The Ground You Stand On

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:15)

A Roman soldier's sandals were not flip-flops. They were studded on the bottom with hobnails, iron studs that dug into the ground, giving the soldier grip and stability on any terrain. A soldier who slipped in battle was a dead soldier. The footing was not a minor detail. It was the difference between standing and falling. And Paul chose this footwear deliberately when he described the armor of God, because the ground you stand on determines everything else.

The word for peace here is eirene, and it doesn’t mean a lack of conflict. Eirene means wholeness, completeness, and soundness in every part. And the preparation, the hetoimasia, is the readiness that the gospel of peace produces in you.

But Paul was not talking about peace as a feeling you occasionally experience. He was talking about peace as a posture you walk in every day of your life. Your feet are called to be shod with peace. That means you already have them on; they are already gripping the ground before the battle starts. You do not find your peace in the middle of the attack. You bring it into the attack. You are already standing on solid ground when the enemy comes, because you have been walking in peace as a lifestyle.

A man walking in genuine peace is walking in alignment with God, and that alignment is holiness. The two move together. And here is the direct connection to warfare. When strife enters your home or a relationship, your footing becomes unstable. Your prayer gets hindered. The weapon loses its effectiveness. Walk in peace. Your footing in every other area depends on it.

Practical Application

Examine where the peace in your life is most unstable right now. Is it a relationship, a situation, or a pattern of thinking? Take one specific step today to pursue peace in that area. Do it not to avoid conflict, but because you understand that your footing in spiritual warfare depends on it. Follow peace.

Hebrews 12:14; Isaiah 26:3