I've spent a lot of time talking about the Kingdom of God; learning how to operate in the Kingdom as we grow in the understanding of our Kingdom assignments. But today I want to give you a personal testimony of how Jesus can throw you a curve ball, especially when you think you have it all figured out.
For the last month or so, He has been pushing me to stop and focus on how I was accomplishing my assignment, and where I was going to go next with it. I know that the assignment He has given to me and my husband Mark is to continue His work in setting "the captives free" [from physical, emotional and spiritual bondage] through our Inner Healing Ministry. I also know that part of our assignment is to teach what Kingdom Living looks like, and then encourage and equip people to DO IT. I fully understand that "Kingdom" is at the heart of what He has called me/us to do.
But my spirit is beginning to be troubled because I can also see that another level of our ministry is pulling on our hearts and, while we want to become involved and know our Inner Healing ministry has trained us to take this next step, I'm not sure how we are to enter into this new stage of our Kingdom assignment. I am fully aware that if it is Jesus's will, it will happen. And I know He can make a way, and I know it will be in His timing. But my soul is crying out to make it happen NOW!
I'm sure many of you can relate to the emotions that the movie Sound of Freedom stirred in your soul. I have been aware of Tim Ballard and his organization, Operation Underground Railroad, for about seven years, and Mark and I have financially supported this foundation. But it is easy to become satisfied with that effort when the evil is hidden and you are not directly faced with it. Tim's movie, Sound of Freedom, hits you directly in the gut and shatters your heart, and Mark and I can no longer put the sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of children on the shelf. This evil business demands more than money. It demands action! Bottom line: We are no longer satisfied with sitting on the sidelines!
I don't know what that is going to look like for us, but I'm asking Jesus to give us the desires of our heart. And those desires are to see these children delivered of their trauma and healed from the spiritual wounds and scars that trafficking has inflicted on their bodies, souls, and spirits. Yes, I know that these children are going to need psychological care, and their bodies are going to need medical attention. But they are also going to need the presence of Jesus to step in and heal the pain forced upon their innocence by pure evil. I and my husband want to be a part of that process and their journey to restoration and wholeness.
Incidentally, we are blessed to be in the company of a group of people who feel strongly about the direction of our country and protecting our families from the deterioration in our culture. We come from all kinds of backgrounds and faiths. But we all have a strong moral compass and believe in the power of Jesus in our lives. And I have not been surprised at the response of the tough, masculine, Jesus-loving men after seeing Sound of Freedom. They want justice for the children! I am seeing them express their righteous anger; sensing the deep anguish they feel as they express their emotions over the film; and feeling their primal need to put an end to this evil. They instinctively know what Mark and I have discovered in our Inner Healing ministry... severe trauma takes long-term dedication and commitment on the part of the one ministering "healing" to the victim. The abuse, coupled with the hopelessness and despair of being held captive in this invisible system can literally kill their spirit.
But I do believe that Jesus is going to shatter their darkness soon and the sex-trafficking business will be exposed to His life-saving Light. And I know that I am not to hate anyone, and I'm supposed to love even my enemies, but it's hard to consider offering forgiveness to anyone who would willingly involve themselves in harming children for their own wicked pleasure. The Bible says, “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron (Timothy 4:2).” That means their God-given moral consciences have been literally cauterized so that they are insensitive to any moral pangs that could keep them from committing these unholy acts. If they continue in this depravity, there will be no redemption for them.
Yet, I am reminded that God can [and wants to] save even the most vile sinner. The Word of God says when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. "Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die" (Ezekiel 18:27-28). In an interview I watched with Jim Caviezel, the actor who played Tim Ballard in the movie, he reported that after he played Jesus in Passion of the Christ, there were instances of two murderers [who had gotten away with their crime years ago] and were moved to confess their sin and turned themselves in. He stated that he believes there will be whistleblowers who, after seeing Sound of Freedom, will come forth to confess their sins and participation in the heinous business of child sex-trafficking and blow the lid off this hidden evil. Lord, let it be so!
Until then, I am going to be persistent in asking the Lord to show me how I can become instrumental in bringing Your love and healing to the millions of children who are being harmed every day. Lord, you know my heart and my desire to DO the Kingdom -- not just preach it and teach it. I want to work with You to see this Evil eradicated from our culture and the world! Show me the way that I should walk in this darkness so that I can bring Your Light and Freedom to these precious children. I promise, I will run and not grow weary, and walk and not grow faint until all the children are rescued. Until you show me my path, I will wait upon You and daily renew my strength and faith for the battle ahead. Make it soon, Lord! I don't want one more child to disappear!
Psalm 35:6. Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!
