1 John 5:14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.
What if we trusted God enough to pray big prayers? I don’t mean selfish prayers, but prayers that line up with His word and change the environment. Recently my eyes have been open to a need in my community, well a global need, but one that has been brought to the local level in my life. I was oblivious to it, even through I was speaking directly too it in a meeting without knowing. I thought human trafficking was something in other countries. Something that happens in big cities. It happens in the dark places.
As I delve into the crises more I’m learning how it happens and what it looks like. I’m also learning about the limited resources to help these men and women that are facing forced labor and forced prostitution and the cycle that creates it. Unfortunately it is easy to see how someone could walk into the situation without realizing what they are entering. As I was learning about this crises in our community, my heart was broken.
My heart wasn’t just broke for the men and women that are trapped in this darkness. My heart is broke for those that are entrapping people in this forced lifestyle. I can’t imagine what it would take to get a person to the point they could manipulate and use people in such a horrific manner.
I listened as presenters talked about shutting down one place only for it to pop up in a new location. How victims get rescued but because of the cycle, they often go back. How one person gets rescued but more get brought into it. Human trafficking is a billion dollar business – yes BILLION. Removing one person from that lifestyle is worth the battle, but what if we took the battle on a spiritual level?
So many time we focus our attention on the victim, but there would be no victim if there was not a perpetrator. What if while working to put resources in place for the victims we were praying in bold confidence that God would do a work in the heart of those perpetrating the crime?
What if we took the confidence for which we pray “Lord heal my friend.”, “Lord save my spouse.” “Lord keep my children safe.” and prayed bold prayers because God’s Word’s in 
says “If people are in trouble and you say, ‘Help them,’ God will save them. Even sinners will be rescued; they will be rescued because your hands are pure.”
What if this evil that is as prevalent in America as it is in other countries was healed in the name of Jesus. God’s Word says “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.” 2 Chronicles 7:14-15
What if we trusted God enough to ask from His word like:
Lord bring justice to the poor of the people;
Lord save the children of the needy,
And break in pieces the oppressor. Psalm 72:4
Or bolder prayers like: Lord give light to the eyes of both the poor man and the oppressor. Proverbs 29:13
What if we stood as the Holy priests (I Peter 2:5, 9) in the gap not only for the captive, but for the oppressors. In old testament times “The priest made atonement for him….and it shall be forgiven him.’” Leviticus 5:13
What if the oppressors lives were transformed by Christ and they no longer wanted to live the lifestyle because we trusted God enough to stand in that gap, united. Many would be set free by that change of one. God hears our cries. We can be confident that God hears us. As much as my heart is broken by this, I trust God cares more for the victims of human trafficking and for the ones perpetrating this crime. Yet God is not willing that any should parish but that all should come to repentance 2 Peter 3:9. He hears us, but is waiting for us to pray the bold prayers.
What other problems in this nation would be better covered in bold prayer to God? Do you trust Him enough to stand in the gap and pray them?
For more information on Human Trafficking or to learn how to get involved or find out about how human trafficking is impacting your local area, nationally or internationally go to Polaris Project.
This blog is part of a #Write31Days series on trust. 31 Days is an online writing challenge, where bloggers pick one topic and write a post on that topic every day in October.
Restoring Voice 