What does it mean to be a modern-day abolitionist?
Being a modern-day abolitionist alongside AIM means committing to end the injustice of sex trafficking with relentless determination. It’s about taking action to bring freedom to those who are oppressed, one life at a time.
Fighting any injustice can seem like a big, daunting task. Indeed, it’s a significant challenge, but we have a God who is greater than every evil and injustice in this world.
The Abolitionist’s Devotional is designed to ignite the fire within you. Over the next five days, you’ll wrestle with tough questions and be prompted to take action. When you might be tempted to say, “There’s nothing I can do,” we challenge you to instead ask, “God, what will you have me do?”
Start here and let God open your heart to what He has next. We are so glad you are on this journey with AIM. The world needs more modern-day abolitionists – people who are willing to help end trafficking one life at a time.
Are you ready?
If you would like to download a digital version of this devotional, click here.
RESCUE: Where Freedom Begins
READ & REFLECT
As followers of Christ, the act of being rescued is deeply personal. Jesus gave His life to rescue us. He saved us from the horrific grip of death and brought us true freedom through His work on the cross.
49.6 Million People
This radical, agape love is a motivator to rescue victims of trafficking. With over 49.6 million people living in modern-day slavery, there are more slaves now than at any point in human history. We can’t see that number and do nothing. We need abolitionists – people who are willing to fight for the oppressed and exploited. The freedom we have in Christ empowers and equips us to help those in desperate need of rescue. Just as God went to great lengths to rescue us, we go to great lengths to rescue others.
“Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love.”
Psalm 44:26
Rescue is not always breaking down doors or calling in the cavalry; it comes in many forms. Rescue can be confronting addictive behavior, connecting a person with resources to change an unhealthy situation, or building a life-giving relationship. Through Christ, we can become a catalyst in doing for others what they may not be able to do for themselves.
TODAY’S BIBLE VERSES
- He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.
Psalm 18:17 (NIV) - Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love.
Psalm 44:26 (NIV) - For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:13-14 (NIV) - The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:18 (NIV)
PRAY FOR
The hearts and minds of every woman and child being sold for sex every night, that they would be rescued and know freedom soon.
The success of organizations, governments, investigators, and rescue teams working on the ground to bring freedom to survivors.
Justice and mercy to prevail, that traffickers would be thwarted and evil would be stamped out.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Have you been rescued from something that was hurting you?
- What does freedom look and feel like in your life?
- What do you think living as a modern-day abolitionist looks like?
- Ask God how you can bring freedom to those who need it most. What do you hear Him say? Write it down. We’ll come back to that later this week.
RELENTLESS LOVE: The Path to Healing
READ & REFLECT
While the road to healing looks different for each girl, we have seen true healing occur through the relentless, agape love of Jesus. Knowing that you are loved, that you belong, and that you have a purpose catalyzes the process. When God’s abundant love permeates our lives, we become conduits of His love, and restoration begins.
“…just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we, too, may live a new life.”
Romans 6:4b
The healing process can be challenging and complex. Feelings of anxiety, fear, shock, doubt, anger, sadness and grief are often part of the process. Whether you are the one healing, or are supporting someone else’s healing, remember that your ability to engage in the healing process is connected to your proximity to Jesus. We cannot give what we have not experienced. The closer we are to Him, the more healing we can receive and give others.
Live Out Love
Support those on their healing journey by living out the love of Jesus in tangible ways. Listen. Serve. Empower and equip. The love of Jesus takes on human form when we as Christians live it out.
TODAY’S BIBLE VERSES
- We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Romans 6:4 (NIV) - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
PRAY FOR
Christ’s love to heal the emotional and physical trauma that survivors have endured.
Survivors to live freely with love, purpose, and belonging.
Eyes that would see needs around you, and the heart to show up to meet them.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- What is your story of healing?
- How have you been impacted by the relentless, agape love of God?
- What do you think living as a modern-day abolitionist looks like?
- How can you show support to others with the love of Jesus?
EMPOWERED: Never Trafficked Again
READ & REFLECT
Understanding the truth about God’s love for us is empowering. He is for us. He has a plan for us. He wants to unleash freedom in our lives. When we allow this truth to sink into the depths of who we are, we walk with confidence and purpose.
This same truth is crucial in empowering survivors to embrace and own their own freedom. God’s truth can break the bondage of slavery forever. Knowing their worth and value in Christ is the first step. We strive to help survivors understand that they are deeply loved children of God, that they have a purpose, and that the same power that raised Christ lives in them.
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”
1 John 3:1a
AIM also empowers and equips survivors with practical life skills. Goal setting, safe employment and sustainable income play a pivotal role in empowering survivors to become active change makers in their communities. Putting these newly formed skills to work continues the healing work God is doing in their lives and the lives of those around them.
