The Armor of God

The Gospel of Peace

ZBC Sunday Night 6-23-24

We will continue our study of the Armor of God in Ephesians 6, if you would like to turn there with me.

Don’t ever forget the importance of the Armor of God. Remember, there is a spiritual war going on; the devil is out to kill, steal and destroy. God gives us His armor to protect and help us in this war, a war that we will win. However, to come out of the war in the best shape, God gives us His armor. We, however, have to decide to put it on.

We have talked about truth and righteousness. Tonight, let’s talk about the gospel of peace.

Ephesians 6:15: 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Feet. What is the purpose of feet? Walking; going. They give us stability to stand and walk. We know that according to Matthew 28, we are to go with the gospel and give it to others and baptize them.

Shod: to bind under one’s feet, like putting on shoes or sandals. Put on.

Bind: tie or fasten tightly together; wrap or encircle tightly; hold in a united or cohesive group or mass; combine together; obligated to; be applied to for a given outcome.

This word, shod, here in its Greek meaning, is talking about being under. This word is hupodeo (hoop-od-ay-o) and comes from the Greek word hupo (hoop-ah) meaning a place beneath.

If we are shod, we have something under our feet. We have something to walk on! There is a foundation there and we are to walk on it! We are to bind it to ourselves!

Notice it says with the preparation of.

Preparation: Greek word hetoimasia (het-oy-mas-ee-ah) meaning preparing or being prepared; getting ready for an event or undertaking. It comes from the Greek word hetoimazo (het-oy-mad-zo) meaning make ready.

Gospel of peace. What is the gospel of peace?

Gospel: a good message; glad tidings; good news. The gospel of Jesus is the good message, glad tidings and good news of Jesus Christ.

What is this good news? Please turn with me to 1 Corinthians 15. Here Paul tells us what this gospel is.

Beginning with 1 Corinthians 15:1–4 “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

Let’s continue with 1 Corinthians 15:19–26 “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”

1 Corinthians 15:54–58 “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

This is the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ and it saves us!

What peace to know that we are His, and nothing, not even the attacks of the devil, can take that away! Wow and amen!

And this gospel is full of peace that can only come through Jesus!

John 14:1–3 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

John 14:19 “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.”

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

What a verse! Let not your heart be troubled! Why? Because of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Strap this armor on your feet, the gospel of peace, the gospel of Jesus Christ so that when the devil comes attacking, we can know that Jesus has us, that we are shod on a solid foundation, and then go tell others about Him so they, too, can have this gospel of peace!

Are you prepared with the gospel of Jesus Christ? Are you saved? Are you going with this gospel of Jesus Christ and telling others about what you have? There is enough of Jesus to share!

Do you know that you know that you know you are shod with the gospel of Jesus Christ; that you are saved? If you know that you know that you know you are prepared with the gospel of Jesus, then when the devil comes attacking, we can be certain that we are on the winning team; no doubts that we are not saved can hinder our walk with God, because we know that we know that we know we are God’s child!