Armour Of God: Shoes Of Good News

"And, as shoes for your feet .. put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15).

When Paul starts talking about "the armour of God" (Ephesians 6:10-18) he wants to show us that we need the armour "to stand", and that every part of the armour is precious.

Standing is a big part of these "armour" verses, (Ephesians 6 v11, v13 twice, and v14); to stand is necessary for our survival and ultimate victory in Jesus. Paul reminds us that Satan not only has "schemes" (v11) but has many "principalities, cosmic powers, rulers and spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places" (v12) who are intent on destroying us (John 10:10a); many of these are immensely powerful. Only in Jesus can we "be strong" (Ephesians 6:10) in our struggle. This is a very serious teaching from Paul, for all of us.

Paul tells us to ".. take up the whole armor of God .." (Ephesians 6:13) because we will need all of it. Every element of the armour is Jesus, the "belt", "breastplate", "shoes", "shield", "helmet", and "sword" (see Note 1). As we grow as Christians, (and we never stop growing in Jesus), we will become fully "clothed with Christ" (Galatians 3:27), Hallelujah!

(At the same time, Paul is writing about "the Gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15). His peace is another thing Jesus wants to give us (John 14:27). As I go about my days I see that many people are anxious, fearful and depressed, even though their lives look as though they are going well; you know, they are very busy, with good jobs, great phones, nice homes. Yet it seems to me that they have not yet assimilated into Jesus' "Gospel of peace").

We see that "to stand", for Paul, is more than just being upright on our feet. He wants us to be unshakeable (Hebrews 12:27-28) in "spirit, soul and body" (1 Thessalonians 5:23) because we know the truth and the truth is Jesus:

"Sanctify them in the truth; your Word is truth" (John 17:17 - Jesus' prayer to Father God for all of us, and also for each one of us.

As I ponder this "feet shod with readiness of the Gospel" verse I see that it is central to what Paul is persuading us; central because all the other armour depends on our "readiness" in Jesus' gospel, our full understanding of the truth, even our total immersion in it.

Read Your Bible

I see that Paul is saying: "Read your Bible", read and explore, read and find truth, read and ponder, read and grow, read and pray, read and become ready ..

Read all of it. Read about redemption, freedom, love and joy. Read about pain and suffering and perseverance and hope. Read about the virgin birth and the Creation and the miracles. Read about spiritual gifts and healings and our power and life in the Spirit. Read about sin and forgiveness, and humility, obedience, and His strength, not ours ..

"Read your Bible". How often do we hear this today? Often, right? Our Bible class leaders tell us, our prayer friends, our pastors: "Read your Bible". The great Christian writers, down through the centuries, they all say the same thing: "Read your Bible". There are lots of "Read your Bible" Scriptures!

Read everything. See how it all centres on Jesus; we can see Him in the Old Testament and everywhere in the New; He is always the source and the object.

At Bible College we took turns to present a devotion before classes; we would be assigned a Psalm. It was easy to give a summary from a great commentator, but we were being taught to see Jesus as central to life and to history so I would look for Him in the Psalm assigned to me. I always found Him and was able to share from that. So lovely, He is always everywhere.

As you read, see how all the books and stories hold together, the Bible is intelligible, consistent and rational. I believe that what God has given us in His Book is the only coherent guide for life and living ever written. Praise Jesus.

When I asked Jesus "why read my Bible", He gave me these notes in a rush, they are just as I first wrote them down:

• Always continually learning more about Jesus
• How Jesus is central to life and history
• Knowing God's heart
• Finding God's will for me
• Understanding Holy Spirit, and our relationship in Him
• Hearing God's voice
• Understand faith, hope and love
• To learn truth
• Learn to worship in every part of our life
• Learning to forgive - understanding God's forgiveness of us
• Establish - and maintain - our Godly Jesus-centred worldview
• Learning to pray
• Learning to share Jesus with others
• Understanding spiritual gifts
• Know the truth and beauty of the Creation
• See miracles
• Finding peace - overcoming fear, depression and anxiety
• Learning to be grateful
• Understanding who we are in life and the world
• Our unique destiny
• Learning about our body, God's life in us, and His healing
• Learning to be generous, to give and share - and to receive
• Understanding the Cosmic battle
• Learning to be a spiritual warrior
• Family and marriage - and single life
• Understand God's rest
• Understand the fruit of the Spirit
• Why the Gospel is key to everything
   

A godly Scoutmaster used to say that the Bible gives answers to every question regarding life and living; to me, these few minutes of prayer and fast typing show the truth of what he said.

