The third part in my "Armour Up!" series focuses on the Shoes of the Gospel of Peace. When I think about armour, I can't say shoes are one of the first things that spring to my mind, yet here we have the Apostle Paul listing this item among the vital pieces of a soldier's armour.
I pray my poem and short exposition can give us some insight and inspiration today on why the full armour of God is so important for the Christian.
God bless you and much love, Lucy x
Ephesians 6:10-18I pray my poem and short exposition can give us some insight and inspiration today on why the full armour of God is so important for the Christian.
God bless you and much love, Lucy x
The Whole Armour of God
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace.
Brethren, we are in a battle. We do not have time to waste.
Clocks are ticking loudly now, and we must armour up, post-haste.
First, we must be strong in Jesus and the power of His might.
Foolish is the one who thinks their strength could ever win this fight.
Not against the flesh, we wrestle, though the flesh can bring us woe.
Brethren, we engage in warfare with a fiercer, darker foe.
One who seeks to bring destruction, for he knows his end will come.
How do we defeat the darkness? Seek the light of Christ, the Son!
Do not let the devil bully nor beguile your heart and mind.
Whether it be force or fraud, he seeks to ruin all mankind.
God forbid his lies take root in those who wear the Kingdom crown.
Brethren, stand upon the truth and tear those wicked strongholds down!
Armour up, and hold your ground; our bravery need never cease.
Fit your feet with readiness that comes from knowing Jesus’ peace.
Peace that gives a firm foundation, peace that helps us keep on track.
Steadfast, we remain sure-footed, able to endure attack.
Those who know the Gospel’s comfort do not slip when hardships come;
Here we have a warrior who finds their place in Christ, the Son!
Stable through temptations’ trials, anchored through life’s highs and lows.
Rugged paths won’t wear away the inner peace the Christian knows.
Shod with shoes of great endurance, balanced through each circumstance.
Picture now the Christian army, waiting orders to advance!
Here we stand, alert and ready, with the Gospel to proclaim.
Soldiers boldly marching forth to conquer ground in Jesus’ name!
Isaiah 52:7
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
Points for Reflection and Insight
So far in this series, we’ve seen how the Apostle Paul explains that for the Christian soldier to be effective in spiritual warfare, we must first have the belt of truth protecting us at our very core. Truth is the essential equipment from which all else will hang and will hold everything together, securely in its place.
Secondly, we must put on the breastplate of righteousness to protect our most vital organs and deflect the assaults of the enemy aimed at the Christians’ heart. Arrows of guilt and shame, along with blows of pride and self-reliance will come to nothing when faced with the soul-saving work of Christ on the Cross.
The next thing we are instructed to put on are the shoes of the gospel of peace. I don’t know about you, but when I think of armour, my mind doesn’t instantly jump to the image of a pair of shoes. When I hear the word “armour”, my imagination quickly conjures up the picture of swords, shields and chain mail. Yet here we have the order to put on a pair of shoes.
Thinking about it in a physical sense though, it’s completely understandable, as no one in their right mind would even go hill walking wearing a pair of inappropriate shoes, let alone go into battle! A pair of slippy flip-flops isn’t going to cut it when faced with a rough and rugged terrain, so it’s clear that shoes are vitally important. There’s a good reason we have footwear that’s specifically designed for different occasions, and so it does make sense to consider that a soldier must have well-designed, appropriate shoes that will hold up under the stresses and strains of warfare. After all, it doesn’t matter how strong the rest of our body is; if our feet are injured or exposed to attack without ample protection, we are weak and easy prey for the enemy.
Thinking of things on a personal level, one of the jobs I do as a professional actor is role-play for the army. To help train the sergeants in how to deal with inter-relational issues within the sections, I’m employed to take on the role of a British soldier and play out a scenario that may happen within the training grounds.
The first thing I have to do on a role-play day is “soldier up” and put on the army fatigues that the recruits wear. Part of the combat uniform I’m given is, of course, the shoes, and the sturdiness of the soldier’s boots has always really stood out to me. This isn’t your average footwear that’s going to give way and wear out after a few miles. The boots are thick-soled with deep grips and a hard, protective upper casing. They’re strong, durable and supportive, protecting the feet from every angle.
An acquaintance of mine who served in the army for a time told me that during army training, there’s great emphasis placed on the upkeep of both your shoes and your feet. He shared with me that the recruits were instructed to think of their shoes as taxis, and his sergeant once held up a pair of boots and declared, “Look after these taxis! If you look after them, they’ll take you anywhere.” This practical, physical instruction gives us a clear picture of what Paul was trying to communicate in a spiritual sense.
The shoes symbolise stability, readiness, and mobility. The gospel of peace is the firm foundation upon which we stand and enables us, as believers, to remain fixed and steadfast when the spiritual attacks come. Strong shoes provide stability in conflict. Clearly, as the Apostle Paul was observing the Roman soldiers placed around him, he could see that their studded footwear provided sure-footedness. He therefore goes on to create the parallel that the peace of the gospel provides the Christian with a secure grounding and spiritual sure-footedness. The picture is that this allows us, as believers, to stand firm without slipping during temptation or seasons of hardship.
“Stand firm” are in fact the first two words Paul gives us at the beginning of this sentence, making the point that to even remain in the same place, it’s going to take armour and effort! Many soldiers have been swept off of their feet in the rush of the fight and borne down by the enemy, so keeping your footing in battle is just the beginning and is imperative for victory. If even holding your ground takes heavenly armour, all the more reason for us to take Paul’s earlier words seriously when he said we need to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power! When temptation comes or we find ourselves being rushed by the attacks of our adversary, we are going to need to be fitted with the shoes of the gospel of peace to remain standing. Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.
This part of our armour also gives us the idea of “readiness” or “preparation”, symbolising a state of being constantly primed, equipped, and geared up for long marches over rough terrain. As Christians, we are to be alert, poised and all set to move at God’s call, ready to use our lives and take the truth into enemy territory, sharing the gospel of peace with the lost.
This peace is the foundation we have as Christians, as it stems from the reconciliation we have with God through the Cross of Christ. Therefore, we must be mobile, flexible and actively seeking to take the truth to those who need it. The peace we have, which is found only in Jesus, is what charges our courage, fills us with confidence and grants us an internal calmness that enables us to fight in God’s army and face the spiritual battles of this world.
Questions for personal reflection
Do I have reconciliation with God and the peace of Jesus as a stable foundation in my life? Have I allowed apathy to creep in when it comes to sharing the Gospel or am I ready and willing to speak the truth in love when the opportunity arrises? Am I prepared to go forth and bring non believers the soul-saving gospel of peace?
It’s worth considering that the image of peace Paul creates through this passage is not passive but active. It’s the firm footing that gives the Christian the endurance and courage to advance, as his words instruct us not only to stand but to withstand. We are not just to defend but to assail! The Apostle is making it clear that it’s not enough to simply remain unconquered but we must conquer. Apathy and indifference are devastatingly dangerous for the Christian, so let’s armour up together as soldiers in Christ’s army, put on the shoes of the gospel of peace and go forth as ambassadors in this chaotic world that needs Jesus!
