Even in our everyday life, once we put on the shoes, we are
ready to go. We get ready with all our outfits and finally we
put on our shoes before we step out of our houses each
day. The same has a spiritual parallel too. Shoes are very
important for spiritual warfare.
Shoes give us mobility. The Roman soldiers wore footwear
that was heavy and sturdy. Their footwear was designed in
a way to make sure it is intact even when they run. The
sandal had thongs to keep them in place and had laces
tills the calf muscle. The commander always commands the
soldiers to keep their shoes on even when they go to
sleep. Even during sleep, the Roman soldiers had their
shoes on.
The spiritual counterpart of our equipment about which
Paul speaks is so true. The shoes, or the sandals, are
called “the preparation of the gospel.” In other words, it
means being ready with something. “Preparation” means to
really prepare. It means to prepare to share the good news
with people that do not know the Lord.
Preparation involves study of the Scripture, memorizing the
Scripture, and the ability to communicate intelligently the
message of the gospel. Paul calls it “the gospel of peace.”
It means the gospel that has the ability to produce peace
of heart and mind in those who believe it and obey it.
For example, if you are someone doing grocery shopping in
a grocery store. There is another person that needs some
help. What are you going to do? To have that person come
to your Bible Study group would be not fair. That will not
meet her need. That is not what she might be looking for.
Having your shoes on means you are ready to do
something right then and there when God directs you. First
of all, you must have peace in that. You must let the other
person feel that you have something that the other person
does not have and desperately needs People can feel peace
in other people. That is the first step. Then you can think
about the other steps to lead the person to the Lord.
When that person reaches out for that peace, you must be
able to tell her in simple, non-religious language just how
she can find peace. You must be able to communicate the
gospel to her. That is the “shoes of the preparation of the
gospel of peace”.
Romans 10:15 says, “…How beautiful are the feet of those
who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of
good things!”
Secondly, shoes are the ones that have the ability to crush
the things on the floor. While we are preparing to share the
gospel, we must be prepared to crush the works of the
enemies also on the way. When we prepare for the gospel
work, the enemy also prepares for his wicked works.
The Bible declares in 1 Corinthians 15: 27, “For He has put
all things under His feet.” The Lord Jesus put the devil
under His feet and defeated Him on the cross of Calvary.
Our relationship with Christ is that He is in us and we are
in Him. What ever Jesus did on the cross is appropriated in
our lives as is. We have the Victory in Jesus.
The Lord has given us the authority to trample over
serpents and scorpions and nothing shall by any means
hurt us. Jesus said, “behold I give you the authority to
trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power
of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt
you.”(Luke 10:19)
If you see the enemy lurking around you, you need to use
your shoes to trample the enemy under your feet. God has
given us the victory. He has overcome the sin, hell and the
grave. The Bible says that we are in HIM. What does that
mean? When Jesus died on the cross, we died with Him.
When He rose again from the dead, we rose again with Him
from the dead works. God has made us more than a
conqueror in Christ Jesus.
Having your shoes on means you are ready to do
something right then and there when God directs you. You
need to be ready to share the gospel to anyone that the
Lord will bring on your way and also be ready to cast out
the evil one who may be lurking around you. This is the
preparation that the Lord expects out of every Christian.
May your feet be shod with the preparation of the gospel
all the time in Jesus’ name.
LIFTED BY IFEANYI PRECIOUS
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