As I am watching my daughter’s softball game, I have been given the impression that most churches are like a 10U softball game: inexperienced, ineffective and immature. Our opponents are the devil, demons, and other spiritual hosts of wickedness. Most churches don’t even acknowledge the existence or power the devil has and do not engage whatsoever in spiritual warfare. That being said, demons (even the devil), are absolutely no match against Christ or those walking in their true identity in Christ. However, evil spirits are a match and very dangerous to people living in the world and Christians who are ignorant to the devil’s schemes. “…to keep Satan from taking advantage of us; for we are not ignorant to his schemes.” 2 Corinthians 2:11. This verse is talking about harboring offense towards someone, which is the quickest way the devil gains a foothold in our lives.

If this life were likened to a softball game, followers of Christ would be the players on the home team, let’s call them Team Jesus. The opponents would be the principalities, powers, and spiritual forces of evil; we will call them Team Satan. They can and do wreak havoc in your life if you do not pray against them when you feel led to and stay in total obedience to what God has called you to do. “His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3) and elevate you to your true potential. In fact, I have had many instances where the devil attacking me has brought me back to God when I was led astray.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 KJV

When you decide to go off and do your own thing and are continuously rebellious (whether intentional or unintentional), God will stop talking to you and His protection will start to lift. I have repeatedly lived in rebellion, and I pray that all my rebellion has been resolved for my sake. I will confess that I have not been the best player on Team Jesus, but I can say that it’s all about to change. “And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first will be last.” Luke 13:30 I can tell you that part of my rebellion was from ignorance to His word and the other part was not trusting Him. Distrust can also put a rift in between you and God. It took me 4 years of pain to realize that the voice that has been speaking to me all along is the Holy Spirit. Discernment is crucial in this day and age. There is more evil in this world now more than ever.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV

There are a few coaches in this spiritual “ball game.” I use the term “ball game” loosely because this is not a game: it is life and death. “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” Deuteronomy 30:19. Obviously, Holy Spirit, Jesus and the Father are the head coaches, but there are a few more coaches to keep in mind that are of this world. Prophets, apostles, preachers, and elders are what I would call assistant coaches. Not everyone is called to leadership roles because they are held at a higher standard and strictness. God makes natural born leaders that are capable of teaching His church. Personally, I am not in a leadership role yet, but I know that God has called me to be an apostle. I can recollect being picked to lead for class projects/assignments, different games, and have held managerial roles in the past. I have had troubles and downfalls that have led me away from leadership, but God can always restore what the enemy stole.

“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” James 3:1-2 ESV

God calls some to be teachers, some to be apostles, and others prophets, but that doesn’t mean are all called to leadership roles. Oftentimes they are the most unlikely of people that have experienced severe trauma and spiritual oppression, probably because the devil knew they would be a huge threat to him when they were born. They are a diamond in the rough. I come from a family of preachers who were corrupted by the devil when my pap became a mason. There are families of preachers who work with God and are blessed for many generations. Then, some if not most families become corrupted by the devil and end up being cursed for 3 or 4 generations.

“The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.” Exodus 34:7

Unless God directs you towards leadership, I would not pursue it. I have a passion for leading people in whatever I do, and I don’t know why. It’s just a desire that has always burned inside of me. There are other people in the body who are better suited to serve in generosity, evangelism, intercession, etc. I enjoy speaking about God to small groups, but I don’t know if I have been called to preach the word to a congregation or huge groups of people.

There are many more spectators than players in this spiritual battle. I have been guilty of being one of them. God has showed me just how irritating it is to be welcomed into His kingdom and then feel entitled to do whatever you want without participating in this serious battle. But how can you even participate in something you have no idea about? Or how can you witness to people when you have trouble talking to strangers because of a deep-seated fear of man? You can’t. This is where the Holy Spirit comes in. God knows you are trying to please Him and as long as you don’t turn your back on Him, God will lead you, into the new you and the identity He has called you to be. This God-given identity is the real you, the one God placed on the inside of you when He “knit you together in your mother’s womb.”

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are your works, my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:13-14

Church leaders are great for building up the saints but first, God must work on the leaders before they can lead others properly. It is very hard to lead when you’re not sure if you’re being led by the Spirit of God or even being led in the right way by the Spirit of God. There are some things God does not tell certain people because they couldn’t handle the information He has to present, so sometimes He has others present info to prepare them for the information that God has been waiting to present. We all have a specific role that God has called us to fill. It is about surrendering our fears, our doubts, our uncertainties, our ways, and our wills to Christ so that Christ can have an efficient and effective church. Some churches are doing things the way God wants them to do while others are not even scratching the surface of the authority that has been given to them by being a Child of God. It is time to get our heads in the game and serve the Lord with everything we have!

“He who descended is the one who also ascended far above the heavens, the He might fill all things. And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son Of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” Ephesians 4:9-14