In a recent New York Post article, columnist Douglas Murray details the sinister and ubiquitous influence of fentanyl over the contemporary American drug scene. His investigation leads him to describe New York City as “ground zero” for the fentanyl crisis.
Have you taken your place on the wall?
Notwithstanding Murray’s description of New York as being ground zero, fentanyl is in fact an all-of-America problem. There will be no America, however, and indeed no hope of any future, if we can’t have whole and healthy children growing into godly, moral, and purpose-led adults. Against such, the enemies of our nation and of our churches don’t stand a chance.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them. They shall not be put to shame when they speak with enemies at the gate (Psalm 127:4–5 LEB).
But will we be able to have such children and youth?
There’s more to this crisis, though. Today, we’re threatened by a form and level of illicit drug trading we’ve never seen before, an avenue far too easy to access: the darknet, or dark web (not to be confused with the deep web). Maybe the most popular and commonly used network for darknet access is the Tor browser (Tor stands for The Onion Router). According to Statista.com, the mean daily number of Tor users is about 4.6 million.
The darknet is a very busy highway, and much of its traffic is devoted to substance-smuggling businesses. As reported in The Atlantic in 2018, fentanyl users and dealers can easily access more potent fentanyl delivery on demand via the darknet.
Murray’s report highlights the sad reality that now official institutions and the dark web are actually supporting addicts, funding and feeding their addiction:
“One recent evening in New York, I headed over to OnPoint, a supervised drug injection site in Washington Heights. The controversial facility allows addicts to shoot up under ‘safe’ conditions, with staff on hand to revive users if they overdose. These ‘safe use’ facilities are still in the experimental phase, with many critics as well as supporters.”
The safe-use facilities Murray describes in his article are exceedingly surreal: There is no discussion about treatment, detoxification, or any other life-saving changes for addicts, because the goal is to remove the stigma of addiction. How is it that these drugs can reach so many people so easily? Murray shares the story of a former dealer who describes the U. S. Postal Service as “the biggest illicit drug delivery service in the country.” Why this convergence?
Axios recently told of a congressional panel report exposing the Chinese government’s sponsorship of the fentanyl pipeline into America. China has long been shown by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency to be the primary source of fentanyl entering America. In exposing the CCP’s direct involvement, this panel report reveals just one pillar of that regime’s attacks on America. Viewed through an objective lens, it can appear as if the American government, the pharmaceutical industry, and the scientific community have partnered with the CCP and the drug cartels to annihilate an entire generation of Americans. In May 2023, U.S. News & World Reports said U.S. deaths due to fentanyl use nearly quadrupled in the five years from 2016 to 2021. And an item on NPR points to 2023 as a record-setting year for opioid overdose deaths in America.
We need not remain subject to this evil.
Let’s repent for not having been more aggressive against the spiritual forces behind the illicit drug industry in America in decades past. Let’s confess the promises of our God over every prodigal addict, and let’s declare by faith that they will be delivered from the spirits of addiction and will instead become slaves to righteousness! If you have an addict in your family, persistently plead the blood of Jesus over that person throughout the day, and ask God to relieve the pains that first attracted him or her to opioids.
Let’s give God no rest from our petitions that He sever the transportation portals and funding to the nations, cartels, transporters, and organizations producing, distributing, and dealing opioids illegally and legally. Let’s give God no rest until He grants us justice against our Adversary, on behalf of every family of every child murdered through fentanyl.
Our God, we implore You to frustrate the plans of the nations behind the fentanyl genocide. Wage Your warfare against this evil, thwart the devices and plots of every entity involved, and breathe new life into our prodigals!
God has given us a prayer strategy. Let’s stand in the gap for those who are ensnared by addiction in America and against the powers promoting the evil of drug use. If you feel empowered to intercede, please share with one friend.
Photo credit: freedom007 from Getty Images, Canva Pro.