We just read this passage, which you might not remember because we read through it quickly. Let me go over it again. No one knows the deep things of a person better than the person’s spirit. Similarly, the Spirit of God knows the deep things of God. The spirit we received is not the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God. The reason God gave us of His Spirit is so that we may understand the grace God has given us.

Simply put, whoever believes in Jesus has this spirit within him. Whose spirit is it? The Spirit that came from God. Do you know what else the word “spirit” can be called? A god. Spirits can be called gods also. In other words, believers of Jesus have received a god into them. People say that someone has “contacted spirits” or “familiar spirits.” But Christians not only have been in contact with a spirit, they received a spirit within them. The spirit is in them.

In the world, there are people who contact spirits. The reason we say we received a spirit while the world says they contacted a spirit is that the contact with spirits of the world is not everlasting. One day they will be separated. Those gods (spirits) may leave them. Even if they don’t leave a person, once the person dies, it has to leave anyway. But we who believe in Jesus don’t have God living in our body but in our spirit. And our spirit doesn’t disappear. Hence, God dwells in our spirits eternally. It’s not just a temporary contact we have, but we receive Him in us forever. This can be described as, “God in me and I in Him.”

Hence, what kind of spirit you come in contact with is very important. Because you can’t avoid being influenced by that spirit. A person will be influenced by a spirit that he was in contact with even for a short time. Have you heard of people being down with an illness caused by a spirit? (In Korea, it’s called “Shin-Byung,” meaning shamanic sickness.) This is when a person doesn’t want to be a shaman, but he or she is so ill that they have no choice. So they perform a shamanic ritual, and they are free from their illness. Thus, they become a shaman without a choice. It’s the spirit that selected a particular person to use that person.

And when that spirit enters that person, that spirit’s traits manifest in that person. If a person keeps telling other people’s fortunes, it’s the spirit in him that is doing that. For a short time that might appear to be beneficial. However, such spirits won’t be prosperous. They are already cursed. Hence if anyone keeps close to such spirits, he will also be cursed. This is the reason why shamans don’t want their children to become shamans. If it were good for them, they would want their children to continue in their footsteps, not deter them.

I was in China for a few years as a missionary. In every village, there were many people with illnesses, especially mental illnesses, that is, people possessed by demons. There were many who were blind also. But as I spoke with those people, I noticed a commonality between them all. Many of them said someone in their family used to be a shaman in their grandparent’s generation. They said, “My grandmother was a shaman.” In most instances, the grandchildren were blind. Also, we saw a lot of mentally disabled people. So since then, if anyone had a child who was blind or demon-possessed, I asked them, “Was any of your ancestors a shaman?” And nine out of ten people would say yes. The curse not only affects that person but also the children. And the curse is originally the spirit’s curse that comes upon the person.

Therefore, with which spirit we have contact is so important. We shouldn’t be in contact with just any spirit. However, most spirits don’t disclose who they are. It’s similar to how fraudsters don’t disclose everything about themselves when they con somebody. They conceal a lot of things. In the same way, these gods (spirits) also conceal themselves. They don’t reveal themselves. And when they enter, they don’t knock. They never ask, “Can I come in?” They enter a person when a person is startled, sinning, or doing something against their conscience.

I went to a certain region in China, and it was my first time there. During a crusade I was leading there, a lady in her mid-30s came forward. She wanted to be healed of an illness. I asked what her illness was, and she said she was epileptic. Whenever she has a seizure, she would collapse and be unconscious for a while and then regains consciousness. And it would shock the people around her when she does have a seizure. She can possibly hurt herself badly if she falls over too.

The Bible actually speaks of a similar story. A boy oppressed by a demon foamed at the mouth and fell to the ground. Sometimes the demon would throw the boy into the fire or water, so that the boy nearly died. Many times he nearly died. When the boy was brought to Jesus, He asked, “Since when did he have this condition?” After that, He cursed the demon and cast it out. And the boy was made well on the spot.

