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If you spent any time on my Catholic page, you will see the title Altars and Idols. Idols are not always statues and crosses. An idol is anything that you worship other than God. Idols can be money, houses, cars, people, activities and things. Whatever we lust after is an idol. For me growing up, my idols included sports. I was very good at a lot of them and was on my way to being a professional in football. When I played baseball, I was always on the all star team. I'm neither lying nor bragging. What I have said is simply a fact.

God has shown me that He stopped me from playing football. I didn't like that, but I have been delivered from a lot of that. I didn't say all. My sons have all participated in a variety of sports. I have made an effort not to push them one way or another, but that doesn't mean that my idolatry didn't make it's way into their hearts. My family and I have been walking through a variety of things directly associated with this topic lately. This is primarily about a very recent experience with my son Stephen.

Stephen has been playing baseball for a few seasons and last year was the team catcher. He and the team had a successful year and the coach was looking forward to this season. This last Christmas we bought Stephen a new catchers mitt knowing that he was going to play. About a month ago, God started speaking to me about laying down sports and that specifically meant the boys not playing any organized sports. John was first team basketball, and the starting quarterback. Stephen was a successful football player and very good baseball catcher. I knew it was time to put sports behind us so about two weeks ago, I told the boys what I believed God wanted us to do. I explained to them that to disobey God would open us to the devil and that it was time to learn to walk with God. They accepted what I said but I knew that it wasn't going to be that simple.

Stephen's baseball team was about to begin it's season and his coach asked him about playing. Stephen said that he would not be playing and when the coach asked why, Stephen told him to speak with me. I had directed them to have their coaches talk to me knowing that I needed to deal with them.

One of the things that God has been dealing with me about is praying with my family. We have been praying on the way to church. This last weekend, on our way to church, I spoke with Stephen about using some faith when he prayed and to put some force behind it. He didn't make much of an effort and I told him that if need be, we would drop off everyone else at church and he and I would go pray. That is what ended up happening.

As we drove away, a couple questions came up. I first asked him if he knew why we pray. He didn't. I spoke with him about fighting and overcoming in prayer and then asked if he could pray in tongues. He said "not really". I spoke with him about the Holy Ghost and asked him if he wanted to speak in tongues. He said yes and we began to pray. He immediately started to pray in tongues. Over the next half hour he was able to pray in tongues and use some faith behind it. That was a big thing. God had blessed him because of his obedience.

That evening, after coming home from church, Stephen told me that he was going out to walk and pray because his stomach was hurting. I told him we'd both go out and pray. As we rode and prayed, it came into my spirit to bless his coach and team. I could tell something was happening when I did that. Stephen was praying in tongues with some force. At one point, we drove past the ball field where Stephen played. After we passed the field we came to a red light. When we stopped, Stephen said that as we passed the baseball field, he could feel something leave him and that his stomach no longer bothered him.

Stephen is 12 years old. He has had a clear experience that idols come with demons. He knows that baseball was not God's will in his life and that by obeying God, he was delivered. That spirit was lodged in his belly.

Philippians 3:18-20

vs.18(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

vs.19Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

vs. 20For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Recently I spoke with his coach. He had called to ask about Stephen playing. I told him that it was not God's will that Stephen play and that it was time for Stephen to learn to walk with God. He told me that he did not want to come between me and my beliefs but if I changed my mind, he could get Stephen back on the team. I told him that I would not change my mind. He said that he did not want to come between me and my beliefs but this was Stephen's last chance to play minor league baseball and if I decided that it was more important for him to have this experience then he could get him on the team. I asked him what could be more important than obeying God? Our conversation ended.

God has told me what to do and he has blessed us for our obedience. He will lead us to overcome the idols in our hearts.