Stand firm then ... with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. We aren’t going to be marching, running, walking, or doing any fancy foot work; we are going to be standing firm. Why do we need these special armor shoes on our feet? Because Satan is going to be attacking the message of the gospel of peace. He is going to be trying to knock us off of our commitment to this message. He is going to try to get us to trade the simple truths of the gospel for other ways to set people free. There are so many possible solutions out there. Can the gospel always be the answer to all of people’s needs? Yes it can!

Phil 4:19 (NIV) And my God WILL meet ALL your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. We can get things through other sources; and, they may look like the exact same thing we would have received through Jesus. But, if we pursue life, any aspect of life, without Jesus, we are going to have a very disappointing end result. The money we get by going around Jesus is VERY different from the money we get through Him. The good news message is that we can get all our needs met through Someone we can trust.

If we have a physical, emotional, financial, relational, or spiritual need, when we get it met by Jesus, it comes to us through Someone Who loves us more than we love ourselves; He will never hurt us. It comes to us through Someone Who sees, understands, knows, and evaluates everything; He can’t be lied to, cheated, misled, or overpowered. When things pass through Him to us, it is the very best for us and those around us; we never get cheated. If we bypass Him, we get none of these incredible benefits.

Are we talking about just any kind of good news? No. We are talking about the kind of good news that does this: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. We are talking about that kind of good news. So as to distinguish it from any generic piece of good news, lets refer to it as the gospel. Now, let’s take a look at the importance and problems of getting this gospel message out.

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Wow! That is awesome news. What would keep a person from doing that?

How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in?
People won’t call on Jesus, if they haven’t been given the power to have faith. We only have faith in those people we trust. But, unless people believe that Jesus is the answer, they won’t call on Him. They don’t see any reason to call on Him. What is one of the major reasons people don’t believe in Jesus?

How can they believe in the One of Whom they have not heard?
People won’t call on Jesus, if they haven’t heard about Him. It is impossible for them to believe in someone they have never heard of. But, it isn’t just a matter of hearing about Him. They need more information than just the fact that Jesus exists. They don’t know that Jesus loves them much more than they love themselves; He has their best interest in mind. They haven’t heard about how He knows, understands, and can even see their future; He won’t make any mistakes with them. They don’t realize that He is all powerful; He will protect their best interests. But, what is one of the major reasons people don’t believe in Him and listen to our gospel message?

How can they hear without someone preaching to them?
People won’t call on Jesus, if they haven’t experienced preaching. Preaching is a special and powerful message system. Preaching isn’t just talking to people. Preaching isn’t teaching. Preaching is a power-system that speaks to the spirit of a person. It literally creates faith in a person’s heart. Rom 10:17 (NIV) Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

John 6:63 (NIV) The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and they are life. Preaching creates the Holy Spirit and life inside a person, if they yield to the faith they receive from the gospel message. This is a supernatural event that Jesus has given us through the shoes of the gospel of peace.