In 2003, an estimated 20,000 people were illegally smuggled into the U.S. as slaves. By the end of the year, 2007 is expected to see around 100,000 sex slaves smuggled into our borders. This is a growing problem! Tonight at IHOP, we pressed in again with fasting and prayer over this issue. Church, we have tolerated Jezebel (Revelation 2:18-29). When 50-70% of Christians view pornography. When pastors are addicted to it (depending on the survey that number is also been 50-70%)!! When we go out and pay money to be entertained by movies that promote and glorify sexual immorality. When we watch it on our TV and call the viewing of wickedness our 'rest' or 'recreation.' We should rest in God, and let him re-create us. For many in the church, pornography eventually needs them to an affair or even the use of prostitutes or sex slaves. Sadly, we even know of churches who's pastor is in an adulterous relationship and they knowingly say it's okay as long as he'll keep preaching to them!

We are the gatekeepers of the city. When the pastors and elders and other church leaders tolerate sexual immorality, they open wide the door in the Spirit for powers to exercise influence over our children and our territory (that is the city in which we dwell). I prayed for this issue at The Call in Nashville, and I pray again- God have mercy, bring repentance, and shut the doors to this thing. Every time there's an altar call for this, I'm moved to go pray with authority for my brothers and sisters, because I was once in this bondage, and have been delivered. In the past, I tolerated sex on the tv screen, and choose not to turn my eye- even bringing home movies that I knew would have such filth in them. I first saw pornography as teen who didn't know the Lord, turned away from it, and years later found it on the internet for a season. I had to struggle with my flesh, fast, and pray. And Yah, my God had to intervene and deliver me. We might think a little skin on the tv isn't the issue, but it is. You see, we, being seated in the heavenly realms with Christ, have authority that loses and binds on the earth and in heaven. When we tolerate a rape scene as entertainment in our homes, we have given our consent in the spirit for rape on our streets.

Repent beloved, repent.

Good news: We fasted and prayed as a House this past Tuesday for our city. On Wednesday a major move of God delivered Atlanta's number one most wanted pimp into the hands of our justice system, and broke the bonds of the captives. I take this as a good sign from the Lord, that he's listening and watching for true repentance and longs to answer our prayers. He will fight the battle beloved, if we put our trust in him.

Last night at Encounter we had a very intense response to the condition of our city and the horrific reality of the absolute depravity of man. Many went into weeping and even travail over this wickedness. The scriptures tell us that righteousness and wickedness will mature together at the end of the age. Wickedness in it's fulness is approaching beloved, but not here. Yet every 30 seconds a young girl is taken against her will or by deception and forced into a life of sexual slavery. Every 30 seconds. In this darkness, even mothers and fathers have sold their own daughters to be used by 15-30 men a day. This should not be!! The sexual exploitation of children has become the third largest money maker in organized crime, behind guns and drugs, in Atlanta. Men are flying into our airport, having sex with children, and getting home in time for dinner.

This is why we fast and pray, beloved. Because the government can't fix it. Awareness can't fix it. Banners won't get our daughters out of dog cages (which is where many sleep night after night). We make our appeals to the highest court of the universe. That light would break in. That injustice would be exposed. That God would go to war on behalf of the children. This issue has griped intercessors at IHOP for some time now, and is often prayed over, but right now seems to be a strategic time to press in on this very issue.

Tuesday, Sept 25th, we fast and pray over this issue, we've even added extra intercession sets to press this. Furthermore, Sunday night we'll have intercession over the sex slave trade, and we'll fast back-to-back with the Global Bridegroom Fast for a total of 4 days in fasting and prayer. Tomorrow's fast and Sunday's was actually initiated by a branch of the Salvation Army as a national movement, and God walked us right into step. We discovered it only this morning and said "yes, we'll join that fast."

I really want you to get more of a grasp on this issue, and not turn a blind eye to the problem. For you mp3 peoples, either go through i-Tunes store and subscribe to the IHOP-Atlanta Podcast, or visit ihop-atlanta.com and click on the audio/video link (about mid page) to get this past Sunday's message. By Tuesday afternoon, we should have the audio from our Sunday night meeting online, if not, it will be soon.
In addition, I encourage you to download and read a well researched report on the problem called "Hidden In Plain View"