Let’s begin today with a review. Paul is in prison chained to a guard 24 hours a day- seven days a week. As he is observing the soldiers uniform, the Holy Spirit begins to speak to him about spiritual armor.
He takes note of the belt around the soldier’s waist. He notices that it’s a place to for him to rest his shield and spear. He notes that it has a place to hold the soldier’s sword. He notices how the belt is wrapped around the soldier’s armor holding it all together. He relates that belt to God’s written Word.
We were reminded how its God’s written Word that holds everything together. Without God’s Word we have no place to rest when we are weary. Without God’s Word we have no place to hold our weapons of warfare. Without God’s Word our spiritual armor is useless.
Next he takes note of the breast plate. It covered the soldier from his shoulders to his knees. Being made of brass, he notices the flame of the torch reflecting back into his eyes. He remembers seeing the columns of soldiers marching as a unit through the streets and being blinded from the reflection of the sun on their shiny breastplates. He also notices the protection that the breastplate offered from enemy attacks, both from afar and near. He relates that breastplate to God’s righteousness.
We were reminded that it is God’s righteousness not our own that offers protection from our enemy. This righteousness was given to us by God so that we would be in right standing with him. It is a defensive weapon when attacked by the enemy with accusations of guilt. It is also an offensive weapon when used to reflect the love, kindness, and acceptance of Jesus into he dark corners of Satan’s domain.
Next, he ponders the soldier’s shoes. Ephesians 6:15 “For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.”
The shoes were made of brass. There were two parts to the shoes. From the knees to the ankles was the greave part. It was two pieces of metal formed to fit the calf of the soldier.
This part of the shoe protected the soldier from his leg’s being bruised, lacerated, or broken. A damaged leg could have led to a soldier falling and unable stand to protect himself.
Often the battles were fought in rugged terrain. Without the greaves their legs could be cut by jagged rocks, leading to a loss of blood. Sometimes the battles were fought in thorny places. If you have ever made the mistake of hiking off trail in shorts and finding yourself in a briar patch, you know how painful that might be. But the soldiers very rarely got as much as a scratch on their legs due to the protection of the greaves.
Also their opponent would have been foolish to try and break the soldier’s leg by kicking him in the shin. More damage would be done to the foot of the one kicking then to the metal covered shin of the soldier.
The second part was the shoe itself. It also was made of brass and consisted of two pieces of metal, one for the top of the foot, the other for the bottom. The bottom of the shoe was equipped with metal, sharpened spikes from one to three inches long. They were used not only for firm footing in a battle, making it hard to push the soldier back, but also to stomp on an opponent should they fall. It’s rather strange that Paul would be led to associate such a fierce weapon with peace.
Paul also noted how these shoes were “put on”. They were tightly laced with leather straps from the greave to the shoe to the bottom of the shoe. In other words they were tightly fitted to prevent any slippage.
This preparation led to an assurance of firm footing when engaging the enemy in battle. Therefore, they had a peace about being prepared. Paul recognized the need for us to have a spiritual peace of an assured victory against the enemy before the battle begins.
With the peace of the Good News we have a firm footing. We can step out in confidence regardless of the circumstances around us. We can go face-to-face with the adversary or one of his attacks without fear or intimidation.
So what is this peace we are entitled too through our spiritual armor? In the Greek this word conveyed many meanings. Harmony, tranquility, safety, welfare, health, a lack of strife, a reconciliation in a relationship. It is a peace that prevails. It is a conquering peace in every aspect of life.
When we are not experiencing this peace we must do an inventory to access if some actions in our life have disrupted our peace. We must honestly seek the Holy Spirit to discover if perhaps we are walking in an area not pleasing to God. Chances are that we will discover the problem is with us because Satan can not take off our shoes of peace.
Look at what Jesus told Peter. Matthew 18:18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”
Let’s remember that in Ephesians 6:12 we were introduced to the “evil spirits in heavenly places.” So through the blood of Jesus we have the power to forbid Satan to do things through our flesh. And in doing so we forbid him access to our spiritual life. But we also have the power to permit Satan to control our flesh and in doing so we permit him to bring unrest in our spiritual life. The only way Satan can untie and loosen our shoes of peace is when we let him.
Peace meant reconciliation in a relationship. Colossians 1:22 says we are reconciled to God. That means we are reunited with him in spirit. We no longer need to fear his wrath. We are at peace with God.
And since we are peace with God we now have the peace of God. This peace is a protective peace. It protects you from the barrage of the devil. Remember, the devil likes to constantly attack the roadblock that we have constructed on the road that he uses to travel into our thoughts. He will lob fretfulness, anxiety, worry, and anything else that will rob us of the enjoyment of an abundant life. If you are walking in these things then you have loss the peace of God. But Satan cannot and did not take it from you. You have lost it by not walking in it.
Colossians 3:15 tells us “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. And always be thankful.”
We are told to let peace rule in our hearts. A few weeks back we discovered the word “rule” was used for the umpire or referee who judged athletic games in the ancient world. They called the shots in the game. So we are to allow the peace of God to call the shots in our lives, not anxiety or worry.
