Ephesians 6:10-20

Spiritual Battle: Standing Firm – The boots of the Gospel of Peace

These boots had heavy studded leather soles and supports around the ankle to protect the feet and prevent slipping.

If you went for a hike up a mountain you’d want a solid pair of boots with plenty of grip. In same way, for us to “stand firm” we need to put on the boots of the gospel of peace.

We have a peace from God that gives us assurance and steadiness. No matter how fiercely we are attacked we can have peace in our hearts and minds because we at are peace with God.

Horatio Spafford wrote the Hymn the well know hymn Peace Like a river. He wrote this after losing four daughters in the same ship wreck in the 1860’s

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

What incredible words! This is the peace that can only come from God in these situations

There is a second meaning here – We need to be prepared to carry the gospel wherever we go. We are called to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth. That means being ready to share our faith with those that we are in contact with everyday.

The verse in Ephesians uses the term “readiness” of the gospel of peace. When soldiers are in battle, they sleep with their boots on so that they are ready to spring into action at any moment. We need to be ready:

–          Ready to stand firm in the face of an adversity.

–          Ready to take opportunities to share the gospel

We cannot take our shoes off and put our feet up for a rest from the Christian life.

We need a solid foundation to stand upon, and the gospel provides this.