The Believer's Armor, Part 3: The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace B

Peter and John walked into the Sanhedrin and they said it doesn't matter to us what you say will serve God and they had no fear. They knew who was on their side. The apostle Paul did the same thing boldly preach Jesus Christ because he knew his resources. He was at peace with God.

God was on his side see that we stand, and I can say Satan bring whatever you want last sorrel Lego brick you know that even a relatively minor foot injury can leave you less than mobile. Clearly good shoes are important in every day activities and extra critical for soldiers in battle.

If you're Christian you are a soldier in a war with a determined deadly enemy. So how are you holding up house your footing. How strong do you stand when Satan unleashes the weapons of his warfare, doubt and discouragement and temptation God is giving you specialized footwear for standing firm during battle. Learn how to use it today on grace to you. Here's John MacArthur continuing his series from Ephesians 6 called the believers armor. I want you to see the feet shod with the gospel of peace.

We have reasons for the things that we have shoes provide a certain function. And this is especially true in war if it would be important in athletics. You can imagine how important it would be if you're fighting for your life and are a Roman soldier wouldn't get out of the battle with just a normal leather shoe with a slick bottom slipping and sliding all over. Every place he'd be trying to climb a rock to find a guy to be slipping down the rock and so they had to have a special shoe and it was very important because in battle. This would save your life. So there was such an importance of footwear.

Here's what they use is that thick sold hobnailed semi boot came around like this on their foot and then had scratch the tide in all direction so that was tremendously tight and adhering to their foot on the bottom. They had hobnailed little pieces of metal that protruded from the bottom like a football or a track shoe or a baseball shoe to give them a grip on the soil. This gave them firmness of footing so they could stand in the battle and that's what Paul sees. He sees this Roman soldier standing is your firm and is able to hold his ground to make quick moves and keep his feet doesn't slip and he doesn't slide he doesn't fall. Now he says the Christian needs to have shoes to you and get out there you know you have your waist all cinched up boy you're committed and you have your breastplate on and you have living a godly and righteous life as the Lord wishes, but unless you can stand on your feet you're gonna fall over and so you must have a solid base your feet are to be shod with the preparation and the word preparation here need not confuse you. It it's probably a little awkward the way it's translated, it simply means made ready or equipped and all you saying is your feet should be made ready by being shot. That's what he saying they should be equipped they should be prepared. That's the idea. In fact, in Titus 31, the same term preparation is translated ready so it's the idea to be ready to be prepared to be equipped our feet should be equipped they should be properly shod for the battle. Now most people who read this and many commentators who written on it. Assume that it has reference to going along preaching the gospel of peace why I've got my shoes of the gospel on and off I go to preach and you know they basically get that out of Romans 1015, because in Romans 1015." Isaiah 52 seven as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things.

How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace. Yet the same phrase there.

The gospel of peace. And so in Paul's message in Romans 1015. No, he says, how shall they hear without a preacher and how shall anyone preach, except he be sent and so therefore how beautiful are the feet of those who go and preach the gospel of peace. Now the gospel of peace.

Watch this is something to be preached, no? It is something to be taken and preach that's what Romans 10 is talking about.

That is not what Ephesians 6 is talking about. Ephesians 6 has nothing to do with preaching. It has nothing to do with going anywhere. What is the first word in verse 14. What is stand. This is not going. This is standing that the apostle is in reference to end the point here is not evangelizing the lost. The point here is not preaching the gospel. The point here is fighting the devil.

This is not evangelism for an unbeliever.

This is conflict for a Christian is not talking about going anywhere and preaching his tongue about standing where you are in fighting the devil. The idea is best in the words expressed in the words of first Corinthians 1613 stand fast in the faith. Stand fast in the faith. Verse 11 that you may be able to stand that's the issue. Verse 13 that you may with stand and having done all, to stand. It's all about standing not about going so that is not the proper interpretation sure the gospel of peace can be preach it is to be preached and beautiful are the feet of those who go and preach it but that's not the issue here.

