Jackie Pullinger emphasizes the mission of Jesus to bring good news, freedom, and healing to the oppressed and marginalized, highlighting the modern-day realities of slavery and inequality. She draws parallels between the biblical concept of Jubilee and the need for restoration and liberation in today's world, urging the church to actively participate in addressing these issues. Pullinger also discusses the importance of understanding the Kingdom of God, which is not merely a future hope but a present reality that involves both words and actions. She encourages believers to practice their spiritual gifts in ministering to others, emphasizing that true salvation encompasses holistic healing and transformation. Ultimately, she calls for a deeper engagement with the Holy Spirit to bring about change in individuals and communities.

Okay, back to Luke 4. He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, whatever that good news would be. It should be good news. Not a pill to swallow so you go to heaven. He has anointed me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind. Freedom for the prisoners. In 1 Peter, if I can find it, he says, 2 Peter, a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. In 2 Peter 2.19, and another scripture says he came to free all those who were held in slavery by their fear of death. So Jesus came to set prisoners free and to free the oppressed. In another session, hopefully, we'll get to deal with the ways that people are oppressed these days. But it is surely obvious to anyone who reads the newspaper or follows the news, fake or otherwise, that we are living in a time where the inequality between the haves and the have-nots is greater and greater and greater and greater. And I've met some of them who are slaves. We've got one of my team here who's with me who's been looking after a house of girls who've been rescued from slavery in a certain Asian country. And the underage girls, to get them set free or rescue them from where they've been enslaved by whoever was complicit in it, is not a simple job, but it's much more simple than getting the slavery out of them. You know, it's very much like women who are beaten by their husbands. If they ever manage to leave them, are likely to find another one. Like the people of Israel were set free from Egypt when Moses took them out with mighty signs in one day, but it took 40 years to get Egypt out of them because they took the idols with them. Yeah, so there are more people in slavery today than there ever have been in all of history. And this, the people trafficking movements are huge. We have a house in a country which is on the border between two countries, and you can see women, arms, and drugs going both ways, trafficked both ways. In one of the countries, there aren't enough women for the men to marry because of a one-child policy or the terrible thing which certain Asian countries do, which is to prescreen their children when they're pregnant and kill off the girls. So there aren't enough for men to marry now, so they have to buy them. And apart from that, there's enforced labor. We have a strange society in Hong Kong. It's very strange because even relatively middle-class or poor people have servants because both mother and father need to work. So they need somebody to send their poor kid to school who has to go to school at two or three where we live. So they employ somebody from Philippines or Indonesia. And there are guidelines as to how much they should be paid, but nobody enforces the guidelines. So all these poor women arrive in Hong Kong with huge debts because they've had to pay for the privilege of learning Chinese and Chinese cooking. They have their passports taken away. They're usually paid between a third and a half of the minimum wage which they're supposed to be paid. But if they complain, they lose their jobs. And then they're sent back to the original country and they have to repay tens of thousands of dollars which the recruiting agency took from them. So they're prisoners. It's called bonded labor. That's how Dubai was built, by the way. You admire their tall buildings. I don't know if it was one a week or one a day fell off. They're Pakistanis or people from other countries in the Indian subcontinent who have their passports taken away and they're put in accommodation, hostels like pigsties, and not paid. And what can they do? They've got no passport. This is happening all over the world. So God is certainly not pleased. And there they are trying to take boats from Baltic countries and Africa to Europe who is wondering if they will receive any more. And we guard our little country which is full of green fields and there is room for. This is always room in God's heart. Always room for one more. I don't have the answer for this country. I just know that the people of God have to be in the answer because nobody else has got a heart. And Jesus came to set free the prisoners and give liberation to the oppressed. And I'm not going to be preachy about this because I thank God I'm not a politician. I don't know how they're gonna fix