Romans 16:20
The peace of God is not only a defensive piece of armor, it is also an offensive weapon in our spiritual arsenal. In Romans 16:20, Paul again compares that peace to the shoes of a Roman soldier and reminds us that they were not only sturdy and protective, they were deadly as well.
They had spikes in the bottom of them that were up to three inches long.
Those spikes served the soldier in two different ways. First, they helped to keep him steady on his feet. They gripped the earth as he marched so that he couldn’t be knocked over. He could stand fast through any onslaught and on any terrain.
That’s what the peace of God does for us. It makes us unshakable and immovable so that we can walk through even the most difficult situations in joy, confident that the Lord will see us through and answer our prayers. When we strap on our boots of spiritual peace, the Devil is no match for us. We can march right over the top of him and, try as he may, he can’t slip out from under our feet. He is forced to remain in the little space of ground below us where he is squished, crushed, and helpless.
I love to think of the body of Christ marching along, shod in that kind of conquering, prevailing, victorious peace. It reminds me of the children of Israel taking the Promised Land. In many ways, their situation was much like ours because that land already belonged to them. God had already said, “It’s yours!” But they still had to march in and possess it. They had to take authority over the enemies that were trying to occupy it and drive them out.
The same is true for us. Jesus has already given us the victory in every situation. He has completely defeated the Devil through His death, burial, and resurrection. But we have to enforce that defeat. We have to move out against the enemies of God and take authority over them. And peace is one of the things that enables us to do it.
Peace keeps us on the move. Peace keeps us standing tall with our shoulders back, sure-footed, and taking ground. Peace crushes Satan under our feet—and it crushes him shortly!
The Greek word translated shortly is a wonderful term. It depicts a large group of Roman soldiers marching in formation with short, heavy steps. It paints the picture of them pounding the earth with such thunderous force that their enemies would hear them coming and quake in fear.
When Roman soldiers were marching shortly, they wouldn’t stop for anything or anybody. Ever. Anyone who got in their way was trampled under their feet.
Remember that the next time the Devil tries to block your way or oppose you. Instead of getting flustered, just keep marching shortly and stomp right over him. Let the peace of God crush him under your feet.
Scripture Reading: Esther 9:1 – 10:3
Excerpt permission granted by Lynne Hammond Ministries
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”