Because I was taught well about the Bible at Sungrak Church, I knew these things were the works of demons. I wasn’t a pastor at that time nor an evangelist, but only a lay believer. But I explained to the person. “This epilepsy is not yours but the demons!” After I explained to her for some time, her body started shaking and she started crying. But it wasn’t her who was doing the crying. It was the demon inside of her. So I asked, “Who are you?” And it replied, “A demon!” It was exactly as the Bible said. Jesus said, “These signs will accompany those who believe. In My name they will cast out demons.” Although I wasn’t anybody special, I’m a believer of Jesus, so I cast out the demon. I learned that from Pastor Ki-Dong Kim. And it was found in the Bible. So I cursed the demon saying, “Hey demon!” Then the woman started to convulse, and the demon said, “I was trying to kill this woman! I feel bitter!”

I asked the demon, “What’s your name?” In the Bible, Jesus also asked their names. When I asked, the woman answered, “Siyong sien yien!” It was my first time driving out a demon in China, so I remember the name very clearly. Since I didn’t have much experience driving out demons, it was intriguing and interesting. I asked, “Siyong sien yien! How did you die?” And the demon said it died by hanging itself. Then the demon was acting out being hanged, shaking the neck, and saying it hurts around the neck. So I asked, “How did you come in her?” The demon answered that it came in when the woman was startled. “Why was she startled?” Apparently, when the woman was around 15 years old, she was walking in the streets when some mischievous boys in her village scared her from behind. That’s why we shouldn’t frighten people like that. That’s the moment demons enter. Scaring people from behind or playing ghost games shouldn’t be done. In those moments demons can enter. When a person is frightened like this, or is very close to having an accident, or is beaten really badly so that the person is in a state of shock, demons can come in. With this woman, apparently, she collapsed when she was frightened. And from the age of 15, she began to foam at the mouth, and her epileptic seizures started. When I asked people close to her as to how often she had those seizures, they told me it happened about once a month. But it was becoming more frequent.

When I asked, “Demon, are you going to leave or not?” And it said it didn’t want to. Demons don’t want to leave from human body. But Jesus commanded us to cast out demons in the name of Jesus. Thus, I said, “In Jesus’ name I command you, unclean demon, get out!” And she fell backward at a 90-degree angle like a log. And then she fell asleep. About an hour or two later, when the crusade was finished, only she and her family were left. She got up from the floor. But her face was not the same face I had seen before. Previously I didn’t notice that she was pretty. But her face was glowing, and because she was glowing, she looked beautiful. Through that experience, she came to know of God’s true existence and the reality of spiritual beings. I journeyed to other areas and came back to that village about 6 months later. I met her again and asked, “Did you have any seizures during that time or not?” She never had a seizure again. She was completely healed. Once the demon left, the demon’s traits no longer manifested.

Demons are not dignified but instead go into people as they please, tormenting their bodies and trying to kill them. That demon came into her to ultimately cause her to commit suicide. Since the demon originally died by committing suicide, it said it was going to make her commit suicide as well. But once the demon was cast out, she no longer had seizures nor the want to die.

You know there’s a saying that goes, “Like father, like son”? Spiritually speaking, we can say, “Like spirit, like man.” If you suddenly feel the urge to take your own life, it means that a spirit, which died in such a manner, has come in you. Or if you are feeling depressed, it’s a spirit of depression that has come in. Or, for example, you get on the subway and suddenly feel scared; it’s because a demon that died in an accident in the subway has come in. Let’s say you are afraid of heights. That may be caused by a demon that died from falling from a height. There are a lot of homosexuals these days. Many people of the same gender date each other. It is because a demon of the other gender has come into them. Originally, man is attracted to woman and woman to man. But these people are attracted to the same gender, that is, woman to woman and man to man. It is because a demon of the other gender has come in. For example, a male demon comes into a woman so that she likes another woman. These things can be resolved by casting out the demon. The world, however, justifies and defends them, saying that it’s their right. But when we know the spiritual world, we can be ready for such things. People lose to them because they are ignorant of the spiritual world.

Therefore, which spirit you come in contact with is a very important issue. I’ll give you another example. I have continued Chinese mission work even after returning to Korea. These days, many Chinese people are coming to our country. Those who speak Korean fluently may not require much assistance, but there are others who do not speak Korean. For them, our church has arranged a Chinese worship service. We have a separate service conducted in Chinese at our church.

