Have you ever heard the story of someone who suffered for many years under the bondage of shamanism and finally escaped from it? I once heard such a person’s testimony. This person had lived as a shaman for twenty-six years. A shaman’s life is not something one can quit just because they want to. This person said she even tried to run away, but what awaited her after running away? Punishment—what they call the punishment of the spirits. They say the spirits punish them. How do they punish? Usually, as people tell it, they become sick—so sick they feel as if they are about to die. No one begins the life of a shaman because they like it. Most resist it. But what can they do when their body is in pain? Even when they go to the hospital, the doctors say, “There is nothing wrong. Everything is normal.” Yet they are still in pain, feeling like they will die. In the end, with no other option, they go to a shaman. And when the shaman sees them, they immediately know and say, “Ah, you’ve come. You must receive the spirit!” Then, even if they try to resist again and again, they eventually receive the spirit possession. And when they do, what happens? Strangely, the pain that tormented them suddenly disappears. So the person cannot help but think, “Ah, this must be my fate.” When they receive the spirit, they make a contract with that spirit, confessing, “From now on, I will serve you as my master. Use me as you wish.” And from then on, that demon lives within them for the rest of their life.

Now, when I say “spirit,” who exactly is that spirit? They call themselves by different names—some say they are generals, others say they are dragon kings. They describe themselves in many ways, but one thing they are all good at is lying. No matter what they claim to be, in truth, they are demons. Yes, the very demons you’ve heard about. People often say that when a person dies, they become a spirit—that much even worldly people know. That is why, from long ago, people have been afraid of demons. They fear that a demon might appear, so they avoid going out at night or in the dark. I once watched a video about people living alone deep in the mountains. In that video, there was a man who lived alone on an island. His parents had once lived there too, but after they moved to the city, no one remained, so he lived there by himself. In the video, he shared an old story: there had been an elderly woman living further up the hill, and after she died, her children kept seeing her. They said she would appear—sometimes quietly passing by in front of them. Because of that, the villagers would never go out after sunset; they would turn off the lights and stay inside. Stories like this are not rare. I myself often visited my grandmother’s house in the countryside when I was young. There, ancestral rites were held more than once a month. My grandmother had a small room filled with ritual utensils, and there was even an old photo of her grandmother hanging on the wall. Whenever I went in, it felt indeed frightening. And from childhood, I often heard my relatives talk about seeing something in that room. Likewise, humanity has always lived closely with such demons throughout history. We have always feared them.

Some people ignore it and say, “There are no such things as demons,” but end up being harmed by them. Let me tell you about one such case. When I was serving as a missionary in China, I visited a region in Yunnan Province and met an elderly man who was paralyzed on one side of his body. I learned from the villagers how this had happened. In that village, there was a superstition that one must never kill a snake. But this man said, “That’s nonsense,” and killed a snake that had entered his house. What do you think happened? From that day on, he fell ill and could no longer get up. But was it really the snake that cursed him? No—it was the work of an unseen spiritual being. There are demons, and they can use snakes or other animals as their vessels. They use such creatures to appear before people so that people end up worshiping the animals. And when someone refuses to worship them, it is not the snake that attacks, but the demon that enters and afflicts the person. In this way, the entire village remains bound to worship the snake. Another story was told to me directly by an elderly man I met in Sichuan Province. He was blind. When I asked how he had lost his sight, he said he had once been perfectly healthy. He worked hard and had built a new house. In rural China, people often dream of building a three-story home when they become prosperous, and he had done just that—filling up a pond to build on it. But after he moved into that house, something began to appear to him every night while he slept. You might think that if something happens in a dream, it should have nothing to do with reality once you wake up. Yet whenever he awoke, what happened in his dream had already become real. For example, one night, something appeared in his dream and stabbed his knee. When he woke up, he found that he could no longer use that leg. The next night, the same being appeared again and stabbed his eyes with a knife. When he awoke, he had lost his sight. Since then, he has been blind. I remember sharing the gospel with him and praying for him. Later, I found out that several people had drowned in the pond that used to be there—and it was the work of the demons that remained in that place.

In this way, there are many kinds of gods in this world. We usually call them demons, but when people do not know who these demons really are, they end up serving them. They serve these demons, make compromises with them, and try to appease them. It’s like how cheaters or bullies work the world. What do kidnappers do when they demand money? They lie. They say, “Give me this amount of money, and I’ll let the person go.” The victim believes the lie and sends the money, but the kidnappers take it and then demand more. Demons act the same way. When people think that by offering sacrifices or performing rituals they can satisfy the demon and receive some favor, it only lasts for a short while. Soon, the demon brings another curse, and to solve that problem, people serve it again and perform more rituals, repeating this endless cycle. That is how demons behave—they can never make a person truly happy.

And these demons always want to enter a person’s body. Why? Because they once had bodies of their own. They were beings that used to live with physical bodies, but after death, they lost them. So now they desire to dwell in someone else’s body. They do not distinguish between believers and unbelievers. Some say that demons cannot enter a person who believes in Jesus, but that is not true. Demons can also enter the bodies of those who believe in Jesus. However, there is something we can be assured of: demons can only enter the body—they cannot enter the spirit of a person. The body will one day leave this world, and when that happens, the demon can no longer stay with that person. As soon as the body perishes, the demon must leave and go elsewhere. That is the moment of separation. Also, demons themselves have a limited time, and when that time is up, they must leave the body they inhabit. This is why some people suddenly recover from illness when the demon departs from them.

