February 10, 2022
Gospel Shoes
Lord’s Prayer Focus: The Father’s Protection – “...but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13b).
Ephesians 6:13–15 (ESV) — 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
The next piece of armor Paul tells us to put on is our footwear. Roman soldiers would typically be equipped with leather boots for long marches, which also helped to prevent them from slipping or falling. If your feet are not fitted with the proper footwear, you won't be able to stand for very long, let alone walk very far.
As a Christian, the shoes that we are to wear are gospel shoes. The gospel is that "Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God" (1 Pet 3:18). And this gospel is a gospel of peace. It brings peace between us and God and one another. And if we have that peace, then we have the best possible foothold from which to fight evil. Satan's goal is to get you to forget the Gospel so that you can trust in something else. He does this by using people to preach gospels that are false, ways that promise to bring peace between you and God, but actually push you further away from Him.
These gospel shoes also get us ready to announce good news to others. Satan hates nothing more than for us to spread the gospel to those who are on his team. Satan hates the gospel and he hates those who spread the gospel. Yet it is the gospel of peace that gives us this urgency to announce that Christ has defeated Satan, and will soon crush him under His feet.
In the time of the early church, when there was no internet, television, cell phones, or cars, you had to use your feet to get the gospel of Christ to the surrounding nations. These disciples traveled with a sense of urgency, risking their lives for the gospel, so that many would hear and respond to it. The gospel message boiled in their blood so much that they had to act on it. Romans 10:14-15 says, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Each of us has a serious responsibility to not only believe the Gospel, but to announce it to every man, woman, and child that God puts in our path, so that they too can have peace with God.
Consider:
Prayer Points:
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you an urgency and love (not guilt) to announce good news to those living in darkness.
Lord’s Prayer Focus: The Father’s Protection – “...but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13b).
Ephesians 6:13–15 (ESV) — 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
The next piece of armor Paul tells us to put on is our footwear. Roman soldiers would typically be equipped with leather boots for long marches, which also helped to prevent them from slipping or falling. If your feet are not fitted with the proper footwear, you won't be able to stand for very long, let alone walk very far.
As a Christian, the shoes that we are to wear are gospel shoes. The gospel is that "Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God" (1 Pet 3:18). And this gospel is a gospel of peace. It brings peace between us and God and one another. And if we have that peace, then we have the best possible foothold from which to fight evil. Satan's goal is to get you to forget the Gospel so that you can trust in something else. He does this by using people to preach gospels that are false, ways that promise to bring peace between you and God, but actually push you further away from Him.
These gospel shoes also get us ready to announce good news to others. Satan hates nothing more than for us to spread the gospel to those who are on his team. Satan hates the gospel and he hates those who spread the gospel. Yet it is the gospel of peace that gives us this urgency to announce that Christ has defeated Satan, and will soon crush him under His feet.
In the time of the early church, when there was no internet, television, cell phones, or cars, you had to use your feet to get the gospel of Christ to the surrounding nations. These disciples traveled with a sense of urgency, risking their lives for the gospel, so that many would hear and respond to it. The gospel message boiled in their blood so much that they had to act on it. Romans 10:14-15 says, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Each of us has a serious responsibility to not only believe the Gospel, but to announce it to every man, woman, and child that God puts in our path, so that they too can have peace with God.
Consider:
- Are you fluent in your ability to speak the Gospel?
- Who in your circle of influence needs to hear the good news today?
Prayer Points:
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you an urgency and love (not guilt) to announce good news to those living in darkness.
Posted in 2022 Prayer and Fasting