THEME: REJECTING OCCULTIC INFLUENCE FOR DIVINE TRUTH IN AFRICAN NATIONAL LIFE 

In times past, our fathers worshipped gods — the gods of rivers and seas, trees and forests, flying birds and creeping animals, stones and mountains. They went to foreign lands, brought foreign gods, and caused us to worship them, offering the blood of our children, women, and strong men as sacrifices on battlefields.  Most of our gods were war gods; thus, chieftaincy, politics, and governance were at the behest of demons, blood- drinking spirits, executioners, diviners, familiar spirits, and the spirits of the dead. 

Idolatry, sorcery, charms, and witchcraft dominated the spiritual and cultural order.  Diviners and wizards were the ruling agents of Satan and Death — the powers behind the darkness, backwardness, suffering and lack of progress.  Africa knew of wars and rumors of wars, the static order of political chaos, economic malaise, social disintegration, slavery, human sacrifice, the burning of villages, and political oppression long before the European, the so-called white man set his foot on African soil with the chains of trade and capitalism, colonialism and imperialism. 

The Bible tells us that this phenomenon of spiritual order of Satan- worship and demon controlled social order provoked God the Creator to the extent He handed Africa over to a “cruel Lord, a fierce king and a perverse spirit.”  Consequently, no stable political, social order, or economic advancement and social progress could take place. The otherwise sound statecraft of Africa’s elders became bizarre due to the deception and seduction by the familiar spirits they consult who operate in a spiritual atmosphere dominated by the fierce king, a cruel lord and perverse spirit set in control by the Almighty (Isaiah 19:1- 4, 11-15). 

Although the Church of the Savior Jesus Christ, Reconciler, Deliverer, Redeemer and Restorer, the Prince of Peace and Goodwill on earth came to intercede and bring Africa to the portals of Life and Restoration of  Glory through the Blood of the Lamb for the remission of sins, reconciliation, deliverance, redemption, and restoration of glory the Church, governments, and people of Africa have still not  fully embraced of the liberation, peace and restoration, and the truth, light and liberty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

To be sure, the colonial -era Church had wars to wage both at home and in the foreign lands, contending as it is with Satan and the powers of darkness, religious deception, bankrupt theology and false doctrines, and the treachery of  Satan the deceiver who in diverse ways divert the worship of the True God to himself and wicked mortal man. 

Indeed, the colonial church yielded and fell victim to the deception of philosophies and doctrines of devils and men.  Human philosophies, false doctrines and outright satanic plantings in the church blunted the truth, light, and sharpness of the sword of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The spirit of accommodation, compromise, liberalism, and so-called tolerance opened the door wide for the “anti-Christ” and the son of perdition to ride in high places both in the Church and government, political and social conduct in the name of learning and religion, democracy and political correctness. In the process, the Church did not merely lose its savior, it became a partner of exploitation, oppression and imperialist expansionism to date. 

This sad state of affairs has lingered even in the post-independence era.  The doctrines and practices of the Church have become anachronistic in a period of political emancipation.  On the other hand, the African politicians could not wean themselves from the dark, demon-controlled politics, and governance of their fathers, and the falsehood and hypocritical nuances of the colonialist-imperialist apostles and prophets in academia, business and politics.  

It is no wonder both the Church of the colonialist-imperialist heritage and the Independent African Church could not assist the crumpling machines of emancipation movement and the post-independence political order.  The simple truth is that African church and African politics have not weaned themselves from the influence of the Religion and Politics of the “gods and powers.” The spiritual and political order spearheaded by the old church of both European and African origin, chiefs, fetish priests, and politics, governance and business dominated by blood sacrifices and divination, the worship of gods, ancestors and powers cannot bring peace and tranquility, freedom and liberty, development and progress. 

Thus, the debates and divisions around philosophies and ideologies apart, there is a lingering spiritual confusion caused by satanic deception, demonic operation and religious darkness.  There is no light.  There is no true and worship of God the creator.  

What is alarming today in Africa is a  new development where religion, politics, and governance are placed deep in the hands of Satan but clothed deceptively in a religious garb  of multiplicity of gods, faiths and practices, where priests and politicians, the lords of business, the professions and even academia draw spirit, power and strength, wisdom, counsel, and direction from fallen angels, demons, spirits and powers of diverse kinds. 

A whole range of so-called prophets, men and women of God and political gurus have arisen, who in the name of God and religion, politics and governance invoke and consult spirits and powers, gods and goddesses in the trade in position, power and money. 

Many aspiring political office holders and heads of churches go to lengths in engaging the services of prophets, ‘mallams,’ and religious gurus for assistance. Political offices, Ecclesiastical offices and Professional status, business and economic power are on sale all over the place, prayer camps, shrines and the seashore, under and by trees and stones and mountains. 

Let Africa not return to the old days.  Let us stop the religion and politics of gods, spirits, and powers. If God is God, let Him be God.  Let us worship Him alone.  He seeks no more sacrifices or mediums.  LET GOD ARISE AND HIS ENEMIES BE SCATTERED!