(Armor of God 4) Shoes of the Gospel of Peace
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Today we continue with Part 4 of our series titled “The Armor of God.”
Our main text comes from Ephesians chapter 6,
where the Apostle Paul reminds us that every piece of this armor
is given for one purpose —
so that the believer may remain standing in the midst of this spiritual war.
As I have said many times throughout this series,
at the very heart of this study lies a central thesis:
The Armor of God equips the believer to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
That is why God,
has provided every piece of armor we need
— so that we can remain strong, steadfast, and standing for Him.
The first piece of armor is the belt of truth…
The Belt of Truth Holds Everything Together. (faith secure in truth)
The Belt of Truth Brings the Freedom to Fight (free to swing my sword against the enemies attacks)
3. The Belt of Truth Must Be Worn, Not Just Known (For the belt to affective I need to wear it)
The Second piece of armor is the Breastplate of Righteousness.
The Breastplate of Righteousness Marks My Identity (armor is unique to the army you fight for… Righteousness is unique to us...)
2. The Breastplate of Righteousness Protects My Heart (assurance and security in knowing I am right with God)
3. The Breastplate of Righteousness Gives Me Courage to Stand (bold when I am accepted by God… not bold when i need to be accepted by man)
Today we will unpack the third piece of armor… The shoes of the Gospel of Peace
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
Story of hunting boots… (goodwill for 3 bucks… progressive boots, identified as sandals...) [don’t appreciate good shoes until you have the wrong shoes on]
The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace Empower Me to Stand Ready
15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
The Greek Word her is hetoimasia,
which means a state of being ready for action. (preparation, prepared)
15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.
As believers we are called to be fully prepared to share our faith.
2a preach the word; be ready in season and out of season;
To be ready to preach the Word in season and out of season,
we must be disciplined students of the Word.
Being prepared costs nothing,
yet few have the discipline to do it.
What I have come to realize over the years,
is that preparation outweighs talent, knowledge, and even natural giftings.
Example.. Upset a better team… Sports coaches… prepared...
(preparation task time and discipline)
It doesn’t take being a genius to be prepared for the task.
You don’t have to be exceptionally gifted to be ready for the mission.
But you do have to be disciplined—because discipline turns ordinary people into those who are ready when it matters most.
As believers we are called to steward moments of preparation,
that allow us to be ready for the next task God has for us....
David preparation....
Preparation is the sweat equity one puts into something to be prepared and ready,
which results in being ready for whatever is thrown there way.
When you have invested the time to be prepared,
you will stay grounded in your mission no matter what challenges come your way.
When Paul says…
“having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace”
“preach the word; be ready in season and out of season;”
He is exhorting believers to be prepared to share the peace and hope they have in Jesus.
Be ready to share about God’s redemptive story.
Share the good news story of God’s salvation plan for humanity.
Share of the love of the Father how he sent his one and only son to die on the cross.
Be ready to share power of God how he conquered the power of death.
These things can be shared by believers,
because encountering Jesus changes everything.…
(all your experience… God use it… experience show God’s redemption story)
The shoes of the Gospel of peace allow you to be ready in a moments notice to share the good news of Jesus.
No matter the condition of the world,
these shoes prepare you to go and tell the world this good news story.
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
Defense is the Greek word apolowia… apologia… Where we get apologetics from… Defense of the Gospel...
(always ready to give a defense of the hope you have)
Putting on the shoes of the Gospel of peace equips me to be ready—
ready to go, to move, and to share my faith wherever God leads…
(We need to be led by the Spirit)
I want to say,
that being led by the Spirit of God,
does not mean that we can be lazy…
We are called to be disciplined students of the Word...
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Sometimes people get the idea in there heads,
that if the Spirit is leading me,
than I don’t have to be disciplined and be prepared…
Story of Sean Feught (Walking in the Spirit)
When I am prepared for the mission of God,
I have more freedom to be led by the Spirit of God wherever he leads me in any moment.
I can walk with will confidence and live with boldness,
because I have the readiness given by the Gospel of peace.
Because I am equipped by God,
I lack nothing and can go live on mission to share Jesus to world.
The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace Empower Me to Stand Ready
2. The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace Give Me Stability in the Battle
To lose one’s footing in battle was to lose one’s life.
