That concludes general questions. The next item of business is First Minister's Questions, and at question number one, I call Douglas Ross. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. Earlier this week, Rishi Sunak announced a £4.2 billion contract to build five Type 26 frigates on the flight. This is a decision that will protect and strengthen our Scottish shipbuilding industry. The UK Government contract will support 1,700 jobs at Govan and Scottsdon alone, with a further 2,300 jobs in the wider supply chain. Will the First Minister join me in wholeheartedly welcoming this huge investment in Scottish jobs and our economy by the UK Government? I welcome this announcement, and I welcome the recognition of the skills, talent and expertise on the river Clyde. Of course, although those are responsibilities that continue to lie in the hands of the UK Government, albeit with Scottish taxpayers contributing to the cost of them, it is vital that Scotland benefits fully. I welcome the decision. I also take the opportunity to congratulate BAE. I have campaigned over many years for the future of Govan shipyard, which used to be in my constituency and is now in the constituency of Humza Yousaf. Although I welcome the award of the contract, I am duty bound to note that the original proposal back in 2010 was not for five new vessels, but for 13 new vessels. It was said then that all that work would be undertaken on the Clyde. Let's welcome it, but let's not rewrite history in the process. I'll take that as being about as good as it gets for the First Minister, supporting decisions by the UK Government, because this is a massive boost to Scottish shipbuilding and is only possible because we are part of the United Kingdom. Well, they don't like it, but an investment of this scale in engineering and manufacturing jobs would not be possible if the SNP got their way. If the nationalists ever managed to separate Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom, these Royal Navy ships would almost certainly be built elsewhere and the highly skilled Scottish jobs lost. Don't just take our word for it. Earlier this week, we heard from Keith Hartley, a professor of economics and a defence expert. He's advised the United Nations, the European Commission and the European Defence Agency. He said, and I quote, I don't see a future for a Scottish warshipbuilding industry in an independent Scotland. First Minister, he's right, isn't he? Before I go into the detail of that, let me just make the general point that I've made in this chamber before. If Douglas Ross wants to have a debate about the benefits or, as he would say, otherwise of independence, then I'd really welcome that. Let's have that debate and then let the people of Scotland decide the outcome in a referendum. If Douglas Ross was really confident in his argument, then he'd have the courage to have this debate, not just in the safety of the parliamentary debating chamber, but out there in towns and villages and communities all over Scotland. I do believe that the expertise and the skills of our shipbuilders on the river Clyde are world class and I believe that they would compete successfully for work across the world, regardless of the constitutional future of Scotland. That's the confidence that I have in our shipbuilding industry. Before Douglas Ross tries to argue against that, some of the work that was announced this week for Harland and Wolfe, for example, the UK Government at one point intended to hand all of that overseas and compete the contract internationally. The point is kind of made on that matter. Of course, an independent Scotland, like independent countries all over the world and an independent Scotland as a full member of NATO, would have naval capabilities of its own, capabilities that can and would be served and improved upon by our world-renowned shipbuilding industry and expertise. The difference between me and Douglas Ross is that I have confidence in our industry in all circumstances. He clearly doesn't. Douglas Ross, so who should the public trust on the economics of shipbuilding? A First Minister who can't build a single ferry for £250 million or a defence expert who's advised the United Nations? Of course, the First Minister has to deny the facts because the independence movement is sinking. It's absolutely sinking. She is a separation creek without a paddle and we know that there wouldn't be any major ships built if she got her way because look at her, her own appalling record on failing to build essential ferries for Scotland's island communities. The UK Government has delivered seven ships here in Scotland during her time as First Minister. Over the same period, how many have the SNP Scottish Government delivered? Douglas Ross regularly, and rightly challenges me on the delivery of the ferries, but he should perhaps be careful what he wishes for in terms of the exchange that we're having today. Of course, the vessels that he is lodding today, and I have welcomed the announcements around, back in 2013, the UK Government said that the first of these vessels would come into service around 2020. Earlier this month, it was reported that the first Type 26 wouldn't come into service until October 2028, eight years after the proposed date. Members, let's hear one another please. Let's turn to cost because the Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, has also said this in cost that over the lifetime of the programme the cost would be £233 million more than forecast. Perhaps Douglas Ross should turn some of these questions to his colleagues south of the border if he wants to come here and make a big issue of these things in this chamber. First, if Douglas Ross really believed what he has just said about Scotland's independence movement, he would be desperate for an independence referendum, the fact that he is running scared of an independence referendum. The fact that he is running scared of an independence referendum proves him wrong. Secondly, while I welcome those announcements for the Clyde this week, the fact is that most people across Scotland, right now, and indeed the UK, who are watching television, will be watching the Chancellor on his feet in the House of Commons announce significant deep real terms cuts and tax rises. That's the price of Tory government and that's why an increasing number of people in Scotland want this country to be independent. Douglas Ross. Anyone watching the Chancellor's autumn statement will look at what that is delivering, rather than the narrative from the fibbing First Minister who has been caught out so many times, because the narrative from the Chancellor today is a UK Government that is increasing benefits and pensions in line with inflation, that is increasing spending on health and on education, that is delivering one of the £1.5 billion of extra support to Scotland and is investing in the future of our economy. The First Minister had a very, very long narrative, but zero answers. That's what I'm desperate for in here, is finally an answer from Nicola Sturgeon. The reason she didn't answer is because her Government, at the same time that the UK Government has delivered seven warships, has delivered one ferry. Seven warships compared to one ferry. Now the UK Government will build another five frigates here in Scotland, but we don't know when the SNP will actually deliver and complete a ferry. Her failure is having a real impact on people and the livelihoods right across Scotland. Almost, yes, really Cabinet Secretary, yes, Cabinet Secretary, because almost half of all business— Members, excuse me, I'm simply not having members shouting at one another across the aisles. Can we please hear one another when we're speaking? The Cabinet Secretary is not just shouting at me, she is shouting at the island communities who are crying out for support from this First Minister and this Government, because before I was interrupted by the Cabinet Secretary, I was going to say half, half of islands and islands businesses said that ferry cancellations are posing a risk to their future. Just this week we've heard from islanders who are again enduring food shortages. The First Minister might not want to admit that her shipbuilding record has sunk the case for independence, but will she at least accept that her Government's failure to replace lifeline ferries is doing massive damage to our island communities? Yes, I have said on many occasions that the impact on our island communities of the delays to the ferries is deeply regrettable, which is why the Government with Ferguson's shipyard is focused so much and so hard on delivering these ferries. If Douglas Ross comes here and lods five type 26 frigates and he is right to do so, I've welcomed that announcement, but tries to make a comparison with ferries. I think he probably, before doing so, should have reflected on the fact that the first of these type 26 vessels will come into service eight years after it was planned to do so and at a significant cost overrun. If he wants to trade those things, he should at least understand the fact that he's basing his argument on. Secondly, I've already talked about the impact on our island communities and I repeat that, but what is having a significant impact on the lives and the livelihoods of people across Scotland is what the Chancellor of the Exchequer is currently setting out in the House of Commons. If Douglas Ross wants to talk about interruption to food supplies, for example, across the whole of the UK, caused by Brexit, then perhaps we might focus on that. Or the £55 billion black hole at the heart of UK finances largely caused by a combination of Brexit and Tory economic mismanagement that the Chancellor has just said is being filled by tax rises and spending cuts, more than half of it by spending cuts. The budget for this Government set at a time when inflation was 3 per cent, now being eroded by inflation at more than 10 per cent. That is having a devastating impact on people, on businesses, on public services across our country. When we consider all of that, Presiding Officer, it is no wonder at all that Douglas Ross did not want to come to this chamber and talk about any of the harm that Conservatives are doing to people across Scotland. Before I move on to question 2, I would prefer if members would please avoid language that suggests that other members are being deliberately untruthful. I call Anna Sarwar. Presiding Officer, this week the British Medical Association in Scotland sounded an alarm about the state of GP practices across the country. They say that practices are struggling with vacancies