Religious leaders who try to impress people with their own love, holiness, or knowledge could not possibly have spent much time in the presence of a perfectly loving, perfectly holy, omniscient God. There are also good faiths that are somewhat impractical to follow where one lives. Many faiths, such as native African, native American, Hinduism, were not really meant to be practiced in other countries. They are very much a part of the land and culture where they originated. They can be studied, but probably never fully practiced without joining the people and the cultures the faiths were intended for.
Most religions teach that there are good and bad spiritual powers.
Coping with evil spiritual powers is a part of daily life, but one is to try to avoid the evil powers and not try to control or manipulate them unless one is very spiritually advanced. Now in my spiritual journey, I read holy books, I study the writings of the scholars of the holy books, I read about holy men, I talk everything over with God, and I seek the company of holy men and scholars. I try to use this knowledge in every aspect of my life - in my marriage, in my friendships, in my work, in my business deals, in my pleasure, and in my play. It has greatly helped me in my spiritual journey to seek the best spiritual teachers and to acknowledge my ignorance. A Jewish friend tells me a story about God.