Standing Firm: Finding Peace in the Gospel

Life requires different shoes for different purposes. Running shoes for the gym, hiking boots for mountain trails, sandals for summer days, football boots for traction on the pitch. Each pair serves a specific function, and the right footwear makes all the difference. The wrong shoes can slow you down, wear you out, or even cause you to stumble and fall.

This simple truth about physical footwear reveals a profound spiritual reality. As followers of Jesus, we need the right spiritual footwear for the battles we face and the journey God calls us to walk. We need our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

Without the right shoes, even the strongest soldier cannot stand in battle. You might have the best armor, the strongest faith, the biggest heart for God, but if your feet aren't properly fitted with the gospel of peace, you'll struggle to stand firm when life shakes you. And the enemy knows this. He loves to rob us of peace through anxiety, conflict, confusion, and distraction. But when our feet are fitted with the gospel of peace, we can stand firm no matter what comes our way.

Peace With God: The Foundation

The journey begins with understanding that we have peace with God. Romans 5:1 declares: "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Before Christ, we did not have peace with God. Scripture tells us we were actually enemies with God because of sin. Our sins created a barrier we could never climb over on our own. No amount of good works, religious activities, or personal effort could bring reconciliation with God. We were at war, whether we realized it or not.

But then Jesus came.

At the cross, Jesus took our sin upon himself. He absorbed our punishment and removed the hostility between us and God. When we put our faith and trust in him, coming in repentance and faith, he doesn't just sign a peace treaty or establish a ceasefire. Jesus himself becomes our peace.

Through faith in Christ, we've been justified—made right with God. That powerful word "justified" means it's just as though we'd never sinned because of what Jesus has done. We're declared righteous, forgiven, fully accepted and secure in Jesus.

The war is over for followers of Jesus. We're no longer enemies. We're no longer under wrath. We're no longer striving for acceptance in our own strength.

Here's the crucial truth: peace is not about an emotion but about a position in Christ. If peace depended only on how we feel, we'd be in trouble because emotions fluctuate wildly. But Jesus is our peace, regardless of our feelings. Our emotions can be indicators, but they shouldn't rule our lives.

Think of marriage. There are moments of deep affection and moments of disagreement. Feelings go up and down, but the covenant remains secure. It's the same in our relationship with Jesus. Feelings may fluctuate, but our position in Christ hasn't changed. Even when we feel unworthy or distant, the reality remains: we are at peace with God through Jesus.

Faith in Christ transfers us from the realm of striving to the realm of resting. We don't have to strive for peace—that's what the world does, searching endlessly. We already have peace in Jesus. We don't have to keep performing to maintain peace with God. We already possess it through faith.

When the enemy whispers that we're not good enough, we can confidently respond: "I have peace with God through Jesus Christ." When guilt creeps in trying to drag us back into shame, we remember we are justified, covered, and loved. We're not fighting for peace anymore; we're standing in peace.

Peace In God: The Perspective

Once we have peace with God, we can experience peace in God. Jesus said in John 14:27: "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."

Peace with God changes our position. Peace in God changes our perspective.

This peace isn't about everything around us being calm and tranquil. It's about everything within us being anchored to Christ. It's that deep, unshakable assurance that even when life is chaotic, even when all hell is breaking loose, God remains in control.

When Jesus spoke these words to his disciples, he was preparing them for the hardest season of their lives. He was about to go to the cross, and they would be scattered, terrified, and afraid. Yet Jesus said, "My peace I give you." Notice he never promised comfort, ease, or safety. He promised peace.

Peace does not mean the absence of difficulty or discomfort. It's rooted in God's presence.

Without the peace of God, life is like a runner trying to navigate a muddy trail with shoes that have no grip. The moment pressure hits, anxiety, fear, and stress take over, causing us to stumble and fall. But the gospel of peace keeps us steady even when the ground beneath us shifts.

The peace of God gives traction to our souls. It allows us to stay upright and keep moving forward even when life gets messy. Peace in God doesn't mean the absence of trouble; it means stability in the storm. It's the quiet confidence that says, "I don't know how this will end, but I know the one who holds me."

This is the peace that allowed Daniel to rest in the lion's den, Paul and Silas to sing in prison, and Jesus to sleep in the storm. That's not natural peace—it's supernatural peace.

Peace is not the absence of trouble but the presence of Christ.

How do we put on this peace daily? Through intentional choice. We anchor our minds and hearts in the truth of who God is rather than the chaos around us. Through prayer, we trade anxieties for his peace. Philippians 4:6-7 promises: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

We also step into peace through worship. Declaring worship—whether in words or song—reminds our souls who sits on the throne. Worship realigns something inside us, re-centering ourselves away from circumstances and onto Jesus.

And we embrace peace through trust. When we remind ourselves that God is sovereign and good, even when we can't see the future or the outcome, we let peace rather than fear direct our steps.

Peace For Others: The Mission

The gospel of peace isn't just about being reconciled to God or having peace in our own lives. It's also about bringing peace to others.

Isaiah 52:7 declares: "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'"

The gospel of peace doesn't just help us stand firm; it compels us to go. These aren't slippers for comfort but sandals for mission. The armor of God isn't just about surviving spiritual attack but about advancing God's kingdom.

Roman soldier sandals were studded underneath with small spikes, like ancient athletes' cleats. They provided both grip for stability and traction for advancement. The gospel gives us something to stand on and something to move with.

We're not meant just to wear the gospel personally. We're meant to walk it out, making a difference in the world around us. We are ambassadors of Christ, ministers of reconciliation, disciples of King Jesus called to make disciples of all nations.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:9: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Not peacekeepers, but peacemakers. Sometimes making peace means stepping into conflict, confusion, and pain with the message of reconciliation and hope.

Evangelism is simply one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. We don't share the gospel from superiority but from humility. We were once starving for peace with God, and through the cross of Jesus Christ, we were fed with his grace. Now we tell others where they can find that same bread of life.

Imagine a battlefield where soldiers are weary, wounded, and afraid, where the air is thick with fear. Then a messenger runs in shouting, "The war is over! Peace has been declared!" That's what we carry into a world of darkness—the light has come.

Every conversation can become holy ground where God moves. You know someone stressed and overwhelmed? You can carry peace into that situation. That friend struggling with guilt? You can remind them Jesus brings forgiveness. That lonely neighbor? Your kindness might be the first step toward their encounter with Christ.

You don't need all the answers. You just need availability.

Every point of contact leaves a trace. What trace are we leaving in the world around us? Is it the trace of Jesus?

God uses ordinary feet to carry an extraordinary message. You don't have to be anything but yourself—faithful, obedient, and filled with his Spirit. Every step