and GPs are, in their words, exhausted, burnt out and cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Do you agree with BMA Scotland and accept their criticism that this Government is not doing enough to tackle the GP crisis? Let me come on essentially in a second to what we are doing to tackle the situation with GP services in particular. Yes, I do accept what the BMA says about the pressure on our GPs. The NHS as a whole is under very significant pressure, greater pressure perhaps than at any time in the history of the national health service. That is true for those who work in our acute sector, and it is also true of those who work in primary care, including GPs. I absolutely accept those comments of the BMA. That, of course, is exactly why, starting from a base where we already have proportionately higher staffing in the NHS in Scotland than other parts of the UK and proportionately higher funding for our NHS, we have a target of recruiting over the next few years 800 additional GPs in headcounting. So far, since 2017, we have recruited 277 of them. In addition to that, we are supporting the wider primary care teams. In recent times, we have recruited over 3,000 primary care multidisciplinary team members to help with the pressure on GPs. NHS Pharmacy First has provided almost 3 million consultations across its network, so we continue to take action to support GPs but to support the wider teams in which GPs operate, and it is right and proper that we do so. The First Minister says that more GPs are being recruited, and she says that she is listening to what the BMA has to say about the pressures that they face, but she is clearly not listening to what they have to say about the recruitment crisis that we have in this national health service that predates the pandemic. To talk about the 227 new GPs recruited, the BMA is saying that we are 1,000 GPs short right now. That means unbearable pressure on existing GPs, and it means that many patients are unable to access a GP. On the First Minister's target of 800, we are well short, and the BMA has made it clear that missing the target would mean, and I quote again, disastrous for Scotland and our patients. At the same time, the First Minister has decided to cut the budget for primary care by £65 million. Those cuts mean taking away the ability to recruit the health professionals that GP practices need to support their patients. Dr Beust has this to say. This cut threatens to undermine practices at the exact moment when we should be doing the opposite. Will the First Minister reverse the cut, truly listen to the BMA and support Scotland's NHS staff? Let me take the budgetary one first. I do not like the budget situation that the Scottish Government faces, but the hard reality is that this year our budget has been eroded to the tune of £1.7 billion because of inflation. It is effectively a fixed budget. We have no levers to increase the revenue available to us within this financial year, so we have to make very difficult decisions. We have been open with the chamber about those decisions. If any member of the chamber thinks that we should take different decisions, they can come and put that case to us. What they cannot do is magic up more money for this financial year. That is a reality that Anna Sarwar's colleagues in Wales openly recognise. They are facing tough decisions as well, and they are making clear that without additional funding from the UK Government, those tough decisions are inescapable. That is the reality that we face. None of us is like it, but we cannot escape it. In terms of GPs, we have more GPs per head of population than other parts of the UK, but we want to grow our GP workforce, which is why the target I have spoken about and the progress against that target is so important. Two is the redesign and reform work that we are doing in terms of the wider primary care teams. None of those things are easy and the impact on patients of the pressure on our NHS. I think that all of us acutely understand, but we will continue to support those who work in our national health service. We will try to recruit from overseas as much as we can, something that inexplicably Labour seems to have set their face against. We will continue to take the steps to support our NHS in these tough times, because that is what they deserve and what the people of Scotland expect from us. The First Minister must have pretend that she has not been in government for 15 years and has been in charge of setting the budget for the NHS for 15 years. These problems predate the budget and the inflation crisis, but I recognise the inflation crisis. That is why, when the Deputy First Minister came to this chamber two months ago with the emergency statement, we said then that we would work constructive with the Government if they opened up the books. They have failed to open up the books, rather hiding and playing politics, but I am doing right by the people across this country. Those decisions have consequences. The Deputy First Minister called the cut of £65 million for GP practices, which are already short-staffed under pressure as a re-prioritisation. Let's call it what it is. It's a cut that's having a devastating consequence for staff and for patients. At the same time as cutting GP practices, the health secretary tells people to go to their GP instead of going to the A&E. Another case of the SNP telling NHS staff to do more with less, leaving patients waiting longer to be seen, longer to be diagnosed and longer to be treated. The SNP has been in charge of our NHS for 15 years, and there is a crisis in every part of it. In our GP practices, after accident emergencies, in our hospitals, staff are crying out for help, patients are dying. Does the First Minister accept that this is the worst it's ever been, all happening on Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf's watch? Nothing I have said today or at any time takes away from the fact that management of the NHS is the responsibility of me and my Government. I absolutely accept that and take that responsibility seriously. Is the pressure on the NHS greater than it has been at any time in the history of the NHS? Yes, it is. That has been significantly exacerbated by the pandemic, but there are other factors at play there as well, the changing demographics of our populations, for example. So these are significant challenges that Governments have to work through. The fact of the matter is, though, that while management of the NHS is our responsibility, the amount that we are able to invest in the national health service is determined by funding decisions that are taken at Westminster, the kind of funding decisions that are being set out in the House of Commons as we speak. Let me quote Labour's health minister in Wales. The fact is, our hands are tied by the amount of money that we get from the UK Government. That's the situation we are in. How is it that Labour and Wales can recognise that, but Labour in Scotland is so blind to the reality because they're so thrilled to defending the Conservatives at the expense of setting out the reality? In terms of primary care funding, of course, the primary care improvement fund is still increased in value to £170 million. We have opened the books. The Deputy First Minister has made two statements in this Parliament setting out the savings that we are required to make because of inflation to balance our books. Anybody who wants to say that we should be doing that differently can come forward and say that. What they cannot do is deny the reality. Even within that reality, we have proportionately higher funding for our national health service in Scotland than in other parts of the UK, including in Wales, where Labour is in government and higher staffing levels. That's the measure of the priority that this Government gives to the national health service and always will give to our national health service. I intend to take general and supplementary questions after question 6. Can I ask those members who have pressed for a supplementary question? Please don't repress. However, if you want a supplementary question that refers to questions 4 to 6 on the paper, please press at the relevant point. To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet. I'm very grateful for that reply. We see the cost of Conservative incompetence measured out in the budget today. It will be punishing for families and public services alike. Those on the lowest incomes are most exposed. That includes many working in our social care sector. The First Minister is asking all of them to wait four years for the wrong solution. Organisations are now lining up to condemn the creation of the deceptively named national care service. This week, Barnardo is with the latest to warn that a huge spend requires risks diverting resources away from front-line services. They are right. The cost of this vast and unnecessary bureaucracy is up to £1.3 billion already and rising. That's before the Scottish ministers trigger a massive VAT bill through centralisation. If the First Minister has a billion pounds to spare, then every care worker in Scotland can think of better ways to spend it. Will she withdraw the bill today and put that money into services and staff? Alex Cole-Hamilton, as is his right, has opposed the national care service from even before the parliamentary scrutiny began. That is his position, but he shouldn't stand up here and say it's because of comments that have been made in the course of the parliamentary scrutiny so far. We will listen carefully to that and it's important that we allow that process of scrutiny to continue. The national care service is about ending a postcode lottery in adult social care that all of us accept is not acceptable. It is about better valuing those who work in our social care system. That's what we want to do. We will listen to the comments that are made in the course of the parliamentary scrutiny of the bill. In the meantime, of course, we will continue to take action to address the challenges in social care. We have committed to increase spend in social care by 25 per cent by the end of the Parliament. Of course, we are increasing the wages of those who work in social care. We will continue to take that action as we will continue to progress the bill through Parliament, listening carefully to the comments that are made along the way. