Greetings,
Some
ladies love cute shoes! They believe that seven inch stilettos can take their perfectly
color coordinated outfit to a state of near perfection. The visual appeal of
the shoes outweighs all issues of practically. When wearing these shoes there
are usually no problems as long as they are just walking from a car to a
restaurant table and back. However, the problems begin when it's time to hit
the dance floor or when the car breaks down and it's two miles to the nearest
gas station. Only then does the fact that the shoes have no practicality become
evident.
While
some shoes lack any practicality apart from visual appeal, other shoes serve a
purpose. However, different shoes serve different purposes. Tennis shoes are
good for playing tennis. Soccer cleats are good for maintaining balance, speed
and grip on a grassy field. Basketball shoes allow for stability and speed on
the basketball court. Army boots protect the feet, keep them warm in adverse
climates, and allow for balance and reliability on various types of terrain.
Different shoes serve different purposes and we have to make sure that we are
wearing the right shoe for the job.
If
I am going to play soccer on a wet field, I want to be wearing cleats. If I am
wearing basketball shoes I am going to have problems. I've actually tried this.
What happened was that I slipped and fell several times because my shoes were
not designed to be effective on wet grass. Due to the fact that I was
constantly worried about slipping, I had to move slowly which inhibited my
ability to play at my best. If I we're going to dance ballet I would not want
to be wearing army boots. I have not tried this, but it's certainly a funny
mental picture. For something that requires such grace and poise, heavy clunky
army boots could not possibly yield anything good.
The
idea is that we need the right shoes for the job. No one wants to hike 50 miles
over a sheet of ice while wearing roller skates. No one goes out to fight a war
in stilettos . When our feet are suffering from a bad situation it can
basically throw off everything else. This is why we must make sure that our
feet are protected and outfitted with the right shoes for the job.
We
have been in a series on the armor of God. We have said that just like soldiers
need armor to fight physical battles, we also need armor for our spiritual
battles. While we learn great lessons by studying the meaning of the armor of
God, we have also realized that as we put on the armor of God our spirit man
literally wears it in the spirit realm. We have also come to understand that
warfare is not an option for Christians. There is a perpetual war between the
kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light, and if we are Christian then we
are soldiers in kingdom of light. We are enemies of the kingdom of darkness and
the devil wants to destroy us. Therefore, in order to stand against the devil
and his inevitable attacks we should put on the armor of God daily. We put on
the armor of God by praying out loud according to the following passage.
""Wherefore
take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the
evil day, and having done all, to stand. 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; Above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And
take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of
God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints"
(Ephesians 6:13-18)
I
have underlined our focal point for this letter. Our feet are to be outfitted
the preparation of the gospel of peace. This is the right shoe for the job of
spiritual warfare. What we do not want is to have our feet shod with pride,
anger, bitterness, resentment, hatred, alcoholism, envy, and other negative
characteristics. Unfortunately there are a lot of Christians who are moving
upon these faulty foundations. They are stepping out with the wrong shoes for
the job and both they and those around them suffer as a result.
There
are times when my wife wears the wrong shoes for the occasion. Sure she looks
as cute as can be, but her feet are not properly outfitted for the strain that
will be put upon them. As a result, they begin to hurt her. As her wonderful
and loving husband, it never works out that her terrible situation stays her terrible situation. Somehow I always end up sharing the
grief. I will end up carrying most of her weight on my arm or even carrying her
altogether. At the end of the day, her shoes have a negative impact on both of
us. When we wear the wrong shoes for the job, those around us will suffer too.
However,
the question is accurately asked: why isn't it the shoes of peace? Why is it
the shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace? Let's take a closer
look at this. We must first understand what is meant by the use of the word "gospel".
Gospel simply means good news. Often times as Christians we will use the phrase
"Go out and preach the gospel." The use of the word gospel in this
phrase implies the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the good news that
Jesus was born of a virgin, died, and was resurrected on the third day so that
all that believe in him would not perish but have everlasting life. However,
this can lead to a confusion of terms because the word gospel when used by
itself does not always imply the gospel of Jesus Christ. For instance, consider
the gospel of the Cheesecake Factory. This would be the good news that the
Cheesecake Factory restaurant has delicious food and desserts.
In
this case we are dealing with the gospel of peace. It is the good news of
peace. The word peace comes from the Greek word eirene
and means peace, prosperity, and rest. What is the good news about this peace?
The good news is that in Christ we have both peace "with" God and the
peace "of" God. Having peace with God means that we have been
justified by the finished work of Jesus. This means that because Jesus became
the perfect sacrifice for us, He reconciled us to God by making it just as if
we'd never sinned. When I think about being justified I think Just-If-I'd. Jesus made is just-as-if-I'd never
sinned.
"Therefore
being justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1)
Not only do we walk on the firm
foundation of knowing that we have peace with God. We also walk on the firm
foundation of knowing that we have the peace of God. This is God's peace
manifesting through us. Do you know what gives God anxiety? Nothing. That's
right, He is all-powerful, almighty, all-knowing, and He has all authority.
What could He possibly worry about? Anxiety and fear are not of God. As a matter
of fact the Bible comes right out and says that we have not been given a spirit
of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). The same peace
that abides in God is given to us. In Christ we receive a peace that by earthly
standards passes all understanding.
"And
the peace of
God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus: (Philippians 4:7)
When
we put on the shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace, we are prepared
to walk according to the reality that we have both peace "with" God
and the peace "of" God. This brings peace to our homes, to our
workplaces, and to our relationships. When the enemy attacks either our
identity in Christ or our situation in the natural, we are prepared to stay in
a place of peace and clarity. Peace is an essential part of participating in the kingdom of God.
"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and
peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost"
(Romans 14:17)
