The Fight (Spiritual Battle) Part 15
In our discussion on the spiritual battle the last couple of weeks we have talked about the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. This week we are going to be looking at having our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
Ephesians 6:15 (NIV)
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
Believing and receiving the gospel (good news) allows us to experience peace. Peace with God, peace with others and peace with ourselves. In His peace, we are to be ready to share this gospel with the world.
Isaiah 52:7 (NIV)
7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Sharing the gospel (good news) is one of the best ways of experiencing its power in your own life.
So what is the Gospel?
Romans 1:1-2 (NIV)
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God– 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures
The word for gospel, good news, is also the word used at that time in history that was a proclamation that a great victory had been won. When Jesus defeated sin and death it was the greatest victory of all time. So life changing, the thrust of the enemy is to keep people blinded to this life changing truth.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NIV)
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
People can be set free from their captivity to the enemy by believing and receiving the gospel (good news). The heart of the gospel is found in this passage;
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NIV)
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
God has a way for people to be set free from the kingdom of darkness and reconciled to him in the Kingdom of God. The gospel overcomes the power of sin and the power of death and restores us to life!
Colossians 2:13-14 (NIV)
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
Romans 8:1-2 (NIV)
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
John 3:16 (NIV)
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Believing and Receiving the Good News
Jesus accomplished everything that needed to be done in the crucifixion and resurrection for us to be reconciled to God. We need to believe and receive.
John 1:12 (NIV)
12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God–
Romans 10:9-10 (NIV)
9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
We will look at how all these verses tie together this weekend at Keys Vineyard. If you can’t make it in person, please be sure to watch our live stream at your convenience.
Steve Lawes is a church encourager and the lead pastor of Keys Vineyard Church.
