Are you safe? Do you feel safe? Does your life feel under attack in some area? Are you facing trouble? And do you believe that God wants to protect you—should you believe that?
Whatever your answers may be, here is one truth you can be certain of:
You desire to be safe. You want protection. Deep inside, you long for God to cover you and keep you. How do I know? Because you already feel it, and because God Himself placed that desire inside every one of us. Scripture is filled—hundreds of times—with references to our need for protection and God’s willingness to be our refuge in times of trouble. He alone can fulfill that desire, and He fulfills it through our faith in His promises through Jesus Christ.
You may have recently cried out for God’s protection—for yourself, your children, your travels, or your circumstances. But many of God’s people unknowingly pray what I call a wishbone prayer. A wishbone prayer is when someone asks God for help, but deep down has no real expectation He will act. It’s a prayer not rooted in faith or in knowing God’s will. It’s like making a wish when snapping a turkey bone—hoping something might happen, but not truly believing.
But unbelief is no small matter. Unbelief hinders God’s ability to work in our lives. In Mark 6:5–6 (NLT) we read, “And because of their unbelief, He (Jesus) could not do any miracles there, except lay His hands on a few sick people and heal them. And He was amazed at their unbelief.” If unbelief hindered Jesus Himself from moving, then it certainly hinders His work in our lives today.
God’s Word is filled with what the Apostle Paul calls mysteries—divine secrets concealed from the world but revealed to those who believe. 1 Corinthians 4:1 (NLT) says, “…as mere servants of Christ we have been put in charge of explaining God’s secrets.” These “secrets” aren’t hidden because God wants them hidden; they are hidden because the world mocks what it doesn’t understand. Jesus warned about this in Matthew 7:6 (NLT): “Don’t give what is holy to unholy people… they will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.”
But when you begin to understand what God wants for you—when you know His will—your faith becomes anchored. You stand confidently on His promises, and your circumstances begin to change. 1 John 5:14–15 (RSV) gives us the secret to receiving from God: “And this is the confidence which we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us… we know that we have obtained the requests made of Him.” Knowing God’s will produces confidence. Confidence produces faith. And faith brings God’s power into our lives—not only to change circumstances, but to transform our thinking, strengthen our character, and deepen our trust in Him.
So what does God’s will tell us? Scripture repeatedly shows that God desires to deliver His people from trouble and protect them. We see this from the Israelites in Egypt to Paul and Silas in prison. When the Israelites cried out to God, He sent Moses. God promised to bring them out of their trouble, bless them, and protect them if they would trust Him. Deuteronomy 6:22–25 (NIV) says, “Before our eyes the Lord sent miraculous signs and wonders… But He brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land He promised… The Lord commanded us to obey… so that we might always prosper and be kept alive (protected)…” Their key was obedience and trust. That is our key as well.
God repeatedly promises protection to those who trust Him—not to those with wishbone prayers, but to those with real faith. Psalm 9:9–10 (NKJV) says, “The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.”
God is not a respecter of persons. His promises are for everyone who believes. And Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, today, and forever,” meaning His desire to protect, help, and rescue His people has never changed.
Psalm 34:7 (NLT) beautifully affirms this:
“For the angel of the Lord guards all who fear Him, and He rescues them.”
God wants you safe.
God wants you protected.
And He wants you to know—without hesitation—that He is your refuge in every trouble.
