THE CHRISTIAN’S ARMOR
Ephesians 6:10-18
Ephesians 6:15
#4 - A GOOD PAIR OF
SHOES OR "IF THE SHOE FITS, WEAR IT"
God has the answer for
those who feel pressured, trapped, up against it, discouraged, or even
defeated. God's answer, figuratively
speaking, has to do with footwear. I'm
sure you've worn various shoes or boots that were a problem. Some were too
large. Some were too small. Some had holes in them. Some were too slippery on
the bottom, and you had no traction. And some were just plain uncomfortable!
God wants you to trade
in whatever footwear you are wearing for a comfortable, sturdy pair of army
boots. Ephesians 6:14-15 says,
"Stand therefore,
having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of
righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation
of the gospel of peace;"
We are in Spiritual
warfare against the devil and his henchmen, the demons. Ephesians 6:11-12
God has provided the
Christian with armor to withstand the devil.
The Christian's
responsibility is to wear and use that armor.
Roman soldiers wore
sandals that were hobnailed. We might say they were cleated.
Imagine a soldier trying
to march up a slippery hill and not being able to do so because of smooth
bottoms to the shoes. Imagine a soldier trying to fight an enemy when he
couldn't stand firm. If the soldier had slippery boots, the enemy could push
him down, and defeat him.
Our footwear is the
"preparation" or the "readiness" of the Gospel of peace.
In a real sense the
Christian needs to be ready or prepared to move out and share the Gospel at any
moment. (Romans 10:14-15) And although we are to be ready to go and share the
Gospel, that does not appear to be the meaning here. The context here is
standing. We are to be standing, resisting the devil! We stand firm, resisting
the devil when we are wearing a prepared foundation, a base which will not
allow us to be moved by uncertainty, anxiety, or worry. We will be able to stand firm when we are
standing in the peace of the Gospel.
THE POSITION OF PEACE
Before a person comes to
Christ, he or she has an enemy. Because of
our sins, we are God's enemies. Oh, He loves us, but sin separates us from God
and makes us God's enemies. Isaiah 59:2, Ephesians 2:2-3
We could not have peace
because we were God's enemies.
A person under the
bondage of sin and service to the devil cannot have peace.
We were God's enemies.
But God sent his Son to the cross to die for our sins. He died in our place,
the righteous for the unrighteous. He died so we could have peace. Romans 5:1
The moment you trust
Christ as Savior one battle is over.
You are no longer God's enemy, you are now God's child. John 1:12
THE POWER FOR PEACE
God wants you to have
two kinds of peace.
He wants you to have
peace with Him. That happens the moment you come to Christ as Savior.
But God also wants you
to have His peace to rule inside of you. It is possible to actually be at peace
and not feel peaceful. And this is where Satan likes to get in and meddle.
If Satan can stop you
from experiencing God's peace, he will.
God in His goodness
wants us to experience the peace of God.
God has provided a very
Special person to live inside of us to give us the power to have peace. This
special person is God, the Holy Spirit.
John 14:15-18, John 14:26-27
The power for peace, the
Holy Spirit of God, lives in your life.
THE PRACTICE OF PEACE
Now we see how the
Christian can put on these boots, the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. I
feel it can be summed up in three words:
FILLING - Ephesians 5:18
How can you tell if you
are filled? Ephesians 5:19-21, Galatians 5:22-23
FOCUS - Isaiah 26:3-4
FELLOWSHIP - Psalm
27:4-5, Philippians 4:6-7
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