The Gospel of Peace

 

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

—Ephesians 6:14-15 NKJV

 

 

In the New Living Translation, Ephesians 6:15 reads, “For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.”

 

When you “shod” your feet, it means you wear shoes of a specific kind. The specific kind you wear is the Good News—the peace you have with God in Christ. When you walk in peace with God, you walk in peace with yourself and others. If you have trouble believing in the inherent truths of your relationship with God. you have trouble living in peace with God and others. You are only prepared for the battles of life when you have prepared your mind and heart with the Gospel of the peace that is yours in Christ.

 

Are you at peace with God, or do you believe He is upset with you because something terrible happens in your life? God is love (1 John 4:16). For God so loved you, He sent His Son to die for you (John 3:16). You can always learn a valuable lesson from what you are going through, but that does not mean God is its author. God is good (Mark 10:18). He has nothing but goodwill toward you (Luke 2:14). It is His goodness that draws you to Him (Romans 2:4). We live in an immorally destructive world where sin and Satan rage, but we are loved by a consistent God whose love toward us never changes (Hebrews 13:8).  It is hard to trust God when you are unsure of your relationship with Him. It is hard to experience His peace in tough times if you question His consistency. Don’t get upset with God when life is hard and doubt Him. Don’t fight against Him instead of fighting the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12).

 

When we pray things like “Why, God, is this taking so long” or “Why is this happening,” we aren’t living in the peace of our relationship with God. We get upset with Him. We get upset at our circumstances. We have trouble living in peace with others. We feel uncomfortable with God and wonder why our prayers are hindered. We can’t have bitterness toward anyone (spouse, children, church, family, or friend) and expect God to answer our prayers (1 Peter 3:7). When you walk in peace with God and others, you are putting on the Good News of the peace you have received. 

 

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him” (Colossians 2:6).

 

You received Jesus by faith. You walk in His peace the same way. You walk by faith, not sight, in good and hard times. You walk by faith in the inherent truths of your relationship with Him. When you live in God’s peace, you stand in the truth of His righteousness in Jesus. You have peace in your relationship with Him, yourself, and others. You believe your worthiness is in Christ. You know you are forgiven, and nothing separates you from coming confidently to God in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Nothing holds you in bondage to the debt of unforgiveness because your debt has been paid. You love God as He has loved you. You forgive as He has forgiven you. 

 

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance” (Romans 5:1-3, NLT).

 

You have peace with God. Jesus has overcome the issues of your life with the peace He has purchased for you with God. You can pray confidently and go into God’s presence, believing in your heart that He has answered your requests (1 John 5:15, Mark 11:24). You can walk joyfully and confidently in His peace, knowing that His grace is sufficient for all your needs. You have His grace to forgive as He has forgiven you. When issues in life don’t defeat you but instead help you persevere in faith, you walk in the peace of God. When you forgive and share God’s love, you bring His peace to your heart and others. 

 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV).

 

Believe in the Gospel of peace, and take possession of it. Make it your Gospel of peace. Exercise God’s Word in your life. Give your requests to God with thankful confidence. His peace, which human reasoning cannot understand, will supernaturally guard your heart and mind. 

 

The peace you have is Christ's life in you. When you allow His peace to own your mind and heart, the enemy can’t kill, steal, and destroy the abundant life Christ has bought you (John 10:10). You can praise God and persevere in the truth that Christ has overcome all the issues in your life. Your eyes are on Him, not the situation, sickness, or storm. Faith in the Lord shields your mind from the lies and deceptions of the enemy. You stand believing the truth of God’s promises. You are convinced that Christ, the hope of glory, lives in you (Colossians 1:27), and He is greater in you than your battle that rages (1 John 4:4). His perfect love overcomes your worry and fear (1 John 4:18). The enemy has no power over your faith in Jesus. You fight him with the peace that is yours in Christ. You believe your prayer is answered (1 John 5:15, Hebrews 11:24).

 

God works in and through you when you believe you are at peace with Him. Just as you received Him, walk in His peace by faith. Stand in the righteousness, power, and truth of your position in Christ. You have been given His authority "over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:19).

 

When you believe and walk in the Gospel of God's peace, you are “fully prepared.”  Trust in the righteousness that is yours in Christ. Have confidence in your relationship with God, and walk in it. You will never be ashamed.

 

 

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