The Antidote for Anxiety and Depression: Trust in Abba Father’s Care – Pt 35
Killer Shoes – The Peace of God
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
– Ephesians 6:15
Several years ago on my return home from university after completing my first degree, I was sent to an educational institution to work. Shortly after I began working at that institution, I was continuously sexually harassed by a male colleague. This sexual harassment continued for a while and was witnessed by other colleagues. To them it was all a joke and I was told by a few female colleagues not to bother with him since that was what he did to every new female who joined the staff. I took their word for it so I ignored him every time, keeping silent but the more he sexually harassed me the more uncomfortable I was. After, a while that uncomfortableness turned into fear, anxiety and depression to the point that I dreaded going to work. One Valentine’s Day I arrived at work and met him standing outside the staffroom door. I hadn’t even entered the staffroom as yet when he proceeded to harass me sexually again. I walked pass him, went into the staffroom and sat at my desk. He followed me into the staffroom and continued. At that point I couldn’t take it anymore so I spoke out for the first time. I told him that because I had been silent and ignoring him all that time didn’t mean that I appreciate his sexual harassment and I need him to stop or I would make a complain to the Principal. One of my female colleagues who was present in the staffroom at the time said, “I never heard Miss Haynes speak out like this, this must really be something affecting her.” Did he stop after that? Of course he didn’t stop. The next time he did it I made a complaint to the Principal and he was confronted in the presence of the Principal, a senior staff member and myself, and of course he arrogantly denied it. The matter was then reported to the appropriate authorities with whom I attended a meeting and was told of my rights. However, I decided not to take any further action against my perpetrator. I just wanted him to stop sexually harassing me so that I could look forward to going to work. I became unstable in my emotions and lost footing in the battle described above because I didn’t know the peace of God.
The Roman soldier dressed in shoes that were brutal weapons. These shoes were heavy-duty and covered on the top with thick leather to protect the soldier’s legs from dangers in his environment and blows from his adversary, also on the top of the toe and the back of the heel were fitted with hobnails. Additionally, on the undersides of the shoes they were heavily spiked with hobnails. These spikes protected the soldier against attacks from his adversary by keeping his feet firmly grounded as his enemy buffeted him around.
In Ephesians 6:15 the Apostle Paul makes mention of these shoes when he talks about our feet being “…shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Here he associated these vicious, killer shoes with peace.
I will like to draw your attention to two words referred to by the Apostle Paul in this verse, “shod” and “preparation”. These will help us understand why he associated the soldier’s killer shoes with peace.
The word “shod” is taken form the Greek word hupodeomai which is a compound of the words hupo and deo. The word hupo means under, and the word deo means to bind. Compounded together to form one word, it indicates the notion of binding something very tightly on the bottom of one’s feet. Hence, instead of a portrait of a shoe loosely fitted, it portraits an extremely tightly fitted shoes tied unto the bottom of the foot (Renner, 2003).
As it is in the natural so it is in spiritual. Therefore, in the same way the Roman soldier’s shoes protected him from dangers in his environment and blows from his adversary, and the spikes kept him firmly grounded while being buffeted by his enemy, so too the peace of God when tied firmly unto your life protects you from the attacks of the enemy and keeps you firmly grounded while your adversary buffets you around. You will stand victoriously in this spiritual warfare being waged against you by the enemy of your souls.
The word “preparation” is translated from the Greek word etoomasin, which conveys the idea of readiness or preparation. In relation to the Roman soldiers, this word pictures men of war who had their shoes tied on very tightly to ensure a firm footing. Hence, they were ready to march out onto the battlefield because they had the confident assurance that their shoes were firmly fitted and would remain in place during combat (Renner, 2003).
Likewise, when you are confidently assured of the peace of God being firmly tired unto your life, you will be able to step out in faith and accomplish all that God has for you, even in the midst of dangerous environment and fierce attack from the enemy. In other words, the peace of God, like the Roman soldier’s killer shoes, keeps your feet firmly grounded and rooted in battle. You may be buffeted by your adversary but you will not be shaken or moved, instead you will stand firm and strong in victory.
I encourage you today to firmly tie God’s peace unto your life and let His peace rule your life. Your ability to stand grounded in the spiritual warfare being waged against you by the enemy of your soul depends on it. Remember, this peace comes from saturating yourself in the Word of God.
Shalom!
MY PRAYER FOR TODAY
Heavenly Father I worship You with everything that is within me while I have breath. I shout unto You with a voice of triumph. Thank You for equipping me with the killer shoes of Your peace. I declare that I will daily tie the peace of God unto my life and I will firmly stand grounded in battle against my enemy. Therefore, I am confidently assured of a life of victory in Jesus. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ name. Amen!
