Jonathan Munson, Executive Director

“The commander of the Lord’s army replied, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so.” Joshua 5:15

“Take your shoes off.”

Growing up, I must have heard my mom say those words at least a thousand times. 

She didn’t want me traipsing dirt across her white carpet. (Why we had carpet the color of newly fallen snow is still a mystery.)

When the angel told Joshua to take off his sandals, he was standing on something far more sacred than white carpet; he was standing on “Holy Ground.” His barefoot encounter happened outside Jericho, a city with walls 30 feet high and 12 feet thick. From a human perspective, Jericho looked invincible.

Imagine the thoughts swirling around Joshua’s brain:

• “Impossible. There’s no way.”
• “Maybe if we approach from over there.”
• “If this fails, the people will lose confidence in me.”

Suddenly, Joshua’s pre-battle strategizing was interrupted by the “commander of the Lord’s army.”

“Take your shoes off.”

Usually, Joshua gave the orders. This time, however, he followed them.

Removing his sandals indicated many things – humility, purity, reverence,-  but first and foremost, it was an act of obedience. Barefoot and face down on the ground, he declared, “We’re going into battle Your way, not mine.”

Like Joshua, we all face battles. Some of us even have a “Jericho” looming on the horizon, a battle so big that victory seems impossible. The question isn’t whether we’re in a battle—it’s whether we’re still wearing our shoes.

Let me explain.

Many of us lack Joshua’s reverence for the Lord. Too often, we treat God casually, showing more reverence for something as trivial as the carpet in the living room than for the living God. Have we lost sight of what it means to be in the Lord’s presence?

When we forget we’re on holy ground, we charge ahead in our own strength, instead of His. But when we pause, kneel, and ‘take off our shoes’ (so to speak), we demonstrate our awe of the Almighty.

For Christ-followers, getting ‘barefoot before battle’ means seeking Jesus before rushing into the demands of life. We worship before we wage war. It’s not just a frame of mind; it’s a posture of the heart: surrendering our pride, giving up control, and saying, “Lord, I’m under Your command.”

And remember, because of Jesus, God’s presence isn’t limited to a patch of ground. His Spirit lives in us.  We are “temples of His Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19), so we’re on holy ground wherever we go. Every step, every task, every battle —both big and small —we carry His presence with us. Embracing this reality has the potential to transform every aspect of our day.

But let’s be clear: God doesn’t promise victory just because we “take off our shoes.” Sometimes our ‘Jericho walls’ don’t crumble the way we hoped. What the Lord promises is His presence, His strength, and His wisdom for whatever challenges lie ahead.

So, take off your shoes, my friend.

Not only before the battle, but in the thick of it. Not just when the walls fall down, but even if they don’t.

Because the God who met Joshua meets us, too.

Bow down. Surrender. You’re on holy ground.

The power isn’t in your strength or your strategy; it’s in your Savior.

DIG DEEPER
Read “What Does the Bible Mean When It Refers to Holy Ground?” at GotQuestions.org