This is not evangelism.

This is the believer in conflict with state and he is saying because our feet are shod with the good news of peace. We stand our ground. We don't slip we don't slide we don't fall when were under attack now let's look at the phrase the gospel of peace. What is that what is it will gospel means what good news and peace means what Pete the good news of peace and what is the good news of peace. Romans chapter 5 turn to it because it's a very important facet.

Romans chapter 5. This is the good news of peace. I want to notice verse six Romans 560.

Here is the basic picture of man when we were yet without strength right man is weak he is weak. Verse seven. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, which means for an unrighteous man nobody whatever.so the implication is in verse six we are weak in verse seven we are unrighteous. In verse eight. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us so we're centered verse nine much more than being justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath that indicates we were unjustified unsaved and the objects of God's wrath.

Now there's a definition of man. Verse six week verse seven unrighteous verse eight sinful verse nine. Unjustified, unsaved, and an object of wrath, summing it all up that kind of man. Verse 10. If when we were enemies. That's the song you take a man who is weak unrighteous sinful, unjust, unsaved, and what if you got an enemy of God who is the object of God's judgment, God and man are market people are on two different sides. Don't let anybody pump you the line that God is the father of everybody that God loves and tolerates everybody that everybody is in God's family.

God will not acquit the wicked.

God is a God of vengeance in the God of justice and if a man and a woman are enemies against God, they will feel God's judgment, but what did God do to change this verse six again when we were weak in due time Christ died verse seven we were unrighteous and first scarcely for a righteous man will one die get perhaps for a good man. Some would dare to die. But God commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God says your enemies, but I will try to remedy this in the death of Christ, and we then are justified. Verse nine by his blood, we are saved from wrath through him when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son. You see, now they listen to me. What is the gospel. The gospel is that man was at war with God, but Christ made peace right Christ made peace. That's the gospel of peace, never back to verse one of chapter 5 of Romans.

Therefore being justified by faith because of what is Christ. Christ is done we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. That's the gospel. The gospel is that man and God were at war and God was on the opposite side against man like Jesus. And if you're not with me your what against me in the book of Revelation, the Lord says I will come against you and fight with you with the sword out of my mouth so man is an enemy of God and yet Christ comes and makes peace a reality.

That's the good news. The good news is that you are at peace with God. God and you aren't on the other sides anymore on the same side right dads on my son then asked the gospel of peace. We are reconciled segment is 519 says he has reconciled us. Colossians tremendous passage chapter 1 in verse 20 and, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself and you that were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. See the gospel is that we are one with God. He is on our side.

I know what that means. That means that a Christian who stands firm says look Satan, you come against me all you want. I've got shoes that anchor me in the ground is movable because God is on my side.

You see, that's what helps us stand. If I to stand there and fly off the host of hell by myself in my own strength I'd lose illustration. The garden John 18 stand there with the disciples while he soldiers come to capture Christ and there probably are 500 of them marching from Fort Antonius and have torches to light the night so they can find Jesus. They assume you be hiding in a cave somewhere and they come marching into that garden and they got clubs and Steve's ready to be given to submission and ready to fight off his disciples and Jesus steps out and meets them and says, whom seek ye and they replied, Jesus of Nazareth and they fell over on their backs like a bunch of dominoes land in the dirt. The whole 500 ultimately government in their work went down like dominoes. They all crawl back up and dusted themselves off, and he said whom seek ye again and they said, Jesus of Nazareth.

They had fallen flat on the ground. Peter's thinking to himself. No doubt man what power just his name and the whole Roman army collapsed and he gets an idea if use this powerful no sense in being taken right so the Bible says he grabs a sword and he the year of the servant of the high priest, she was not trying to chop off Malka's ear.

I'm convinced he was going for his head. Malka stuck. I know that that's all Malka said good reactions when done a good job of an ear, but that wasn't the whole story. The story is he's going to fight the whole Roman army is a where does he get that kind of strength. What gives him that he had just seen that whole army fall flat in the dirt at the very name of Jesus, and he saying himself well if I get any trouble just to get them Jesus zapped down.

