I just got back from my son’s soccer game. Unfortunately, they experienced their first loss and they are devastated. Their team has, like all sports teams, an MVP; a player who is completely committed to the goal of winning and does all he has to do to reach the goal.  All of the other teams have come to recognize this key player. So today, that other team was all over our MVP. They did not hold back. They played a dirty game fouling our boy every chance they had. After this happened a few times, the other boys (especially mine) began to hold back in their game. Their fear of getting hit or being thrown down absolutely paralyzed them. The end result was that they lost the game.

My husband told our son, “that’s just the way the game is; you gotta stay in the game; you have to stay alert; you have to be ready because the only thing guaranteed is that you will get fouled, especially when you’re a good player.”  This, of course, is no consolation for Ricky who is only 9 years old. The only thing he knows today is that as long as he keeps his distance from the ball, they won’t come after him.

As Christians we run the same risk of getting fouled by the enemy. Satan’s goal is, after all, to destroy us completely. Peter tells us that we need to be aware of his workings: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8.)  Satan is real and he works diligently to attempt to separate us from God especially those who serve the Lord with all of their hearts and all of their strength. That’s why Peter warns us, “Be . . . alert.”

From personal experience I can tell you that when I have committed to serving in ministry, when I have given all that I have in terms of my heart and strength to the work of the Lord, that is when I have found myself in the most difficult and distressful situations. I’m am barely feeling relief from one problem and here comes the next one.  In the past, in my immaturity, this has led me to isolate myself from the ministry and friends until I find relief. When I have done this, the enemy has fulfilled his purpose because he has completely paralyzed me and stopped me in my tracks. I became apathetic and ineffective.

Now, when this has happened, unfortunately, I have been asked about whether there was any unforgiveness I had to take care of, whether there was any unconfessed sin in my life, whether I have been praying enough, etc.  And isn’t that the way many Christians see things when a brother or sister in Christ is really struggling? They don’t believe in oppression, that this could be the enemy’s doing. They confidently say, “I’m a Christian. I don’t have any struggles. My finances are in order, my marriage is strong, I have my health and my kids are doing well.” I’ll tell you, if this is you, if you have no opposition from the enemy, I don’t question your salvation but wonder if perhaps your lack of struggle is because you are not a threat to Satan. See it’s like the boys in the soccer game, the opposition oppressed and fouled only the MVP; the other players (my son included) where already paralyzed.

One thing I have learned is that Satan doesn’t care if your in church every single Sunday dressed in your Sunday best. He doesn’t care that you sing the songs and clap your hands. He doesn’t care that you carry your Bible wherever you go and drop some money in the offering plate. He doesn’t even care if you volunteer to serve here and there. But if you are truly committed to the Lord; if you serve Him with all of your soul and strength; if you truly love Him and praise Him and recognize the potential that God has placed in you and that He has an incredible plan for your life; if you are this person, you are a sure target of the enemy and you need to be alert because he will try to paralyze you.

Where do you find yourself today? Are you an MVP on God’s team keeping alert so that the enemy doesn’t foul you or are you not a cause for concern to the enemy?

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore my dear brothers, stand firm. let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”  1 Corinthians 15:57-58.