When survivors become abolitionists, the enslaved become free – never to be trafficked again.
TODAY’S BIBLE VERSES
- Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6 (NIV) - See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
1 John 3:1 (NIV) - And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
Romans 8:11 (NIV)
PRAY FOR
Survivors to be transformed by Christ’s relentless love and empowered in freedom.
Healthy reintegration of survivors as they implement the skills they’ve learned.
God’s truth to take root in your own life, mobilizing you to walk in His confidence and freedom.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- How does hearing that God wants to unleash freedom in your life and in the lives of others make you feel?
- What passions begin to well up in you as you grasp that your worth comes from who God says you are?
- How can you use your skill set to empower someone else towards freedom? (Write down any unique skills of yours that come to mind.)
- What organizations can you begin to serve with, give to, or share about?
Every Child DESERVES a Childhood
READ & REFLECT
God is our protector. God is our defender. And because we are made in His image, His heart to stand for the marginalized and exploited is written into each one of us. Through His Spirit, living in us, we are equipped to protect those around us.
The best way to combat trafficking is to prevent it before it starts. AIM is preventing the exploitation of future generations by confronting the demand for purchased sex and protecting the vulnerable.
“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and oppressed.”
Psalm 82:3
How To Help
As you look around and notice the vulnerabilities that exist in your community and the world, seek to understand the root causes of these vulnerabilities. Consider volunteering with an organization that is serving those most at risk. Or join your church in addressing the issues that contribute to the demand.
When you commit to preventing exploitation and protecting the vulnerable, you are pushing back the darkness and taking a stand against the greatest evil of our lifetime!
TODAY’S BIBLE VERSES
- The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Psalm 9:9 (NIV) - Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
Psalm 82:3 (NIV) - No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:37-39 (NIV)
PRAY FOR
The Church to confront the demand for purchased sex and to obliterate the culture and practice of pornography. Find more resources on this matter here
Vulnerable children and families to have the support, provision, and education needed to protect them from exploitation and that innocence would be guarded.
God to grow your awareness of the vulnerabilities that exist in your community and in the world.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- How have you experienced someone else protecting you and standing up for you? How did that make you feel?
- What areas of your church or local non-profit could you begin to serve with?
- What actions can you take this week towards ensuring the vulnerable in your community are protected?
All it Takes is a “YES”
READ & REFLECT
AIM’s founders, Don and Bridget Brewster, faced significant obstacles when they set out to begin aftercare work in Cambodia. They were aware of the issue and the needs but were unqualified according to the experts. It would have been easy to allow what they didn’t know to derail God’s call. They had a decision to make.
How often do we find ourselves in similar situations? We become aware of an issue, but disqualify ourselves from taking action because we feel inadequate. We convince ourselves that someone else with more knowledge or experience should step up because the solution seems greater than our capabilities. It’s easy to take ourselves out of the fight before we’ve even started.
Here’s the thing: Don’t underestimate what God will do with a “yes.”
“I didn’t want to face God and tell Him it was too difficult to act.”
Bridget Brewster, AIM Co-Founder
Say Yes
This week, we’ve grown in our awareness of human trafficking. We’ve also seen how God partners with us to push against the darkness. It’s easy to find ourselves paralyzed by the immensity of human trafficking. But God is not deterred, nor should we be. God is on the move and He’s inviting us to join him. All it takes is your yes.
TODAY’S BIBLE VERSES
- For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
Matthew 25:35-36 (NIV) - Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Matthew 5:42 (NIV)
PRAY FOR
High-risk countries to be transformed by the anti-trafficking work being done and to invest in future generations to eradicate trafficking.
The body of Christ to be activated and mobilized in the Spirit to fight trafficking on all fronts.
The courage to speak out against oppression, to take action and to fight for freedom.
Reflection Question:
- What obstacles have you placed in your own way?
- Each day, you’ve had reflection questions to help determine what action steps you could take in this fight. Go back and review your answers. What patterns emerge?
- What does living like an abolitionist look like now? Might God be asking you to say “yes” to?
- What are 2-3 action steps you will take in the next month?
CONGRATULATIONS, YOU’RE AN
The reality is, you already had the spirit of an abolitionist within you. But by working through this devotional, you have taken a vital step in choosing a life that lets this abolitionist spirit take hold and change the world.
Over the past five days, you have chewed on some tough questions and we are guessing that you have gotten some answers. Whether it be a nudge toward a certain action or a straight up call to a life-mission, pay attention to what God has said these past five days and the emotions that have been stirred up.
Don’t let these feelings sit.
At His core, Jesus was an abolitionist.
That same Spirit lives in you.
What are you going to do with it?