it. It's just that a huge amount of the world is looking for a home. And I think God has one. So this is what Jesus was anointed to bring. And if you'll practice in Molsey, you might get some clues. As to how to help those that are tenting in the Mediterranean. Proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. This is the year of the Lord's favor. This is Jubilee. If you know about Jubilee, briefly this is what it was. One day in every seven was to be a rest. And this is rest for the animals and rest for the servants. And this was important. And then one year in every seven was to be a Sabbath year. And the land was to rest, which I gather makes good farming sense. And miraculously the crops were enough for the next year and the next year. Because they were not to plant in that year. And all debts got forgiven. It's amazing. So in Deuteronomy, he says be very careful that you don't do mean arithmetic. And if somebody in year five says, please will you lend a poor man, please will you lend me some money? Do not be hard hearted or tight fisted, it says in Deuteronomy. For the Lord will find you guilty of sin. Why would you not lend in the fifth year? Well, it's not worth it. Because in the year seven, they all go free. So I'll lend in year one, so I might get some interest. So God's got a whole other system going. Every seventh, seventh Sabbath year, there was a Jubilee year. And the land rested and people who'd lost their homes got their homes back and families were reunited. And people who'd been sold or lent into slavery because they'd lost their money, they got set free. Everything, it's the most wonderful year. And Jubilee was announced with a trumpet. So this is the year of freedom. So actually, what Jubilee is, is a picture of the kingdom of God. Everything comes right in this year. Unfair things are set free, families get reunited, you get your house back, you get your land back. And by the way, when you look at this Jubilee system, because every 50 years, all debts were set free and every seven years were set free, that meant there was no inherited wealth. So Buffett may have got it right. But it means that no one family was to be the rich family. Every 50 years, there was a rearrangement of wealth. And if you look at Leviticus number and Deuteronomy, these are all great, great books. The Lord actually says there is enough for everyone. And he makes the boundaries. So that's all good fun stuff. But you actually need to believe that there is enough. God is not out of control and he never meant some people to have and other people not to have. And then I'll do some praying about this tomorrow for people who, for whatever reason, find it difficult to share what they've got or feel they've got a right to what they've got. Because that has to be broken. Otherwise, we're not free. Okay, so when in Luke seven, John the Baptist, who was Jesus' cousin, sent his disciples to Jesus and said, are you the one or are we waiting for another? John the Baptist, very interesting, because he was filled with the Holy Spirit in the womb before birth. And in the womb, he recognized Jesus. When Jesus came towards him before his baptism, John the Baptist says, behold, the Lamb of God. He recognizes him. But from time to time, he doesn't get it. And it's very strange, isn't it, that Jesus says, amongst men, there's no one mightier. He's sort of like the last prophet. But in the kingdom of God, he's the least. He didn't understand the kingdom of God. Just from time to time, by revelation, he recognized who Jesus was. In this passage in Luke seven, 22 and 23, he sent his disciples, he's in prison, he sent his disciples to Jesus to say, are you the one? In other words, he's really saying, get a move on. Because he didn't understand the kingdom of God. Most of the disciples didn't understand the kingdom of God. And we're going to have a look at what the kingdom of God is. It says in Acts chapter one, after Jesus rose from the dead, he spent 40 days with his disciples, talking about the kingdom of God, and they still didn't get it. 40 days, and they still didn't get it. Because they said, when, when, when? Which day, which day? And he said, you know, I'm not telling. That's the father's business. Because they were waiting for the event, which had actually already come. You see, when, when Jesus first appeared, he says, the kingdom of God is here. The kingdom of God is here. The king, and they couldn't see it. Because perhaps John's understanding of the kingdom of God was, Israel's going to get set free from these wretched Romans who are, have stolen our country. So there are several places in the scripture. And one of them's in Luke, when it says, Jesus was heading for Jerusalem. So his disciples thought the kingdom was coming. Because in their understanding, it was, he's going to overthrow the Roman king and restore the kingship of Israel, which is what they were longing for. So John didn't understand. Maybe he's saying, come on, Jesus. Isn't it about time you took the kingdom? And this is what Jesus replies on. Oops. 22, okay, let me see if I can do