Saturday, January 12, 2008
THESE SHOES WERE MADE FOR WALKING!
REVIEW
Throughout 2007, we have been studying how to live victorious lives as believers. According to our theme verse, Leviticus 26:13, we know that the Lord desires for His children to walk with their heads held high in freedom! He desires for us to live lives filled with peace, hope, joy, and purpose. He desires for us to live productive lives free from the fear of people, fear of failure, and fear of the unknown. He desires for us to live stable lives that are led by His Spirit and His truth and not led by our emotions!
Jeremiah 29:11 promises that God has amazing plans of a hope and a future for His children. It is ours for the taking. All we have to do is step into it and we are guaranteed victory! Ephesians 6 says that by being strong in the Lord, being empowered by the strength of God that resides within us through the Holy Spirit, we will be able to stand victoriously no matter how fierce the battle. Our part is to put on the WHOLE armor of God on a DAILY basis so that we ‘may be able to successfully stand up against all the strategies and the deceits of the devil’ (Eph. 6:11); God’s part is to fight for us and win!
Who are we fighting? Eph. 6:12 clearly describes who our battle is against…it is against the powers of darkness in the supernatural world. To put it in language we understand…it is against Satan and his gang. Just as God has plans for us, Satan has a plan too. It is a plan to keep us as far away from the plans of God and His land of peace, hope and prosperity as possible. His whole purpose is to steal God’s blessings from us and offer us a counterfeit version.
The Word of God describes our foe as the father of lies, the deceiver, one who has not one ounce of truth in him. More than anything, Satan wants us to live defeated lives where we are busy, confused, frustrated, depressed, and overwhelmed. Rather than walking with our heads held high in confidence of who we are in Christ, Satan wants us going through life with our heads hung low in defeat or our heads held high looking towards ourselves and the world to make us happy.
Unfortunately, he is often very successful at his game. Why? Because as Romans 1:21 says, people exchange the truth of God’s Word, what God says about their situation, about their lives, about their capabilities and they accept the lie. In doing so, they forfeit the ‘game’ and settle for something far less than what God intended for them, far less than what God died to give them! The sad thing is that many believers accept the lie because they don’t take time to dive into God’s Word and allow its truth to transform their minds and ultimately their lives.
THE PIECES OF ARMOR
So far, we have studied two pieces of the armor of God that are required for victory based on Ephesians 6. We have studied the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. In summary, we need to know the Word of God first and foremost if we desire to walk in victory. We need to know who we are in Christ…we are the righteousness of God! This week, I’d like us to take a look at the third piece of armor, our shoes of peace. Ephesians 6:15 says “to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” The Amplified Version says “having shod your feet in preparation (to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news) of the Gospel of peace.”
HISTORY
If you remember, Paul is describing the pieces of spiritual armor that believers need to wear in order to live victorious lives based on an analogy of what the Roman Soldiers wore when they entered into battle. Rick Renner’s book, Dressed to Kill has incredible historical information about the Roman Soldier’s shoes. Rick Renner describes the shoes as usually made of brass. They were very different from what we would think of when we hear the word ‘shoes.’
According to Mr. Renner, the first part of the ‘shoe’ was what was called the ‘greave.’ The greave started at the top of the knee and extended all the way down to the top of the foot. It was made of metal and was shaped to fit around the soldier’s leg. The greave gave the shoe the appearance of a boot and obviously provided protection for the soldier’s legs.
The ‘shoe’ itself had a top and a bottom and was held together tightly by leather straps. The top of the shoe was made of beautiful bronze while the bottom had dangerous spikes. These spikes were at least an inch in length and could be up to three inches in active combat.
