Mission in Dark Places

 How did Jesus reach people?

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” Matthew 11:19 ESV

During His earthly life Jesus of Nazareth was known as a friend of sinners. The strictest observers of the Word of God accused Him breaking God’s law by hanging around with bad people. Were they right?

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Matthew 9:9-11 (ESV)

There are many Christian ministers today who will organise missions and outreaches. Some will invite drug addicts and prostitutes to come to Christian meetings. Why? To preach the gospel and save sinners.

But Jesus went a step further, a very big step further. He accepted invitations to eat and drink with the worst sinners in their own homes. If a notorious gangland boss invited Jesus to a party with underworld people, would Jesus go?

In the New Testament, we read that Jesus not only preached to sinners. He went to their homes and their dinner parties.

Does that mean that Jesus was always available for every invitation from any crook in town? No. King Herod was impressed by the stories of the miracles of Jesus and he wanted to see this new “celebrity” but Jesus avoided him. Luke 9:9 (NKJV)

There are some major Christian leaders today who are campaigning against human trafficking for sex slavery. They are actually going to pickup bars and houses of prostitution to make friendly contact with prostitutes and even sometimes with pimps. 

There are many hard core sinners and oppressed victims who cannot be reached by preaching but only by believers who dare to do what Jesus did, seek out the lost sheep in the dark places and reach them with genuine friendliness.

In one American city an English missionary found that many of the young prostitutes were from Christian homes. After sharing the love of Jesus with them, many turned to God, perhaps for the first time, and many returned to their families.

I know Christian women in Germany who visited a brothel every week. Through their ministry of friendship, victims of human trafficking were set free and some prostitutes became Christians.

But isn’t it dangerous to mix with sinners?

Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits." 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NKJV)

I believe this is one reason that Jesus sent out His disciples TWO BY TWO.

The Apostle Paul was single himself but he usually went on a mission with at least one partner in ministry. At various times these included Barnabas, Timothy, Silas and Luke. With the help of the grace of God, Paul penetrated dark places and planted churches in many previously unreached cities.

But there was one place where Paul’s great spiritual gifts only succeeded in winning a few converts. That was in Athens. In Athens Paul ministered alone and without a partner.

There is a new move amongst the people of God. Many are no longer looking to the priest, pastor or evangelist, the spiritual giant on the pedestal. Many are no longer waiting for the Man of God to move.

Many of us are rediscovering spiritual partnership, personal spiritual experience, spiritual community and teamwork. This is the way hundreds of millions will see that Jesus is alive in His people and many more millions will find God for themselves.

Suffering can become a Blessing.

 A Peruvian man had a hunger for adventure. Adventures can be exciting but they can also be fatal.

This man lost his way in the Amazon jungle. His family was sure he was dead, but he was adopted by an indigenous tribe and learned to live in the jungle. He not only learned their language and customs, but he learned to use jungle plants to treat tropical diseases. 

After seven years, he somehow found his way back to his own people, but he found a community in a tragic crisis. People were in the grip of an epidemic. Modern medicine was not working and many people were dying. 

He was not a doctor but he applied his knowledge of natural medicine he had learned in the jungle. It proved so effective that many lives were saved. 

The news of this success spread far and wide. Many botanists and medical experts came to learn from him. 

This man, who had been given up for dead, lived to the age of 91.

I have never known anyone who was lost in the jungle, but there are different kinds of terrible experiences which can lead to great blessings.

I have met people who have come out of prostitution, long prison terms and terrible drug addictions, but they have found faith in God and become a life saving help for many people.

I had a Christian conversion experience in my twenties but the first church I joined turned out to be a cult, where people were brainwashed and spiritually abused. After I was expelled from the cult, I spent a whole year in intensive full time psychiatric treatment.

It took me many years to recover, but God did not give up on me.

Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch Christian woman whose family protected Jews in the wartime Nazi occupation. She and her sister were captured and spent nearly a year in German prisons and concentration camps. Her sister died in the camp but she was released due to a clerical error. 

After this terrible suffering, she toured the world, bringing faith and hope to people without hope.

What kind of suffering have you been through? Prison, domestic violence, rape, human trafficking, cult brainwashing, severe mental illness?

No matter where you are, God loves you and has a plan for your life. In heaven there are murderers, ex prostitutes, people who have been witches, and also victims. 

In heaven there are babies who were aborted and mothers who aborted their babies.

No matter what you have been through, no matter what you are going through now, never, never, never give up.

Gaby Wentland is a German missionary preacher. She ministers to prostitutes and victims of abuse. She says there is more prayer in brothels than in many churches. 