that. Okay, go back and report to John what you have seen and heard. The blind receive sight, the lame walk. Those who have leprosy are cleansed. The deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on this fact. So he's actually saying, if you could see, I've done it, but they mistook the enemy. They thought the enemy was the Romans and the enemy was the devil. So that's why they didn't, because they were looking for something to happen naturally, whereas he was announcing a spiritual rule of God and the return of the king of kings to rule Israel. So this is also what you'll find many times in Luke's gospel, is that the words and the works of Jesus go together. So here he says, in the verse before, go back, what you see and hear. So never imagine that the gospel is a formula. It isn't four by four steps to Christ. It never was. We cannot separate the words from the works. And because we've inherited a doctrine which felt so strongly that we didn't want to confuse people by thinking they had to earn salvation, there's been a practice of preaching a word gospel when it was always supposed to be works. With the words. So what is it that they'd seen and heard? The blind received sight. That would be easy. If you knew a man had been blind two minutes before and two minutes after, he's rubbing mud from his eyes and running around saying, I can see, I can see. You would know there was a before and after. The lame walk, that would be easy too. If you knew the man who'd been born and sat by a beautiful gate, and then he's leaping and jumping and praising God, you would know there was a before and after. Those who have leprosy are cleansed. It's interesting that leprosy is always cleansed. That's the word that's used instead of healed. Just to note that. Because well, tonight we'll pray for some skin diseases. The dead are raised. The deaf here, that would be easy too. That would be the man who hadn't heard, and Jesus put his fingers in his ears and spat on his tongue. I prayed for a deaf man once. The first thing he did after he began to hear was to sing, which is lovely, isn't it? Ah, so sweet. The dead are raised. This would be pretty easy. What would the dead man look like? So he probably would look something like this until Jesus says, cut off his grave clothes. So just to let you know, some dead people when they're raised, they need a bit of help. And that's why they live in our house for a year. They're born again, accepted by the Lord and extremely bound up. So the disciples, that's us, to do a bit of snipping. Okay, what do the poor look like after they've heard good news? Well, could be something like on a Sunday after a really good talk, you go up and you say, oh, Vicar, that was really good talk today. I feel really fed. But certainly on one occasion, 5,000 people were really clutching their stomachs and saying, thanks very much. I couldn't eat another mouthful, I'm completely full. They actually had eaten real food. So this is what Jesus was anointed for and I believe what we are anointed for. And then the last one, the favorable year of the Lord. Now, if you go back to the Luke passage, after Jesus has announced good news, says he's anointed, he then goes out and he starts to do exactly what he's talked about. So it's, he's speaking and he's doing. He's speaking and he's doing. And that's, if you read the book of Acts, which is written by Luke, he goes on to say all that Jesus said and did. So that's what you and I are to be about. Do as, and just a little hint to you. Most people are watching what you're doing, not listening to what you're saying. So don't speak too much. People ask me how I managed before I spoke Chinese and I said it was really a good thing. I couldn't speak because I'd have said too much. You know, I'd have got even preachier. So I found out after what, I was there six years when the number two gang leader in the world city said to me, you know, we're not listening to what you say. We're watching. After you'd been here six years, we thought maybe you meant what you said. So that was Jesus. Okay, so now I want to, after Jesus, the disciples in the Acts of the Apostles did the same things that Jesus did. But I just want to take a quick look at the kingdom of God now. The kingdom of God and healing. Looking at the word sozo, there's one group of believers in the world that do a sozo course. Some of you may have been on it. But the word is in Greek, meaning to be saved completely. And the scripture that will help is Colossians 1.13. 