Barefoot For Battle

When we think about peace, I think we tend to have this utopian, everything is perfect, no war, peace on earth mentality--at least I am guilty of this. This piece of armor that Paul asks us to put on, boots of peace, or the gospel of peace, depending on your translation, is one of the most important for fighting against spiritual warfare. 63% of Americans believe that bad things will happen to them or people they love. 58% of Americans fear financial collapse. 71% of Americans fear corruption in government leaders. This is an epidemic of fear, the opposite of peace. I see many well-meaning people quoting on their social media that we just need “world peace” and everything will fix itself. I also see “positive vibes only” signs and think that if only that could work, the world would be better. In truth, everything around us naturally drives us away from Jesus, the giver of peace. What if Paul’s upside-down kingdom mindset of peace, isn’t what the world thinks it is?

Jesus says in the Gospel of John “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all the things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:25-27

This peace that Jesus gives comes from the Holy Spirit. It is not something we can conjure up. Peace is a good gift from our Heavenly Father by way of the Holy Spirit in the perfect name of Jesus. 

So we know that peace is a part of the armor God equips each saint with--what do we do with it? Ephesians 6:15 says “And, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.” Let’s break this down: the gospel (good news) of peace (a spiritual gift of calmness among chaos) makes us ready (the state of being fully prepared for something) for battle. I think the reason Paul gives us the analogy of a shoe or a boot is because we can’t be ready for battle...barefoot.

I’m reminded of my childhood when I would say I was ready, waiting to walk out the door and my mom would say “do you have your shoes on?”, I’d look down and nine times out of ten, I did not. I was not fully ready to go. When we walk out of the house with two different shoes on, or our slippers, or completely barefoot, we are not fully ready for what the elements may bring. When we are not wearing out theoretical shoes with the gospel of peace, we are not ready for the spiritual battle that the Bible promises. 

I encourage each of you this week to take a moment to assess your readiness: Are you so busy you haven’t noticed you don’t even have shoes on? Are you ignorant to the schemes of the enemy all together? Are you sitting on the couch barefoot waiting for your mom to tell you to put your shoes on? Wherever you are on your journey, decide that today you will use holy violence against the enemy’s tactics. Today you will not walk in fear but walk in the peace that Jesus gives.

As we walk out this life of uncertainty in Jesus’ name, may we be battle-ready, full of mercy, abounding with hope, and overflowing with shalom, the fullness of peace, that only the Spirit brings in Jesus’ name.

Written by Hannah Braemer, Long-Term Missionary