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government anticipates impact will be in Scotland of today's autumn statement. The Chancellor had only really begun the detailed office statement when I left the office to come to the chamber, so I've not yet had the opportunity to see all of the detail. We will assess the impact of that fully. However, I think that it is clear from what we know indeed from what the Chancellor had indicated before getting to his feet today that the UK Government is repeating the mistakes of the past, austerity, which they appear to be reintroducing does not work and will have significant impact. We are making consequences for people, for businesses and for public services. Those plans are likely to worsen the extreme pressures already being faced as a result of inflation and rising interest rates. We have called for an alternative approach that avoids prolonging a recession that the Bank of England forecast and the OBR confirms today that the UK is currently in recession. I hope that that alternative approach is listened to. However, of course, the UK is almost unique among wealthier countries in reintroducing austerity. It's the wrong approach and it will have a significant adverse impact on people and public services across Scotland. I thank the First Minister for that reply. On the morning of the last disastrous Tory budget, former Bank of England Governor Mark Carney told the Financial Times that, in 2016, the British economy was 90 per cent the size of Germany. It's now less than 70 per cent. Following that budget, £65,000 million, almost £1,000 for every person in the UK, was needed to stop a pension's fund collapse. Does the First Minister agree that the economic incompetence of successive UK Governments is why household incomes have languished since 2008, failing to keep pace with inflation as we face swinging cuts to public spending and mis-rising taxes? Can she advise us of the alternative to UK stagnation that will deliver a more prosperous, equal and fairer Scotland? Kenny Gibson is absolutely right to talk about the impact of Tory mismanagement. What we are hearing from the Chancellor today are tax rises and spending cuts. More than half of the black hole, according to the Chancellor, is going to be filled by spending cuts that will have a significant impact on our public services, including the national health service. We also know that, although there are global factors at play, much of that is caused by UK-specific factors. Brexit is a long-term and permanent drag on the UK economy. The effects of that are catastrophic. Of course, Tory mismanagement, through the many budget that I know the Scottish Conservatives now like to pretend never happened, is exacerbating that impact. It is people, businesses and public services who are paying the price of all of that. Finally, there is an alternative to Tory mismanagement of our economy. It is self-management of our economy, otherwise known as independence. Michelle Thomson, as the SNFM pointed out, research has proven that far from working the UK Government austerity programme after the 2008 financial crisis resulted in one of the lengthiest and slowest recoveries, yet the UK Government seemed determined to repeat the same mistakes. Does the SNF agree that, given the economic evidence proves that smaller independent states recovered best, it is actually the only sensible choice to follow their path and gain full control of our economy? First Minister, absolutely. What we are experiencing right now is what happens when we allow others to take decisions for us instead of taking these decisions for ourselves. No matter how the Tories tried to dress up today's statement, all of the spin that they will use, what they are doing is reintroducing austerity. They are doing that at a time when our public services have not yet properly recovered from the last period of Tory austerity. That is the reality and there is no denying that by the Conservatives. Countries across the world, of course, go through difficult times and some of those issues are global, but most countries do better when they control their own destinies and their own future. That too will be true when Scotland does become independent. Question 5, Pam Gossel. To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government supports the introduction of a domestic abuse register. First Minister, I am aware of the consultation on a proposed domestic abuse bill and take the opportunity to confirm that we will consider any proposals that would further our commitment to do more to support victims of domestic abuse. Of course we will consider that when the consultation has concluded. It will be important to look at how any proposals would interlink with implementation of Equally Safe, a strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls, but certainly we are open minded to any reasonable proposals that come forward. Pam Gossel. I thank the First Minister for that response. The consultation for my bill, which would introduce a domestic abuse register, closes on Monday. That bill proposal would help to protect victims of this appalling crime. Here is an example. I have spoken to one woman who told me she suffered numerous acts of violence and awful physical abuse for years. Her abuser has allegedly attacked five other women. She believes my proposed bill could have prevented some of those women from going through a horrific ordeal. Will the First Minister agree to meet me and this brave woman to hear why a domestic abuse register is necessary? Of course we will listen and meet when appropriate with anybody who wants to put forward those suggestions. I absolutely understand why somebody in that situation would consider that a proposal like this would make a difference. The Justice Secretary of course did meet with Pam Gossel, I believe at the end of August, to discuss the launch of the consultation on her proposed domestic abuse bill. We will consider those proposals when the consultation has closed, which I know it does shortly, and the proposals in that consultation have been properly analysed. We are open minded to that. Of course the Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse, the Police Scotland Disclosure Scheme, is in place right now. That has an important impact, but none of us, absolutely none of us should be complacent about domestic abuse or the need to do more to protect victims and potential victims of domestic abuse. I hope that the member will take those comments in the spirit that they are intended to signify a genuinely open mind. We have a number of initiatives in place, many of them under the ambit of equally safe that are about protecting women and girls. We need to consider carefully any proposals to ensure that they fit with that, but our minds are open and we will have further discussions as appropriate. Pauline McNeill Almost 80 per cent of women prisoners in Scotland have a history of significant head injury, but mostly through domestic abuse. The University of Glasgow has shown that in research 66 per cent of female inmates have suffered repeat head injuries and for many years 89 per cent of participants said domestic violence was the most common cause. It is concerning that many might return to their abusers on release from prison. Can I ask the First Minister what further action the Scottish Government can take to consider that specific point about female prisoners who had a history of being victims of domestic abuse while they are in prison, but importantly when they are released from prison? I am happy to give further consideration to that point and to look carefully at the research that underpins Pauline McNeill's question. I think that it is the case and I think that it is also well understood that many women who are in prison will be the victims of abuse and will be vulnerable in many respects. There are similar vulnerabilities for many men who are in prison as well, but we are rightly focusing on the issue of women right now. The number of women in prison has reduced over recent years of course and we want to see that trend continue so that those who do offend are treated appropriately. The points about the support for women who have suffered domestic abuse while they are in prison, but also upon their release from prison is important. We will certainly undertake to give the points that Pauline McNeill has raised today proper consideration and come back to her when we have had the opportunity to do so. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the report Health Inequalities in Scotland by the Fraser of Allander Institute. The report confirms what I suspect most of us already know is that socioeconomic inequalities drive wider inequalities and that is exactly why this Government is using the powers and resources that we have to tackle that within the limits that we operate within. We are doing that in a range of ways, for example through social security, including the Scottish child payment through provision of free childcare, free school meals, concessionary travel, free prescriptions and investment in affordable housing. We are doing that and this is just a statement of fact. We are doing that with one hand tied behind our backs without the full powers to tackle poverty and while we are shackled to a Westminster system and Tory government which has caused economic chaos and savage reductions in real terms in our budget. I hope today that we hear something different from the Chancellor but, as I said earlier on, I fear that the continued or reintroduced austerity that we are hearing today will deepen these impacts but also strengthen the case for more of these decisions and more of these powers lying in the hands of this Parliament. Richard Leonard. This week's report confirmed that almost half of Scotland's personal wealth is owned by just 10 per cent of households and that there is a direct link between extreme wealth inequality and health inequality. Does the First Minister accept that the Scottish Government has the power to redistribute land ownership and wealth but has not used that power? That the Scottish Government has the power to abolish the regressive council tax, introduce a land value tax, make land and building transaction taxes much more progressive but has failed to do so? That a wealth tax set and administered by the Scottish Parliament through an order of council could be pursued but she has decided not to. When will the First Minister use the tax powers that the Scottish Government has got to reduce Scotland's extreme inequalities of wealth and to fund our public services properly and progressively? I agree with a lot of what Richard Leonard has said that I suspect to agree with more of it than Anna Sarwar whose face was pretty impassive as Richard Leonard was recounting all of these policies which I suspect are