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. So to be saved is not just to be forgiven our sins and therefore fit for heaven, though that may be the most important part. It's to be saved in every way from where we have by birth or by habit or what we've inherited, where we have expected or used to a darkness. And this is to bring somebody out of every place where the enemy has brought sickness or oppression or injustice or unhappiness or fear or ADAH or whatever it is. So we can be out of the kingdom of oppression, of darkness, translated into the kingdom of light. And this is where some people have had a problem because they look at 2 Corinthians 5.17. This is where I had a problem because I was reading an old Bible. And in 2 Corinthians 5.17, it says when anyone is in Christ, he's a new man. Of course, I was reading the wrong Bible. So 2 Corinthians 5.17 really should read when anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation, meaning he's a new baby, but he might look like an old man. In fact, he might look like a very old man. And old men have got a lot of old men habits. So of course, being I'm an evangelist at heart, what I really like is for people to believe in Jesus and then somebody to shoot them. And then they could go to heaven instantly. And they wouldn't have time to get baptized or say sorry to their mother-in-law or repay the loans or all those. They wouldn't have to work anything out. But there's only one man I knew that got there that quick. And that was the thief on the cross who he didn't have time to get baptized. He was today in paradise. It was marvelous. Personally, that's what I go for. And most evangelists really hope that. Let me tell you about Africa. I have friends that live in a country where there are huge crusades. There's never less than 50,000 people saved. I think they may have been the same people that were saved before. But it's always huge. Everything's big. And nobody's changed. Nobody's changed. What was that? They may have, and I've no idea if they may have, gladly received the news of the love of God and the forgiveness of God and the grace of God. But they walk around in the old man, which isn't attractive. We'll try to address some of what that is. But if you understand the 2 Corinthians 5, 17 people, this is what I did. When I led people to Jesus, and they received the power of the Holy Spirit, and they spoke in tongues, and we prayed them off drugs, miraculously, they got off drugs without pain. I thought, oh, good! You know, so after five days, I sent them out to work. You know, or school. And that's what most normal people think should happen. They always say to us, are they working? You know, are they working? As if that's the sign of new birth. But you know, they're in fact about six weeks old. You know, they can't cross the road yet. Their old man could cross the road and cost quite a few people on the way. But their new man needs a bit of time to grow up and practice walking. So this does not mean to say, when you accept the forgiveness, and the love, and the grace of God, it doesn't mean to say you're half saved, you know. You know, I used to have some friends years ago who subscribed to the black and white dog doctrine. You know, we've all got a black dog in us and a white dog. It's, you know, Romans 6, 7, and 8, you know. We've got to starve the black dog and feed the white dog with Bible study and prayer, you know, so the black dog doesn't win. You know, it's really not that. It really isn't. But it's not simple, it's not as clear as to say, once I receive Jesus as my savior, all my problems are over. I am saved, and should I die, which, you know, I'm going to be with him, which is great. But if you notice, the average Christian does start to grow older, you know. And we, even the saved ones, get wrinkles, and may need glasses. We aren't, because Jesus has died on the cross for us, totally free from the effects of the fall, which he never meant. I have no idea how the aging process would have worked had man not sinned, I'm not at all sure. I don't know, it's different, isn't it? But our aim of salvation is to be equipped and try to listen to the Holy Spirit to find out where is it that in this person's life they are still by habit in the dominion of darkness, whereas they have been purchased with the blood of Jesus, and this is not their inheritance at all. So we want to lay hold of every kind of freedom and healing that Jesus purchased for us on the cross. So right now, we're going to do a little practice in how to pray for people. Okay, so I'd like you all just to stand, and for a minute, we'll do the alternative laying on of hands, and Yvonne and I will, and Bob will demonstrate this. Too much, I've been doing to others what I would have others do to me. Okay, fine, right, stay standing. Okay, now, could you just put your hand up if you were here two years ago? Good, okay, so you all know how to get words of knowledge. Is that right? Do you remember? Okay, so you're going to ask the Lord to reveal to you problems that may be here, or sicknesses, and this is, you may, let's say, if it's an eye problem, you may feel a pain in your eye, and then you say, Lord, is this me, or is it someone else? Or you may have the medical term for the eye problem. In America, this works well. They're intimately acquainted with the diagnosis there. In Hong Kong, people just have achy arm, achy eye, achy ear, it's achy everything, so, or you may see a shadow over somebody's eye, or you may just say eye problem. So, that's it, those are just some ways. So, let's invite the Holy Spirit, and then I'll ask five or six of you to come and offer your