The Strategies of Two Kings

Shechem played a pivotal role in the history of the Jews that is often overlooked by Bible Commentaries.  Shechem was a city where Abraham was living nearby when he received one of God’s promises. Genesis 12:6,7  By the time Jacob came on the scene 200 years later had become a thriving city.  Now the word city in Hebrew means that this settlement was a walled settlement, and Genesis 34:20, 24 report that it had a gate.  

Shechem was home to Abraham, Jacob, it is where Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, Joshua was to read the law from the side of one of the mountains nearby once they had made the conquest into that region Joshua 7,8. and Jesus talked to the woman at the well there.  The city of Shechem was situated between two mountains and had a natural acoustic effect so one could be speaking on the mountain and be heard in the valley.  The source I got this information from also indicated that he had been on top of one of the mountains and could hear the children playing in the city, so the acoustic nature worked both ways.

You remember from our last study that Solomon had started out well as a leader, but then his heart wandered,and he became a self-serving king.  In other words, it was more of a tyranny as he pressed his very own people into slavery to him and his family.  Toward the end of Solomon’s reign the heart of the people had already started to shift, and when he died, Jeroboam, one of his well respected men had fled to Egypt after have to seek asylum there.

Now Rehoboam, who was Solomon’s son that should take on the kingdom, went to Shechem for his coronation.  The story that goes on from here expands yet again the history of the city of Shechem as this event takes on another pivotal role in the history of the Israelites.

We start out our Lesson with one of Israel’s well respected men in exile.

1 Samuel 8:11-18

11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

13 And he will take your daughters to be confectioneries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.

We do not know that Solomon knew of the interchange between Ahijah, the prophet of God and Jeroboam, but he certainly must have suspected something. Jeroboam was an industrious individual who was a natural born leader. The Bible calls him a valiant warrior.  As Solomon was losing his grip on his people it seemed natural that someone as powerful militarily as Jeroboam would be a threat to Solomon's throne, and he moved to get him out of the way. Jeroboam sought asylum in Egypt.

1 Timothy 6:6-11

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

The presence of Jeroboam, a returned exile, by the invitation of the people should have been threat enough to this new king, and then to have him as the spokesman for the entire camp of Israel who was offering bargaining chips to the king really should have left no question in Rehoboam’s mind as to the danger of not hearing their request.

Any leader who is self-serving is headed for disaster.  The old men advised Rehoboam to be compassionate to the people of Israel and they would serve him forever.  A good leader would have heard his followers and would have consulted his advisers, not from a selfish standpoint, but one that would seek to serve his own people.  This was the downfall of Solomon and Rehoboam.

When there is a group of people who either won’t hear the advice of the older generation or isn’t surrounded with the wisdom of the older generation, where will that take them.  In Rehoboam’s case, he consulted with his peers, who were self-serving just like himself.  

Today as individuals, families, and the church we do have access to the Holy Spirit speaking directly into our lives so in one sense it is different, but should we be seeking advice for our lives corporately and/or individually?

God had given Jeroboam the greater portion of the kingdom of Israel and protected him from being killed from Solomon.  He had forgotten that God could preserve the kingdom as well as give it to him.

Jeroboam, as well as Solomon and Rehoboam, had proved that their heart cared more for their positions than the people.  You remember in our last study we talked about Israel worshipping God in high places, and it was in such a place that Solomon met God and got the promise of wisdom.  Though these high places were forbidden through the Law that was given by God,  it was something He winked at as they were still giving him lip service.  These same high places caused Israel to compromise their beliefs in God, because they weren’t entirely following His directives.

When Jeroboam lead the revolt against Rehoboam, only Judah remained with Rehoboam.  So now that Jeroboam had eleven tribes with him he didn’t wish to lose that power that all those people gave him.  This why he set up the golden calves in the high places of Dan and Bethel.  

Do we as leaders become so power hungry that we set up some kind of idolatry so we do not lose the power, the authority that we have gotten?  This could be true of us as fathers, or as leaders in the church.

