Don’t let the enemy steal your faith. Just like a soldier’s shield, position/keep the Word of God always before you.
Alternatives to faith will deny you the opportunity to experience the supernatural and rob you of a full joy. 
Take that faith leap, endure the temporary pain or discomfort, alternatives will only keep delaying your miracle. 

Welcome back, again 🙂

This is the 4th part of this blog-post series. We have been having so much fun discovering (and for some people), reminding ourselves of the Armour of God. Personally, I am already excited thinking about the Weapons of our warfare. But  that will come up in a few more parts to come (of this series).

If you are just joining us, you don’t really have to miss anything if you can spare about 30 minutes and be up to speed with us. Simply search for the previous parts (1-3) on this site.

In the last 2 parts, we’ve looked at 2 components of the Armour of God -the breastplate of righteousness and the helmet of salvation. The next component on our list, from our reference scripture (Ephesians 6:11, 13-19) is  –shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. 

“Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil…Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”  NKJV.

 

Shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. 

People give different interpretations for this component of the armour and that is understandable especially if it’s read from the NKJV or KJV.

While some are of the opinion that this verse of scripture refers to preparing and preaching the good news of the kingdom, others believe it means Soldiers of Christ should study the word, so as to be battle-ready at all times.

To help bring more illumination to this verse of scripture, let’s consider it from a few other translations;

“and as your shoes, the readiness to announce the Good News of peace”  Good News Translation.

“on your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong”  ERV.

” and having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation {to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news}. AMP.

Question: Why does a soldier wear shoes at war?

1. To protect his feet from harmful elements in the ground of the battle-field
2. To help him traverse easily through difficult terrains
3. To support his feet and ankle (stability)
4. To protect from injury

Now, this is my understanding of what Paul meant;

1. Study and be well equipped with the gospel of Christ at all times. Have a word for every season. Expose yourself continuously to the word such that you become firmly rooted in it, stable and well prepared to make it through challenging times.
2. Seize every opportunity to announce to others the good news of Christ. Assure them that The Lord delivers, that The Lord reigns and that all is well.

Isaiah 52:7 helps explain this part for me;

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ” Your God reigns!”   NKJV.

A picture that quickly comes to mind here is that of a woman who is waiting anxiously for her husband to return from war. She seats day after day at her doorsteps, looking out, waiting expectantly for some news to soothe her anxiety and bring some relief/peace.  A one-line note from her husband that reads; ‘honey, it’s been tough here, but am fine’ is the good news she’s been waiting for to keep at bay all her worries and fears. 

But you see, you can’t give good news in trying and challenging times to others, except you already know it for yourself!  …..hence the need to be PREPARED.

3.  Have a peaceful disposition (even in battle). And this is not to say, don’t confront circumstances especially those that contradict your faith or belief, but be ‘peaceably- and Godly-stubborn’

Many years ago, when my fiance (now husband) came to meet my dad (to declare his intentions to marry me), my father tried to prepare him ahead by informing him that I am a very stubborn girl (yup, he did!)  🙂  So months later, during our premarital counselling, when asked by my Pastor what my weaknesses were, my fiance volunteered this information of ‘Grace is stubborn’. Oh Lord!           But good thing was, The Lord and my Pastor were on my side 🙂 because Pastor quickly told my guy that ‘stubbornness is not always a weakness’.

I love the kind of stubbornness that refuses to live a ‘ce sera sera’ life; whatever will be be will be. Naaa. I’d rather be peaceably immovable, unshaken but fully persuaded that ‘the blessings of Abraham‘ are all mine (there’s nothing ‘ce sera sera’ about that)     🙂

Having a peaceful disposition in battle, can only happen when you know, from studying and soaking up God’s word, that you can have a different (positive) experience.

Oh! Oh!! Oh!!! I love the whole armour of God.

Oh! that we may wear it, always. That we may be fully prepared, ready, stable, unshaken, immovable, peaceably stubborn and persuaded in the battles of our lives. Knowing that it doesn’t matter which way the torrents come, victory is assured because Christ already conquered all.

Thank You Faithful Father. I LOVE YOU.