words. Okay, we'll have the musicians on hand. Please, Lord, give me words of knowledge, you're supposed to be saying, that will help someone else to get healed. This is for them, not for you, so please be a good spot. Best to close your eyes, instead of looking at who's got it. Okay, second row, would you just, one in every two or three, pack up, so we can walk through the rows. Okay, now, what's gonna happen is, I don't want you to move too quickly. We are going to, you will either receive prayer, or pray for someone, okay? Now, remember, you haven't got to say anything. So, if you've never done this before, join a group that looks as if they know what they're doing. Because you're gonna work as a team. I always prefer to pray for people with about three others, because the chances of between us getting more gifts of the Spirit are higher. So, one person doesn't get everything. So, I'm going to ask anybody who is responding to the words we've just had, if you would just close your eyes, and open your hands. Okay, so any of those conditions that were called out. It doesn't mean to say other sick people aren't gonna get prayed for, but it may be later. Okay, if you'd keep your eyes closed. Now, this is what to do when you're deciding who to pray for, okay? We are going to invite the Holy Spirit to come, and it's just like one of the prophecies we had earlier. The Lord's gonna give you eyes, and you will decide, who shall I pray for? Don't pray for your friend. Don't pray for the person you feel sorry for, but ask the Holy Spirit, and walk around, and you'll see some people, there's a shine on them. Other people, you see, they're beginning to breathe quite deeply, and you can see that the Spirit is obviously touching something. And the fun thing about this whole ministry is Jesus told us to heal the sick, but we can't. But he told us to, so in fact, how it works is he heals the sick, and we get our hand out, that's all. So, you know, if he doesn't, we can't. And Jesus said, I'll show you the scriptures later, I only do what I see my Father doing. If my Father isn't working, I can't do anything. That's Jesus. So why would we think we can do anything? So you're off the hook, and just invite the Spirit, will you, yourself, to fill you, prepare you to go and pray for someone, and then walk around. If there are, don't put your hand on them yet, Joe. Don't put your hand on them yet, because I want to go step by step for the sake of people who've not done this before. If you've got two people standing side by side, just move one of them. So that you can get a little group by each person. Okay, now, if you're standing by someone, and no one else is there, would you put your hand up? Because we need more people. Go, join them. Who's with you? How come you've got four people, and other people haven't got any? Oh, come on, work it out a bit, will you? We need more. Okay, so what's happening over here? Okay, so there's a whole lot of you. Is anybody else only got one, or two? Y'all got about three? Y'all okay now, that's a better distribution. Okay, so we welcome you, Holy Spirit. This is what to do. Don't put your hands on them yet. Number one, please ask them, and they can open their eyes now, what's your name, and how can we pray for you? Please do not pray behind somebody's back. We're not going to catch them if they fall. If it is the Holy Spirit, they won't hurt themselves. Okay, so you two guys over there, put your hand up if you've only got two or three in your group, and we'll see if we can redistribute some people. Okay, if you end up with five in your group, it's fine. Okay, now, I want you to look at the other people in your group, and decide that you guys are going to make some kind of eye contact. Why are you standing there? Is it a back problem? Okay, only stand behind their back if you're praying for their back, because it is a back problem. Okay, but I want you to practice looking at her face. Okay, we don't need you, so you can come out and pray for people, yeah? So, don't hide behind your PA machine. So, right, good, good, that we need spiritful PA people, really good. You've found out their name, and how can I pray for you? Some people want to tell you their full medical history. It's not necessary, you know, just, I've seen all the Chinese doctors there are, and all the medical doctors, and I'm still bleeding. You know, that would do. If they, if they, you might get a sense, if it's an accident, just ask them, when did the accident happen? Sometimes, in fact, quite often, it may be that they were on their way to do, to serve the Lord somewhere. They were on their way to a foreign country, and the enemy stopped them. So, I always pray the Joseph prayer for them. What the enemy meant for harm, Lord, turn to good. And, because that's what Joseph said. You know, after, after imprisonment, false rape accusations, and all of that, he said, you meant it for harm. The enemy meant it for harm, God meant it for good. You have to believe that through the cross, God can turn it all around. Okay, so have you asked them their name? You've asked them