Jeroboam’s quest for power began with hearing the voice of God and being appointed by God to lead the 10 tribes of Israel.  Jeroboam got the lowest of the people to be his new priests at the high places in the worship of the golden calves.  He tried to brainwash the people that these calves that he made were representations of God who led them out of Egypt.  He was playing on their need to worship something physical and trying to keep them out of Jerusalem.  He knew that Jerusalem was the place God had set up through David and Solomon as the place where His presence would be felt and where the voice of God would be heard, but he chose to withhold any real experience of worship from them so he could maintain his own kingdom.

There were a total of eleven tribes that went with him, but when the tribe of Levi discovered they weren’t needed for worship, they went back and joined up with Rehoboam and Judah.  

Solomon’s wives lead him astray as they became more important to him than God. 1 Kings 11:3,4

Rehoboam’s friends lead him astray by giving him poor advice.

Jeroboam wanted to keep the hearts of the people, and though there was no immediate threat to losing them, he took counsel and built idols so the Israelites would not go back to Jerusalem to worship. 1 Kings 12:28

Prayer ~ A Part of the Armor of God That is Often Overlooked

Prayer comes from the heart, and is as if it were to a friend. You can be saying the same words, but it would not really be prayer.
Why is it when we talk about the armor of God, we usually stop before the part of Prayer? I believe prayer is overlooked as part of the spiritual armory because Satan realizes that is where the practical power is for the rest of the armor.
Prayer is only possible by having faith in a power that is stronger than yourself that you believe will answer life’s questions/problem for you! (without Faith it is impossible to please God!). Faith is what initiates the armor and is often played out in prayer.
Prayer is such an integral part of the Armor of God. Communication with God through the avenue of prayer is a means of connecting your spirit with The Spirit of God who then will carry your message to the throne of the Father in the Name of Jesus.
Praying to the Father does something to help us to recognize our dependence on Him. If God is an impersonal God, then Prayer has no value, on the other hand if God cares about you personally; then prayer is beneficial.
God has cared about us personally, which is why He came to you with the message of Salvation. Prayer is really one way of telling God that you are recognizing that He cares for you.

Ephesians 6:18-20
There is no value in the Armor of God unless it is accompanied by prayer. Prayer is the means by which we take up the armor and personally apply it. Prayer is also the means by which we intercede for the spiritual well-being of others. Prayer is the means for communication with God. God, as our commander-in-chief is giving us orders which we will only receive if we have an open line of communication with Him. I am not trying to set up prayer as the only way God speaks, but it is a notable way if you pray in the Spirit. When your spirit connects with the Spirit of God, the communication line is open and you can then converse with God much in the same way Adam did before the fall into sin, or Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, or any of the patriarchs.
Our Faith is realized in Prayer, and it is through prayer our shield of Faith is capable of stopping the fiery darts of Satan.
We tend to limit the voice of God to His Word and though it is one way He speaks, God wants a personal relationship with you and wants to speak to you personally. The Word of God and the voice of God that you hear will always agree with each other.
There has been a lot of talk about what prayer is, and many people have come up with varying conclusions. The first discussion I want to address is, What is the right method of Prayer?
We hear a lot of specifics, like it needs to be an hour long process.
-God is not so concerned about a regimented time of prayer, but wants it to be from the heart. He wants you to enjoy being with Him and talking with Him. God is a personal God.
We hear that wording matters.
-The wording of your prayers do matter in some ways, but in other ways the words you pray can be simple yet sincere and meaningful. A prayer that is focused on one’s self is not a prayer at all. It is just one’s selfish rant, unless you are recognizing your need. Luke 18:13 Prayer does not always have to include words; so when your heart is heavy, The Holy Spirit can interpret your silence or groans that are there because words fail you.
So, does wording matter? Yes, but it’s not what you think. This prayer model that Jesus taught to his disciples can be broken down something like this:
Recognize who God is. He is Holy!
Recognize what His Kingdom is. Salvation/Righteousness
Recognize that you need help even supplying life’s basic needs
Recognize that your forgiveness depends on how you forgive.
Recognize His power over the Devil!

