God is for you. He wants to save you from yourself.
The last part sounds condescending—right? What does it even mean that God wants to save you from yourself? By the end of this series, I hope you understand. This was an answer I didn’t know I was seeking, but in truth, I was.
I was raised as a Christian in the bustling city of Nairobi before moving to a quiet suburb. I always felt like I had the world under my feet. Little did I know I didn’t. I was in bondage to sin for as long as I can remember—listening to sermons here and there, attending church services, and yet remaining a slave to sin.
Life was “good.”
Knowing what I know now, it was God’s mercy that I was abusing.
We became numb to the suffering all around us—accepting it as the norm, sitting back, waiting for the next wave of affliction to hit. We rarely took the offensive by actually trusting God’s Word and living a life that pleases Him. A life of obedience dismantles the works of the enemy. We barely knew this.
A little background about my home country.
In Africa, there is a large economic gap between the rich and the poor. Interacting with people from diverse economic backgrounds broadens your worldview and perspective.
In Kenya, poverty and high unemployment often drive people to desperate measures. Witchdoctors—whom we call wagangas—have built lucrative businesses by “offering solutions” to people’s problems. They are modern charlatans who know how to deceive for gain.
They advertise on posters, lampposts, and mini billboards across cities. You’ll see signs reading: “Witchdoctor offering solutions for barrenness, jobs, marriage, finances, etc.” Notice the catch—these are universal problems, things anyone can face at any stage of life. They know exactly how to lure people in with the promise of a quick fix.
These are not simple snake-oil salesmen. They use occult knowledge to offer wealth, power, and opportunity—but always in exchange for more than money.
I always wondered why these wagangas looked rough and unkempt. My mother and I would ask, Why wouldn’t they help themselves first if they can deliver such great promises? We sensed something was deeply wrong, even if we couldn’t name it.
Often, knowingly or unknowingly, they unleash destruction on people’s lives by conjuring demonic spirits and entering into agreements with them.
Africans tend to be spiritually sensitive. It’s rare to find someone who doubts the existence of spirits or otherworldly beings. Yet, as in many cultures, biblical literacy is low. People are unaware of the devices of the enemy.
Christianity, however, is also widespread. Even those with little faith know the power of calling on the name of Jesus. Although witchcraft has deceived many, the Spirit of God is still moving. Those who are saved are keenly aware of the enemy’s schemes.
God has raised up His own Spirit-filled servants—bold as lions—equipped with weapons of warfare that are not carnal but mighty unto God. They tear down the demonic altars continually being raised across the land.
Paul warns us to beware of the devices of the enemy.
Ironically, the power of Almighty God is often revealed through the destructive work of the devil. Many lives are saved through such encounters. What the enemy intends for evil, God turns to good.
Now I understand what it means to be safely tucked under the wings of the Almighty.
Freedom, Misunderstood
Having free will has led to a widespread idea that freedom means doing whatever we please.
What no one tells you is that freedom comes with responsibility—accountability and consequences for our actions.
If you go partying, get blind drunk, wake up the next morning, and drive to work causing an accident, you are held accountable. You intentionally endangered lives. If you are sexually reckless, you may contract a disease that alters the course of your life forever.
Freedom is given, but it is restrained—by the laws of the land and, above all, by the law of God.
Consider Jesus addressing the Pharisees who tried to trap Him by asking whether they should pay taxes to Caesar. Knowing their intent, Jesus asked for a coin and said, “Whose image is on it?” They answered, “Caesar’s.” He replied, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and unto God what is God’s.”
Caesar represents earthly authority ordained by God. We are to honor the laws of the land. But we are made in God’s likeness—our spirits belong to the Creator. God therefore requires us to honor His commandments.
Just as in the physical world, breaking spiritual laws carries consequences. Sin leads to death. It may manifest as disease, loss, broken relationships, calamity—or simply a life devoid of God’s anointing, ending in eternal separation when repentance is absent.
Psalms 35–37
I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not… Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
This is why the Psalms warn us not to envy the wicked when they prosper. Their end is destruction, while the end of the righteous is peace and secure rest with the Lord.
With our physical eyes, we are easily distracted by what glitters. But God does not judge by appearance—He looks at the heart. A spiritually dry soul is like a fruitless tree, destined to be cut down and thrown into the fire.
David pleaded with God not to take the Holy Spirit from him. The same Spirit filled the apostles after Christ’s ascension. When the Spirit of God dwells in you, He enables you to understand the Word. He leads you into obedience born from reverence for God’s mercy and justice.
You become faithful—not by your own strength, but because the Spirit of God works through you. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit—the hands and feet of God on earth. This doesn’t mean God needs you. His purposes will stand whether we cooperate or not.
Isaiah 55:10–11
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please…
I hope these words from God will be a spring of life unto you. I continue this series with my encounter of God’s Word. Watch out for the God is for you series.