Armor of God: Feet

Ephesians 6:14-15

“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”

 Our feet. Take a look at the verse again. “your feet fitted”. We know that having shoes protect our feet, and it’s not a reach to understand that having shoes on in battle helps us to move and to attack. But the verse talks about having our feet “fitted”. Custom made.

http://www.pastryshoescollection.com/2009/01/06/top-10-most-expensive-shoes-in-the-world/

I have never had custom made shoes. I know you can relate when I talk about having to “break in a new pair of shoes.” It’s uncomfortable. And there is nothing worse then having a pair of shoes that just don’t fit right. We get blisters and calluses and no matter how cute the shoes might be, if they don’t fit, then we could wind up hurting our feet. I have several great pairs of shoes that I bought in the thrill of the moment. That after I got them home and got over the shopping thrill (I know, it’s a curse) I realized that the shoes were a bit tight, (well maybe I could stretch it out), or it rubbed a bit on the heel (oh, I’ll just bend it and help it), or the toes were a bit to narrow (again, they will stretch) and we all know what happened to the shoes. I’ve worn them a couple of times, only to wind up taking them off mid-way through whatever function I was attending, so consumed with the ache and pain in my feet that I couldn’t enjoy wherever I was and could only anticipate leaving and taking the bane of my existence off my feet.

But friends, we are at war and the armor we need has to fit properly.

Soldiers in battle would have their shoes fitted by cobblers. They would take a sketch of the soldiers’ feet and would mold the shoes. The shoes became like an extension of their body because they were formed around each foot. The shoes did not have to be “broken in”. There was no “getting used to” a new pair of shoes. The shoes fit because they were created for the one who was wearing them. When the soldier walked into battle he could do it with confidence, the safety of his feet were not in question because they were protected and he could advance on the enemy and move forward.

This is what God instructs us to do in Ephesians 6:14-15. By fitting our feet with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace we are equipped to go into battle with our feet standing on the gospel of peace.

OK, what is the “gospel of peace” and how do we stand on it. The gospel of peace is the understanding of the Good News. But what if you don’t know what the Good News is?

This is the good news, the great commission, and what everything in our beliefs as Christians is about.

And that of we believe in our hearts (which is protected by the breastplate of righteousness) and say with our mouths (which speaks the truth that we learned from the belt of truth) that Christ is the risen Lord, we will be saved. (This is the gospel of peace).

Having this knowledge, this understanding, and firmly standing on that belief, will give you the protection and the confidence to step boldly and proclaim to others what you have been given.

The gospel promises that peace and God’s word proclaims, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:15).

Sweetheart it’s time to take off those ill-fitting, leg cramping, blister causing shoes that look really cute on the outside but are cutting off the circulation to your soul on the inside and step into the peace that never goes out of style, always fits, and looks good with everything. Stand firm.