The publican said, “God be merciful to me a sinner”. His prayer was short, to the point, yet sincere. He went to his house justified.

We hear position matters.
-Kneeling, Standing, or Flat out on the floor are various positions in prayer, and each have their place in prayer. God does love for you to approach Him as a son or daughter so any position of prayer that allows you to connect with Him is appropriate. What really matters is whether your heart is bowed in adoration to God.
Should we pray out loud or silently?
-There is nothing wrong with a silent prayer and in some cases may be appropriate, but praying out loud gives us a power that enables us to have victory. Satan cannot read thoughts, he merely puts them there; so praying out loud will give him a heads up that you are serious about obtaining victory from the Lord. This actually may increase the fight, but by fastening your grip onto the power of God through prayer, Satan’s grip will shrink back. No battle against Satan should be fought without prayer.

What is Supplication/Intercession?
-There are many needs in this world that belong to many people other than yourself. Supplication or intercession is taking the needs of others before the only one who can meet those needs. When we truly believe that life is more than just ourselves, we will intercede on behalf of other people. Interceding can take on several dimensions. It can be for the spiritual welfare of others or for the basic needs of others. God wants us to take the initiative and fight for those around us on our “Knees”. True intercession is standing in between the person you are praying for and the devil.
What is praying in the Spirit?
-Praying in the Spirit is nothing more or less than praying in a manner that allows your spirit to connect with the Spirit of God, much in the same way that two buddies connect, but on a spiritual level. Praying in the Spirit can move your emotions, because you have just connected with the God of the Universe.
A house of Prayer or Den of Thieves?
Your soul is meant to be a place of communion with God (otherwise known as a house/place of prayer). We often find ourselves hosting barbaric characteristics in our soul, due to being human with a bent toward evil. Have you ever wondered why life seems so hard sometimes. Wonder no further! While God does not bring hard times (every good gift is from above), He allows them to come for our eternal good. That may mean He is bringing us to a place of prayer in our soul, so our spirit can commune with Him.
Prayer is not for selfish reasons
Praying for selfish reasons is, well, selfish. If we are trying to twist God’s arm by our prayers, that is paramount to placing ourselves and our desires above what God wants. Satan got kicked out of heaven, and Adam and Eve got kicked out of the Garden of Eden for that. God does want to hear your needs, but not as in do this for me! We need to remember, this is more about who he is than who we are.
Coming to prayer on your terms rather than God’s
Striking a bargain with God will never work. God will never be on the same level you are, which is what is necessary for a true bargain. People who bargain have to recognize the equality in each other before they will even want to bargain. Again, God wants to hear your needs, but your needs must be left with Him.
What is Prayer all about?
Prayer truly is about recognizing who God is (Holy, Righteous, Powerful…), and who we are (sinners, weak, insignificant...). When we really recognize who God is; we will revere Him, He will be our Lord, and we will Love Him!

The Sword of The Lord ~ The Armor of God

    -Hebrews 4:12

   -Ephesians 6:17

   -John 1:1

   -Psalm 119:105

   Stand Strong.

   With  Stand.

   Take up the Sword of the Lord

   Why has God given us the Sword of the Lord?

   The enemy of our souls has launched an attack on Mankind.  Satan is not content to just pick at us...he is going for blood (spiritual).  Satan is going for death (ours), and the sooner we realize that, the closer we can be to understanding the gravity of the situation.  “Quit ye like men, be strong”

   The Word of God is alive, it is Spirit breathed, it is full of enlightenment, it is a revelation of who God is.  The Word of God is able to divide out the darkness in our soul and produce life where there was none.  The God of Creation (which is the only God there is) has the power to speak and produce results.  Genesis 1 displays the reality of the power of God through the work of Creation.  God has given mankind the power to choose whether they want to obey Him or not but all other venues must immediately spring into action at His voice.

   As Christians, when we are under attack from Satan (at least as far as an attack on our minds); when we speak the Words of God, Satan has no choice but to leave the threshold of our minds.  The folly of the battle is, we often try to battle Satan in our own strength, which really only amounts to reformation without change of heart, and without a change of heart we are only trying to gain a personal advantage or physical advantage over Satan.  The idea that we can gain an advantage over Satan through our own strength is one of Satan’s tricks that he uses to gain an even stronger hold on our lives.  This can be broken by the Word of God.