One of the brothers who attended that service came to my office on Tuesday when it was raining. So I asked, “What brought you here on this rainy day?” He answered that his friend had told him to come. At first, I was wondering what he meant. Then he told me his friend came with him. So I said, “Oh, your friend came too? Why don’t you tell him to come inside also?” He said the friend did come inside. So I said, “Tell your friend to come here so we can have tea together.” He said his friend was right there with him. “Where?” I asked. His friend was next to him, he said. At that moment, I got a chill down my back. He said his friend was sitting beside him. That’s when I realized. “Oh, is your friend sitting next to you right now?” He said he was. “Was it your friend who told you to come here?” He said it was his friend. It was a demon he was talking of. So I asked him, “Are you close to this friend of yours?” And he said he was very close with this friend, and the friend was very nice to him. I asked him how long he had been together with his friend, and he said from a long time ago, since he was very young. And he grew up together with his friend. He went on to say that he didn’t have a lot of friends, but this friend was very good to him and never left him. Also, he said his friend would tell him what to do, which benefited him many times. And on that day, this friend of his had told him to come to my office. I don’t know why the demon told him to come to my office, but he came anyway.

So I told him, “I know who it is that’s next to you. You have befriended a certain spirit. Do you know the spirit’s name?” He answered he didn’t know the name. But he was able to describe the appearance of the demon. The man was able to see the spirit. So I told him, “By acquainting yourself with this spirit, you might profit in some ways. But in the end, your fate will assimilate to the spirit’s fate. That spirit does not give life to people. Ultimately, the spirit will be thrown into the abyss and later into hell. That spirit is powerless! It has no life! What that spirit can give you is not life. The spirit might help you make some money and bring some good fortune for a short while. Yet since that spirit is accursed, that curse will follow you.” Then suddenly the spirit manifested. He convulsed, and the spirit manifested.

So we struggled for a while, but the demon would not get out. After about an hour, he collapsed and fell asleep. I thought the demon had left. But when he woke up, he acted a bit different from other demon-possessed people. He woke up and said, “Huh? Why am I here? Where am I?” His willpower was completely taken over by the demon. In this case, his will wasn’t separate from the demon’s. Hence, he couldn’t remember himself coming there. He was asking why he was there. He was so fully controlled by the spirit from his house all the way to my office that he couldn’t remember anything.

So I explained to him again, “That spirit is accursed, and you came here in such and such a way. But I want to introduce you to another spirit! He is the spirit I fellowship with and who abides in me. He is the Creator, and His name is Jesus!” When I explained, the spirit manifested. Every time I spoke of the gospel, the spirit manifested and would be in torment. The demon said it didn’t like it and asked to not drive it out. But when I said, “Get out!” the man collapsed again. And then after some time, he woke up. When he did, he asked, “Why am I here?” This person was bound by the demon since he was young. His willpower was attached to the demon’s and couldn’t be separated. So he couldn’t remember what he did.

With people like him, driving out the demon can become a problem too. The reason is that when the demon leaves, the person loses his ego (self). If that happens, it can lead to a mental disorder. Thus, it’s important for the person to first know Jesus. However, that can’t be done overnight. You have to help the person demolish his own ideas and preconceptions, and then teach him to know God so that he can accept the gospel and thus have the willingness to hate the demon. But this man loved the demon. He called the demon his best friend and didn’t want to cast it out. So this was what happened. It’s unfortunate. He couldn’t maintain his faith life, just coming and going, and in the end, we lost contact with him. We don’t know what happened to him. It is very hard for such people to lead a faith life.

There was another instance. This man owned a business. His father had passed away in a train accident. And the dead father’s spirit could go into any one of his children. The man was the youngest son. He was about to start his business when suddenly his father appeared to him in his dream and said, “You must serve me well all your life! Then I will help you with your business.” So the man started his business. And amazingly, his business did go well. He made sure he offered sacrifices to the spirit before he started his business and performed ancestral rites. When his father was alive, he wasn’t a very filial son. But after his father passed away and appeared to him as a demon, he started to serve his father’s spirit well because the demon offered to help him with his business. The business was doing well. His brothers became Christians after receiving the gospel, but this man didn’t believe. His excuse always was that he had to keep his promise with his father, or else his business might struggle, and he had to close down his factories. His business continued to grow, and he continued to worship the demon. So he didn’t have anything to do with his Christian brothers, hating them and slandering them. He became very hardened in heart. He wasn’t at first, but over time he did. It appeared as though the business was doing well, but suddenly one day, the business went bankrupt, and he even had to go to jail.