They go is a sense of invincibility. See is a says that there's nothing can ever defeat him because he seen the power displayed already and he takes the sorry begins to defend the Lord you he knew who was on his side.

You see, Dino, who was on his side and that's where the resource came I think about the host of Midian. The host committee and comes to assault and attacked the children of Israel and God moves upon the hearts of Israel to fight against the Midianites and so the people of Israel decide to get the Army together to get 32,000 soldiers. The crack troops you know going to go out and fight Midian and the Lord says look I don't need 32,000 soldiers to do this get rid of everybody is not serious and so he tells Gideon to work a little system, and finally Gideon does and they wind up with 300 guys in the arts is all right you 300 on a defeat.

The host of Midian. Everybody get out picture and a candle and a trumpet and identified a been there to sit that's a little weird you get up on a mountain ring. The host of Midian. Down in the valley.

When I give you the word blow the trumpet bus.

The picture nearest the cup the candle and the and will win the battle and you know what happened they did in the host of Midian got up and killed each other. Listen Gideon, who was on his side. You see, you knew who was on his side. Peter and John walked into the Sanhedrin and they said it doesn't matter to us what you say were to serve God and they had no fear. They knew who was on their side. The apostle Paul did the same thing boldly preach Jesus Christ because he knew his resources.

He was at peace with God. God was on his side. You see, and and that we stand, and I can say is Satan.

Braylon, whatever you want, I can say whatever you have the cast against me. I have absolutely no fear as God's own voice.

No self knowing what I know if I wasn't a Christian and didn't have God on my side I be scared alter I be scared to death was you can stand in absolute constant resin junior high in seventh grade I will friending Roger. Roger was a little guy were both in seventh grade. Roger, you just kind of look like about a fourth-grader he just generally develop much. He was kind of pudgy look like the Pillsbury man that you poke, you know, he was just puffy and cute. You know cherubic and Roger was my little friend because I was a pastor son. He was in the church to and we were Sunday school buddies and so you know we walked around this very rough junior high. This was a really rough junior high. We had knife fights all the time and in the mid and the boys are we going at a fuse box and on the fuse box ticket open and they leave marijuana cigarettes, burning, or break to take a dragon this is a 1950 I don't sometime in 1950s and on and it wasn't. It wasn't like it it, we think of drugs or something very minor now knows going on all the time then kids are spaced out that when a parking lot for the kids drove to school and junior high as they were. So although it currently was 18 and had his own car, you know he was in our class was a really rough school and were fights constantly just trust it got to the point where it is. For some reason they like to tease Roger.

He just by his looks and fight it. You know that kinda stuff and so we go walking along you know and they'd be always yell and stuff it Roger and tease an image that I remember.

This would commonly happen. These guys are always in trouble for wearing her pants too low in those days, you know, and that the guy who was the vice principal would always catch up like the can sometime be built around making more suspenders to embarrass me know and this just agitated him all the more so they were always upset and one day this was very calm would be walking down they come up in the back of us to knock on our books out which returned around and then to come there built six arm. They just keep kicking a ball down the walking into the bushes. You know neither one of us to defend ourselves against second stuff and so we just kind of you know will pick up our books and try to find our papers, 1000 shop and I was standing some little thing and in this one kid was a leader named Johnny took a 2 x 4 block and through the process. But my head and I had to have her sewn up and everything so you know it's just something I don't what we did but we just can't get in it. You know, and so this went on all the time and in this one kid named Johnny was a leader will one day we were in the locker room and we were just preparing to leave after gym class and the gang came by and when they were the woods, the hard guys recall of they came along. I thought be real cute.

Nick came by and elbowed us and we went over the bench and into the lockers in the back of our heads.

He knows like a comedy act together for you not playing see Alphonso Gascon.

You know, and there we are laying on the floor and you know Roger finally says that's enough you can only take so much right will I said really going to do about it. Roger he said while he still is going to tell his brother and I said well that's good in his brother's name was Steve never forget Williams family.