God loves you no matter where you are, who you are, what you are doing, what you have done or what has been done to you.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NRSVue

No matter whether you are the worst abuser or the most broken victim, Jesus died to take your punishment on himself. He hung naked on the cross to bare your shame.

But there is a condition. You must be willing to turn away from your cruelty, your selfishness and dishonesty. God loves you but you must be willing to change.

Call to me, and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. Jer 33:3 NRSVue

God is waiting to hear you cry for help.

Not only does God want to save you from guilt, from shame and abuse. He wants to use your painful experiences to help others. I have been wonderfully encouraged by people who have been in very dark places. 

The Peruvian man learned jungle medicine to save lives. If you have been in prison, in psychiatric treatment, in drug addiction or prostitution, God can use your experience to help people with similar experiences.

Witch Set Free from Demons

 God created you. Your birth was planned and wanted by God because He saw you and loved you before the creation of the world. 

No matter whether the circumstances of your birth were favourable or not, God simply loves you.
No matter what you have done or what has been done to you. God simply loves you.

This creation is corrupt, but not completely ruined.

God has a cruel enemy who wants to poison and destroy all of God's works, and he has done a lot of damage, perhaps even in your life.

No matter what has happened in your life, God has a plan to give you a good future.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11 NIV

I once saw a preacher from Brazil in a video recording. She told how she had been dedicated to demons from birth because her whole family worshipped the devil.

As a toddler, she was tormented by demons. She couldn't sleep without terrible nightmares. 

At the age of twelve, she became possessed by demons who drove her to live as a prostitute on the streets. Gradually, she learned to live her life as a witch with magical powers. She became a notorious witch, and Christians prayed for her.

She herself became cruel, but was also terribly tormented. The devil is very cruel, even to his slaves. Her suffering became unbearable until she desperately sought help. She did not know which spirit was stronger, the devil or God, but she prayed for help.

Jesus then visited her and she saw a vision from God, like in a video. She saw Jesus suffering and dying on the cross, taking the punishment for her sins upon himself.

She converted to Jesus, but then her little daughter fell ill. The devils sought revenge and her daughter died, but she herself was forgiven and freed by Jesus.

Then God raised her up to give her testimony. Many prostitutes and occultists were converted. As a witch, she was very dangerous, but as a Christian preacher, she became a powerful weapon in God's hands.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NIV

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Rom 5:10 NIV

God Hates Cruelty

 Why does God allow such terrible suffering in this world? People blame God. Why does God allow cruel slavery? 

The Egyptian pyramids were built by slaves. In the so-called golden age of Ancient Greece, the citizens exercised democratic rights, but their wives lived at home under strict control. The beautiful buildings were built by slaves. The city government operated brothels. The prostitutes were slaves, and the money paid for their services was not given to the women.

Human trafficking and forced prostitution is still a huge international industry today.

Did God do this? Why blame God for the evil that men choose to practise? 

It is true that God permitted slavery in the bible, but the slavery that God authorised was very different from the brutal practices in Egypt, Greece and Rome and in the illegal brothels today.

The apostle Paul told Christian slaves to obey their masters. What was the alternative? A slave owner was legally entitled to kill a disobedient slave on the spot.

At the same time, Paul instructed Christian slave owners to treat their slaves kindly. This was a radical idea at the time.
But how did this world become so cruel in the first place? 

God created the first man and woman and gave them the authority to manage this world. They were supposed to be God’s junior partners in governing the natural world. 

Adam and Eve were created in the image of God. Since God has free will, Adam and Even must also have free will. Otherwise they could not be like God.

Some people doubt if this bible story is literally true, but even if you are not sure, it is obvious that we humans have turned away from God from the very beginning. God gave us humans the authority to manage the earth and without God we have messed it up very badly.

Jesus taught that we must love each other like brothers and sisters, to love our neighbour as ourselves.

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Mt 7:12 NIV

If everyone followed this teaching of Jesus, there would be no slavery, no prostitution, no domestic violence, no child abuse, no robbery or violence.

All these terrible things are what people choose to do, so why blame God?

Does God like slavery? 

Who led the political campaign against slavery in the British Empire. William Wilberforce, a committed Christian.

Who led the political battle to abolish cruel child labour in British factories? The Anthony Ashley Cooper, the Earl of Shaftsbury, another dedicated Christian.

Delivered from Demons

 God created you. Your birth was planned and willed by God because he saw and loved you even before the creation of the world.

Regardless of whether the circumstances of your birth were favourable or not. God simply loves you.
No matter what you have done or what has been done to you. God simply loves you.

This creation is corrupted, but not completely ruined.