   Standing on the rock of our Salvation through faith in our Savior and Lord, we take up the Sword of the Lord and brandish it toward the foe of darkness.  The Sword of Enlightenment (Truth, and Light) will dispel the the enveloping darkness in which Satan tries to envelope us.  God has seen to it that we are properly equipped to fight, not just to protect ourselves but to counter-attack.  The Sword of the Lord is light for our feet, Truth to stand on, and Life to live on.  You can not truly drive the devil away without using the Sword of the Lord.  Satan will not be driven back unless we resist him and to do that we must get aggressive using the Word of God as a Sword to divide the Light from the darkness, Truth from a lie, and Victory from defeat.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

2 Timothy 3:16-17

   When was the last time you studied the Word of God with the thought in mind that you were studying for a clearer battle plan?  We cannot just be familiar with the Word of God (our sword) just because we heard someone else talk about it, but we must be familiar with it because we have practiced with it, studied it and know full well how to use it.  A man or woman who is not used to his/her sword will end up hurting himself/herself with it.  Being in tune with God will allow you to fight the devil using His equipment and His Strength.  The Sword of the Lord is also to be used in any battle described as “in service of the King”.  This may indicate that we are not necessarily protecting ourselves with it but maybe a fellow brother or sister.

   Quite possibly, we may need to stand in for a new convert.  Satan, having lost a subject, will not give up without a fight, and as a new convert; he/she may not have mastered the art of wielding the Sword of the Lord. I propose that we as fellow Christians stand in for them, seeing to the strength of their armor and ability to fight Satan, thus protecting them from spiritual ruin before they get established.

   We need to become experts at handling the Word of God, being able to divide/interpret it bringing it into relevancy for our everyday lives.  The idea is not to become superheroes (they rely on their strength), but Godly men/women who know how to use what God has given them in Spiritual Warfare.

   Do not feel as if you are alone, Satan has gone for every person on the planet trying to destroy eternally the soul that our Creator made in His image.  Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, was also a target of Satanic temptation; and Jesus, though He is God and had all weapons at His disposal, chose to use the Word of God (the revelation of Himself to mankind) which really is the most effective weapon anyway.  This using of the Word of God is so effective, pricks so thoroughly, that Satan will often use it in rebuttal to an attack; hoping to align truth with a lie so as to cause us to become sleepy and therefore no threat to his dominion.

John 14:25-27

   The declaration of Jesus to His disciples was that He would send a Comforter, or one to stand beside them; and this would be the Holy Spirit which would declare to all disciples the things that Jesus had taught them while He was yet here.

Revelation 1-5

   The Holy Spirit is seen as Spirit with seven facets and when He works as such, there will be a change.  These various aspects of the Holy Spirit are: Creator, Sustainer, Comforter, Warrior, Compeller, Protector, and Instructor.  The work of the Holy Spirit in our lives compels us to be more like Himself changing our humanity into a holy, godlike image which is seen as in the mirror of The Word of God.  This does not mean, however, that we will become a ‘god’, but that we will exhibit His Character.

   We need to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the lives of others. Judges 7:14 Gideon had been called by God to lead the fight against a wicked nation who was gathered against the Children of Israel.  As a means of verifying the call, Gideon snuck down to the camp of the opposing warriors and spied on them when he heard the discourse between two enemy soldiers that gave him the courage to fight.  When Gideon addressed his men later on, he gave recognition to the Holy Spirit in the battle.  Though this piece of history occurs in the Bible, it is found in the Old Testament.  The New Testament Teaches, however, that Christians, God’s people of the new covenant live peaceful lives, by not seeking to take another human being’s life.  Every time another person is formed, he/she is created in God’s image with an eternal soul, and all recognition should be given to the life of God within that person.