I don’t know about you, but I had never thought about the shoes being anything more than just something to put on and walk in. There are three things I’d like us to take away from the history of the design of these shoes. First of all, take a moment and think about the defensive and offensive protection the design of the shoes provided for the soldier. As mentioned above, the greave provided protection for the soldier’s shins and top of his feet. The spikes provided protection by enabling the soldier to dig deep into the ground and maintain a firm footing as he held up his shield and waved his sword. The spikes enabled the soldier to fight more productively but they also enabled the soldier to move forward into battle as the spikes provided stability. Furthermore, the spikes provided a weapon as the soldier could use his foot to mutilate the enemy by trampling over him.
Secondly, think about the type of walk that the soldier’s must have taken. My husband and I were discussing these shoes and we compared the spikes on these shoes with cleats on athletic shoes. Our conclusion was that the soldiers must have had to walk very wisely and purposely. He had to pick up his feet and put them exactly where he needed to go.
Thirdly, think about the effort that the soldier had to make in order to put on these shoes. The shoes were in two pieces and held together by straps. The soldiers had to carefully and purposely tighten the straps so as to bring the greave and the shoe together to form one piece. An untied shoe would have caused a quick slip in battle. I bet the soldiers tied and then double knotted those leather straps to make sure that they stayed securely on the feet so that the shoes provided the protection they were designed to give.
APPLICATION
Isn’t it ironic that Paul compares our ability to walk in peace with these unique and possibly dangerous shoes? We often think of peace as a state of complete rest. We envision ourselves resting in a hammock sipping tea by the lake. Here, however, we see that our shoes of peace are what will enable us to stand unmoved and unshaken in the midst of the battle so we can hold up our shield and wave our sword (we will study those pieces of the armor soon!). These shoes of peace are what will enable us to march on through life with our heads held high no matter how pressing the battle! Our shoes of peace will not only enable us to stand victoriously but they will enable us to defeat the devil and put him where he belongs…under our feet!
Peace, according to the Amplified Bible, is described as “that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is.” Peace doesn’t mean that our lives are free from distractions and battles. It doesn’t mean that we find ourselves constantly hanging out relaxing by the seashore. Rather, it means that whatever situations we encounter in life, however fierce the battle may become, we are able to stand firm and continue to make progress in our lives because we have assurance of our salvation and we have assurance that the Lord is in control of our lives. We know that whatever the Word says about our situation will prevail because our God is faithful and He cannot lie! This peace from God is a peace the world doesn’t understand and it is one the Lord is so ready to give us!
OBTAINING PEACE
So how do we get it? We have to put it on! Paul tells us to ‘shod’ our feet with the shoes of peace. “Shod” means to put something on tightly, to bind it on to our feet. This is quite the opposite of flip-flops in which we slip on and off whenever we please. To bring in my own analogy, putting on these shoes of peace take some effort! I like to think of it in the context of putting on professional water ski bindings. It takes an effort to put them on and an effort to take it off! When these bindings are on, boy do you know it! They fit like a glove, putting pressure on every part of my foot. Its purpose is to provide complete control over my ski. If my feet are loose in the bindings, I am sure to lose control around the first (buoy) obstacle.
If you are like me, the thought of having our feet ‘shod with shoes of peace’ can be confusing. However, if we take a moment to think about the original purpose of shoes, this analogy can come to life! Shoes were originally designed to provide protection for our feet so we can stand, run, and walk. Shoes can be described as our foundation. If we put uncomfortable shoes on our feet, our whole body aches. We are not able to stand comfortably nor can we walk for long distances.
Taking this into consideration, I believe Paul is saying that when we make the Word of God our foundation in life, when we take the time to purposely ‘put it on’ in our lives and walk wisely in Truth, the Word will become a firm foundation which will enable us to stand confidently and emerge victoriously in any battle. The key is our taking the time to ‘shod’ our feet; meaning we take the time to draw close to God, fellowship with Him and trust Him.
This is confirmed in the Amplified version of Psalms 91:1, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].” The words stable and fixed caught my attention immediately as they refer to our ability to stand securely and victoriously. A great lesson can be found in Psalms 91 regarding our ability to walk in peace under the undefeatable power of the Almighty.
