As a leader, I must be very aware of all those who are connected to me.

I need to know:

• who is carrying the sword that will help me to fight in the war I been called into, and who will go with me in a battle, because they trust me to hear God.
• who is carrying the knife that will be used to stab me in the back, because they are close enough to see my flaws.
• who is carrying the shovel to try and bury me, because they want to see me dead.
• who is carrying the axe to be used to chop me up with words and gossip.
• who is carrying the gun that has the right ammunition to shoot down the enemies who try to attack.
• who is carrying the poison, to attempt to slowly kill the vision that God is raising up.

Each leader should know their soldiers and their warriors.

Sometimes we have double agents on our team. They seem to be for us, but they working for the adversary all the time.

Every leader needs a sniper on their side. That’s the intercessor who is precise and deadly in the Spirit. They are quiet, but observing their target, waiting on the time when God says “Take your shot!” They don’t make a lot of noise and they don’t want to be seen, neither do they want the leader to reveal them.

I have some snipers who are observing and watching and reporting on the enemy and they battle in the Spirit for me, the work I’m called to do, and they even cover those who are connected to me.

I don’t let others know who my sniper team is. I don’t mention them. I don’t draw attention to our relationship with each other. They are the hidden warriors whom God had assigned.

Knowing those on your team is very important, in order for you to be effective in what you are called to do. You must know whom to trust, whom you can depend on, whom to watch out for, who will fail you, who is there to work, who is there to hinder, who is there to help build.

Many leaders have failed because they didn’t know who they were working with. It’s not the person with the gifts and skills, but the person with the passion and heart for the vision, that will be most effective in working with you in the Kingdom of God.

Choose your team wisely, by allowing The Lord to reveal the hearts and minds of them. Discerning beyond the surface is a must. Knowing character is a plus. Sometimes our enemy is there because we inviting them in!

~ Apostle Barbara R. Thomas

Apostle Barbara R. Thomas is founder of I Come to Heal Ministries, A Woman’s touch Ministry, The Next Dimension Global Outreach Ministries and Spoken Word School of Ministry and she is on a mission traveling the world proclaiming the Gospel for soul to be won to the Kingdom of God. She has a mandate on her life to help brings others to their divine purpose.