Steve played middle linebacker for Long Beach State. Steve was six for about 245 had a 30 inch waist down.

Never forget Steve because I remember the first time I heard him give his testimony was driving a bread truck and he had a concrete wall going 40 in walked away. That's the kinda guy was tremendous physical specimen. Anyway, Roger said is going to tell his brother. So I said good Roger so he we came back the next day and he said Steve's coming to school tomorrow he's going to do some so these guys all had an area by the gym where they'd worn out the grass to come early morning.

Smoke in the begin pot and everything they stand there, you know where out the grass and just carry on their conversation about six or so of them and they were just always there. So there's one day Steve was there only stayed behind a building where they couldn't see about 15 minutes before school and Roger and I were, you know, just hanging around waiting to see what happened and so Roger yelled and he says you know Victor this Johnny and all they ever laugh and they were going to really late on some this Johnny to come swaggered out in a police record. In fact later on. Scum said you know later on he actually yet on it being killed by a Secunda robbers. But anyway became swaggering out and he was laughing and mocking Roger just that point Steve walked around the corner.

The build walks up the Roger nieces said which one Roger says that when it which point Steve walked over this gunner. Forget this is exactly what happened. You just pick the guy up by the shirt lifted him up his fist and knocked up for Jeep with one shot just crushed his nose down his two top teeth. And I don't know what all and then he picked them up in a course the guy was out picked them up and was a big hedge in front of the wall of the chimney through over the hedge against the wall down behind the Bush and they said to the rest the guys don't you ever mess with Roger again and he walked you want to know what happened in our junior high. Roger ruled no question about it. Roger ruled North Downey Junior you know why because Roger had resources in it's tremendous to know that Jesus Christ said I am not ashamed to call you my brothers. It's it's a great thing to know that he's on our side. Amen.

And when Satan comes to attack our feet are rooted firmly on the solid ground of the gospel of peace which says the good news people is that I'm not an enemy. I'm not on the other side God is on my side because of Jesus Christ and so no matter what Satan brings. I can as verse 10 says be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. That's the confidence of having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace was victories available in your life as a Christian, just answer these three questions I close number one. Do I really want to win, do I really want to win, do I have on a bill of commitment. Question number two. Do I seek to live a holy life will have a breastplate of righteousness number three MI bold in the battle because my feet are firmly rooted in confidence in God you're running around out in the Lord and his strength you lose if you can answer those three questions. Yes, your winter God's going to do exciting and revolutionary things with your life for his own glory. How bold are you in the spiritual battles you face as John MacArthur explained today on grace to you.

Boldness comes when you're committed to Christ. That is when you're wearing the right.

Choose the right piece of the believer's armor.

You know John, the believer's armor is one of our most popular studies, and of course it's not as sensationalized. Look at how to bind Satan or command him.

Nothing like that. It's simply a careful verse by verse study of Ephesians 6 which says something about the appetite people have for biblical truth and about how grace to you teaches God's word. We understand that everything the believer needs is available in Christ.

But we have to understand how to use it. In other words, it's one thing to say Christ is in me, he is my protector. He's going to defend me.

He's going to protect me if something else to say. I know the means of grace by which I am protected, so the Lord does protect his own. He does guard his own but he's given us the means to do that and that that's why the apostle Paul talks about prayer.

We defend ourselves with all prayer against the enemy. We put on the armor of God, and each piece has a vital application in how we live our lives.

So this is a very foundational area of Christian living. You need to know what's going on. The kingdom of Satan.

You don't to be ignorant of his devices. If you want to be a victorious believer. So we have a new study guide on the believer's armor. This is a reprint than a brand-new editing of the old study guides from decades back in the early 1980s and 1990s we talked about 150. The study guides were starting to revive the volumes with a fresh new approach the believer's armor is the second volume we've published and it's designed to help you get everything you can out of our current radio series so you can listen and look at the notes in the study guide as well. Great for home Bible studies very affordable.

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