PSALMS 91
First of all, if we desire to stand unmoved and unshaken in battle, if we desire to be under the protection of the Lord where He is fighting our battles for us, then our part is to ‘dwell in the secret place of the Most High.’ What does this mean? It means we are to draw close to the Lord, and we are to give Him access to our lives by spending time with Him in His Word and in prayer. It means we are to fellowship with Him. This is how we ‘shod’ our feet…we purposely take the time to fellowship with God.
Fellowship means that we spend time with God in a two-way relationship. Can you imagine if you called someone your friend but you never actually allowed he or she the opportunity to talk back? Can you imagine if you claimed to have a relationship with someone you heard about or sometimes read about? So often believers have a one-way relationship with the Lord.
This week, I had a picture in my mind of the Lord waiting patiently and faithfully in our quiet times for the opportunity to show Himself to us. He was just waiting to fellowship with us; however, He was never given the opportunity. So often, we believers come to the Lord with great intentions in our set ‘quiet times.’ Perhaps we have our Bible reading schedules or our studies we plan to do. This is all great, but we need to guard against becoming so agenda oriented that we don’t allow God the opportunity to move. We need to guard against talking so much that we don’t give Him the opportunity to speak to us! God is just waiting to show us amazing Truths. He is just waiting to speak to us in His still small voice within our spirits so that He can bring us a Word of encouragement, direction, correction, or teaching.
Our ability to hear from God so that we walk according to the path of victory He has prepared for us depends on our ability to dwell in the secret place of God through fellowship with Him. Our ability to remain stable and fixed under His protection comes from our willingness to walk with Him in obedience and to give Him access to our souls (our mind, will and emotions) and our life (schedules and plans). When we do this, we will experience victory no matter how fierce the battle.
How do I know? Because the Word of God promises it! Psalms 91:1 promises stability and protection under the supernatural canopy of God. It is like when a mother bird spreads her wing to protect her young. God spreads His supernatural power over us and protects us. Think about the mother bird’s wings. It provides safety, protection, and a place of refuge for the young. Another cool thing is that it provides a hiding place from the enemy!
When we are under the supernatural wings of God, the enemy has a hard time seeing us and getting to us. Ultimately, if Satan and his gang want to get to us, they have to come through God first! How about that for protection! Shouldn’t that bring peace into our hearts and minds and give us the strength to remain standing confidently in the battle?
Secondly, if we desire this protection so we can stand in peace, our part is to speak the Word of God in our lives, believe it and stand on it. In Verse 2, the psalmist says, “I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust.” Knowing the Word of God, believing the Word and speaking it verbally in our lives brings power into our lives. The result is deliverance from the snare of the enemy (verse 3), protection and refuge under His supernatural canopy (verse 4), and His truth and His faithfulness become a shield of protection to us (verse 4).
Thirdly, victory over the enemy comes from our choosing to walk in faith (believing God) rather than walking in fear. Verse 5 of the King James says, “You will not fear…” and the Amplified says, “You shall not fear…” This shows us that we can choose our walk. We can walk in fear, believing our natural eyes, being led by our emotions and situations. Or, we can choose to walk in faith where we believe God. Believing God results in supernatural protection from the enemy. Walking in fear opens a door for the enemy to ambush, discourage, and defeat us.
OUR PROTECTION
We’ve learned that God protects us by spreading His supernatural wings over us. In verse 11, we see that God also “gives His angels charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service].” Verse 12 says, “They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” How about that??? The angels themselves hold you up so that you don’t dash your foot. Aren’t we talking about standing in our shoes of peace victoriously?
Here, God says that by trusting Him, by fellowshipping with Him, He and His angels will keep you standing and walking with your head held high in victory! You will be able to walk over the enemy. Remember those spikes in the soldier’s shoes? Because of the blood of Jesus shed for you, the anointing of the Holy Spirit within you, and based on the authority of His Word spoken over your life, you will tread over the enemy and trample Him underfoot (verse 13, Luke 12:19).