not Scottish Labour policies. The fact of the matter is that if it is Scottish Labour's policy to replace the council tax with a land value tax, I will be happy to hear that and hear the detail of that. With our limited tax powers, we have a more progressive system of tax, so income tax, which is our main tax power, far too limited in terms of the overall sweep of tax powers, if you earn more in Scotland you pay slightly more and if you earn at least then you pay slightly less tax than you would elsewhere in the UK. If Richard Leonard wants us to be able to consider and introduce a wealth tax, he really needs to argue for the powers to lie in this Parliament to do exactly that. We will always favour progressive taxation but we need more powers over taxation in this Parliament to give effect to that. What we have done this week, of course, is increase the value of and extend the reach of the unique Scottish child payment, putting money directly into the pockets of those at the lowest end of the income spectrum and lifting children out of poverty, a shining example of how we can use powers when we have powers in the hands of this Parliament. We move to supplementary questions and I call Stephanie Callaghan to be followed by Miles Briggs. As the First Minister has just mentioned, the Scottish child payment has been increased to £25 and extended to under-16s this week. This has been described as a watershed moment by anti-poverty campaigners. Does the First Minister share my frustration that, although the Scottish Government is using the limited powers that it has to support people, those efforts are frequently undermined by the actions of the UK Tory Government? Yes, that is not just a matter of opinion, that is a matter of fact. So, while we are putting £25 now a week into the pockets of the lowest income families per child, the Tory Government in power right now, not that long ago, took £20 a week away from the poorest through the clawback of the universal credit uplift. That is just a fact, but we will continue to act to use the powers that we have. This week was a watershed moment. The Scottish child payment does not exist anywhere else in the UK. It is an example of what can be done when we prioritise lifting children out of poverty and investing in their future. As anti-poverty campaigners have said this week, if the Scottish Government can do that, why on earth can't the UK Government follow suit? The early areas of Monday morning, our war memorial in front of Edinburgh city council was vandalised in what was a mindless act of vandalism and absolutely appalling insult towards our fallen war heroes. This is both shocked and angered local community here in Edinburgh and I hope those who are responsible will be held to account in due course. Sadly, those attacks on war memorials are increasing in Scotland. That is why my Scottish Conservative colleague Megan Gallagher is bringing forward a bill to impose tougher penalties on those who attack and deface war memorials. Can I ask the First Minister if she will agree to consider Scottish Conservative proposals around this issue and what update can she provide with regard to the investigation around Monday's incident? Yes, we will consider any proposals that are brought forward. I have not seen the detail of those proposals yet but when they do appear we will give them due consideration and that is certainly important to do. In terms of the attack on the war memorial in Edinburgh less than 24 hours before that despicable attack took place, I amongst others was privileged to lay a wreath at that war memorial in remembrance of those who had made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country and to allow us to enjoy the freedoms that we take for granted today. What happened in the early hours of Monday morning is almost beyond words, absolutely despicable, sickening and disgusting. It is beyond my comprehension, I am sure it is beyond the comprehension of any of us in this chamber, how anybody could attack a war memorial at any time of the year but particularly just hours after remembrance Sunday. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on an on-going police investigation, obviously that is for the police to take forward but where I will end these remarks in agreement with the member is that I really do hope that those responsible for this despicable attack are identified and face the full force of justice. On Sunday international teams will begin to compete for the biggest prize in world football but they will do so in a state that denies the rights of LGBT plus people, suppresses the rights of women and has demonstrated quite clearly that it has no regard for the lives or wellbeing of migrant workers. Only a few weeks ago Qatar's world cup ambassador branded being gay as damage in the mind. Senior figures of the SFA will be attending world cup events on the day the tournament kicks off. LGBT plus people, many of whom are passionate football fans, are allies and stands across the country, the tartan army, the STUC and Zander Murray of Gallifery Dean Rovers of whom I think we should all be immensely proud to have voiced concern and disapproval about this world cup and have called on the SFA to think again. The SFA has said that it is, and I quote, supportive of all measures to improve human rights conditions in Qatar. Does the First Minister believe that our football governing body attending this world cup can send any other message than the validation of the human rights record of Qatar and what message does she think it sends particularly to LGBT plus people in Scotland? The world cup gets under way later this week in Qatar. I think it is a really important moment for all of us, regardless of party, regardless of anything else that might divide us, to stand in solidarity with the LGBT plus community in Scotland, in the UK, in Europe and right across the world. I hope that that will unite all of us today. In terms of attendance or otherwise of SFA officials, that is a matter for the SFA. Governments should not intervene in decisions that sports governing bodies take, but I would certainly hope that anybody attending the world cup in Qatar in any capacity would take the opportunity to express solidarity with our LGBT plus community. I think that that is what is even more important over the next few weeks than sport, that we take the opportunity to stand up for human rights and the dignity of those in that community and that we unite around that sentiment today and right throughout the period of the competition in Qatar. The figures published this week show that the number of young Scots aged 18 to 24, sanctioned by the DWP, has nearly doubled since 2019. That is over 2,500 young people being denied vital support in the midst of a cost of living crisis. Does the First Minister share my view that this is immoral and that the welfare system should be there to support people, not penalise them? Yes, I think that Natalie Dawn is absolutely right to raise this issue. These figures are really alarming. They are DWP figures and they show that the universal credit sanction rate is more than double the pre-pandemic level, with over 42,000 sanctions being applied across all claims in July this year. The data also shows that sanctions are applied most to young people between the ages of 18 to 24. Despite substantial evidence showing that sanctions simply do not work and that they have long-term detrimental effects, the UK Government's sanctions policy is pushing more people into hardship and doing that during a cost of living crisis. I take the opportunity today to call on the UK Government to urgently review its sanctions policy along with the other punitive policies within the universal credit system such as the five-week wait, the two-child limit and the benefit cap and focus instead on supporting people rather than punishing them when they are already struggling so much. First Minister, you are aware of the difficulties that are facing the 4th Valley hospital, with five consultants leaving in the space of two weeks and the facility being described as a war zone and toxic environment. The health board says that any concerns raised by clinical or other staff groups are taken seriously and that there is no attempt to cover up. However, the reality is that I continue to have to make representation to the board as further whistleblowers come forward seeking assistance. They are saying that the culture within the hospital regarding bullying continues and there is no meaningful change by the senior management. First Minister, this is frankly a shocking situation to occur in any hospital, so what action can be put in place to ensure that the facility is safe and fit for purpose? First Minister, the safety of any hospital is of paramount importance. Let me make two points. I know that the health secretary is engaged fully on those issues. Firstly, when a whistleblower raises a concern, that must be treated with the utmost seriousness and thoroughly investigated. Secondly, the chief operating officer of NHS Scotland has met the 4th Valley chief executive to discuss the concerns raised. The Scottish Government is supporting 4th Valley to develop a robust, cohesive action plan for improvement and national planning and performance oversight group met earlier this month to discuss next steps. I know that the health secretary will continue to keep members updated. On Tuesday 15 November, I asked Minister Lorna Slater, when did ministers first become aware that they were using a figure that, to quote Scottish Government officials, hadn't been properly sourced? She responded, quote, ministers became aware of the issue on Tuesday 8 November. Emails in the public domain reveal that civil servants actually wrote to at least two ministers in October 2020 saying, quote, The 25 per cent estimate has never, to my knowledge, been properly sourced. So the information provided to Parliament by Minister Slater two days ago does not apparently accord with the facts. Parliament has been misled again. On Tuesday, I also quoted the ministerial code at section 1.3c on how ministers who mislead Parliament should respond. To the best of my knowledge, the only correction to the record has been by the First Minister after I called her out on her previous use of misleading energy consumption statistics. None of those who misled Parliament on the 25 per cent claim have apparently acted. This is a government which appears to hold the ministerial code and the honour and privilege of office in utter disdain. The implications of ministers consistently and brazenly misleading this Parliament are huge, as are the implications of ministers not acting in accordance with the ministerial code having done so. Presiding Officer, I am concerned that a perceived lack of integrity by Scottish ministers in not abiding by our processes and codes risks bringing this Parliament into disrepute and risks undermining your position as Presiding Officer. Is there any way, therefore, that you can preserve the trust placed in us in this Parliament by ensuring that Government ministers abide by all aspects of the ministerial code, particularly section 1.3c? The member will be aware that the ministerial code is a matter for the Scottish Government, but it is clearly of paramount importance that members, including ministers, give accurate and truthful information to the Parliament correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity. The chamber is fully aware that the Parliament has a corrections procedure and members will be aware how that works. The current mechanism that is available to me through standing orders reflects the procedures and practices that have been agreed by the Parliament itself. If there is a view that they should be revisited, this matter should be raised with the SPPA committee. That concludes point of order Alex Cole-Hamilton. