Armor of God Session 4 - "The Shoes of Peace"

Our class last Wednesday was filled with women who are eager to study God's Word - always a good thing.

For the last 3 Wednesday's, I have had a drawing in class for give-away's. The first give-away was a coffee mug from the War Room movie won by Elaine Duehring.  The second give-away was a War Room CD won by Carol Long, and our give-away just last Wednesday was another coffee mug from the War Room won by my mom Lois Lobbs - and no - this was not rigged.  I just told her to make sure when I come over that the coffee in this mug is never lukewarm.

Notes from Session 4 by Priscilla Shirer

Priscilla started us out with an eagle story.  She said that an eagle can sense a storm coming and explained what happens:

• It goes to a higher point, settles in and.... 
• Locks its wings in place

The eagle uses the wind of the storm to lift itself above the storm.  The winds of the storm are actually benefiting the eagle in its flight.  It uses the elements below the storm to help it go higher. The scripture given was John 16:33 - "....in this world, you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world".

Our advantage: because like the eagle, we know a storm is coming, but we can prepare in advance. We can lock some things securely in place in our life.  We can sail above it.  We can benefit from it (James 1:2).  Something in that storm is making us into the women God has called us to be.  We must position ourselves to stand firm.

We cannot survive the storms of life without God's peace.  The enemy wants us unhinged.  He concocts plans to make us peace-less.  Peace-less can breed helplessness, she said.

Satan has come to steal, kill and destroy as stated in John 10:10.  The enemy causes discord and peacelessness.  For any sense of stability and security, we must lock peace into place.

The distinctive shoe worn by the Roman soldiers was like a heavy military sandal.  At the base of their tough leather soles were hobnails, little protrusions, steel posts that would protrude from the bottom of the shoe.  Reason: when they were on slick or rocky terrain, it kept their footing.  These nails would dig into the ground and enable the soldier to stay upright.

Life gets hard to travel - some rocky places, slick terrain, but when we have peace anchored in our lives, it digs deeply into our soil of existence and causes us to be able to stay upright.

When our feet are shod with God's peace, it gives us these benefits:

• A firm grip which we need in a world that is not firm
• Stability
• Allows us to keep our footing when everything around us is swirling
• Will help to keep us sane

Peace keeps us:

• Focused
• Pointed in the right direction

The benefits of having peace locked in are found in Philippians 4:6-7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

When peace is locked in our life, it will become our guard and protector.  It stands at attention over our soul, as an armed guard.  

According to the above verse, thanksgiving activates peace, trust fuels thanksgiving. God's peace is an anchor that tethers us to sanity, to stability no matter what comes.

In Ephesians 2:13-14, it describes to us what the "gospel of peace" is:

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.

The good news (gospel) is that the separation that existed between us and God has been bridged in Jesus Christ.  The gospel gives us peace with God and as a gift, we also get the peace of God.

Another verse Priscilla gave us was Col. 3:15:

Let the peace of Christ rule (be the presiding officer) in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

There's that word again:  Thankful.  Remember that thanksgiving activates peace. Peace is not only our guard, but according to this verse, it is also our guide.  It lets us know what is in-bounds and what is out-of-bounds. It guides us.  Think of it this way:

• The red light of conviction means "stop"
• The yellow light of uneasiness and doubt means "wait"
• The green light of ease and peace when confirmed by the word and wise people means "go"

Priscilla taught us that not only is peace our guard and guide but we have these shoes of peace so we can move forward.  Standing firm does not mean we are in a stationary position if given shoes. Sometimes, we have to advance against the enemy.  We have to proactively move forward and tear down strongholds.

Remember this:  Trust fuels thanksgiving and thanksgiving activates peace.  We need to incubate our requests in thanksgiving.

Priscilla encouraged us to continue to write our prayer strategies and maybe this week to list the things we are thankful for in this week's strategy.

Next week:  Session 5 "The Shield of Faith"