   There are times that Satan attacks us through other people. Satan will use friends, relatives, pastors, or whoever he can get his hands on to destroy them and you.  This does not mean that they intended to be a part of hurting you, but because of who Satan is, and their lack of spiritual discipline, they have become an attacking machine for Satan.  Many times these people mean well and do not realize the damage their words carry.  Cases like these, often become a battle in our mind, while Satan plays out his treacherous intentions in our mind.  Satan will subtly give birth to the idea in your mind that you are no good, not worth anything, nobody likes you; but these are all lies and need to be fended off with Truth (the Word of God).

   God has declared; you are precious, you are loved, and  I have given my life for you!

   Something we need to think about is; we need to recognize what we are compare ourselves with.  The Bible refers to itself as a mirror and says that man will look into it to see his reflection and then when he walks away will immediately forget what the mirror showed about himself.  It seems as though Satan has great ability to pull a veil over our eyes.

   The Sword of the Lord is really our only hope for victory over Satan.  Our armor will only do so much if we cannot fight, and God has designed the sword to be double edged (full of truth and light).  The enemy will try to knock the truth out of our grasp so we will not realize when he gives us a half-truth.  We need to be like the man in the bible who fought so hard that his hands cramped around his sword and could not be gotten loose.

The Helmet of Salvation ~The Armor of God

   Do you feel like you are drowning in sin/circumstances? This is an indication that you are in need of a Savior.

   Salvation means nothing unless you recognize that you need mercy.

-Psalm 18

-1 Kings 1:50

   Solomon’s brother had been set up as the king of Israel, but God had other plans.  Adonijah went down to the tabernacle and held onto the horns of the altar.  Desperation is a precursor to salvation.  

-Matthew 11:28

   Jesus words are “Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  It seems as though, many times we come to Christ, not because we are burdened down, but because it seems to be the thing to do.  When the weight of the world is pressing in on us, that is when we truly need a Savior.

-Psalm 95:1

-Psalm 102:19-22

   The Helmet of Salvation is there to protect the mind.  Once you have been saved your way of thinking will be changed...your mind will be renewed in Christ your desires will be for God.  Everything may not be in place immediately but that is why we battle for our mind. In this Spiritual Warfare, our battlefield is our mind.  Every giant we face is either real or perceived and our mind must be protected by wearing the Helmet of Salvation to place all our thoughts in their proper perspective.  The enemy of our souls works with great vigor to disrupt the thought processes of all humans as a means of destroying any semblance of God’s work in their lives.  Satan is not content to let God appear like He is (has) won the battle and wants to win the battle for your soul.

   There are certain ideas which need to be dealt with if we are to maintain the stability of our mind and become warriors of truth.  Again, this battle is not physical, but spiritual. Ephesians 6

   The Old Testament brought up the idea time and time again of the need for a Savior.  The structure of the Israelite kingdom gave the words Redeemer/Savior a meaning that carries over to set the stage for our Redeemer/Savior.  The Israelites, when they fell on hard times, they would leave their properties and sometimes even sell themselves as slaves to get through the rough times.  There was a provision though, for a close relative to redeem the situation and he would buy the properties and in some cases marry the widow who was left (as in the story of Ruth).  

   “This day is Salvation come to your house”... What do those words mean?

   Salvation means that you were set for destruction, but someone or something has reached out as your rescuer/redeemer and has saved you from the impending destruction.

What is a horn of salvation?~this refers to the horns of the altar which when hung onto you could be spared but as soon as you let go you were fair game.

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-You must protect your mind-

Philippians 4:8 Think only on good things.  When we dwell on wickedness, and discouraging things; our peace will be destroyed and our soul will become heavy and we will sink into the depths of hopelessness.

-You must know you are saved-

    If you cannot give God credit for Saving you...You must come to the place where you can because that is an affront to God’s character.  You are living in doubt, may be living in fear; which will only bring you down as a Christian.  Jesus paid the price for you  and wants you to recognize what he has done for you.

-You must know who God is-

    It is time to recognize who God is.  God, as an all-powerful king must and will have subjects either willing or unwilling. Will you be one of the willing subjects?  He has declared that every knee will bow at a given specific time, thus the unwilling subject.

