TEACHER
Wisdom Principle – Rights & Responsibilities │Piece of God’s Armor – Feet Fitted with the Gospel of Peace
Therefore, put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. “Stand firm then…and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace …” Ephesians 6:15
Rights and Responsibilities – the feet of the matter
In the community of the human spirit and the pattern of seven in the Armor of God, Teacher portion’s foundational principle is Rights and Responsibilities. It is where ‘the feet of the matter’ meets the road, for our feet are constantly being informed in the conflict between the Peace of God and the enemy’s warring.
Picture with me what Paul envisioned as he wrote by inspiration of Holy Spirit, “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
The first piece fastened in place is the belt over the loins, where truth is born and borne. Next, the breastplate secured over vulnerable organs, especially heart and lungs. The feet cannot go far in peace until we recover from injury, or nowhere at all if met with death. When called Home, we ‘die with our boots on’. Every hectare of the ground of our lives is accounted for unto the Lord – here in mercy land, or feet to Face.
“You’re in Christ’s Army Now”
Those well-acquainted with the Apostle Paul’s life story can agree that he experienced a total reversal of direction. Blinded by the light of the resurrected Jesus of Nazareth on the road to Damascus (Acts 22), Paul was knocked off his (high)horse and had to be led around by those who could see until he received his sight.
Acts 9 relates the story of Saul’s (Paul’s) conversion. Galatians 1:11-24 is Paul’s confession of his calling. And Romans 8:1-17 contains the grace notes of one who has undergone the spiritual surgical removal of a religious spirit (when ‘something like scales fell from his eyes’) and has embraced the law of the Spirit of life.
Rights and responsibilities of his old man were transformed in the light, love, and authority of the risen Jesus. Paul understood “first the natural, then the spiritual”1 is made real as we “put on Christ” – the Armor of God.
“Pretty Teacher”
In the dream I shared in Prophet – Belt of Truth, “Foolish Prophet!” and “Strict Servant!” were followed in quick succession with the third identifier left to my memory. “Pretty Teacher!” reverberated as I woke up.
It was during our sabbatical in 2021 that I returned to Ephesians 6 and soaked for hours and hours in the Armor of God passage. The dream related above revisited as Holy Spirit now fitted it where it belonged. As He continued to teach me Spirit to spirit with understanding, a personal pattern of seven was unveiled of the treadings over the soil of my own heartland. “Pretty Teacher” was slated for a makeover from before birth.
Years of ‘footwear’ in the natural were illuminated as to the representation of their spiritual significance. Like the sheet of paper where I charted the Armor of God in context of the pattern of seven, I sketched out a ‘my feet’ chart of what my Redeemer’s hand had been engaged in throughout my life. His words to me some time previous of “increase and release” culminated with the seventh phase in the ‘my feet’ pattern with another brief but powerful dream on November 21, 2021.
I wrote it out as a personal testimony of the living, active Word of God working behind the scenes of my life. Vineyard Days – Selah VII, written in October 2015, measures the Shulamite’s spiritual progress in her journey to that point. My feet bear witness.
“having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation”
Shammahs Field│Ministries originated from Shammah’s story; my husband and me experientially convinced that the land of our lives is where and how our redemption is made manifest. At year 13 of marriage, we stared at our sparse, rocky, and captive weed field, despairing of an Eden. Then Jesus came in the bearing of a few select ones whose feet had been fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. It wasn’t our salvation experience; it was the due time of our deliverance come to bear, purposed to bear fruit.
and having [a]strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. (Ephesians 6:15 Amplified)
We were married 25 years before Shammahs Field emerged; a certain reality of the preparation of the land of our lives not only for us, but for many others too. Now married 47 years2, we have been enrolled for over three decades in Holy Spirit’s classroom. He is the considerate Teacher in our continuing spiritual education.
