Every family has had the occasion when someone has tracked mud or something worse into the house. Mom is usually the first one to notice and the word goes out, “Everyone check their shoes!” Growing up on a chicken farm, every time we came back from the barn or one of the chicken coops, we would have to scrape the “you know what” from the bottom of our shoes. I can remember sitting in church as a kid, crossing my legs, and seeing “you know what” on the bottom of my shoes. To this day, I am very aware of the bottom of my shoes!
You say “Where in the world is he going today?” Well, we were reading Ephesians 1, Saturday night and as I lay in bed these thoughts came to me.
Remember in Ephesians 6, Paul tells the Ephesians to put:
“11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
When the Ephesians read this letter, they did not read it in chapters. Paul did not write it in chapters. It is a letter. It took days, weeks, maybe months to get there. It was a scroll, handwritten. Letters were a big deal! It was read aloud to the whole church!
Paul starts out the letter telling them that he is praying for them and thanking God for them.
““15Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers”
What is Paul praying for when he prays for them?
“17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him”
He is praying that God will give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ. He wants them to KNOW CHRIST! But he wants them to also know who they are and what they are called to do.
“18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling
In order for them to fulfill this calling, he prays that they know and understand:
” what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all”
He is talking about heavy stuff here, spiritual warfare. He is telling them that they are Christ’s body. Christ is the HEAD. They are the body! He trying to get them to understand the power that is working in them (us) through Christ. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is working in and through them! He tells them where Christ is, at the right hand of the Father. Then he tells them where Satan is:
“all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet”
Satan is under Christ’s feet; but who makes up Christ’s feet?
“gave him (Christ) to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all”
SO, where is Satan? Under the CHURCH! Who is the church? We are the church! Where does that put Satan? Under our feet!
Just to make sure everyone knows, Paul tells them that they are the fullness of Christ. They have every thing that Christ had. We have everything that Christ had and has now!
Can you see now why the truth is the first piece of the armor.
Truth # 4: Satan is under your feet if you are part of His church!
CHECK YOUR SHOES!!!
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Romans 10:15
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