The BattleПример

The Good News of Peace Shoes

By Amy Cook

Have you ever tried to walk over sharp rocks with bare feet? Now imagine doing that while engaged in hand-to-hand combat! Shoes are an important piece of equipment for a soldier. They can provide stability when walking over difficult terrain and they make a long march bearable. Shoes enable you to walk over things that would normally wound and bruise you. They provide a protective buffer between your feet and whatever hard, irritating ground you must walk through.

The same holds true in the spiritual realm. There are many hard, irritating circumstances you must walk through in life. When you put on God’s peace, you’re able to walk through things you never thought you could. The Hebrew word for peace is “shalom,” and it means safety, health, wholeness, soundness and completeness. Before you ever go into battle, you need to prepare and equip yourself with the good news that God has already given you His shalom. This will stabilize you to persevere through combat when the going gets rough and will help you stand against the enemy. You’ll be able to walk right over what would normally wound and bruise you because you’re wearing God’s peace on your feet.

So how do you get this peace? If you belong to Him, the Lord has already deposited His peace within you. Just before He left this earth, Jesus told His followers, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27, NIV). Jesus pointed out that there’s a distinction between His peace and the kind of peace the world offers. The world’s kind of peace is dependent upon circumstances. When a situation looks good, the world feels peace. When things aren’t going as expected or desired, then they worry. The kind of peace Jesus gives isn’t dependent upon changing circumstances. It’s dependent upon knowing the true character of God and believing His promise that He’ll always take care of you (1 Peter 5:7; Hebrews 13:5–6).

The Lord’s part is to supply the peace and the power. Your part is to let His peace rule in your heart so that His power can operate through you. Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Worry and fear shut down the flow of God’s peace and power, but the good news is that worry and fear are within your power to control. Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27, NASB; emphasis added).

The Son of God became flesh to guide your feet into the way of peace (Luke 1:79). He slept in a boat during a raging storm, made crippled bodies whole, opened blind eyes to see, delivered the tormented, restored dignity to social outcasts, resurrected loved ones and reconciled you with your heavenly Father. The good news of His phenomenal peace must be shared. Not only are you God’s warrior, you’re also His goodwill ambassador. Let the words of Romans 10:15 characterize your life: “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong. 

Memory Verse

God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. Psalm 46:1–2 (NIV)