Those spirits can give help for a short while, but not eternally. They themselves are accursed. Therefore, anyone led by those spirits is bound to follow the spirits’ end too. What I’ve been speaking to you about so far are the gods of this world.

However, the spirit we received is not of the world. Where did this spirit come from? It is the Spirit from God. The Spirit that came from God—what kind of spirit is He? He displays God’s unique traits. Who is God? He is the Spirit of life. The Spirit of life. He controls all forms of life. In spring, He makes the plants sprout; in summer, He makes them grow leaves; and in autumn, He makes them produce abundant fruits. He is the Lord of all creations. Even though branches are dried up in winter, He makes them shoot again in spring. This is God. This is the Spirit who governs all things. We may look upon these natural phenomena and not think much of them.

However, a man died. He was executed, shedding all of his blood from his body. But this man was raised to life. That man is Jesus, who was ministering in the Palestinian region, 2000 years ago, claiming, “God is with Me! God is My Father!” He raised the dead, healed the sick, and drove out demons from the demon-possessed. He reared disciples and preached of the kingdom of heaven. He performed many miracles so that many people followed Him. Yet the people accused Him and handed Him over to be executed according to Roman law so that He was crucified. He shed all of his water and blood and died.

But three days later, people discovered that He disappeared from his tomb. What had happened? He rose again. He was alive! But it wasn’t Him who simply rose from the dead; someone raised Him to life. Someone raised Him to life. Before He died, He foretold of how someone would raise Him to life. Who is that someone? It is that Spirit whom we call our God. He raised Jesus to life. If Jesus weren’t raised, we wouldn’t have evidence of this Spirit. We wouldn’t have any proof. However, Jesus rose again. In other words, God whom we worship now, raised Jesus from the dead. And He is the Spirit we have received within us. The Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living within us.

That Spirit is the Spirit of life. And His life is not the short life of the flesh that will die eventually; it is the Spirit of life that gives us eternal life through the life of God. That is the Spirit of life we received. Therefore, God’s traits are manifested in us because we received the Spirit of God. If you accept demons, the demons’ attributes will manifest in you. But if you receive in God, His attributes will manifest. With God’s attributes, He saves man, brings peace, gives eternal happiness, and shares every good thing with man. Since we received His spirit, we share the gospel even with people we don’t know, share God’s love, and let them know God, so that they can share in God’s glory.

The news we are sharing with you is that you should also receive and fellowship with the Spirit that we have fellowship with. This Spirit is different from all other spirits because He created all things. He is the One and Only Spirit. Though there are many spirits in the world, the Spirit we introduce to you is not one of the many. It is the Spirit of the Creator who created all those countless spirits and everything visible and invisible. We have come to receive that Spirit. It is by God’s permission that we are now able to receive that Spirit.”

People who have contact with the demons of this world often brag about it and act like they know so much. Yet, we received the Spirit of God. We are powerful people. In the eyes of men, believers of Jesus might appear shabby and lacking. But within us abides the Spirit of God. We are extraordinary people. God’s power is displayed through us; we have God’s pride, and for that reason, God doesn’t want us to perish because His pride is on us.

When we pray, He answers us with remarkable answers. Not only can we pray, but we also have God’s authority on our lips. At times we don’t pray but command with our lips. We command, “Get well! Get up!” If a person is sick, for example, and cannot walk, we can pray, “God, raise this crippled man!” And we can receive the help of God. But since we have the power of the Spirit of God in us, we can command, “Get up!” and the person will get up. This is written in the Bible; our pastor has experienced this, many of our saints experienced this, and even I experienced this. “Get up!” If we command, the sick will get up. This is not the power of man, but of the Spirit whom we serve.