Has anyone ridden the Fury 325 at Carowinds? That thing is unbelievable. As you climb to the top, you are treated to the most unbelievable view of Charlotte. But once you reach the top and go over, you are on a rollercoaster ride of hills and curves and twists and turns. You may feel a bit frightened or a bit exhilarated but one thing you don’t feel is peaceful. That is Satan’s desire for your life. He desires to allow you brief moments of peace before casting you over the hill into a maddening spin. But there is one thing you need to realize. He cannot keep you on this rollercoaster ride unless you allow him to do so. He cannot play mind games with a mind ruled by peace.
Also we are members of one body with Christ. As we study his life, we see an example of what it means to live a life in peace with God and to have the peace of God. This type of life will always lead to a life of thankfulness.
So as Paul is considering this almost boot like metal shoe, the Holy Spirit reveals to him how this part of the spiritual armor is both a defensive and offensive weapon.
Just like the Roman soldier, you may be given assignments in life that will lead to some rocky places. It may be rocky relationships and rough situations you find yourselves in. If you are not wearing the peace that comes from the Good News you will be mentally and emotionally bruised and battered.
On the other hand, if the peace that comes from the Good News is ruling your heart, mind, and emotions, you can make it through tough situations without any scrapes or bruises.
Also, Satan will try to force you into a thorn patch. You may be dealing with a difficult financial situation, a bad relationship, an unexpected illness, or a challenge in your place of employment or ministry. But with the peace of the Good News ruling in your heart you will come through unscathed.
Satan will also try to kick you in your shin hard enough to bring you down. If you or a loved one gets ill, he will put doubt into your mind about a healing if you let him. He will want you to focus on the symptoms and not the healing.
If you’re struggling financially, he will attempt to rob you of any hope of finding a solution to your problems. He will want you to focus on your losses and not on the blessing that might be available.
When the days are sunny he wants to bring the clouds. When the weather is warm he wants to bring a blast of artic despair. When you are at the top he wants to push you over and send you on an emotional rollercoaster. But with the peace of the Good News ruling in your heart all of is attempts are doomed to fail.
When in the rocky, thorn covered terrain stand on this scripture.
Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace
all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”
Remember, these shoes of peace of the Good News have spikes on the bottom. They are there for two reasons
One is to keep us firmly standing, unable to be pushed back. We can declare to Satan that regardless of what we see or hear, we are not moving. We are planted firmly with the peace of God until the battle is over and we have won.
Often during storms I watch tall pine trees in my back yard swaying. If any of these fell on the house, it would have the potential of crushing my home . During some rather sever wind storms I have watched these trees sway in a disturbing manner. Sometimes I marvel that they don’t snap in half. But they stand and remain standing after the storm has passed. How? Because they are strongly rooted. When we are strongly rooted in the peace of God, we too can stand. It may take a great deal of faith but we can stand.
When Satan says you can’t, you must take the stand of faith firmly planted with the peace of God. When Satan says the situation is getting worse, you must take the stand of faith firmly planted with the peace of God. When Satan says it’s over, you must take the stand of faith firmly planted with the peace of God. You must declare “I’m not moving until God works in this situation. I will maintain my stance of faith with the peace of God and I will not allow Satan to push me back.”
Then surprise Satan by advancing on him. Romans 16:20 “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”
Notice in this verse the cooperation between God and us. God is doing the crushing but his weapon is our feet. He is using the shoes of the peace of the Good News, with its long spikes that we are wearing, to mutilate and destroy the power of Satan. However, we are powerless to do this on our own.
The word says it will happen soon. When we hear the word “soon” we picture a future event not to far off. However, the word in Greek had a more imperative meaning. It could have translated as immediately or quickly. Remember Paul is painting a picture of the Roman soldier. Therefore when a Roman soldiers were dispatched to arrive soon, it was sooner than later. They would march in quick, short, hard, heavy steps making much noise with their metal spikes. It was a warning to the community that they were on the move. If someone was to stumble in front of them, they would be trampled to death from the spiked shoes.
God is giving us an imperative in this passage. If we will keep moving, keep pounding, when Satan stands in our way we have the promise of God that he will fall beneath our feet and be trampled. And not only trampled but crushed.
Every year Woodmill Winery has a festival. Part of this festival is allowing participants to stomp on grapes to make wine from the juices. This is the idea behind the word “crush.” But it’s a more intense word that Paul uses here. It signifies the snapping, breaking, and crushing of bones beyond recognition. It is a reminder of what would happen if a person was to fall before a legion of Roman soldiers and how they would look after the legion had passed. It is how Satan should look after we have crushed him under our feet through the peace of the Good News.
Satan’s dominions are going to stand before you on a daily bases. They have been dispatched by the prince of darkness to stop you in your tracks. They will use empty threats and illusions to feed fear into your mind. They will make mountains of problems seem insurmountable. They will try to overwhelm you with the magnitude of a given situation. However, when it comes to your life the only place that belongs to the devil is that small space of ground under your foot.
As you leave here today I invite you to put on the peace that comes from the Good News, which is the Gospel of Jesus. Let that be your spiritual shoes. And if you don’t know the Gospel of Jesus discover it today so you also can walk in victory.
