Praying For The Exploited Prayer Guide - OneLifeMatters.org

Eradicate slaveryStop human traffickingProvide clean waterCare for the homelessRescue orphansHelp refugeesFight povertyMeet spiritual needsUse your You one hold life to the make key. a difference.www.onelifematters.orgUse your one life to make a difference.go@onelifematters.orgonelifematters.orggo@onelifematters.orgIn partnership withfacebook.com/kingdomwomenglorifypraying for theexploitedA PRAYER GUIDE

introexploitation, noun, (ek-sploi-TEY-shun)Taking advantage of individuals or groups forpersonal or commercial gain.Around the world, millions of men, womenand children are vulnerable to exploitationand oppression as a result of poverty,prejudice and cultural norms. ThroughoutScripture, God stands against the oppressorsand calls His people to “speak up for thosewho have no voice” (Proverbs 31:8).Praying daily for the exploited and theexploiters is one critical step forward.This 28-day guide will help you seek God’sheart for the oppressed. Use it as you prayerwalkareas of exploitation in your communityor prepare for a mission trip to the other sideof the world. Use it as a stand-alone resourceor in conjunction with the six-session Biblestudy, “Confronting the Exploiters,” availableat onelifematters.org/resources.Use it as you become a voice for those whohave none!

day 1Read Genesis 16 and21 this week. Use theseScriptures to focus yourprayers on the exploited.day 2Pray for women, likeHagar, who areabused, abandonedand vulnerableto exploitation.

day 3Pray for Jerry and Nima*,commercial sex workers who haveprofessed faith in Jesus butremain confused and in pain.Pray that God will give them an“undivided heart” to follow Him.Pray for commercial sex workerswho are attending church in onered-light district in Thailand. PrayGod will give them courage toshare the Gospel with their coworkersand families.*names changedday 4

day 5Pray for Christian workers as theyencounter spiritual darkness in redlightdistricts. Pray that the Spirit willstrengthen them as they persevereto share the Gospel.day 6Pray that national believers willjoin with Christian workers to shareGod’s Word in red-light districts.Pray they will see exploited men andwomen as God sees them, ratherthan through the lens of culturalstigma, economic status or tradition.

day 7Thank God that He is“the God who sees” theplight of the oppressed.day 8Read Exodus 1–12 thisweek. Use theseScriptures to fuel yourprayers as you pray forthose who are exploitingthe vulnerable.

day 9Pray for those, like Pharaoh,who exploit the vulnerablefor commercial gain.day 10Pray for three pimps in atourist city in Thailand whorecently received the Bibleon SD cards, digital memorydevices used in cell phones.Pray that God will open theireyes to the truth of His Word.

day 11Pray for the owner of amassage parlor who recentlyasked Christian workershow she might receive forgivenessfrom her sins. Praythat she will accept God’sforgiveness.day 12Pray that God will remove thelustful desires of the “johns”who seek sex services.

day 13Pray that God will closedown the sex industryin cities throughoutthe U.S. and aroundthe world.day 14Thank God that He ismore powerful than themost powerful exploiteron earth.

day 15Read Ruth 1– 4. Pray forthose involved inprevention of trafficking.day 16Pray for those, likeNaomi, who protectvulnerable womenand model lifestylesof compassion.

day 17Pray for godly men to modellifestyles of respect and dignitybefore other men in theircommunities.day 18Pray for the directors of a dayshelter in South Asia, whereteen girls receive educationand life skills. Pray for reinstatementof a program designed tokeep girls under age 13 off thestreets. The program was canceleda year ago due to lack offunding, resources and staff.

day 19Pray that godlyfamilies will considerfostering or adoptingat-risk children and teens.day 20Pray that God and Hispeople will be so activein our families andcommunities thatoppression cannot exist.

day 21Thank God for men, likeBoaz, who respond withdignity and restraint tovulnerable women.day 22Read Genesis 37– 50. Usethese Scriptures to fuelyour prayers as you praythis week for those involvedin “aftercare” of victims.

day 23Pray for those, likeJoseph, who are victimsof trafficking for forcedlabor.day 24Pray for wisdom anddiscernment for thoseproviding aftercare tovictims.

day 25Pray that well-meaningadvocacy groups willavoid the temptation to“victimize the victims.”day 26Pray that the rescuedwill experience safety,strength, support andnew life.

Pray for more sheltersthat can provide qualityaftercare to traffickingvictims.day 28day 27Thank God that He iscapable of using eventhe most evil actions tobring about good.Where do we go from here?As God leads us to pray, He often calls us toact. As a follower of Jesus, you hold the keythat can free the exploited from bondage.Consider these next steps:1. Prayerwalk a red-light district in yourcommunity.2. Deliver gift bags to a strip club, women’sprison or women’s shelter.3. Provide childcare to help out a single mom.4. Plan a mission trip to an area of the worldknown for trafficking and exploitation.5. Support a OneLife or Baptist GlobalResponse (gobgr.org) project focused onalleviating poverty, addressing exploitation orproviding training in life skills.Seek to build Gospel-focused relationshipsamong the exploited wherever and howeverGod leads you.