The Armour of God, part two. Ephesians 6:11-17 In the first sermon we discussed the Belt and the Breastplate along with the two first spiritual gifts, wisdom and knowledge. In part two I wish to discuss the next pair 1. Shoes, The shoes that Paul speeks of here are special because of the design of not just the shoes themselves but notiably the bottom. In the days of Christ and beyond, the shoes of the Roman soldier were used not only to walk with but to walk on. What do we mean by this? The bottoms of the sandles were fitted with 6 and 12 inch spikes, some report, 3 to 6 inch, that were used in combat to maim and to kill the enemy. After the enemy was knocked down to the ground, the Roman soldier, steped on the chest or head of the enemy to kill them. As you can see so far, the armour has two different perposes, offensive and defencive warfair. The Bible states for our spiritual warfair the shoes are concidered, The preparation of the gospel of piece. The word preparation here means, To set up and to establish or to have in readyness. The scripture mentions many times about Jesus putting his enemies under His feet. We are to do the same thing.Being in readyness or to establish our selves in the gospel of piece, being at piece with all men as much as lyes within us, according to scripture.So when we are told to put Satan and sin under our feet, you know now what Paul was talking about. 2.Shield, A shield was a movable barrier that the soldier carried in frount of him to protect him fron not only the others sword but all arrows and darts that were thrown at him. An arrow we all understand, but the darts were a smaller version that were set on fire with oil or other combustiables, they normally carried a small pouch that also carried a combustiable that when it hit exploded into flames, not nessarally to kill but to confuse and maim the person. The darts Paul speeks of are, lies, deceptions, stories, hatred ect. These things will fall off a christian when they are equipted with this shield as protection. The shield also served another perpouse, the soldiers were required to polish their shield to use as a mirror to reflect sun shine into the eyes of the enemy, to blind them. We also must keep our shield clean and shiney to help blind the advasary. It gives Satan a reason to think before he desides to attack us. With these two parts of the armour, lets add the spiritual gifts of faith and healing. 1. Faith, Now the scripture tells us that everyone has been given a measure of faith. This is not the same gift here, Paul is speeking about a special gift of Faith. Faith is being able to believe without seeing. The gift here goes beyond that and allows the person to accept and claim all things that God wants us to have, a total beliefe in all things that are Godly. To be able to believe without doubt or second thought. Youve all heard the scripture, Lord I believe, Help my unbeliefe, this is an example of this special gift of Faith. Our Faith here is to believe that each piece of armour will work as God designed it to work. 2.Healing, Cure, delieverance, to allieviate, to relieve desease. The gift of healing requires a total faith in the stripes of Jesus and Gods word. Compliance to instruction is also required for the healings to take place. The scriptures say, If there be one sick amoung you, LET HIM PRAY. 1st Peter 5:13-16, The correct manner for healing the sick is outlined in 1st Peter. 1. Step 1., It is required for the person that is sick to pray for himself FIRST. 2. Step 2., Call for the elders of the church to pray for them. 3. Step 3., Have the elders annoint them in the name of the Lord. 4. Step 4., Praying in Faith, not only does the elders hafe to believe but also the one being prayed for must believe. 5. Step 5., Confess your faults and pray for one another. This is how God wants us to pray to be healed, we cannot add or take away from this pattern, and always pray in the WILL of GOD. Now there are those who say that this was concerning the lost and not the christian, but this cannot be so, if you look a little closer the 15th verse it states, and IF he have committed sins, ...this is a very special word here the word, IF., this is not talking about an unbeliever but a Christian. Wouldnt you agree? If we take the scripture for what it says and do thoses things that God requires, we will be able to endure untill the end, in piece, safety and health. This is the end of part two, in Part three we will deal with Miricals, prophecy,helmet and sword. ars.
