Land of the Free?

So yesterday afternoon I started to do some research about Thailand. I mean, if I’m planning on going there then it would probably be good to know a little bit about it, right?

Well, the first thing I learned was that Thailand means “Land of the Free”. This really struck me and got lots of thoughts going in my head. The Operation World prayer guide explained a bit more about the meaning behind this:

“Thailand means Land of the Free because it successfully retained its freedom when surrounding countries were colonized by Western powers. It is believed that a special guardian angel, Phra Sayam Devadhiraj, protected the land, and a golden image of this spirit being was made. It has been worshipped ever since. The land is in bondage to a complex web of culture, spirit appeasement, occult practices and Buddhism, with a social cohesiveness out of which few have dared to come. For many Thai, their nationality and religion are inextricably linked. Pray for the spiritual breakthrough so that in the Lord Jesus the Thai may be free indeed.” (http://www.operationworld.org/country/thai/owtext.html#1-2).

So, with the meaning of Thailand being ‘land of the free’, how is the kingdom of Thailand actually doing in terms of freedom?

First of all, over 90% of Thai people are Buddhist, and less than 2% are followers of Jesus. There is widespread spiritual bondage in this country. It breaks my heart that so many Thai people don’t know Jesus. As they bring their offerings to Buddhist shrines, many have no idea about the love and grace that God longs to pour over them. God loves Thai people and desires to be in relationship with them! He wants MORE for them than continual offerings and rituals that will never appease the idols that they are presented to. He wants MORE for them than the works that they do in efforts to gain merit.

And the irony behind the meaning of Thailand – land of the free – is even greater when I think of the focus of our outreach. We are going to be working with women in the sex trade – a place of desperate bondage. Freedom is not a reality for the prostitutes on the streets of Bangkok.

Here are some stats to give you a glimpse into the extent of this bondage:

There are 2 to 3 million prostitutes in Thailand, a third of which are minors and children (one website called Thailand ‘Disneyland for pedophiles’).

4.6 million Thai men regularly, and 500,000 foreign men annually, use prostituted women and girls.

Many of the prostitutes that are working the streets of Thailand were sold into the sex trade at a young age because of poverty. They had no choice, they had no options, they had no opportunities. Their lives are shortened because of abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, spiritual), sickness (HIV/AIDS, etc), and addictions (drugs, alcohol).

There is so much brokenness and bondage in Thailand. This is so different from what God wants for these beautiful children and women (and men too). This is not what God intended for Thailand.

But can Jesus redeem and restore this nation? Can He bring change and transformation to the poor family that is hungry because they can’t find employment and buy food? To the victim of sex trafficking who has been repeatedly violated and abused? To the drug addict that is now affected with HIV/AIDS? To the businessman who stops by and visits the brothel each day after work?

I believe that He can! I believe that God wants to transform Thailand so that it truly is the “land of the free”!

This past week, our speakers were talking a lot about the kingdom of God. So I started thinking; what would it look like for God’s kingdom to come in Thailand?

Isaiah 61:1 says:

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.

Jesus brought freedom! There is spiritual freedom in Christ! Freedom from sin, guilt, and shame. Freedom from having to bring offerings to shrines and constantly striving to make merit. Freedom to be who we were created to be – His beloved sons and daughters. Freedom to know and love Jesus and be in relationship with Him!

And Jesus also proclaimed physical freedom! Freedom from sickness and disease (HIV/AIDS) and addictions. Freedom for the captives – for the many women and children who have been trafficked into the Thai sex trade.

In Isaiah 58:6-12, God says:

Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke?

Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry a

nd bring the homeless poor into the house; w

hen you see the naked, to cover him; a

nd not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

Then your light will break out like the dawn, a

nd your recovery will speedily spring forth; a

nd your righteousness will go before you; t

he glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; y

ou will cry for help, and He will say: "Here am I."

If you do away with the yoke of oppression, w

ith the pointing finger and malicious talk,

And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry a

nd satisfy the needs of the oppressed, t

hen your light will rise in the darkness, 
a

nd your night will become like the noonday.

The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins a

nd will raise up the age-old foundations; y

ou will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,

Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

God longs for Thailand to be a kingdom of freedom. Light. Healing. Peace. Righteousness. Justice, Salvation. Love. Grace. Mercy. Hope. Jesus reigns! And Jesus wants to reign in the hearts of the Thai people!

Pray with me that God’s kingdom will come in Thailand! Pray for freedom and healing! Pray against the lies and deception that the enemy has used to keep Thailand in bondage for so long. Praise God that the darkness has to leave when His light comes! Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world!