Every step mattered,
every stance was a matter of survival.
That is why Roman soldiers wore specially crafted shoes,
with iron studs embedded in the soles,
designed to grip the earth firmly,
giving them the confidence to advance, hold their ground, and fight without fear of slipping.
You need to realize that,
It did not matter how sharp the sword in their hand was,
how strong the armor on their chest,
how resilient the shield against blows,
or how robust the helmet of protection on their head.
All of this ment nothing if you slipped and fell in battle…
One misstep, one loss of balance in the chaos of the fighting,
and everything was lost.
Their life, their mission, and their victory depended on staying grounded,
and standing firm, in the midst of the fiercest fighting.
Thus, in battle, the shoes were not just footwear—they were a lifeline.
Victory depended on standing firm in the battle....
When we think of armor,
our minds often go to the shining breastplate,
the sturdy shield, or the gleaming sword.
Rarely do we pause to consider the shoes worn in battle.
Yet, in the chaos of war, when the ground shakes and the enemy presses in,
it is the soldier’s footing that determines whether he stands or falls.
The truth is—those humble shoes may be the most vital piece of all.
For without them,
even the mightiest warrior cannot hold his ground.
It is the shoes that give him stability, readiness,
and the strength to keep him standing in all conditions of battle.
Example Football player...
(Stand firm throughout Scripture… shoes of the Gospel of peace keep us standing)
The Devil’s aim is for us to fall.… (Fall into.… Bondage, deception, sin, temptation)
Thus, the devils schemes is for us to fall.
But God has not left us unprepared,
he has equipped us with His armor.
(Shoes of the Gospel of Peace prepare us to remain standing)
The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace Empower Me to Stand Ready (Ready to march wherever my Commander tells me to go)
The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace Give Me Stability in the Battle (Stand firm)
The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace Allow Me to Have Rest in the Storm
Jesus asleep in the boat… (Jesus is in the same boat as disciples)
[noticed some people in same situation, but one has peace the other does not]
Jesus said...
27a Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.
Peace the world offers (circumstances)
VS
Peace God offers (peace that surpasses all understanding… Stephen)
15a And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
Allowing peace to rule in your heart is more than simply feeling calm,
it is stepping into the divine rest that God has already prepared for His children.
Hebrews 4 speaks of this sacred rest,
a rest that is not idleness, but confidence.
a confidence that is found in the finished work of Christ.
It is the posture of the soul that knows the battle is already won,
the burden already carried,
the victory already secured.
When Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,”
He was inviting us into that very peace,
that is a deep and sustaining peace that flows from trusting Jesus completely.
This rest is not passive; it’s powerful.
It steadies the heart, anchors the mind,
and gives assurance when the world is shaking.
It is the kind of peace that brings stability when everything else feels unstable.
It is the peace that is a whisper from the Father saying,
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
“I will never leave you know forsake you”
“In the valley of the shadow of death, I will be right there”
It a security of knowing that no matter what comes your way,
you can still have peace and enter into his rest,
because you have found safety and sheltered in the most high.
1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I can walk in peace and enter true rest
when I put on the Shoes of the Gospel of Peace,
for I am securely grounded in the good news story of Jesus.
My peace surpasses worldly understanding,
because it is a peace not born of this world.
It is a heavenly peace that wraps me in love,
a peace that anchors my heart and steadies my soul,
even in the midst of the fiercest storms....
Yet, just as the Father invites us into His rest,
the enemy works tirelessly to pull us out of it.
Where God brings stillness, Satan brings chaos.
Where God offers confidence, the enemy sows confusion.
Where the Father speaks peace,
the devil stirs anxiety and unrest.
That’s why putting on the shoes the Gospel of peace is not optional—it’s essential.
When you walk in the way of peace and peace is what rules in your heart,
fear loses its voice,
anxiety loses its grip,
and the storms of life lose their power to move you.
To walk in the shoes of the Gospel of peace is to walk in victory,
because peace means you are standing firm,
fully resting in the unshakable goodness of your Father.… Amen!
Close with this...
Peace is not the absence of conflict; peace is the presence of Christ.
Therefore, I can be ready to go into dark places and still have peace....
I can have peace in the battle..
I can rest in the storm....