-You must Know the way-

    Jesus said, “I am the Way”.  Do you know Him?  Do you understand His Message?  His way of operating?  His core character?  As a Christian, we are supposed to be “little Christs”; which means, we will be like Him, living like Him, exhibiting His character.

-You must know the enemy-

    Satan is an avowed enemy of God and all Christians.  Do you know how he operates.  Do you understand that this battle is not just about you...but is about making the plan of Salvation of no effect.  Satan has tried to destroy the work of God among humanity for thousands of years and now is no different.

-You must know your comrades-

    God has given you comrades to fight Satan alongside.  Do you know who they are?  Sometimes when we get unfocused, we become disillusioned and get confused as to who our fighting buddies are.  If we can stay focused on Jesus, our comradeship with other valiant soldiers of Christ will always be a reality.

-You must know your equipment-

    God has given each Christian a spiritual armor.  Know what it is.  This armor is not anything we can dream up (such as rehabilitation, etc…); but is a complete gift of God because He loves you!  As we begin fighting the devil and using our armor we will become accustomed to it and will be able to fight Satan efficiently.  The Helmet of Salvation is probably one of the greatest pieces of the armor; for without it, you are not just vulnerable, but lost; and you will not know who the enemy is.

-Your equipment must be properly installed-

    You cannot be haphazard about installing your armor.  Too many of us are lazy when it comes to preparing for battle (which is against Satan).  The Helmet of Salvation must be on securely, The Belt of Truth must be tightly buckled so it won’t fall off, The Breastplate of righteousness must be tied securely in the back (usually this piece was installed by a fellow soldier, which denotes discipleship), The Sword of the Spirit must be sharpened by allowing The Holy Spirit to work in your own life first of all and then you will be in tune to use this Sword in an offensive manner.  The ability to spread True Peace which really is the Gospel of Christ must be carefully checked out for any tears or deformities so nonbelievers are not given something untrue.  The shield of Faith must be held out front, so when the battle comes; you can stand behind your faith.  Intercession for yourself and others is part of the armor and is a way of keeping the armor of God tuned up.  The last thing and yet a very important thing is that we need to watch.  It will not do us any good to be sitting around in our armor, but yet not really alert and ready to fight.

-You must drill regularly-

    Discourse is good.  When physical soldiers train; they will build up strength, and they will do scenario (mock) battles.  One reason why Christians have such a hard time fighting against Satan is they really have no idea what it means to drill.  Different methods of drilling are:  Praying, Reading the Word of God, Meditating, and Getting involved in a discussion.

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   If we are constantly living in fear…Fear is controlling you. The Saving power of God will motivate you to the fight, but tactics and and advantages may need to be taught/learned or you may give up on account of being overwhelmed.  This is all part of putting on the armor of God.

   My kingdom is not of this world, if it were then my servants would fight in physical battles.  Jesus could have gotten Himself out of the mess in which He found Himself, but He was fighting a spiritual battle for you.  This was the method that had to be taken to align mankind with God and give them the edge over Satan.

Salvation is important!