God has a cruel enemy who wants to poison and destroy all of God's works, and he has done a lot of damage, perhaps in your life as well.

No matter what has happened in your life, God has a plan to give you a good future.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jer 29:11 NKJV

I once saw a preacher from Brazil in a video recording. She told how she was dedicated to demons from birth because her whole family worshipped the devil.

As a small child, she was tormented by demons. She could not sleep without terrible nightmares.

At the age of twelve, she was possessed by demons that drove her to live on the streets as a prostitute. Gradually, she learnt to live her life as a witch with magical powers. She became known as a witch and Christians prayed for her.

She herself was cruel, but also terribly tormented. The devil is very cruel, even with his slaves. Her suffering became unbearable until she desperately sought help. She didn't know which spirit was stronger, the devil or God, but she prayed for help.

Jesus then visited her and she experienced a revelation, like in a video. She saw Jesus suffer and die on the cross, taking the punishment for her sin upon himself.

She converted to Jesus, but then her little daughter fell ill. The devils sought revenge and her daughter died, but she herself was forgiven and set free by Jesus.

Then God raised her up to give her testimony. Many prostitutes and occultists were converted. As a witch she was very dangerous, but as a Christian preacher she became a powerful weapon in God's hands.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NIV

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Rom 5:10 NIV

God Uses Unsuitable People

 In his brilliant book on Marketplace Christianity, Ed Silvoso tells the story of a newly converted Filipino taxi driver.

He felt the leading of the Holy Spirit to personally go and evangelise in a pub. The pub was called "Sweet Moments".

"Every day he visited the pub, ordered a soft drink and prayed for blessings and peace for everyone in the pub, the staff and the customers.

After a few days, he became friends with Brian, the manager. Brian was a drug addict and a drug dealer. He was also a pimp with 35 prostitutes.

The friendship became closer. After a few days, Brian became a convert and the newly converted taxi driver baptised him at a nearby beach.  

When Brian emerged from the water, the power of God came upon him and he experienced an instant transformation.

He was instantly freed from gambling, drug addiction and all his vices. He was no longer a pimp either. He had previously done this to finance his vices.

Soon the 35 prostitutes were also converted and the lawyer who owned the pub was also converted.

The pub became a dynamic Christian church and the newly converted taxi driver was the pastor and church leader."

But can that be biblically okay? Can a newly converted Christian plant a church? Can a non-ordained preacher baptise? For many, this is unthinkable.

But Jesus is our role model, isn't he?

Jesus chose disciples who had no theological training.

He drove demons out of a raging possessed man who had terrorised an entire region.

Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.

When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him.

With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!”
For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.” Mk 5:5–8 NLT

The man was completely set free. And what did Jesus do then? Did he refer him to a good rehab centre?

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him.
But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” Mk 5:18–19 NLT

And what did the man do?

So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them. Mk 5:20 NLT

The man became the evangelist for an entire region, just like the newly converted Filipino taxi driver who evangelised in a brothel and planted a church.

When it comes to totally crazy projects with unqualified preachers or missionaries, Jesus is the specialist par excellence.

Jackie Pullinger was a young unmarried English woman who God chose to be a missionary, but no missionary organisation would have her.

She went on a sea voyage and disembarked in Hong Kong with virtually no money.

She started missionary work in the dirtiest place in Hong Kong. There were no policemen and no toilets in the walled city, but there were many drug dealers, many prostitutes and many brutal pimps. 

She had no sponsor and no financial support, but with God's help she founded a mission that transformed the worst place in Hong Kong.

When it comes to totally crazy projects with unqualified preachers or missionaries, Jesus is the specialist par excellence.

Christian Empathy or Cruel Judgement

There are Christians who have been horribly abused. There are women who attempt suicide because of domestic violence and cruel domination or who need weeks of care in a psychiatric clinic.

There are boys and girls who flee their family home because of abuse. Then they are often just as badly abused on the street, or sometimes worse.

I once spoke to a young man who was begging on the street in winter. I asked him where he sleeps. He said he sometimes spends the night with some client.

Many Christians try to help these people, but without God's love and wisdom our attempts are often in vain.

Tormented women are often told by pastors or counsellors that they must simply forgive. Of course we must forgive. Jesus taught that, but just forgive? Simply?

Does that mean she must stay with the husband who rapes and brutally beats her?

Jesus often spoke of forgiveness, but also of justice, compassion and practical help.
Harshly controlling women are often told to stay with their cruel tormentors because of wedding vows, even if the violence is against her small children!

For some abused women, Bible-based religion is like a torture chamber. They do not experience the love of God, but the Spanish Inquisition.