how long they've had it, what the sickness is, was it an accident? Okay, okay, fine. Right now, if you're receiving prayer, now close your eyes. Okay, you ready? You close your eyes, and open your hands. If they need to have a seat, make sure there's one available. We're going to be practical. Now, the Holy Spirit's on her. Keep your eyes closed. Immediately you closed your eyes, you could see it. So, if you see the Spirit on someone, and I could see it on that person's eyes, they were just fluttering, under your breath, or out loud, say, Holy Spirit, we bless what you're doing. Holy Spirit, we bless what you're doing. Okay, now you've no idea what he's doing yet. Doesn't matter. Right, thank you, Lord. Now, between you, you guys who are doing the praying, expect to get pictures, or some words that'll give you a clue as to the cause of the condition. Most physical conditions, or many, have an emotional cause. It doesn't mean they're not real. It means they are real. But many have an emotional cause. So, Anne, she'll be very quick. You guys, work between you. If you pray in tongues, pray silently. Dear Lord, I have no idea how to pray for this person. Please give me a clue. Okay, in the meantime, don't say too much. If, you may now put your hands on them. Ask them if it's okay. It's better men on men, or women on women. If you get into a muddle with someone in the opposite sex, get them to lay hands on themselves. And if you're praying for someone, try and keep your eyes open. It's not a rule. It just means that you'll get sensitive to working with the father. Now, if it's a knee problem, don't immediately pray for the knee. It may be you need to pray for the marriage. Okay, so you're not necessarily praying for the sickness. And if you pray for the marriage, and you bless God's purpose in their life, the knee will get better all by itself. Okay, so words of knowledge, give us the excuse to pray for someone. And maybe the Lord wants to touch something else. Okay, you are all quietly saying, Holy Spirit, please come. Holy Spirit, please come. Okay, now, are you praying for anyone over there? No? No, we probably need you to. Now, look at the other people in your group. Have you got anything? Communicate with the people in your group. And if they say, no, no, no, you don't need to say anything. Just go on praying in the spirit silently. Please face her. Please face her. If you can't think of anything to say, just start to bless them. And you do it directly. Because we have the power and the authority to bless. In Jesus' name, I bless you. I bless you to know you're loved. I bless you to know you're special. Most people don't believe that. And you know, she is. She wants to use her life blessing other people. And the enemy wanted to knock her off a bike. So bless God's calling on her life. Affirm that. More Holy Spirit. If you see the Holy Spirit moving, more. You can cooperate with the Father. We'd love to see more. If somebody's in distress, please don't rub their shoulder or hold their hand. You can do that at lunch. And you can do that tomorrow. It's just that when you're ministering in the spirit, we want it to be the spirit. So don't get in the way, okay? Don't try and give human comfort or massage at this point. We did that before. Okay, so that's all. They may grab your hand instead of receiving from the Lord. At some point, you can say to the person, how are you feeling? I learned this in California. They love that question. How are you feeling? When Jesus prayed for the blind man, he said, how are you doing? And the blind man said, well, I can see people, but they are fuzzy like trees walking. So if you ask the person, they keep their eyes closed. You say, how are you feeling? They might say, oh, it was hot on my back where you touched me. In which case, you say, Holy Spirit, we bless what you're doing. Any reason why you're not touching him? Okay. And if he says, you know, when you prayed that prayer, it was helpful, or when you put your hand there, it was helpful. You say, Holy Spirit, we bless what you're doing. More, more, more. How long do you go on praying? We go on praying until lunch comes or until you've had enough. When Jesus healed the blind man after he said trees were fuzzy, he prayed for him some more, and then he could see perfectly. So even Jesus, when he was healing, it was a gradual process. If it happens immediately, it's a miracle. Most healings are step-by-step. So have you blessed the person you're praying for? Blessed you to know how special you are? And by the way, you can tell how special people are by looking at their face. Do you feel any better, Barbara? Do you feel any better? Yes, I do. Well, my hips have stopped hurting. I still have a bit of a twinge in the bottom of my spine, but nothing like it's been all morning. Well, good. We'll pray some more tonight. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, thank you. I think your lunch is ready. And we do have another shot, so we can go on praying some more tonight. Remember, one word from the Holy Spirit is better than your long good idea prayer.