. Practice regularly the “one another commandments” of God.
Be affectionate to one another; be in agreement with one another, accept one another, serve one another, carry one another’s burdens, be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, encouraging one another, be concerned about one another, confess your sins to one another, and love one another.
When we maintain regularly a peaceful relationship with God and one another by repentance, confession, and appropriating God’s forgiveness and forgiving one another then we have fitted our feet with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
HOW DO WE CONFRONT OUR SPIRITUAL ENEMY?
Getting ready for the spiritual battle involves both defensive and offensive actions.
I. CONFRONT HIM DEFENSIVELY.
The shoes of the Roman soldier were studded through the soles with hobnails for solid footing like the shoes of a football player. The reason for hobnails is that he should be able to anchor down during the enemy’s attack.
In Ephesians 6.13-14, the term “stand” is a military term meaning “take your position and hold it.” We defend our ground simply by standing firmly.
1 Corinthians 16.13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.
As believers, we are to be watchful and alert, always aware of the spiritual forces around us. We submit to God, trusting Him to give us the power to resist the Devil. He may try to terrify us with his roar, but we are to stand against him with our faith.
How do we stand ready to defend against the enemy?
1) Resisting temptation the devil offers. Say “No” right away. Stay away from tempting situations and persons.
2) Refuse to compromise the biblical truth. Never justify wrong doing. When the bible says it is wrong, it is wrong. Doing right may be difficult but not impossible.
3) Remain focus on God despite of difficulties. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
II. CONFRONT HIM OFFENSIVELY.
Isaiah 52.7 “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
We must be ready offensively by sharing the gospel of peace to community. We must always be ready to share the good news of Christ.
2 Timothy 2.2-4 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
We must always be ready because the opportunity is not always available. The people’s mindset would change. “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths”
In our family, the best time to lead our children to Christ is while they are still young. When they grow older, it is more difficult to yield their lives to Christ’s lordship.
2 Corinthians 5.18-20 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
Peace, when it comes, will not have come without a cost. We must be ready to go out there be ambassadors of Christ proclaiming that there is a way to experience peace in this world – peace with God, with men, and with self.
John 14.27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Satan has declared war, but you and I are ambassadors of peace and, as such, we take the Gospel of peace wherever we go. That is why; it is not easy to share the gospel. The devil will do everything to stop us invading his territory. We need to pray.
Ephesians 6.19-20 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
CONCLUSION
We need to understand that whether we like it or not, our life on earth is a war – spiritual war. We cannot be in the middle. We need to take side, it is either we are peace with God and at war with the devil or at peace with the devil and an enemy of God. I hope and pray that we will choose and stay with God.
