Have you ever been to a job interview and had somebody ask you if you were a team player? Do you know what that means? The goal of the team is your goal at work. The example I would give when I was asked this in an interview was to relate an old tale where I came to work at a mall fast food place and nobody was there. We were required to be open in 20 minutes and I did all this stuff to make it happen being a brand new employee. I'm sure you have your story, too or that you could remember a time where you took over at a critical point or perhaps scored the winning touchdown in some capacity. Do we do this for God?
In 1 Corinthians 12:27-28 we see the body of believers.
NIV 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and finally those speaking in different kinds of tongues…
I don't see here where God appoints a single person to do all the work in a church. However, in many denominations and fellowships today we see that the minister basically does all the "spiritual" work. The Ladies Guild might do refreshments and the deacons hand out programs or pass the donation tray or horn. You will see acolytes and maybe a choir. Bigger churches have a finance committee. However, the minister is usually solo when it comes to spiritual matters.
In the denomination where I grew up, it was the minister's job to visit the sick, visit the shut-ins, counsel the troubled, conduct weddings or funerals and give the sermons, etc. The congregational role was to be a spectator in the spiritual arena.
That was not God's vision for his team. We all have a part in the ministry team. In fact, it seems that we are a team with different long suits and that everybody should be manifesting long suits in certain manifestations and different functions.
How does this happen? In the book of Acts we see Peter and John, hanging out together, heal a man at the temple gate. We see Paul and companions speaking the word any place they are and healing folks as they go. They cast out spirits and do the works Jesus said they would do.
We see Jesus in the Gospels acting the same way. He sees someone with a disease and heals them and does not shrink when it comes to sharing the Word. He casts out spirits and expects the same of his disciples when he commissions them.
When we see someone who has a physical problem, often we think to pray for them or even say that we will. We can take it a step further and qualify the individual to see if they believe that you can minister them deliverance. What is the solution if you or the other person have trouble believing?
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
You can spend more time in the Word and try again, or you can share the Word with the other person. It's a logical method and practice. It is not coincidence when we meet someone with a need. Why not assume God put them in our path. When God says "who can we send?" is it our thought "Here am I; send me?"
You know, we really do it in most carnal things. If somebody needs a tire changed or if somebody needs chairs moved, we are right on it. However, when it's time to speak up for God in a public situation and take an unpopular stand, we can feel foolish or scared or worried that we'll get it wrong.
Do we offer to heal somebody when they confess a sickness or disease? Perhaps we are afraid that we won't believe big enough or that God won't come through somehow. You know, we sometimes just allow the wrong team to score the point by our inaction.
We have all those examples in God's Word where God stood behind his men and women. For example, Daniel faced death when he defied the king's order and prayed to God. Did God deliver Daniel? Daniel's God can still deliver. Esther knew to fulfill her mission that she could be put to death, and God backed her up, too. Esther's God will back you up, too. If you're on God's team, he's got your back.
We can speak openly for God and he will defend us at the work place or at school. Sometimes that means getting out of our comfort zone. Sometimes that means losing a friend. Life is full of choices. We can start by doing the little things that make a believer stand out. Walking away when people start to gossip or confronting someone who is lying are little things that make us stand out from the crowd. This is one way our actions witness for our faith.
As we witness for our faith in our words and deeds, we often see opposition form against us. It can get ugly. When has that ever stopped someone who is confident that God is on his or her side? Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. If we lack faith, perhaps we need to spend some time in the Bible reading about the heroes of old and how God was always there. It helps us be brave.
It is always available to ask somebody else on God's team to help you with the situation. We are in this together. How about doing a two by two situation the next time you want to help somebody with a need? It's good practice and we can really see the spirit of God in action!
How badly do we want to see signs, miracles and wonders? Do we want to minister to people? Do we want to do the mighty works of Jesus Christ?
Most people will be content to be spectators and sit on the sidelines. We don't have to be like most people. It's the players on God's team that get the true adventure of godliness. Let's see out faith in action!
All were baptized in the same spirit, all were given equal measure of the spirit. How is it, then, that not all see the great power of our mighty God? Many are called, but few choose.
Dare to choose and choose to stand today. God is the same yesterday, today and forever.ÿ
Note: All scripture is from the King James Version unless otherwise noted. NIV indicates The New International Version, NLT indicates the New Living Translation, NAS indicates the New American Standard version, NKJV indicates the New King James Version, ASV means the American Standard Version, NJB means the New Jerusalem Bible, BBE means the Bible in Basic English, DBY means the Darby translation, NAU means the American Standard Version, 1995 Edition, and NAB means the New American Bible translation. For more information, go to the Works Cited page.