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. I seek your guidance on the procedures surrounding the correcting of the official report after what we have just heard. What we have just heard from Liam Kerr is frankly astonishing. The energy minister at the time and the current trade minister were informed that the statistics of 25 per cent had no basis in 2020, so it is important that Parliament gets the proper facts. At the same topical question exchange on Tuesday 15 November, the minister, Lorna Slater, said that the figure relating to Scotland having 25 per cent of Europe's offshore wind potential was first set out in a 2010 publication. It is now outdated. The First Minister's spokespeople have also said that it was calculated accurately at the time. How can the Scottish Government confidently say that the figure was correct in 2010 when civil servants told them in 2020 that it had, and as Liam Kerr said, never been sourced? Put simply, Presiding Officer, nobody knows where this figure came from. In truth, this statistic has always been made-believe, so to suggest that it is outdated would sound to any reasonable person that it had been true at some point. Presiding Officer, in an attempt to excuse the original falsehoods, I am concerned that the Government are now creating fresh falsehoods to cover their tracks. Can I seek your guidance on what mechanisms exist to correct the record on whether you have been approached by the Government on this point, that, rather being outdated, this statistic was never accurate to begin with? I thank Mr Cole-Hamilton for his point of order. I have already ruled on this issue in relation to my response to Liam Kerr. It is the case that the procedures that are in place have previously been agreed by this Parliament. The corrections mechanism exists, and I am sure that members understand what that is. The member has made his points on the record. On Tuesday, you provided a statement to Parliament in response to a woman being ejected because of the colours of her scarf. You apologised and explained that this had been an error, but we still do not know why that happened to an innocent member of the public. I would like to ask you, Presiding Officer, if any form of investigation is being done into this sorry episode. A key question would be that any members or parliamentary staff order or indeed encourage the security staff to act in this way. I thank Mr Finlay for his point of order. Some of the matters that the member raises are not matters for the standing orders and therefore are not matters for me to rule on from the chair. I made my views on this matter very clear in my statement to the chamber on 15 November, and I would refer the member to the official report of that date. We will now move on to members' business. There will be a short suspension to allow those who are doing so to leave the chamber and the gallery.


There we are. We're in chapter 5 here in the, excuse me, the Gospel of Mark. So I'm going to begin by reading verse 1. We're going to be looking at the story of a man who was severely demon-possessed, a man that is referred to simply as a man of the Gadarenes. And so beginning at verse 1, in reading verse 1, here in chapter 5 of the Gospel of Mark, Mark writes, they came to the other side of the sea to the country of the Gadarenes. Now as is my normal methodology of teaching, I'll give to you a little bit of background, develop this for you, because this particular study is something that is a very powerful study as we look at it. I want you to have some background information in order for us to be able to understand what's going on here. We know that when Jesus began his ministry that Jesus demonstrated that he had authority and he did so in a variety of ways. He received baptism by John the Baptist and he identified with sinful man and he was anointed by the power of the Holy Spirit. And at that baptism his father spoke verbally, identifying Jesus Christ as the one that he was pleased with. So immediately after that he underwent severe temptations in the wilderness that lasted for 40 days. After victoriously withstanding Satan's temptations, he began to preach and he began to teach. And when he taught, the response to Jesus was one of admiration as well as amazement. The Bible teaches us and tells us that he taught the people with an authority that no other rabbi had ever exercised. And he showed his authority by the way that he taught and the way that he preached. He also revealed it in his works of power because Mark tells us that not only was he a fantastic communicator, but he also performed many healings. In chapter one of Mark verse 34 it says that he healed many who were sick with various diseases. But not only did he perform healings on those who were sick, but he also cast out demons because again in Mark 134 the second portion of that scripture goes on to say that he cast out many demons.  Various times Mark connects Jesus's healing of diseases with casting out demons. In chapter three verses 10 and 11 it says he healed many so that as many as had afflictions pressed about him to touch him. And the unclean spirits whenever they saw him fell down before him and cried out saying you are the son of God. Now why was Jesus casting out demons? Well he did so as evidence that he is the Messiah. In Luke chapter 11 it says if I cast out demons with the finger of God surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. When it says if I cast out demons with the finger of God that's an actual Old Testament reference to the power of God found in Exodus chapter 8. So he revealed his authority over Satan when Satan tempted him in the wilderness. And after being tempted by Satan to fall down and worship him Jesus responded in Matthew 4 it says that Jesus said to him away with you Satan it's written you shall worship the Lord your God and him only you shall serve and went on to say the devil left him. So Jesus demonstrated his authority in what he preached and what he taught in his healings as well as his dealing with Satan himself casting out demons and resisting Satan. So when Jesus ministered on earth there was an unprecedented time of demonic activity.  So the demons knew who Jesus Christ was and James in chapter 2 verse 19 tells us that they know him and they fear and they tremble. Now why is it that Jesus came to the planet earth so very many reasons but one of the things we find in first John chapter 3 verse 8 is this the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil and so we see that we've seen throughout Mark that Jesus continually cast out demons and it's been pointed out that this is the most dramatic example of Jesus casting out demons that you find in scripture. Now as we begin we need to remember that the disciples have been working alongside of Jesus tirelessly they've been next to him as he's been performing his ministry and he's been teaching his man that ministry is work that ministry has no real sad hours and they needed to understand that their first priority was to minister the gospel to the lost there would be times and they would rest and Jesus would provide for this he understood that they needed to rest he would make provision later on in Mark in chapter 6 verse 31 he says to them come aside by yourselves to a deserted place rest a while and it goes on to say there were many coming and going and they didn't even have time to eat and yet we see that even when he said let's set apart some time well their rest was interrupted because it was after Jesus had said it's time to rest that he ended up feeding the five thousand so his men need to learn that ministry is ongoing and at this point they're learning that lesson now when we get to chapter 5 let's remember in chapter 4 these men who are with Jesus have just gone through a storm and the storm was so severe that the boat itself was that they were in as well as the small ships around them was beginning to fill with water they were afraid that they were going to swamp and die and so they're soaking wet they're cold and they've gone through this emotional turbulence in that storm and so they're physically and mentally exhausted at this point and they've been active they were active all day they were active into the night and into the early morning and here they are they're very cold and and the water has soaked them so they're they're very wet it's late in the evening and they need rest and they desire to arrive at their destination but there's more to come and so what we're going to see here is demon possession now let me develop this for for just a moment demon possession there are people today who wonder whether that's really true or whether that's just a fantasy a myth some kind of story you find in scripture that the bible talks about demonized people is it true does that really happen well it does what are demons well demons are fallen angels they're those who sided with lucifer when he rebelled against god the bible in revelation chapter 12 verse 4 says that his tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky flung them to the earth so these fallen angels are now referred to in scripture as demons they're evil spirits and we're going to be seeing how this takes place in the life of christ in the ministry that he has as he's going to be delivering a man who is severely demonized and so it's going