A Barefoot Breakthrough

Reverend Mays opens with a call for the congregation to remain sensitive to the Holy Ghost, emphasizing that God desires to bless His people through obedience to His word. He cites Deuteronomy 28 and Psalms 1 and 37 to establish that blessings, especially spiritual victory and power, are contingent on hearkening diligently to God's commands. Taking his text from Joshua 5:10-15, he focuses on the moment when the Captain of the Lord's host commands Joshua, 'Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy,' and Joshua does so. Reverend Mays explains that the children of Israel had just crossed into Canaan and tasted the promised land, but Jericho—a fortress city symbolizing the enemy's strength—stood in their way. He stresses that spiritual progress requires confrontation and battle, as there is no victory without warfare. He identifies three preparatory steps: circumcision, representing sanctification and cutting off the flesh; looking up to God beyond the intimidating walls; and worship, which he calls the 'keynote of spiritual destiny.' Worship creates the atmosphere for hearing God's voice and conceiving the miraculous, as seen with Hannah. Finally, taking off one's shoes symbolizes laying aside personal agendas, selfish ambitions, and self-will in total submission to God's will. Reverend Mays emphasizes that God entrusts His presence to barefoot worshippers and that victory comes when believers, like Job, choose worship over bitterness and, like Joshua, shout in faith because God has already given the victory.