Preparation for Ministry

The Word of God challenges us to put on the whole armour of God. Ephesians 6:10,11.

We are to have feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

What does this mean?

Lets look at each part of it. What do these words mean?

The word gospel means 'good news'. What does the word 'peace' mean? The Word used in Greek is 'eirene' and comes from a root word meaning 'to join or make one'. According to the Strong's dictionary it means peace but also prosperity, just as the Hebrew word for peace 'shalom' implies all these things that are in the state of well-being that comes from being restored to God and being in the perfect will of God. It implies peace, quietness, rest and to be set at one again.

So the gospel of peace is the good news about the well-being we can have because of Jesus Christ. This does not mean we won't have challenging circumstances or things trying to destroy our peace in life. In fact, there are many such things. Our message of peace is very relevant to people today precisely because most people you meet around you truly lack peace in one or more dimensions.

People are at war with themselves through internal guilt and condemnation. People are at war in their hearts often with family members, with colleagues, with neighbours. Sometimes in my prayer walks around my area I hear women screaming at their husbands or boyfriends. Not much peace there. Some people's bodies are at war with them, through sickness. And spiritually and in the mind, people lack peace. Where confusion reigns, there is no peace. People who don't trust God do not have peace with God either. There is no peace with God, no peace with oneself, and no peace with others in the hearts of the majority today.

So our good news message is highly relevant to the people of this world. If we understand our message, and what God offers, then we already ARE relevant to the needs of Australian society. We have a God who brings peace. When we yield to God, we can have peace in ourselves no matter what is happening around us. When we yield to satan and the spirit of the world, we don't have peace, even if everything outwardly is going just fine.

This is our message, but the shoes mentioned here as part of the armour of God is NOT the message, rather it is the PREPARATION of the gospel of peace.

To be prepared in the way God wants us to be, we need ourselves to have peace. There is a supernatural peace that God gives. When you have it, the work of God proceeds very well. To the extent you lack it, you are vulnerable to Satan, even as you do the work of God.

We must PREPARE our hearts before the Lord. To be effective Christians, who can go places and do things for the Lord, we must

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