How to Have Peace of Mind in Troubled Timesનમૂનો

Day 4: Peace as Your Spiritual Weapon of War

There are seven specific pieces of armor God has provided for you to defend yourself and defeat the enemy. Paul talks about them in his letter to the believers in Ephesus, andone of the weapons in our arsenal that he mentions specifically is peace. It is important to note that there are two kinds of peace talked about in Scripture. The first is peace with God, which is what we all receive the moment we repent of our sin and invite Jesus to be our Lord and Savior. The apostle Paul describes this peace in Romans 5:1, where he says:

Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through the shed blood of Jesus, we now have peace with God, and our relationship with Him is fully restored.

The second kind of peace described in Scripture is the peace of God, which is His powerful, enduring peace. Many people are at peace with God, but they do not have the peace of God working in their lives. These believers are in distress, filled with anxiety, and overwhelmed by the circumstances of life.

In Ephesians 6:10-19, Paul tells us about the armor of God, and he does it by painting a picture of a Roman soldier who is standing tall with his head held high, shoulders thrown back, and chest heaved forward. This soldier knows who he is, and he is proud of it. Similarly, God wants you to know who you are in Christ: a soldier in His army with absolutely nothing to fear!

The apostle Paul goes on to write that your feet are to be “...shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). Well, if you had seen the shoes of a Roman soldier, nothing about them looked peaceful. Those soldiers’ shoes weren’t normal—they were killer shoes! They were made of two primary parts: one part was called the greave, and the other was the shoe itself.

The greaves, metal that covered a soldiers legs from his knees to the top of his feet, were designed to protect his calves from gashes, cuts, and bruises when he was required to march through rocky and thorny terrain. They also protected the soldier in battle at moments when an adversary kicked him in the shins, trying to break his legs and knock him to the ground.

As a believer, you have been provided with spiritual “greaves,” and they are designed to protect you through the tough situations that you will face in your life. Some of the difficulties you must walk through are very thorny. These include the sharp, piercing problems found in your relationships, your job, and even the Church.

Without the peace of God, you will be injured. But just as the greaves of a Roman soldier protected him from the environment and from the blows of his enemy, the peace of God—when it is operating in your life—protects and defends you from the hassles and assaults of the devil and enables you to keep marching forward!

There is one more thing you need to see in Ephesians 6:15. When it says, “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace,” the Greek word for “preparation” was also used in connection with Roman soldiers. This word portrayed men of war who had their shoes tied on very tightly to ensure a firm footing. Once they had the assurance that their shoes were going to stay in place, they were ready to march out onto the battlefield and confront the enemy.

As a believer, when peace is securely fastened in your life, it gives you the assurance you need to step out in faith and make the moves God is leading you to make. Before you take those steps, you need to be sure His peace is operating in your life.

Shoes of peace are a powerful piece of your God-given spiritual weaponry. Without it, the devil can effectively kick, punch, pull, and distract you. But with God’s conquering peace firmly tied to your mind and emotions, you will be empowered to keep marching ahead, and you will be fortified against the devil’s attempts to take you down!

For Your Consideration:

1. Like a confident Roman soldier, God wants you to know who you are in Christ Jesus and declare that truth over your life. Are there any specific characteristics God has shown you about who He has made you to be? If so, what are they, and what scriptures relate to these Christ-like qualities?
2. What are some thorny areas in your life right now? What about some places where the enemy is trying to kick you down? Think about these areas as you read the Word today, and let God’s peace defend you from them.