Part 5 - The Gospel Shoes
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Tonight, we are moving on to the next piece of equipment in our spiritual armor…The Gospel Shoes!
And as we continue to study “the whole armor of God,” we continually need to be reminded why this is such an important topic. Verses 10–13 introduce the subject of spiritual warfare. We are told that the saints of God are engaged in a great cosmic battle against a powerful, relentless enemy.
Our enemy is called “the devil,” v 11. Our enemy is said to employ “wiles,” v. 11. This word refers to “the tricks, schemes, and methods” the devil uses to undermine the faith of the saints, and to attack the glory of God.
Let me read you something I found called, “I am a Soldier”
○ I am a soldier in the Army of my God. The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer. The Holy Bible is my code of conduct.
○ Faith, Prayer and the Word are my weapons of Warfare. I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience, tried by adversity, and tested by fire.
○ I am a volunteer in this Army, and I am enlisted for eternity. I will either retire in this Army at the rapture or die in this Army; but I will not get out, sell out, be talked out, I am faithful, capable, and dependable.
○ If my God needs me, I am there. If He needs me in Sunday school to teach children, work with the youth, help adults, or just sit and learn. He can use me, because I am there.
○ I am a soldier. I am not a baby. I do not need to be pampered, petted, primed up, pumped up, picked up, or pepped up.
○ I am a soldier. No one has to call me, remind me, write me, visit me, entice me, or lure me.
○ I am a soldier. I am not a wimp. I am in my place, saluting my King, obeying His orders, praising His name, and building His kingdom!
○ I am a soldier. No one has to send me flowers, gifts, food, cards, candy, or give me handouts.
○ I do not need to be cuddled, cradled, cared for, or catered to. I am committed!
○ I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around. I cannot be discouraged enough to turn me aside. I cannot lose enough to cause me to quit.
○ When Jesus called me into this Army, I had nothing. If I end up with nothing, I will still come out even.
○ I will win. My God will supply all my needs. I am more than a conqueror. I will always triumph. I can do all things through Christ.
○ I am a soldier. Devils cannot defeat me. People cannot disillusion me. Weather cannot weary me. Sickness cannot stop me. Battles cannot beat me. Money cannot buy me. Governments cannot silence me, and Hell cannot handle me!
○ I am a soldier. Even death cannot destroy me. For when my commander calls me from this battlefield, He will promote me to a captain and then bring me back to rule this world with Him.
○ I am a soldier in the Army, and I’m marching, claiming victory. I will not give up. I will not turn around.
○ I am a soldier, marching Heaven bound. Here I stand! Will you stand with me!
Let’s look at these shoes tonight...
The Shoes Are Provided For Us
The Shoes Are Provided For Us
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Paul continues to list the armor of God for the Christian soldier.
○ A soldier without the belt of truth will fall for a lie.
○ A soldier without the breastplate of righteousness is an easy target for Satan.
○ A soldier without having on the gospel shoes will not stand in the battle.
Just as every Christian soldier is equipped with the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness, so too is every Christian provided with the gospel shoes.
The gospel shoes are provided for us. Paul tells the Ephesians that God has given them their shoes.
The gospel shoes are available to every Christian. God has provided the gospel shoes for every believer.
The Roman soldier, the image Paul is using to illustrate “the whole armor of God,” wore leather boots that protected the feet and ankles.
These boots were a half boot that allowed the soldier to advance toward the enemy undistracted about what they might step on.
This piece of the armor was essential to the Roman soldier’s “preparation” for battle.
These boots usually had hobnailed soles, which means they had bits of metal, or nails, driven through them.
These hobnailed soles gave the Roman soldier great traction as he climbed hills, and fought on uneven terrain.
The boots worn by the Roman soldier gave him great stability as he engaged the enemy.
Sam Gordon said, “A man fighting for his life does not want to be slipping and sliding all over the place.”
If we are going to stand against “the wiles of the devil,” we must have on the proper spiritual footwear. We can be “girt about with the truth,” and we can have on “the breastplate of righteousness,” but if we neglect to have our “feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace,” we are destined to stumble and fall.
Next, I want you to notice:
The Shoes Are Put On By Us
The Shoes Are Put On By Us
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Look at that word “shod” - It means, to bind under one’s feet, or to put on shoes or sandals.
It is the right thing to do as men and women of faith that daily trust Jesus to daily wear the gospel shoes.
Paul understood that if our feet is not shod that we are not ready for battle. God tells us to put on the shoes of the gospel of peace.
Dr. Ted Traylor said, “Churches are full of barefooted Baptist trying to stand in the flesh.”
As Christians we are commanded to live for Jesus and to follow Him wherever He leads.
Without the gospel shoes we cannot trod where the Lord has trod and do what the Lord does.
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Henry Blackaby wrote, “Moments will come when you stand at a crossroads with your Lord. You will have a hundred questions for Him. Rather than answering the questions one by one, Jesus may say, ‘Put on your shoes, step out onto the road, and follow Me.’ As you walk daily with Him, Jesus will answer your questions, and you will discover far more than you even knew to ask.”
The Shoes Are To Prepare Us
The Shoes Are To Prepare Us
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
The word “preparation” refers to “being ready.” This same word appears in
1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
A soldier’s boots allows him to be ready for whatever he faces. A good pair of boots makes him ready to march, to stand, to climb, to fight, or whatever else he may be called on to do. That same readiness should mark the people of God.
What does this kind of readiness refer?
In one sense it means that the child of God must always be ready to be about the business of sharing the Gospel with a lost world.
We are to be to move at the Lord’s command, going from place to place preaching the Gospel to the lost and telling them about Jesus.
All believers are to be actively engaged in the business of evangelism.
The Bible says,
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
When God saved us, He commanded us to tell others what He has done for us, and what He can do for them:
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
God has given us His Spirit, and the Holy Spirit has equipped us for the work of evangelism:
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The very heart of our duty to the lost is that we “go and tell.”
Go and tell what exactly? - That we can have peace with God! - ” That being saved from His wrath is as easy as ABC - Admit you’re a sinner, Believe with your heart, Confess with your mouth!
“the Gospel of peace” Paul refers to here is the marvelous news that in Christ we are at peace with God. It is the glorious truth that we have been made one with the Lord. So, having our “feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace” means that we stand in the absolute confidence that God loves us, that He has forgiven us, that we are united with Him, that He fights for us, and that all is well with our souls. It is the confidence that we are saved. When we have that confidence, and when we possess the peace of God in our hearts, we are “ready” to “stand” against any enemy that comes against us.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Do you have on the gospel shoes?
Would you prepare for battle by getting dressed for battle?
We are to put on the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and the gospel shoes.
We need to repent of not sharing the gospel.
We need to ask the Lord to forgive us and make us the witnesses that He calls for us to be.
He has provided the shoes for us and we are to put on the shoes.
Would you come today and report for duty. Would you and join God’s army! Some of you have been AWOL and you need to come back to the battle.
Time is short and our lives can be used by God to make an eternal difference.
We must have on the armor of God.