I’d like to leave you with one last verse from Psalms 91. This is a great summary of the chapter and shows the peace we should walk in as a result of the protection provided by our Lord. Verse 14 in the Amplified says, “Because he (that’s you and I) has set his love upon Me (Jesus), therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love and kindness-trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no never].”
God Himself is ready to go to battle for you today! He is ready to set you on high and deliver you from whatever giant you are facing in your life. His timing and ways may be a bit different than we often desire or expect, but one thing is for sure, we can trust His heart! He will never leave us nor forsake us. As long as we trust His plan and His heart, we can walk in peace every day of our lives, no matter how fierce the battle!
SUMMARY
By taking the time to ‘put on’ God’s word, we will have the firm foundation that will enable us to stand victoriously. First of all, ‘putting on’ the Word means that we will be hiding God’s Word in our heart. This action provides protection for our lives as it keeps us from sinning against God. As we know, sin is a sure way to bring defeat in our lives. By ‘putting on’ the Word of God daily, we will be building up a reservoir of God’s truth deep within our souls which will enable us to draw from it’s living waters when we are weak and in need of power. By ‘putting on’ God’s Word, our minds will be kept steadfast on Christ and His promises and not on our problems and circumstances. According to God’s Word, he who keeps his mind steadfast on the Lord will find himself in perfect peace! Ultimately, by ‘putting on’ God’s Word daily, we are putting on Jesus Christ Himself! Jesus, according to John 1, is the Word and at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow! That, my friend, is assured victory!
As we take Him at His Word we, like the Roman Soldier, are able to stand unmoved in His truth even when the fiery darts are coming our way. We are able to wave our swords (speak the Word) and hold up our shield of faith (believe the Word). Ultimately, we are able to march on even when the roads of life seem long and difficult. Why? Because our minds are constantly being renewed in Christ Jesus through the application of His Word and we are focused on Him, not the journey and not the battle. This renewal of our minds brings perfect peace as it guards our hearts and minds (Phil. 4:7) from being tossed about by our emotions and the opinions of others. The result of this peace is that God gives us supernatural shoes to stand firm in the battle and to move forward victoriously living impacting and productive lives! We dig deep and stand on the sure foundation of the truth of who God is and what He can do, which according to Luke, will prevent us from being moved or even shaken by our circumstances, our mind, will or emotions! (Remember the story of the wise and foolish builders?)
‘Putting on’ the truth is a requirement for peace for we cannot walk in peace unless we are walking in the truth. The truth sets us free from the worries of life and the lies of Satan. Secondly, the truth of God is what lights our path according to Psalms 119. It is a lamp unto our feet and our light unto our path. By ‘putting on’ the Word, our minds will be stable and we will be able to move forward on the path God is lighting before us.
CONCLUSION
As we begin 2008, let’s start it with the purposeful decision of putting on truth. Take the time EVERY DAY to shod your hearts and minds with the Word of God, His truth. So many people think they don’t have the time to sit and read God’s Word. Let me assure you that if you want to live a victorious life…you cannot afford not to take the time to ‘put on the word.’ By now I am sure you have noticed that every piece of the armor we have studied so far has to do with the truth of God’s Word, it isn’t by accident that Paul spent so much time making the point that truth is vital for victory. The simple choice to sit and make yourself available to God will give you the tools to win the battle and defeat the enemy!
We may not know what 2008 holds, but we don’t have to be afraid! We can hold our heads high in confidence knowing that the Lord is on our side, He is fighting our battles for us and as long as we make the choice to choose truth and walk in it…we can NEVER be defeated!
CHALLENGE:
Take this time to make a 2008 resolution to the Lord that you will spend more time in fellowship with Him. Think about ways in which you can give Him the opportunity to commune with you and you with Him. Think about ways in which you may have been quenching the Holy Spirit in your quiet times. Think about sin in your life which may have caused you to step outside the canopy of protection. Commit your way to the Lord, and you shall remain standing victoriously!
