Defeating the Darkness (Intern Insights)
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world...Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:1,4 (ESV)
Today we come together to lift up the country of Benin. As today’s prayer request reveals, there are many issues in this nation which warrant concern for the wellbeing of its natives as well as the missionaries serving there. Inhabitants have limited access to doctors and medical supplies. And what’s even more alarming is the spiritual darkness and inhumane treatment of children there that persists due to influences from other world religions. The latter is what I want to focus on today.
Many of the harmful practices heaped upon children in West Africa are based on things such as tradition, culture, religion, and superstition. One example is the common issue of “cursing.” It's used to coerce children in to sex trafficking and child slavery through the performance of various rituals. They are forced to take oaths of allegiance to spirits who will repay them terribly if they ever try to attempt escape or resist abuse. Being still so young and impressionable, children become thoroughly convinced of these lies and many times out of fear will return to their traffickers even after being rescued.
This and other controlling, manipulative customs have long-term physical and psychological consequences in the lives of children who experience them. Serious short-term effects also occur such as pain, burns, infection, scarring, depression, and perhaps worst of all, shame. Please pray today that the truth found in the Bible verse above would ring true in Benin and in all of West Africa. Pray protection over God’s children who are in danger of succumbing to these destructive cultural customs. And pray that people there would be able to discern which religious practices stem from lies and which stem from God’s truth.
Lord, reveal to this nation the marvelous reality that You have already defeated the darkness.