The Line of Scrimmage

In America we are passionate about our football. We choose our teams and faithfully root for them to win. Many people know every player on the team, their strengths and weaknesses. Studying their techniques, we have our own opinion on who should be played where. From our sofa, with Nachos in our lap, we yell at the television, "How could you have missed that ball?!" Not taking into account the beating that player took last week. When he jumped for that ball the three broken ribs and torn muscles screamed as his opponent smacked him to the ground. Safely seated, comfortable on the couch we look at the battle and criticize the players. So much is happening in the world, terrible things blasted across our television sets. We scream at those on the front lines wondering why they don't do a better job! Every time I think about this battle, this end of days battle that has just begun, I keep picturing an American football game. Two teams lined up at the line of scrimmage waiting for the battle to begin. One team is full of big ugly demons; the other side full of big, bright, strong, hero looking guys. Taking their positions looking into each other’s faces, one demon says to the hero in front of him, " I am gonna rip off your head!" The hero screams, runs back to the bench and sits down shaking. The Coach yells at another guy sitting on the bench with a blanket wrapped around him and says, “Get out there and take his place!" The bench warmer says, "No, Coach, I am sitting this one out!" The Coach continues down the line until He can find one obedient and faithful to step up to the line of scrimmage. Because the Hero team was unable to get a new player on the field and throw the ball before the time clock ran out they were penalized 5 yards for delay of game. The team moves backwards five yards from the goal and they line up again. The Quarterback yells "SET!" the team once again takes their positions. As the quarterback is calling out the play to his teammates, another demon snarls, "Your mother is a lesbian." The hero gets so angry he jumps past the line of scrimmage pounding the demon in the face.

The Heroes are down twenty five yards and the ball hasn't even been snapped (thrown) yet! If they keep letting the demons get the better of them, they will win and won't even have to play! The quarterback is the head of the team; he has the ability to recognize what the opposing team is planning and then communicate the offensive play to the other 10 players on the field. If the opposing team can distract the players from hearing the play, then when the ball is finally snapped, that player will have no idea what he is supposed to be doing. He will be confused, in the way, miss the ball, and most likely get hurt. The teams line up once again at the line of scrimmage. Demons laughing and snarling, they think they got the Heroes on the run. A hero looks up into the soulless eyes of his demon opponent. The demons spits and snarls something at him, but the hero is too busy focusing on the play the Quarterback is calling out, to pay him any attention. Confident of the greatness of Who is in him. The hero already knows the end of this game, even though it is just the beginning. The ball is snapped, the hero does exactly as the Holy Ghost told him, jumping right over the demon in front of him, catching the ball and.....TOUCH DOWN! Satan is loud, proud, and boastful. The more we talk about how bad he is the more puffed up he becomes. It is after all, a form of worship to satan for you to be in awe of his evil works. When we act and react out of our emotions to satan's provocations, heckles, and threats we are causing our team to lose ground. What's more we can't listen to two things at once. Satan and his team are trying to distract you from hearing the call and knowing the directions that The Lord is calling out to you. When we get scared and or angry we don't think straight, throwing faith and power right out the window and we lose the game! The word says don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together especially as we see the times drawing near. We are a team. We certainly can't win this fight all by ourselves. We need to huddle up, come together to listen to the quarterback. What is the Holy Spirit telling us? What's the play? Christians need to be called forward edified, have life spoken into them, receiving a fresh anointing and filling of the Holy Spirit! When this happens they are unstoppable! They are confident! Knowing the end from the beginning! Fully understanding the power of He who is in them, is far greater then he who is in the world. So when the enemy starts yelling smack talk at you from the other side, you just smile, listen for the play, then crush him. "SET! BLUE 777 BLUE 777! HUT HUT!"............