Series: The Armor Of God [#3]
THE SHOES OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE
Ephesians 6:15
Introduction:
Over the last several weeks, the subject of Spiritual Warfare has been a focus. We know that we are not supposed to take the fight to the Devil. We know that we are to put on the full armor of God and stand firm. My question to you is, “Are you putting on the full armor of God and standing firm”?
Ephesians 6:10-15 (NIV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
We are told that after we have put on the full armor of God that we are to stand firm. Then, the armor is explained 1 piece at a time. We have looked at the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. Tonight, we are going to look at the shoes of the readiness of the gospel of peace.
1. The shoes of the Gospel of peace.
It may seem strange to consider shoes to be part of your armor; but can you imagine going to war without shoes? The Roman soldier wore a Caligae. This was a heavy-soled military boot. Yes, it was a sandal; but it had leather straps that went all the way up past the ankles. At times, there was also nails that were driven through the sole of the Caligae.
Spiritually speaking, the shoes are for the readiness of the gospel of peace. Some ask, “Does this mean that there is more than 1 Gospel”? The answer is no. The word Gospel means good news; which refers to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, so that we might be saved. When you are saved, it brings the peace of God to your life.
2. The purpose of the shoes of the gospel of peace.
Shoes are necessary to protect our feet. It allows us to walk on different terrains without hurting ourselves. A soldier without shoes would not be able to focus on battle because he would have to watch every step he took. The nails in his boots were driven into the ground to help the soldier stand firm.
Spiritually, we need to be ready to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ wherever we are. The Word of God will destroy the enemy and others will see the power of God. We also need to stand firm in God. The peace of God holds us down to stand firm in Him.
3. The proper use of the shoes of the gospel of peace.
Our foundation is built upon Jesus Christ. We are to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ everywhere we go.
