Hello Preachers,

From time to time, we find ourselves dealing with snipers in the church. These are individuals who are skilled at staying in the shadows while manipulating weak-minded followers of theirs to undermine your ministry.

How do you deal with these needy souls?

One rule to remember is that you cannot start firing at the forest hoping you'll get your sniper (don't go after the whole church). That's exactly what the devil wants you to do. Then you will be guilty of tearing up the church.

We must pray, watch and wait.

Yes, patience is truly a virtue here, since we often see the effects of destabilization, but may not readily know the source of our trouble.

Don't attempt to counter-attack a sniper. This sort has to be flushed out of his/her hiding place and out into the open before any corrective measure can be effectively utilized to deal with them. They must be exposed, brought out of the shadows into the glaring light before the rest of the congregation will be sufficiently angry with them and comfortable with any disciplinary or corrective measures you try to impose (these are usually popular, well networked and influential people who are generally liked, but only because their true colors are not known by the members).

Again, the best way to accomplish this flushing out is to pray, watch and wait for your God-given opportunity. God will show you when to make your move, or He will do the moving for you if he sees that your moving or waiting may do more harm to the church.

By all means, while you pray, watch and wait, do not lose sight of the fact that the best way to beat your detractors is to not react or speak in the manner their behavior warrants, or in the way they hope, assume and expect you will. If you are able to keep your composure, you have won half the battle already!

Your antagonists thrive on your anticipated reaction to their evil deeds. Disappoint them, and watch God work it out for you.

Remember, the battle is not yours, but the Lord's.