There are women who find prostitution more bearable than the captivity and slavery of a brutal marriage.

Some Christians refer to the strong teaching of Jesus against divorce. Jesus was addressing the brutal oppression of women, because rabbis allowed men to divorce their wives for any reason or no reason.

Jesus also said that the law of God should not be implemented to destroy people.

Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Mk 2:27 NIV

We could also say: Marriage was made for the good of man (and woman)  and not man (and woman) for marriage.

He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?

In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” Mk 2:25–26 NIV

The priest in the Old Testament defied God's law concerning holy bread, so he could help extremely hungry people, and Jesus judged the priest's actions as righteous.

Some Christians are harshly judgemental, as the pharisees were in the Bible, but there are also many Christians who are wonderfully compassionate, as Jesus was in the Gospels.

I know Christian women who visit brothels who share the love of God with genuine kindness. Teen Challenge is an international ministry that restores drug addicts with Christian love.

Many Christians provide practical help to homeless people who are often struggling to survive on the streets due to abuse or mental illness. I thank God for this help. I am personally acquainted with Christian women who used to be homeless.

I am convinced that our attitude towards broken marriages, runaway children, drug abuse and prostitution should not be one of moral condemnation, but of empathy and compassion.

Repent and Believe.

 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Heb 12:14 NIV

If this text does not inspire the fear of God in you, then there is something wrong with your faith.

For example, if you are involved in pornography addiction, should you expect to go to heaven?

It's good to proclaim the truth of God, but if you keep aggressively belittling those who think differently, do the outsiders see the love of God in you? Will your religious pride open the door to heaven for you?

If we are saved only by holy living, we must live godly lives.
What does that mean? Can we earn eternal life?

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
not by works, so that no one can boast. Eph 2:8–9 NIV

We are saved from condemnation by God's grace, but we must never forget that we are saved not only from God's punishment, but from sin, from the old unholy life.

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?
By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Rom 6:1–2 NIV

God gives us grace to live as disciples of Jesus, not as sinners who expect God's forgiveness lightly and unconditionally.

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Jn 8:31–32 NASB95

I read a story about a prostitute who attended a church service. She kept attending the service and she came to faith. Her thinking and character changed bit by bit. Then she began to tithe. A while later, she left her work in the brothel and began to lead a completely new life.

This conversion was a process. When was she accepted by Jesus as a child of God? Only God knows that. We must not rush to judgement, but we do know one thing: If she had stayed in the brothel, she would never have got to heaven.

But there are many Christians who were never shameful sinners like this prostitute, but they were nevertheless secretly addicted to pornography, or they were cruel husbands, or greedy businessmen. If they don't repent, should they expect God's blessing and salvation?

What did Jesus say?

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mk 1:14–15 NIV

Porn Star Escapes

 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?

And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. Mt 18:12–13 NIV

Shelley Lubben loved Jesus when she was a little girl. She wanted to be a preacher. At the age of nine she was sexually abused. She was sexualised and became sexually active as a teenager. At 18, her life was out of control and her parents rejected her.

She was poor and hungry. Then a man offered her money for sex and she became a prostitute.

She became pregnant and gave birth to a child with a client. She kept the baby but continued to work as a prostitute.

However, God did not abandon her. She still believed in God, but she did not trust Jesus because she was rejected by her parents and everyone else. She also felt that God had abandoned her.

Then she was afraid of rape, murder and prison. She looked for a way out as a porn actress because it seemed less dangerous.

Then she felt the diabolical darkness like never before, much worse than in prostitution.
She had a brilliant success as a porn star, but the eerie demonic presence was terrible to her.

Then Jesus Himself came to her again and again. He pleaded with her lovingly:
Please, Shelley, don't do it again this time.

She eventually left the porn industry, but she was deeply hurt and tainted.

She then found a friend who had also turned away from Jesus. He became a brotherly friend, but then they returned to Jesus together and she married him.

Deliverance from Addictions, Trauma and Sin

There is a big difference between a person who wilfully and unscrupulously follows evil ways and a person who is overcome by sin.

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Gal 6:1 NIV

A young man thinks he is a born-again Christian. He loves to read books about faith. He talks enthusiastically about missions and wonderful testimonies. He is a Jesus fan.

At the same time, he has a pretty girlfriend. She works in a brothel and wants to continue working as a prostitute. She has no inclination to seek a different life.

This young religious man seems to have no remorse. He wants to continue to enjoy his sexual adventures and at the same time remain a Jesus fan.

Is this man on the path that leads to heaven? What does Jesus say?

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Mt 7:21 NIV

Should we help this man with gentle counselling? Perhaps he needs to fear God's judgement.

