Stepping Up to the Plate

Recently, I was at the annual Southwest Believers Conference when the Lord gave me: "Step up." Was God giving me another baseball analogy?

To step up to the plate means the batter is ready. He is prepared, equipped, focused, and committed. He listened to his coach and now stands poised, confident, and ready to do what he had been trained for—with one goal in mind.

At the crack of the bat, he runs to first base. He slides. He tumbles. He falls onto the base just as the first baseman reaches out with the ball in hand. Is he safe, or is he out?

Intrigued? Read on.

As I mulled over the “step up” message, I perceived it to mean: Step up in faith, in prayer, and in what He has called me—and us—to do.

The pastor's message the following Sunday referenced Galatians 5:25 (NIV): "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in STEP with the Spirit."

That’s confirmation!

Spiritually speaking, keeping in step with the Spirit means to walk with and be empowered by the Holy Spirit, according to the Amplified Bible. Think about it: to be empowered by the Holy Spirit—in faith, in prayer, and in what God is calling us to do…

WOOOOO! Yes, please!

But first, we need to be spiritually mature in our relationship with God. Empowerment comes as we learn to walk with Him, to listen, and to obey our Heavenly Coach.

As the batter steps up to the plate, he, too, is empowered by the skills learned through coaching and training while still growing in the knowledge of the game. He is ready to fulfill the objective set before him.

With confidence, we can run to each plate the Lord sets before us. We may slide along the way and take a few tumbles, but we are not out—we are safe in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

So, let’s step up in faith—Spirit-filled and Spirit-led—yielding to the Holy Spirit in all that we do and say as we run the bases set before us in this lifetime. That, my friends, is how we will knock it out of the park.