The Armor of God, Faith

The Armor of God

Faith

    We get the word picture of it from the Roman military, which was the world superpower during the time of the early church. These Romans otherwise known as ancient killing machines, were demonized by the commanding generals to dehumanize them so they could in fact destroy life.
    The shields that these soldiers used were generally about 2 ½’ wide by 4’ long, which enabled them to hide behind them efficiently. In comparison, most of the other armies of the world at that time used small round (sometimes square) shields that had to be moved around quite a bit to protect their bodies.
    These shields were sometimes used in unison with soldiers lined up beside each other creating a wall of defense for several soldiers to hide behind. This enabled them to advance into the fray as one unit behind a moving wall. Sometimes the battle would get really tough and the soldiers would create what they called the tortoise shell. What that was is, they would band together in groups with walls of shields around them and a roof of shields over-top of them. This was often a last resort and could be used to move along fighting out of pockets of shields. The Romans’ shields were constructed of light wood with brass bands and then covered in strips of leather that could then be soaked in water to extinguish any fiery darts the enemy launched at them.
    The shield we use against the devil is Faith, drenched in the Water of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enables us to apply the Water thoroughly so the Water of the Word is not just surface. This Shield of Faith is light enough to be easily moved around, yet large enough to cover all exposed areas. Faith is an invisible shield that is efficient and well able to ward off the darts the devil hurls at us. When we hold up the Shield of Faith, nothing can break through that barrier. The gift of Faith is precious and not to be taken lightly, but to be used to further our resolve in Jesus Christ. We are not forced to take this gift, but choose to take it; for without it no one can please God! The flaming darts that come against us are from Hell itself, but cannot penetrate the barrier of Faith that is built by the work of the Holy Spirit.
    Faith is having confidence in what you have hoped for. It is the reality of things you cannot see. Faith is based in Love. If we truly Love God we will have Faith in His Sovereign will.
A hope that is alive is not just wishful thinking. There may have been times we may have wished for something only to as time passes have our hope vanish before our eyes. That is a dying hope, there really is no future in a hope that wishes but doesn't dare to hope. A lively/living hope has full confidence it will be realized no matter how long it takes.
    Our Shield of Faith is a faith that will not get tired of waiting, but will be able to deflect the fiery darts of discouragement and doubt that Satan hurls at us. Our Faith in Jesus Christ is what will save us from our sin and keep us from sin. It is when we lose sight of Christ that we sink into the perilous waters that want to sweep over our soul.
    Faith has a lot to do with the Christian Life as well as Trust and Love. Love is the greatest, but is only possible by Faith. We must believe in Jesus and then believe that we can have a relationship with Him and then search for it then believe He will reward our search by revealing Himself to us.
Having Faith in Christ may well include our having to look at our situation a saying, “I will not doubt God’s goodness, strength, and etc…”
    Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. Without a doubt, Satan has launched an attack on Faith in Jesus Christ. Doubt is a major tool that Satan will use to undermine our Faith in Jesus, so we need to be strong and defend our Faith. In a way Faith is the pin that holds our Christian life together, because once Faith has crumpled we are no longer a believer.
    Faith, when exercised, will grow into a Faith that will stand the test of time. Each time we face temptations and use our Faith as a weapon against Satan, our Faith in Jesus will be stronger than ever, producing in us the ability to fight stronger and stronger battles; through the power of Jesus Christ. It is as if we are in God’s Gym of life and the many hurdles, the giants, the trials we face are the means by which our Faith is stretched, therefore causing it to grow ready for the next bigger battle.
    When Satan comes against Faith, he has no chance against you because you are not trusting in yourself but in God. Satan loves to use doubt but faith will give doubt no room.
Paul told Timothy to be an example of Faith. Timothy, a young pastor, seems to have been receiving some disregard from people who believed he was to young to lead.
When it comes to Faith, there really is no age level on maturity of your Faith, and really Jesus said that to have Faith as a child is a good thing. As we age physically, we tend to be more driven by the cares of this life than by Faith and Trust.
Satan tempted Jesus with an extremely ridiculous temptation. Satan first questioned whether Jesus truly was the Son of God by using the word “IF”. In Genesis 3 Satan used the question “Did God really say that”? The temptations that Satan uses really doesn't change a whole lot from time to time. Satan pretty much uses things that either question the existence of God or what He said. What this amounts to is an attempt to disrupt the Faith we have in God and what He says.
     Faith is extremely necessary for the strength of our armor. As a clarification…let’s look at whether there is something we can do to enhance our Faith.
It seems as though faith is almost elusive because of how difficult it is to attain. On one hand, “Faith comes by Hearing”; while on the other hand, “Faith comes by Trials working Patience in our lives which produces Hope (a living hope), which translates as Faith”. While all this goes on, Faith is not like some free-radical agent that may or may not occur; nor will it grow in our hearts, without the work of the Holy Spirit in our Soul. Faith is a gift which comes as a yearning of our heart ie. “Lord help my unbelief” or “Lord, increase my Faith”. When we pray these prayers, and mean it with our whole heart, our Faith will indeed be blessed, and will grow, but only through the hearing of the Word of God and through our trials.

