Greetings brothers and sisters… Pastor Rob here,
For 17 years I worked for a company that made high quality work boots… boots that were super-tough, provided support and afforded traction in all kinds of conditions. These boots were a favorite with loggers, construction workers, forest fire-fighters; no matter the harshness of the conditions, these boots were up to the challenge!
God has given each of us a pair of “boots” to help us meet the challenges of life. They are an important part of our armor to give us victory in our daily spiritual battles. In the sixth chapter of Ephesians, the apostle Paul lists the different components of our spiritual armor. After exhorting us to take up the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness, he says, “and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” (Eph. 6:15) So the gospel of peace, which is the good news of Jesus Christ, is likened to military footgear! For a soldier, his boots are the foundation that gives him solid footing during battle. The Gospel is the firm fou with flyers and candy.ndation we stand upon when faced with the temptations of our enemy, the devil.
There is another aspect of battle that requires solid footwear… an army needs boots, not only for standing, but for advancing! For an army to be victorious, it needs to not only stand it’s ground, but to take possession of the enemy’s territory. There is nothing that beats back the kingdom of darkness like the good news of Jesus Christ! When the Gospel is proclaimed and people are saved, Satan’s kingdom is vanquished! The Bible often uses a vivid expression to describe defeating a foe; it is, “treading down the enemy!” Jesus used this expressive language when He gave His disciples authority over the devil: “Behold I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall hurt you.” (Luke 10:19) When we resist the devil in the mighty name of Jesus, we are strapping on the “boots” of the Gospel and treading down the wicked one!
As we walk down the path of life, we will encounter the enemy. We cannot defeat him in our own strength or with our own wisdom. We must put on the whole armor of God, which includes the “boots” of the gospel of peace. With the power of the gospel, in the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ we can tread down our spiritual foes! And we can look forward to final victory over the devil when he will be a defeated foe for all eternity!… “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet!” (Romans 16:20)
—Pastor Rob
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