Then there are completely different situations in which true disciples of the Lord are overwhelmed by temptation.

Peter told Jesus that he was ready to die for his Lord.

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” Mt 26:34 NIV

Jesus did not scold Peter, but corrected him mercifully with love and grace.

I know a pastor who was overwhelmed by his responsibilities and financial problems. He loved Jesus with all his heart, but he was overwhelmed that his faith was not strong enough to get out of trouble.

He tried to pay his debts by gambling with poker machines. He not only lost his own money, but money that belonged to the church. When he openly confessed his sin, he was  deeply humiliated had to resign from his position as pastor.

Peter was not condemned when he failed before the cross, nor do I believe that this pastor and his wife were condemned. They repented and are faithful servants of the Lord to this day.

I also know Christians who go wrong after unbearable abuse and bullying. Some with gambling addictions, others with porn or sexual sin, others with alcohol or other drugs.

God understands your trauma. You hate your sin and Jesus hates that sin too. He does not look down on you. He wants to heal your broken heart. He wants to set you free from your addiction and sin.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Ps 147:3 NIV

God Transforms your Past

 “Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. Is 54:4 NIV

God remembers everything in your life, the good, the bad and the ugly.
But doesn't the Bible say that God forgets your sins when he forgives you?

God chooses not to consider your forgiven sin as sin. But God keeps a record of everything in your history for a different purpose.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Ro 8:28 NIV

God keeps a record of your whole life to heal the wounds in your soul.

Better yet, God uses the wrong and traumatic experiences in your life to bless you and others.

When Moses died, Joshua took over the leadership of Israel.
Before the Israelites miraculously crossed the Jordan, Joshua sent spies to Jericho.

They narrowly escaped capture when they fled to a brothel. The prostitute Rahab protected them because she believed in the God of Israel.

When the city of Jericho fell, Rahab's house was preserved and she was welcomed in Israel as a convert to the true God.

She became the grandmother of King David's grandfather.
Rahab is one of only four women listed in Jesus' family tree in the Gospel of Matthew.

Jesus said to the self-righteous Jewish religious leaders:

... “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. Mt 21:31 NIV

How many prostitutes have been encouraged by the story of Rahab to respond to God's love?

God uses the records of our past lives to bless us and others.

I once heard a very interesting preacher. He told the story of a church made up mostly of converted former prostitutes. They were wonderful street evangelists.

    As prostitutes, they had pursued men with shameless boldness. God used that same shameless boldness to make them marvellous evangelists.

God forgets the sinfulness of your sin, but He uses your sinful past to bring about amazing miracles.

Reaching Broken People

 Are you under threat? Attacks can come from all directions.

I have had to go through many crises in my life: Illness, unemployment, bullying, persecution, financial problems.

I am grateful for the help of my parents and my Christian relatives and friends, but without God's faithfulness I would have been ruined.

I know a very likeable young woman who had no help from her family. As a young girl she had already believed in Jesus, but she went through traumatic experiences and then she was alone.

She worked as a prostitute for years until she finally experienced real Christian love when some Christian women visited the brothel. She is now a faithful Christian.

She told me that she believed in Jesus as a young child, but not that she prayed as a prostitute. But I suspect that she sometimes begged God for help.

Gaby Wentland is a pastor who does missionary work among prostitutes and ex-prostitutes. She said there is more prayer in brothels than in many churches.

I read in the Bible that the Hebrews were enslaved and horribly bullied in Egypt. When God spoke to Moses in the desert, he said that he had heard the desperate prayers of the Hebrews.

Then the LORD told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. Ex 3:7 NLT

When it comes to mind, I often pray for prostitutes.

There are already Christians who help prostitutes and victims of human trafficking. Jesus said that many people are ready to receive God's salvation, but they need help.

Not all Christians can visit brothels or minister in pubs, but some can and should minister in difficult worldly places.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few.
Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” Mt 9:37–38 CSB

We can find broken victims everywhere, in schools, universities, offices, shops in your neighbourhood and on the street. Broken victims often maintain a facade of respectability, but not always.

I know a pastor who was shocked to learn that a seemingly decent woman in his congregation was a stripper in a nightclub.

When I see people who look very sad, impoverished or mentally disturbed, I often pray for them briefly. I believe God will answer many such prayers in an amazing way.

When I see people who look very sad, impoverished or mentally disturbed, I often pray for them briefly. I believe God will answer many such prayers in an amazing way.

Friendly greetings can also be a meaningful encouragement to many people.

(Jesus) said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

This is the greatest and first commandment.

And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ Mt 22:37–39 NRSV