to happen as it says in verse one on the other side of the sea it's going to happen in a country or the area that is called the gatherings and so what happens is they land their boat along with the other little boats and they exit onto the shores of gedera when you're looking at a map and if you look at the sea of galilee it's in the northern portion of israel and when you're looking at the map you can see in the center we'll say to the north and you go a little bit to the west that's where copernium is and so they come from copernium and they go south and to the east for a few miles and they end up on the shore of a place called gedera gedera is in a region that is called the decapolis the region in that area is the decapolis so where decapolis speaks of ten cities and so when you look into history and you do a little research on this gedera was mostly gentile in population they shared language culture and political status these people were in these ten cities the the decapolis were dependent on rome and that was an area that was the center of greek and roman culture that would help us to understand why they were raising pigs in that area so in that area near the eastern shoreline were caves that were used for burial the hills in the region descended to the sea of galilee to the edge of the water and it's from this hillside of tombs that this demonized man came out to meet them that was the welcome wagon of gedera if you will as he comes rushing out and so it says in verse two when he had come out of the boat immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit so you got a picture of this for just a moment you're tired you're exhausted from all that you've been doing and not only were you physically exhausted but you just came through a storm you came through a storm where you actually felt that you were going to drown and then you saw jesus do this amazing thing when he stills the storm but you're still wet i mean when jesus still the storm he didn't dry their clothes so they're still wearing this clothing that has just been soaked by the rain and the waves that were crashing into the boat you're tired because you've been fighting to try and stay afloat and all you finally make it to the shoreline you climb out almost stumble out i would assume from that that boat you're there on the shore now you have to picture this also in that area they don't have street lights it's not like they've got all this light it's pitch black and it's creepy you know and you have to consider for a moment that i'm pretty sure that the disciples being residents of that area would know that there are odd things that have taken place it may be that they may even be aware of the fact that somebody is there you'll see him in a moment that has a reputation for being very frightening and and also as they climb off the boat and they're kind of huddling together as you and i as we would you've gotten out the boat you hear this sound imagine it coming out of the dark coming out from from the from the burial grounds up there how frightening that would be i heard about a guy who was walking home from uh a night at the bar he decided to take a shortcut and he walked through a cemetery and he had been drinking more than he should a little drunk and he fell into an open grave and when he was in the open grave these it had been raining and he kept on trying to climb out but because it was wet with the rain it was he couldn't get a grip so he decided just to sit in the corner there and wait till the rain stopped and he's just there here comes another guy and the guy comes walking in the same area slips and falls into the open grave and when he falls into the open grave he's jumping up trying to get out and he can't get out and finally this other guy who was in the corner he didn't see says to him you'll never get out of here but he did i don't know why that came to mind it just did a whole dumb joke but you don't want to go through cemeteries you don't like you don't i have no fear of it believers don't but a lot of people do they're afraid of it they're they have a fear they don't want to go through cemeteries well they're in this area there's there's this crazy man he's coming out of these tombs and all of that can you imagine how you would have felt at that moment out of the pitch black here comes somebody rushing upon you and it has to be so frightening now when you read your bible matthew mentions that there were two men but mark as well as luke concentrate on just one of them and mark tells us that the man met him out of the tombs and that notice he had an unclean spirit now when you read that in verse two a man with an unclean spirit let me give you some insight into that an unclean spirit is a spirit a demon that possesses him that drives him to physical impurity this man was possessed by evil spirits that drove him to do evil and tormented him his body his voice his mind was under control of the demons now when you read your bible you'll see that satan is the prince of the power of the air and he's the one who influences the present world system in efficiency one through three it says and you he made alive speaking of god god made you alive who were dead in trespasses and sins in which you once walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature children of wrath just as the others and so prior to coming to faith in christ the enemy has a toehold in us we have an evil nature that's that is subject to and succumbs to the temptations of this world of this age an age that is dominated by the lust of the of the flesh and the evil of our nature and so what he does is he uses his influences the the devil to construct a system that resists god and he produces a system of error and false belief in order to to hinder the work of the lord and again we just we just read how paul spoke and said that we all once conducted ourselves in the lust of the flesh well in first john john writes in chapter 2 verse 16 everything in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life comes not from the father but from the world so he energizes a world system in opposition to god you see he wields a great influence over the world but demon possession is more personal through this he invades an individual's life and he tears it up and as we study this passage we can begin to wonder how this happened many wonder if possession still occurs and others wonder if they themselves can be possessed the answer is yeah possession continues to occur if a person's open to it demonic possession can and does occur somebody asks the question okay if demonic possession occurs can a christian be possessed and the answer is no you see when you're born again you become the temple of the spirit of god in 1 Corinthians 619 do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy spirit within you whom you have from god and you are not your own in first john chapter 4 verse 4 it says little children you are from god and how we'll overcome them for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world in first john 5 18 tells us the evil one does not touch us and so you know you cannot as a believer be demon possessed but this man is possessed now how would that happen he more than likely and it doesn't say in scripture so i'll simply say it this way he more than likely opened himself up to it and there that is one of the ways people have become possessed is by opening themselves up and actually inviting a demonic spirit to enter into them whatever the case is he is severely demonized notice verse 3 it says he had his dwelling among the tombs no one could bind him not even with chains now this this reveals to us some things about how deeply tormented this man was and and as we look at a few of these things because there's some descriptions that we'll look at for a moment and we can see how satan treats those who serve him now when Jesus was speaking of those who served him he said in john chapter 10 verse 10 he said that the thief does not come except to steal and to kill and destroy but he went on to say i've come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly if the thief comes to to kill to steal he comes to destroy that's what he comes to do and you can see this in this man's life it really reveals to us what would be called the fruit of following after satan and this is what happened to him noticed again in verse 3 he had his dwelling among the tombs what can happen when you follow the enemy what can happen when he's the person who energizes your life well you can end up living in a neighborhood you never thought you could live in this one lived in the tombs this was an area where graves are carved out of hillsides or cliffs this man had become comfortable living among the dead instead of living amongst the living now living in the cemetery reveals to us that this man is completely defiled in the old testament you have the law of moses and it taught that jews were not to come into contact with dead bodies in numbers 19 verse 11 it says whoever touches a dead body of anyone will be unclean for seven days and so this is a man who is completely defiled not only that but luke 8 27 says for a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house something else that can happen when the enemy has gotten hold of you in that way this one's demonized you had an unclean spirit something else is you can lose all sense of morals this man roamed about completely naked which means that he lived a very shame filled life he lost all modesty he had no sense of shame he had for a long time lived naked he constantly was exposed to natural elements and he had gotten used to be naked it's interesting how when adam and eve sinned that they put on clothing to hide shame but this man had no shame and the unclean spirit revealed that he had sexual perversion here's something to for us to remember satan wants you to no longer feel embarrassment about anything satan wants people to lose all sense of shame we live in a time when i would say that's that's that's growing that's that lack of modesty is is a growing thing and a lot of people because they become you know slaves to fashion and all don't even realize that the way that they dress sometimes is pretty immodest now i realize that there are young people looking at me right now saying are you just some old goat what do you know nothing no what do you what do you know i'm sorry modesty is modesty you know uh i remember i went to visit somebody's house on one occasion and and one of the young girls who lived in the house lived there as her home was about to leave and she was about to walk out of the house and i was