EPHESIANS 6:13-18-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. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 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.”

Today’s scripture is a portion every believer should memorize and rehearse daily. It is what God provides for us to successfully win the many spiritual battles we face and to live for His glory with zeal and consistency. It is the spiritual armor. There are six pieces; the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit with all being put on by prayer. To help our understanding and application of this essential armor for Christian living, here is a good book–The Whole Armor of God: How Christ’s Victory Strengthens Us for Spiritual Warfare by Iain M. Dugidby Crossway, 117 pages.

The third piece, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the Gospel of peace, is our attention today. We know how important shoes are in daily living. We also know how important a good pair of shoes is in daily living. Whether it be work boots, exercise sneakers, casual wear, dress wear, and all in between, choosing the right footwear is critical to safely doing activities and comfort. So, why call the “Gospel of peace” shoes for your feet? A couple reasons.

First, as we enter into each day of life, we will put on some form of physical footwear to accomplish and protect us in the day’s activities. In the spiritual realm, we are to “walk around with gospel shoes” to accomplish service for the Lord and protect us from the spiritual dangers all around us. By “walking around with gospel shoes” we are protected from sin and the world. How? The One who is the Gospel, the Lord Jesus Christ, is living and walking in us. Each day as we put on our literal shoes, purposefully put on the spiritual shoes of the Gospel reminding us that we walk in a sinful world with Him who conquered this sinful world and empowers us to live out His victory in our daily lives.

Another thing about shoes. They are a fashion statement. In the book I recommended in the first paragraph, Dugid writes, “In our culture, shoes are a fashion statement. People enjoy them as a way to express their individuality, not merely to cover their feet.” Think about this in regards to our “spiritual individuality. ”Who are we? Christ’s possession. What is our identity? Christ’s people. Who do were present everywhere we go, or everywhere we walk? Christ Jesus. So, should not our “spiritual shoes” point to Him? And how is He most manifested? Through the Gospel. In a very real spiritual way, to put on the shoes is to put on Christ and to walk in those shoes is to show all people Him.

Armor of God. We need all the pieces. May God help us to put them on each day and especially don’t leave home without the “shoes of the Gospel” on our feet!

PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for the Gospel of Your Son that not only saves me but empowers me to live for You.”
QUOTE: “The Gospel isn’t just about salvation. It is the power of the Christian life; Him who is the Gospel living in us.”

Because of Him,
Pastor Jim