THE VICTOR’S MENTALITY 28 (Introduction to the Shoes of the Gospel of Peace)

It’s a pleasure and privilege to present the gospel to you, my beloved readers. I’m confident in the Lord that He will bless your hearts, in Jesus’ name. By God’s grace, we’ve been talking about the victor’s mentality, with our text from Ephesians 6:13-18.

In this article, we’ll focus on verse 15: “and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15 NKJV)

We’ve already discussed the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. You can access these teachings on our blog site.

So in this article, we’ll talk about the shoes of the gospel of peace. I’ll introduce the topic today, and in the subsequent articles, we’ll build on it as the Holy Spirit inspires.

Paul says in Ephesians 6:15, “and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Paul’s inspiration for this imagery came from a Roman soldier’s armour. To understand the spiritual truth he’s communicating, we must first understand what the shoe represented in the soldier’s equipment.

For a Roman soldier, the shoe wasn’t a casual sandal but a strong, thick-soled boot, often fitted with spikes or nails underneath. This gave them: a firm footing on rough terrain, stability in combat. Without it, a soldier would slip, stumble, or grow weary on long marches. The shoe also protected against sharp objects and hidden traps meant to injure the feet. That’s how important the Roman soldier’s shoes were.

However, glory to Jesus, we’re not putting on Roman shoes to keep winning and reigning in life. As believers, we’re putting on the shoes of the gospel of peace. When we talk about the shoes of the gospel of peace, it’s often interpreted as evangelism—going out to preach the gospel of peace. Yes, we can apply it that way, but that’s not Paul’s primary context here. All the armor in Ephesians 6 isn’t about functions we perform; rather, they’re supernatural qualities of Christ Himself that rest upon us when we put them on.

For instance: The belt of truth isn’t just telling the truth but being girded with God’s truth in Christ. The breastplate of righteousness isn’t just about living righteously but standing secure in Christ’s righteousness. Similarly, the shoes of the gospel of peace aren’t just about preaching; they’re about being firmly established in the peace that the gospel brings.

So, what is the peace of the gospel? It’s a heavenly peace:
  • Firstly, it’s peace with God through Christ’s finished work.
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Romans 5:1 NKJV) The enmity between us and God is gone. Our slate is clean, and our conscience is cleared. The believer now stands before God reconciled. Glory to Jesus!

  • Secondly, it’s peace in Christ’s body, where Jew and Gentile, once enemies, have been made one new man in Him.
“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.” (Ephesians 2:14-17 NKJV) The Jews saw themselves as God’s chosen people, set apart by the covenant with Abraham, the Law of Moses, and circumcision, while Gentiles were considered “unclean” and outside God’s covenant promises. This “enmity” was rooted in the Law’s commandments and ordinances that separated Jew and Gentile.

But glory to Jesus, in Christ, this wall has been torn down—Jew and Gentile have become one new man in Him. On the cross, He abolished the enmity, fulfilled the law, and made the two into one new man. Christ has created one body, one family, one kingdom where old hostilities no longer define us. This is the peace we’re talking about!

  • Thirdly, it’s the peace of God that rules and steadies the heart.
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7 NKJV) It’s the rest of heaven, the calm that flows from God’s throne, even amid life’s storms. 

While preparing for today’s article, I asked myself: Can anything disturb God and cause His heart to palpitate? Can heaven ever be worried or restless about a situation? The answer is no. Heaven is never shaken. God sits on His throne in absolute rest, no matter what storms rage on earth. His peace is unchanging, untouchable, and eternal. This is the peace He expects us to put on as shoes—the peace that stabilizes us in the midst of pressure, confusion, or attack. It’s the peace of God that guards our hearts and minds, the peace of Christ that must rule our hearts.

Beloved, prayerfully meditate on these things. I’ll continue from here in the next article. Stay blessed.

Written by Peter Ayoola Fakeye—PAF

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