If we are going to be able to keep selfishness from getting into our lives, then we are going to have to yield to Jesus’ power. He can take our weaknesses and flow through them. He can use our feelings of inadequacy and replace them with His adequacy. People who feel adequate won’t yield to His adequacy. People who feel inadequate can be anointed by Jesus to feel His adequacy as they yield to His anointing power.

2 Cor 12:9 (NIV) But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, SO THAT Christ’s power may rest on me. Jesus isn’t looking for people who will do a better job. He is looking for those of us who know they can’t do a better job. If we are going to resist selfishness and start helping people, we are going to have to have Jesus’ help. We just have to be a willing channel through which He can work. Being willing to yield to Jesus’ power is part of putting on and keeping on our shoes of the gospel of peace.

Another part of the issue concerning the shoes of the gospel of peace is the actual message itself. There are certain points that have to be covered in order for it to be the gospel message. There were certain things we had to believe in order to receive the miracles of God. In order for us to be protected from selfishness, we have to make sure we put the right shoes on.

1 Cor 15:1-11 (NIV) Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:

1. That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
2. That He was buried.
3. That He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.
4. That He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
   
   Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

Acts 10:34-45 (NIV) Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, Who is Lord of all.
You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached.

1. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.
2. We are witnesses of everything He did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
3. They killed Him by hanging Him on a tree,
4. But God raised Him from the dead on the third day
5. And caused Him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.
6. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One Whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.
7. All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.

Now, let’s look at the elements of the gospel message. Here are the main points that we have to tell everyone. These main points MUST be in the message that empowers people to be saved. If anyone believes something else, they have believed in vain. Here it is: This is the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.

1. Jesus was killed.
2. God raised Him from the dead on the third day.
3. God caused Him to be seen after His death and resurrection by witnesses whom God chose.

We stand on the shoes of the gospel of peace. And these shoes are made up of these elements or points.

As can be seen in these two gospel presentations, a few other details can be added for further clarity. But the three main issues must be present. After those three main concepts have been presented, then Jesus has to start working on those seeds. 1 Cor 3:7 (NIV) So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, Who makes things grow. Once planted, it is up to Jesus to help the person start getting the supernatural information they need so as to be saved. Jesus is going to bring them to a place where they accept two things as being true. Let’s take a look at those two issues.

Rom 10:8 (NIV) But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your MOUTH and in your HEART,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming. God starts bringing the Truth into the person’s heart. He starts convincing them of two important facts that they must BELIEVE and SPEAK. Without the Father making these issues clear, the person is never going to be saved. John 6:44 (NIV) No one can come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. The Father uses sermons, Scripture reading, people’s testimonies or stories, conversations with a Christian, Christian books, etc. to bring about a solid proof that Jesus is the true Messiah. Once this happens, this person knows that two very important things are true.