God’s Heart under His Breastplate of Righteousness
I share these snapshots of some of our personal history for two reasons:
First, because it (intimately) revealed to me, and is a constant reminder of, the heart of Romans 8:28. God’s heart as Abba to His children and Husbandman of His vineyard –
Moreover we know that to those who love God, who are called according to his plan, everything that happens fits into a pattern for good. God, in his foreknowledge, chose them to bear the family likeness of his Son, that he might be the eldest of a family of many brothers. He chose them long ago; when the time came He called them, He made them righteous in his sight, and then lifted them to the splendor of life as His own sons. – Phillips
Secondly, to encourage and admonish the Teacher portion in each of you, male and female. The essential battle is not waged fighting ‘out there’ for representation, a voice, or a platform. It is undertaken and victory gained as you allow your feet to be fitted by Christ Jesus and companions with the readiness that comes from preparation of the gospel of peace. Where Father desires you according to His design of you, His Spirit leads.
Long ago I noted in Ephesians 4:11 (the list of the five-fold ministry of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher), pastor and teacher are ‘joined together’ in virtually every translation. My heart has learned that to follow in the footsteps and heartbeat of the Great Shepherd of the sheep, using the gift of caring for God’s people and leading and teaching them in the ways of God, forms Teacher portion’s beautiful feet.3
A shepherd(ess)’s heart and Teacher grace gift can pastor the pasture from a pulpit or a laptop. Our part is to learn to love peace so that when the King gives orders to our steps, our feet and mouth are in alignment.
Our Stand Against the Devil’s Schemes
The third piece of the Armor of God vital to one’s ability to stand firm against the devil’s schemes is footwear appropriate for your battlefield. “Having shod {strapped on sandals or shoes} your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”
I bless you, Teacher portion, with the Peace of God that is yours to wear as you lean into Him. He is the Great Balancer as His winds of time and purpose blow. And He is the Great Stabilizer in order that you stand firm. Not only for yourself, but for your loved ones, the family of God, and those to whom He has appointed you.
Wisdom is a Warrior
Wisdom’s own pattern of seven is the path of preparation to be able to stand in one’s evil day. Pure Prophet (clean, holy, set apart) and peace-loving Servant (quiet; set at one again) gift patient Teacher, lending their strength. Teacher’s preparedness to proclaim the gospel of peace, feet shod, and in readiness for the Lord’s command may or may not be your dominant redemptive gift. Either way, it is grown, exercised, and developed by use.4 Scripture’s admonition and measure is consistent: growing up in Christ, who is your Head.
Wisdom is a warrior, the principles of her seven pillars the mold for each piece of the Armor of God. Belt of Truth; Breastplate of Righteousness; the sandaled feet of one fitted and prepared with the gospel of peace.
Wisdom’s House
Wisdom has built her house. Teacher, you stand in your place as the third of Wisdom’s seven hewn-out pillars. The Lord has need of you, with beautiful feet fitted by Holy Spirit’s active working within. I bless you with continually readied feet as you grow tall and stand firm in the community of the human spirit. Selah.
~ Nancy
[a] Ephesians 6:15 A reference to the Roman soldiers’ shoes which were studded with hobnails to give them stability on the battlefield.
1 I Corinthians 15:46 2 September 2023
3 Isaiah 52:7 HCSB – How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the herald, who proclaims peace, who brings news of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
4 Hebrews 4:14-5:14 – Warning against falling away from following Christ / Call to spiritual growth from infants to mature sons of God, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Click here for a printable PDF of this article: Redemptive Gifts Pattern of Seven – The Armor of God ~ Feet Fitted with the Gospel of Peace
“The essential battle is not waged fighting ‘out there’ for representation, a voice, or a platform. It is undertaken and victory gained as you allow your feet to be fitted by Christ Jesus and companions with the readiness that comes from preparation of the gospel of peace. Where Father desires you according to His design of you, His Spirit leads.”
He has me here. He has had me here. But in ever-deepening and quickening ways in recent hours. It is an absolute differing in direction, sensing a loss of human stability and trusting His way with me.
Thank you!
Dear Becky ~ the statements you quoted rang within even as I typed them out. It is a very real, active (sometimes active waiting) way of journeying with the Lord. To consider His intimate heart of love and knowledge of who we are and how we are made, while leading us on in response to His governing as King Jesus, is – well, sometimes simply gloriously overwhelming. Even with the questions without ‘in the moment’ answers. All of you is held by all of Him. His way and timing is perfect. And you’re welcome ♥