standing there marie and i were together and i was standing there when this young girl she was in her early teens came walking past me and she was wearing these shorts i don't know what they call them now they used to call them daisy dukes i had a few pairs you know but warm to the beach but she she she was walking by and you know her bottom was hanging out of her shorts and i still remember how she was pulling her shorts down as she walked by me you know and i turned to marie and i when she walked out i didn't want to embarrass her but i said it's interesting she's going out to the mall right now and she's going to be walking around like that in front of all of these people but she's aware of the fact that she's immodest because she's hiding herself from me how interesting that she would do that but that's true a lot of people do that they the and today it's it's even worse than it was many years ago and there's a lack of sense of modesty that some people have and whenever the enemy gets hold of your life that's one of the things that can go your sense of modesty it's interesting to me about how oftentimes uh if you go through social media there's guys wearing their pants real low with no shirt on you know and trying to look all muscular and this and that you know and and sometimes the women are doing these shots that that show that they've had a lot of work done on them and it's just interesting and you know why well what happens when you give in to the things of the world and this man had was demonically possessed it's not the same thing but it's an aspect of it when you give in to the ways of the world you can lose all shame and all modesty it really isn't something that is that difficult to do and what happens is the modesty is lost and as modesty is lost you can expose yourself to some things that end up maybe taking you places you don't want to go you see satan wants you to no longer have a sense of embarrassment in Ephesians 5 11 and 12 it says have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them for it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret see modesty is to be held in high regard because modesty reveals our understanding of our own dignity and with this in mind god used nakedness as a picture of shame and humiliation in israel 47 3 it says your nakedness shall be uncovered yes your shame will be seen revelation 16 15 behold i'm coming as a thief blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments blessed he walked naked and they see his shame so nakedness is a picture of shame so somebody says is that bad is that you know how do i know what is right to wear what is not right to wear here's an old thing for you want to take a note take this raise your hands and touch your toes if anything shows go change your clothes that's good that's old but that's good i like that modesty modesty well notice this man here had an unclean spirit it's dwelling place among the tombs no one could bind him not even with chains he'd often been bound with shackles and chains and the chains had been pulled apart by him shackles broken in pieces neither could anyone tame him so they couldn't bind him he had extraordinary strength he would watch for people who are walking down below him and he he was tormented and he and he was pushed to violence towards others in matthew in chapter eight verse 28 it says they were so violent that no one could pass that way people grew to have a tremendous fear they avoided going in that area which left him in isolation satan encourages anger and he encourages hatred towards other people he will never encourage us to have compassion or love for others and notice it at night night and day it says he was in the mountains and in the tombs his torment was constant there was no break in the action there was no time when he could rest he was constantly crying out notice in verse five and cutting himself with stones so the demons intend to harm and they're pushing him towards self-destruction when we get to mark chapter nine at verse 22 it speaks of a boy who was often thrown into fire or into water in order to destroy him if a demon can get you to kill yourself without christ in your life you are lost forever and he had been driven by an extreme incredible amount of torment he wanted to destroy himself his existence unbearable he's constantly cutting himself the people tried to control him but they couldn't free him there's nothing they could do it says in verse six when he saw jesus from afar he ran and worshiped him so here he comes running up to jesus and he fell on his knees before him they might have startled jesus's men and those who were with them but as he comes running in and falls on his knees this isn't an act of worship of a believer it is a recognition of an inferior to a greater he's not worshiping out of faith but out of fear because the master is before him you see what men could not do with chains jesus did by his mere presence and as he comes to him in verse seven it says he cried out with a loud voice and said what have i to do with you jesus son of the most high god i implore you by god that you do not torment me what do i have to do with you the obvious answer is nothing nothing one of the demons begins to speak for itself and for the others and says i implore you by god do not torment me before he had said come out of the man now there are many but one is speaking it's like the spokes demon if you will one is speaking and the demons are trying to soften their end they recognize christ and they're afraid they knew there was an appointed time they wanted to remain in that area they wanted to continue what they've been doing so as this is taking place and you can picture the disciples standing there watching this this confrontation that's prolonged jesus in verse nine says what is your name what is your name and he answered saying my name is legion for we are many my name is legion for we are many why did he ask him his name well it reveals the depth of evil that this man was in bondage to because by referring to himself by the name legion a roman legion had six thousand eight hundred twenty six soldiers so it's speaking of a horde of demons that had taken residence in this man and also shows the depth of authority christ has because it doesn't matter if it's one or many he still has authority but he asks him what is your name what kind of depth of bondage is this man in jesus and he is saying and he's commanding him to speak to him and to and to tell him in verse 10 also he begged him earnestly that he would not send them out of the country and a large herd of swine was was feeding there near the mountain so all the demons begged him saying send us to the swine that we may enter them they want to stay out of the what is called the abuso the abyss a place of of incarceration so they see a great herd of swine and they say allow us to go into them and in verse 13 at once jesus gave them permission then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine there were about two thousand the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea and drowned in the sea we've been to this place many times many times we'll have a bible study there and so many times people will um we've teased the the people who have gone with us to israel because when you read this and you're in that area your mind begins to work and you say wow this and the way the the scripture is being taught and the teacher very often will kind of prolong it you know and make you start thinking you know wow you're and then somebody always hides behind a rock or something and you gotta see the people they get so scared it's it's a lot of fun but it's so creepy what's taking place it is it is so eerie it's late these disciples are there watching this and then jesus says go and these herd of two thousand pigs go rushing off the cliff there are various areas you'll go there and uh you can see that there are still to this day two thousand years later there are there's a place where that could definitely have taken place where all of these swine would have rushed and would tumble tumbled over and hit the water and would have drowned now there's no reason given here for allowing this to take place he simply did perhaps they had hoped that that when the pigs were lost the the city would reject christ because they knew that people care much more for the material comfort than their spiritual health somebody says well you know this is the thing about jesus by the way is he took away took away these people's uh these people's uh means of living jesus didn't kill the pigs the demons did jesus's mission was to save the man and so the loss of pigs was of no comparison but there they go they go rushing over and they drown this is a picture of the authority of jesus christ as he commands them and they leave well when this takes place verse 14 those who fed the swine fled and they told it in the city and in the country and they went out to see what it was that had happened and they came to jesus and saw the one who had been demon possessed and had the legion sitting and clothed his right mind and they were afraid you see they knew this guy had awesome strength they knew that this was a violent man and to see him seated there and the way he was it caused them all to wonder many years ago we were at a pastor's conference and the sheriff the police actually up in the area the police came to the conference not to shut it down but look for help because a woman was at a church in the area it was at night and these officers were trying to control her and they couldn't do it and they knew that this was out of their pay grade so they knew that there was a pastor's conference taking place in twin peaks up there in the mountains and they came and spoke to somebody and that somebody went to chuck my pastor and chuck asked some of the guys he said guys and he called out some names mike mackintosh we're all a few of the guys well reason he said we've got a situation can you guys go so the rest of us began to pray well these men went and as they went there was a woman in the parking lot by a church and she was a little woman five foot five one thinly built and she was causing problems and the police took these men and said can you help this woman we can't help her there's something going on here that's not just a mental problem and and so mike says to the woman mike mackintosh says let's go over here and he takes her by the arm to move her away and he begins to enter into a small church because he was by a church and as he takes her by the arm and begins to walk her into the the lobby the foyer he says in