Three things stand out to me:

1. Truth - Jesus is very concerned that His people know truth. Jesus is "truth" (John 8:31-32), He is "the Word of God" (John 1:1). The Bible, which He wants us to read, is simply Jesus in written form (John 21:25).

(On the other hand, Satan, who wants to "steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10a), is "the father of lies" (John 8:44)).

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).

"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" (2 Timothy 2:15).

2. Relationships - We are relational beings, made in the image and likeness of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who is the source and essence of relationship. To be complete we will be related vertically, to our Father God, in Jesus Christ, by Holy Spirit, and also horizontally with our earthly family, our Christian family and our neighbour.

"'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Secondly: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'. There is no other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:30-3).

Being loved by God teaches us to love Him, and to love others. Love is a "doing" word, and is often very hard work. "Agape" is one of the Greek words for love; it means "unconditional love", sacrificial love, the highest form of love, the love of God for humankind. We can learn to love like this.

I know men who have read "husbands, love your wives" in their Bible (Ephesians 5:25; Ephesians 5:28; Colossians 3:19; 1 Peter 3:7); and have seen that this was something they needed to grow in, in their obedience to Jesus (2 Corinthians 7:15; 1 Peter 1:2). Now they are so grateful to Jesus for showing them this command. Their marriages, their own lives, their families, and even their work lives have been transformed.

I believe that the greatest gift a man can give his children is to love their mother!

3. Salvation and Spiritual Wholeness - We are handmade by God, each one, to live in His family in this life and forever in Heaven.

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life" (John 6:63).

Many of us come to Jesus when we say a "sinner's prayer" from our heart. Then, as Christians, we become a "new creation" (Galatians 6:15) and develop a Christ-centred, Kingdom-of-God focused lifestyle and worldview.

Big changes happen, some immediately and others take years, even decades, ("perseverance" is needed), but remember:
".. he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).

We become a son or daughter of God:
"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12).

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as children, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'" (Romans 8:15).

We come alive in the Spirit - God's Holy Spirit:
"And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses" (Colossians 2:13).

We learn that we are no longer of this world:
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2).

We become "sojourners" in this world:
"Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul" (1 Peter 2:11).

Our servant heart grows:
"This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God" (1 Corinthians 4:1).

We are able to put aside our old worldly life:
"The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light" (Romans 13:12).

Jesus’ Coming

The only way we can "hasten" Jesus’ return (Ephesians 5:25-27) is to be a holy church, pure and radiant; Jesus wants to "sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word". Not by great works, big numbers or fervent song; by His Word, by us being immersed in and at one with His Bible.

These are spiritually tough times. We need our "Shoes of Good News" to "stand" (Ephesians 6:11) and also to "go" (Matthew 28:19).

Reading and digesting our Bible is key to being "ready" to share the "Gospel of Christ", any time, "in season and out of season" (2 Timothy 4:2). Even when things seem impossibly bad (Acts 16:25-34). It is such a blessing when glorious Scriptures come to mind in times of stress or trouble!

Thank you Jesus.
Amen.

Favourite Verses

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 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" (Ephesians 6:10-12 ESV).

"For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace" (John 1:16).

"Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:2).

"And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?" (Matthew 12:26).

"You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence" (Acts 2:28).

Note 1: The Full Armour of God: From Ephesians 6:10-18

• The belt of truth - Truth is Jesus - John 1:14
• The breastplate of righteousness - Jesus is our righteousness - 2 Corinthians 5:21
• Our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace - Jesus is the Gospel, this was a mystery until He gave us the Church - Ephesians 1:9
• The shield of faith - Jesus is our shield - 1 Peter 1:5
• The helmet of salvation - Jesus protects our mind - 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV and Amplified
• The sword of the Spirit - Jesus is our only weapon, the Word of God, invincible in spiritual battles - John 1:1 and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
• And pray in the Spirit - continually, without ceasing - Romans 8:26 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

Bless you Jesus.

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Amen.