freedom for the captives

Isaiah 61:1-2

Terrified—the first word that comes to mind when I dwell too long on the calling that I sense God placing on my life right now. I keep asking the Lord, Are you sure? As I pray for discernment, immerse myself in research and share the possibility with trusted friends, I keep encountering a sense of peace and assurance despite the fear. Perhaps this is a holy terror. God is waging war against the evil in this world, and I am a foot soldier in His army. Could He be preparing me for boots-on-the-ground action?

As I pray, God, break my heart for what breaks yours, I am reminded of Isaiah 61:1-2 (NIV):

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn…

Captivity breaks God’s heart.

Well over a year ago, I began praying about the next season of my life, asking the Lord how He wants to use me. Shortly after I began praying this specific prayer, our church ran a video about a ministry called Refuge for Women, a national organization devoted to the fight against human trafficking. Tears welled in my eyes as I listened to the words of the advocate onscreen, and I felt like God was giving me the elbow to the ribs—this is it, Lisa. Are you sure, God? Never before would I have entertained the idea of voluntarily entering into the heartache, pain and messiness that defines the world of sex trafficking and exploitation.

Captivity breaks God’s heart. How could I ignore this prompting? Yet I was worried about what Brian would say. I thought he would protectively react with something like, “This is not your fight, Lisa,” but when we were safely in the car driving home, I revealed how my heart broke for those women and that it felt like God wanted me to do something. He simply said, “Me too.” We took a collective breath and left the unanswered implications in the silence between us.

I prayed for several weeks. The Holy Spirit prompted me to reach out to the ministry leader who spoke on the video, telling her my thoughts, fears and excitement about the future. When I left that meeting, I felt assured that this was the Lord’s leading in my life. His timing in getting the program running has been slower than anticipated, but I thank Him that He has given me more time to pray and discern this calling. Though it has been slow, it is ever moving forward.

A few months ago, I met with the Development Director of Kentucky’s chapter of Refuge for Women, during which time I still felt the assurance that this is the direction in which God is taking me. I recently began an informal personal training program to further educate myself on the sex trafficking industry, the church’s response to this crisis, the brain’s response to trauma and the healthy ways in which we can shed light in the darkness. I am devouring books and information, but I know all the training in the world will not fully prepare me for what I will confront when my boots finally touch the ground.

Though I feel more convicted that God is leading me toward Refuge with each passing day, I have not been able to shake the fear. I do not believe it to be an unhealthy fear, though. Rather, this fear is a catalyst to do something, not to steer my own ship, but instead to follow God who stands at the helm.

Brian understandably expresses concern about what I will encounter. I get it—I’m not naïve. These are war crimes occurring in America’s own backyard. Men, women and children are sexually exploited for the gain of others, and I will be privy to firsthand accounts of this horrific evil if I follow my Captain.

We cannot escape the war. We can turn our backs, we can hide, but the war will persist.

Thankfully, as believers, we know that the war has already been won, but we must not proclaim that victory lightly. Why is evil still so pervasive? It’s as simple as this—the enemy is going down, but he is putting up a fight even as the victor triumphs above. As John Piper tweeted, “Satan’s time is short. The dragon’s head is off. And he is flailing in the death throes of defeat.”[1] From the time of Jesus’ resurrection until the day when he returns, this fight drags on. From our earthly perspective, it seems like the dragon is suffering a slow death, but in the grand landscape of eternal reality, the dying dragon thrashes with urgency. Satan wants to capture as many of God’s precious image-bearers as he can while hurtling toward the lake of fire.

We may never be able to wrap our minds around our God and the spiritual battle that exists outside the bounds of mortal time, but we can rest assured that He has conquered death. For those of us living in this age, when the dragon is writhing in defeat, thrashing his tail in rage and spewing death-laden fire from his lips, our duty is to join in Jesus’ mission—to help set others free so that they do not descend to the depths, held captive by the dragon. As Paul says in Gal. 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

Look again at Isaiah 61:1-2 above. In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus read aloud these words while he was in the synagogue at Nazareth. He then shockingly told the congregants, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Lk. 4:21). Jesus was telling his Jewish brothers and sisters that he was the one of whom Isaiah prophesied. He had arrived to bring freedom to the enslaved. My greatest desire is to join our Savior as he continues to liberate the captives, for I was once one of them, held down by false doctrines and ideology.

When fear threatens to overcome the call, I am encouraged by saints who have gone before me—ancient Roman believers who saved discarded babies from certain death by bringing them into their own homes, Christians in the Middle Ages who entered into plague-ridden cities and homes to provide hope to the dying, abolitionists who risked their lives to operate the Underground Railroad, missionaries who ventured into hostile areas of the world to spread light—these people and so many more have joined Jesus in his mission to free humanity from the encroaching darkness.

May each of us be inspired to turn to the Father and ask, How can I spread your light, Lord? How can I help you to set the captives free? The apostle John says of Jesus, “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (Jn. 1:4).

Light. Freedom. Jesus Christ.

[1] @desiringGod, Sept. 25, 2016