Who is this spirit? He has a name. What is it? It is Jesus. This is Jesus whom we believe. The name of this God is Jesus. Jesus! You must receive Jesus into your spirit. Do not welcome the spirits of the world. If you do, you will be under their influence. Don’t accept them. They must be driven out. Receive into your spirit the Spirit of God.

God’s Spirit is holy. He is clean. Unbelievers cannot receive Him in no matter how much we tell them. Why? Because they are unclean. Their spirits are unclean. They are full of sin within, so how can the Holy Spirit come in? Thus, Jesus paid the price of sin so that we can receive the Spirit of God. He died on the cross. If anyone believes and receives this, their spirit will be made clean. By believing in Jesus and being baptized, your spirits have been made clean.

Some of you were baptized last time, right? Last time I emphasized baptism, and some of you were baptized soon after. Those of you who are baptized are already clean. So that means you can receive what now? The Spirit of God.

Hence, if you are baptized, there is the next step. I will be preaching four more times, including today. In the last four sessions, I spoke about baptism. For the next four sessions, I will be speaking of this Spirit. You have to accept this Spirit. If you are baptized but you don’t receive the Spirit, it is like cleaning the dishes and leaving them empty. What is the point of that? What is the use to make nice clothing and not wearing it? Similarly, what is the use if you cleansed your spirit by believing in Jesus but don’t receive in the Spirit of God? The reason God cleansed us was so that we might receive the Spirit of God. That He might pour out His spirit on us.

So if you have been baptized, you need to receive the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit. He is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God. You must receive the Spirit of God. God’s characteristics should manifest in you. This can be described as “meeting God.” It is not one-directional where only you know God. God also knows you. You know one another. You must receive the Holy Spirit. You must accept His Spirit not in your flesh but into your spirit.

Long for Him. Today, seek Him. You were constantly in contact with the spirits of the world through your flesh. You might’ve experienced ill fortune and dead people might’ve come out in your dreams. You were in touch with the spirits of the world. But now, have nothing to do with those spirits of the world. Determine yourselves: “I will receive the Holy Spirit so that God’s characteristics are displayed through me! God, pour out Your Spirit on me! Send Your Holy Spirit to me! Pour on me the Spirit of the Creator God, the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of life!” Once He comes into you, He will never leave you because He comes into your spirit. And your life will change. Your whole life will change.

You know how demon-possessed people do the works of demons? Since I received the Holy Spirit, I have been doing the works of God. Suddenly, my mind has been filled with God’s thoughts. In the past, I was filled with demonic thoughts. But after I had faith in Jesus and received the Holy Spirit, I have been filled with God’s thoughts. At first, my family said I was out of my mind because I would always talk about Jesus.

I found it strange too. How can a person be so different? In the past, I was always thinking of sinning, but after I received the Holy Spirit, every single moment I have been thinking of God and filled with thoughts of gratitude for the grace God showed me. This is impossible with the power of man. That’s why you have to receive the Holy Spirit.

Let’s say together, “God, pour out Your Spirit on me!”

“God, pour out Your Spirit on me!”

Once more!

“God, pour out Your Spirit on me!”

God will not look at you and say, “Ah, too dirty! I can’t go in!” Because you already believe in Jesus and were baptized. You might go out and sin, but what God is watching is whether you are united with Jesus. Even if you had an argument, got angry, and felt guilty, you are still united with Jesus. In God’s eyes, you are clean. That’s why He comes into you.

“God, pour Your spirit on me! Come into me and live with me!” Let’s say that in our hearts and pray. And pray out loud. I’ll give you some time. Please close your eyes. Let’s say together, “God!” once and then pray.

“God, pour Your Holy Spirit on me!”

Let’s pray.

God, teach us to know that You have truly called us to Your side so that we can believe in Jesus. Help us to know that our sins are already atoned for and its price already paid. For those who already believe in Jesus, are united with Him and forgiven of their sins, grant Your spirit upon them. God, please lead them so that they may know what grace You have bestowed on them. Help us not to receive the demons— the spirits of this world – but receive the Holy Spirit from You so that we can join in Your destiny. In Jesus name, we pray Amen!