The Enemy at Work

There are not degrees of sin—sin is sin. I know that. But sometimes, when sin looks like pure evil…well, that’s harder to swallow.

I recently attended a presentation on human trafficking in the United States. The speaker, a senior criminal investigator, informed us that there are more enslaved in the U.S. today than in any other time in history. I’d already been hearing that, so I wasn’t shocked, but to hear him describe the crimes, the victims, and how the traffickers work…it was upsetting in ways I can’t describe.

I watched as he paced while answering questions and heard his attempt to temper his words. When a woman spoke up about the evil going on, he stopped, paused, and said there were times he felt he was looking right into the face of the devil himself.

I can’t imagine the horror he’s seen and I wonder how he’s able to sleep at night. I want to cheer for him and thank him for fighting for what’s right and for helping those who can’t help themselves.

Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people. Psalm 82:4 NLT

It’s not new this evil. Satan has been at work since the beginning…tempting and enticing us, luring us with promises of wealth, fame, satisfaction—and lying to us.

Jesus tells us in the Book of John…

When the Liar speaks, he makes it up out of his lying nature and fills the world with lies. John 8:44 The Message

The enemy wants to keep us in the dark. He tries to hide the evil he promotes. But in the Light, he is exposed for who he is and what he is—a liar.

If you’re like me, you’d rather not know about the terrible things going on around us, but awareness shines light into the dark places. It reveals the evil and unmasks those behind it.

Awareness reminds us to pray—for the victims, for law enforcement, social workers, and prosecutors, and even for the criminals involved in Satan’s work. I’m human and that’s not easy to write. But the enemy is prowling, looking for someone to devour, and we need God, in His mighty power and strength, to save us and change hearts.

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. 1 Peter 5:8-9a NLT

Note:

The National Human Trafficking Resource Center is a national toll-free hotline, available to answer calls and texts from anywhere in the country 24/7, every day of the year.

Call 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733) to report a tip, connect with anti-trafficking services in your area, or request information and training assistance.

I have posted a companion post on my blog, Journey in Faith, with a little bit of what I learned about human trafficking, including what anyone and everyone can do and links to resources.