the name of Jesus like that under his breath in the name of Jesus she hears him and goes crazy and she begins well she tries to hit hit mike and and it becomes crazy now those of you everybody here should know raw rice if you don't raw rice is a an eighth degree black belt and something called sansu kung fu um very ferocious and this is many years ago and so what happens raw tells us is he jumped on her he says i jumped on her from behind now she's like five feet five one a hundred hundred and five pounds very thin he says she began to swing me like i was a rag doll he said i was being swung everywhere holding on for dear life he said i finally was able to get her down and then they began to work and pray and seek the Lord on her behalf and they cast out a demon from this woman and after the demon had been cast out they had she is there seated in her right mind and they asked her what happened she she was a satanist is what it was and she had sacrificed her own baby to satan and had become severely demonized you ask the question is it possible this happens yes it does it continues to happen to this day this isn't fantasy this isn't made up this isn't a bible story this happens i've seen it myself somebody says how do you know that's a demon you'll know i promise you you will know because sometimes you think well maybe they're just a little crazy well there's a lot of crazy in this world that you'll know because i have been there and i have seen demonized and your blood will it turns ice cold in your veins it's not just a matter like gee i wonder it's a matter oh my god help me it's an entirely different thing than you've ever felt it's a fear that that comes over you because what you're seeing is something you've been familiar with all your life that has crystallized into a moment because all of us that we're all we live in an evil fallen world we know evil we hear it because it's on the news 24 7 we hear of the murders we hear of the robberies we hear of the vicious attacks we hear of these things we know it exists but it's like everything in just one second crystallizes into that moment and when you see it eye to eye you know it so no it's not a matter of like gee i wonder no it is real i have seen it and many of the cavalry passers have encountered this it is absolutely true and that's why these people didn't want to go buy were this these men there were actually two but this one in particular they didn't want to go buy because this they put chains on him and he would just bust them and they're going oh my goodness what are we going to do we can't we can't control this we we can't do anything we're trying to keep them from harming us and others and himself but we can't there's nothing they could do and when he comes russian there he is groveling before christ i know who you are jesus didn't sweat he didn't get a handkerchief throw it on him jesus said come out of him imagine that well what happens again verse 14 those who fed the swine fled and they told it in the city and in the country and they went out to see what it was that had happened it was so remarkable they had to go out they wanted to know what what it was what happened matthew 833 says those who kept them fled they went into the city and told everything including what had happened to the demon possessed man so in verse 15 it says they came to jesus and saw the one who had been demon possessed and the legion and had the legion sitting and clothed and in his right mind and that made them afraid imagine that they became afraid when they saw this man normal just sitting there with a cup of tea no why is they they're looking at that frightened them because they knew who he was and how would this how would this happen you know let me give you something practical this is what the lord can do in someone's life he removes torment he can remove the torment and produce transformation revelation 215 includes the idea when he says i make all things new god has a way of making all things new and there he is in his right mind there he is clothed there he is just listening to christ and it says in verse 16 those who saw it told him how how it happened to him who had been demon possessed about the swine notice the response for 17 they began to plead with him to depart from their region to their hurt the demons had asked if they could stay but the people wanted him to leave these people cared more about their money than their eternity so they want him to go and it says in verse 18 when he when Jesus got into the boat he who had been demon possessed begged him that he might be with him let me go with you i want to be with you i want to follow you you set me free let me go with you wherever you go i'll go whatever you do whatever you need me to do i will do i want to be with you please let me go with you let me get in the boat let me get out of here i want a new life notice what he does verse 19 Jesus did not permit him it said to him go home to your friends tell them what great things the Lord has done for you and and how he has had compassion on you and he departed and began to proclaim in the decapolis all that Jesus had done for him and oh marvel no you don't come with me you go to them you're a living testimony they know what you were this just happened you go to this ten cities you let them know his reputation obviously was far and wide you go and you let them know what happened this is how evangelism takes place guys tell him the marvelous things that god has done for you tell him how god has had compassion on you tell him you've got friends you've got family you got co-workers you have neighbors who may you may know you have opportunities if there's anything this nation needs right now it's for the church to wake up we're talking about people being woke it's time the church awoke it's time the church awoke and began to say this is what god has done for me you're lost you're lonely you're isolated you're harming yourself but jesus christ can set you free jesus can heal you jesus will be with that's the gospel that's the gospel jesus didn't need another guy in a boat he needed somebody going to cities and saying dust and so this is what god has done god has transformed my life you remember what i was like you remember how crazy i was you wouldn't even walk by where i was i remember chasing you several times but look at me now look at god has done there are so many in this room right now if i gave you an opportunity to stand up for just a minute and to say this is what god has done it would be an amazing moment of testimony i used to do the drugs but no more i used to be an alcoholic but no more he used to be violent but no more i used to steal anything you had i would take but no more i was sexually perverted but no more so many testimonies i was a liar but no more now i tell the truth all of us have a testimony all of us and some of our testimonies are so amazing and so extreme but here you are sitting and in your right mind because of what jesus christ did now isn't that something we ought to be blessed about absolutely absolutely and what did he do well he went out noticed in verse 20 he departed and began to proclaim into capitalist all that jesus had done for him and all marveled now in luke 839 jesus had said return home and tell how much god has done for you so the man went away and told all over town how much jesus had done it began with his family return home return home and next month i celebrate next month i celebrate my 51st anniversary of coming to faith in jesus christ next month 51 years and what was the first thing i wanted my friends and family to know jesus christ what was the first thing you wanted to do i was supposed to get high that day so i went across the street when i got home and i told my neighbors because i used to get high at this guy's house his mother was there he wasn't and i told her i want you to know and she knew what kind of kid i was i was there all the time smoking dope and all and so she said i said to her her name was mrs. nava i said mrs. nava and i talked to her her daughters a couple daughters and i said i said i just gave my heart to jesus christ and my life has been completely changed first thing i did second thing i did i went home and i went and i told my mom and my dad my sisters i said mom dad becky madeline praise the lord i love you and my sister madeline asked me what happened to you the first thing i did is i said i gave my heart to jesus my life has been changed forever i'm now born again i went i told my family and my sister that night told me she said david she says i put my head on the pillow that night and i said whatever you did for my brother do it for me she got saved the same day i did and then three weeks later i led my mom and my dad to faith in jesus christ by opening up a bible reading some verses and saying daddy you're a good man you're the best man i'll ever know but you will be the best man in hell if you don't give your heart to christ i love you daddy and i don't want to go to heaven without you bow your head you're giving your heart to jesus right now and that's what my dad and my mom got saved because i was now forgive me for the emotion i was now in my right mind and i tell people about jesus christ and i've been doing it for almost 51 years and he is good he changed my life that's a testimony Psalm 66 verse 16 come and hear all you who fear god and i will declare what he has done for my soul that's what we do believer believers tell someone tell someone tell them about jesus there are people waiting to hear we're living in a world that keeps saying there's no truth the only reason it's saying that is because it's afraid of the truth so give the truth love people enough to tell them the truth you've got friends you've got neighbors co-workers people who go to school with you who are looking for something that's real you have it you have christ you have the forgiveness of sins you have the power of the holy spirit you have a transformed life you have been set free so take that which god has given to you and give it to someone else and watch what the lord will do watch what god will do i started this church in a home bible study with four or five people the lord has people just waiting to hear the message of the gospel what will god do through you if you just open up and say here my lord send me use me i want to be used by you because somebody's going to use you why not god why not allow god to use you for his glory so one day somebody will be seated seated in the right mind saying thank you for telling me about this one who sets captus free tell him about jesus father we ask that you