• Hebrews 11:1,6
• 1 Thessalonians 5:8
• Luke 17:6
• Romans 10:17
• Matthew 17:20
• 1 Peter 1:3
• Matthew 14:30
• Proverbs 30:5
• 2 Timothy 1:7
• 2 Timothy 2:3-5
• 1 Timothy 4:12
• Ephesians 3:17
• Matthew 4:3
• Philippians 4:8
• Romans 10:17
• James 1:3
• Romans 5:1-5

The Gospel of Peace

Having Your Feet Shod

With The Preparation Of Peace

    Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee!

    The Gospel of Peace is all about reconciliation.  Our mission is to bring peace between two parties...God and Man.  The Bible says "Blessed are the peacemakers".

    The shoes the Roman soldiers wore had intermittent bands up to the knee and spikes underneath.  The reason for the bands was most likely for pressure relief so they could stand fighting longer.  The spikes have a three-fold purpose...they were used to dig in and stand your ground, or as your were charging the enemy so you didn't slip, or if the enemy was getting you down you could still kick.   While our method of fighting spiritual battles is not as such, the lesson is there.  As we fight the devil, we must stand our ground, advance into his territory, and if need arises give him the boot.

    As we stand and wield the Sword Of The Lord (the Word Of God) against the devil, we must have our passions in the right place or we will slip and fall.

 

Romans 10:15  

Isaiah 52:7

    The message of Peace is wrought through the hands, feet, and voice of those who truly care about the message.  How can we so graciously experience the Peace of God and then not spread it around?

    Peace is one thing that sets the Christian apart from the non-Christian and peace is what gives the mind rest in traumatic times.

Proverbs 16:17

    Another wording of this is "bathing your feet in the good news of peace".

    If you are facing temptations, take a look at where the feet of your mind have taken you.  We may be creating scenarios that are conducive for the devil to play with our minds, and that is a temptation that can be avoided.  Satan does, however, enjoy the thought of plaguing Christians as a means to get their mind off the real purpose of spreading Peace.

    We need to handle ourselves in such a way that we can be reconciled to God and others.  Our entire life should be such that we are constantly working for peace with God and our fellow man.  If our hearts are hosting impurities we will not have peace.

    Something we can glean from this is we must be prepared.  Our feet are to be controlled by the gospel of peace.  Everything we do must be in line with the gospel of peace.

    When our feet are bathed in the gospel of peace, they will take us to places of peace and our focus will be on God.  We will be able to walk on hot coals when our feet are held to the fire.

    David, as a man after God's own heart, made the pact within himself; "I will set no wicked thing before my eyes" Psalm 101:3

    Our peace can only come through God, and will only be applied to our lives if our mind is "stayed on Him".

    Our hearts are prone to wander and when we allow them to wander from God and forget His goodness, and righteousness, and authority, our peace will be elusive.  If our peace is elusive, then The Gospel of Peace will have no power in our lives nor in the lives of those we are trying to help.

Colossians 4:3,4

Colossians 4:15

Revelation 12:11

Proverbs 3:6

    When our desire for God does not direct our ways, our passion for God needs re-ignited.

Luke 2:14

    When Jesus was born, the birth announcement included "peace and goodwill to men". After Jesus went back to Heaven the only ones left to carry this message are His followers.  Are we extending Peace and Goodwill to those around us.

Colossians 3:15,16

    The peace that we extend to others, must first come from God, then be real in our own lives and through this peace, we will be able to encourage our contemporaries.

John 14:27

    Satan has worked very hard to destroy our message of peace.  In many cases, the peace in our hearts, the peace in our homes, and the peace in our churches does not exist or there is very little of it.  Somewhere along the line, Christians have taken off their shoes of peace, possibly thinking they didn't even need them.  Satan has tricked many into dismantling their armor one piece at a time.

    The fact remains, the Gospel of Peace is part of the armor and if you want fully protected from Satan's fiery darts, it must be a part of your life.

    “My Peace I leave with you, not as the world giveth give I unto you.  Let not your Heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid!”