Then what do those who believe in Jesus have? They have the authority to cast out demons. It is the authority of the Son of God—and the authority of the Son is the very authority of God. Demons tremble before this authority of God. In the Gospels that record the works of Jesus, the last chapter of Mark tells us what Jesus said before He ascended into heaven. He left these final words: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe.” What kind of signs will follow them?

First, “In My name they will cast out demons.” This is the very first sign mentioned. Those who believe in Jesus cast out demons in the name of Jesus. As I said earlier, people who once lived as slaves to demons, helplessly used by them, receive authority to drive them out when they truly believe in Jesus. This authority does not come gradually after believing—it is given at the very moment one believes. Simply deciding, “I’ll start going to church from today,” is not what it means to believe in Jesus. To believe in Jesus means to become one with Him, and at that moment, the authority of God is granted. So today, when a person believes in Jesus, that very day they can cast out demons. I went to the army after three months after I started to believe in Jesus. I was still a new believer. But as soon as I arrived at the army, I practiced what I had learned—I cast out demons, and they left. It was an astonishing experience for me at first. But over time, it became something natural, and I came to understand, “Ah, this is how it’s meant to be.” While casting out demons, I witnessed many healings—both small and great. If someone with a headache was healed, that was already wonderful. But how did I feel when I met a blind person? Honestly, I felt uncertain. Yet even for such people, I commanded the demons to leave—and I saw the blind open their eyes. I also saw the deaf begin to hear, and those paralyzed by stroke rise and walk again.

Who brought all these diseases upon people? It was the demons. They entered each person’s body and revealed their own nature through them. But the Lord has promised us, saying, “Those who believe will have authority to cast out demons.” So we believe this and drive out demons. We say, “Demon! Do you know where you are right now? This person once had nothing to do with God, but now has become one with Jesus Christ! This is no longer your place! Whose body is this now? It is a body used by God!” God also has His god, His Spirit. Since this person has believed in Jesus, the Spirit of God must come and dwell. How could a mere demon dare to dwell in a precious body meant for God? That is why we command, “Leave this person!” and curse the demon. Then the demons that were hidden inside usually manifest, scream, and come out. When that happens, the sickness that person had is often completely healed. Such events are recorded throughout the Bible. There are four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These were written by the disciples of Jesus or by their disciples, recording the works Jesus did. And in them, there are many records of demons being driven out. Before I understood this, I used to read the Bible without noticing how much it spoke about demons, but now, when you look closely, you will find that the Bible contains many stories of casting out demons.

In fact, as we mentioned earlier, that shaman also said that it was not something she could escape from just because she wanted to. But when she received Jesus and confessed, “Jesus, You are my Lord,” things changed. There cannot be two masters. A person cannot serve both a demon and God. One must serve only one master. However, even when a person rejects the former master, that rejected master will not easily give up. It will still claim right for that person until the very end. So what happens then? A battle begins—a spiritual war. But if the two sides were of equal strength, they would struggle back and forth. Yet, is the power of God and the power of demons anywhere near equal? Not at all. God is almighty; He is the One who created all spirits. Demons are created beings. And even though God does not ignore or dismiss His creation, the authority of these creatures that torment people has already been judged. They have been condemned.

Why were they condemned? The Son of God came to these people who were being tormented. Two thousand years ago, a man named Jesus came to this world. He came according to the will of God and did only what God commanded Him to do. But all the gods of this world joined forces and launched a full attack against this good man. In the end, they used the hands of men to nail Jesus to the cross. Under the authority of the Roman Empire, He was crucified and shed His blood unto death. He was not simply beaten to death by people; He was executed. The world’s court declared, “You are guilty and deserving of death!” and sentenced Him to be crucified. So everyone believed that Jesus was a sinner. But on the third day after His death, God raised Jesus from the dead. God Himself raised Him. Something that had never happened before in history took place—something only God could do. Through this, God proved, “This man has no sin that deserves death! This is the one in whom I am well pleased—My beloved Son!” And He raised Jesus from death. At that very moment, the gods of this world who had put Jesus to death were condemned. They lost their authority to condemn anyone according to their so-called justice.

Now those beings no longer have the authority to rule over humans. All they can do is act recklessly and torment people without reason. Their authority has been taken away. It’s like this: imagine a police officer who once had a high rank and long years of service comes to you and starts harassing you. He keeps demanding money from you. You don’t want to give it, but you feel you can’t refuse because he knows your weaknesses. He threatens, saying, “Didn’t you get a parking ticket last time? Didn’t you hit your wife? I’ll expose everything! Give me the money!” So you feel forced to pay him and do whatever he says. But then this police officer gets fired. His corruption is exposed, and he is no longer allowed to perform his duty as a policeman. Yet he still carries his old badge and comes to you again, saying, “Hey, give me money!” What should you do then? Would you still pay him? No—you don’t have to anymore. What should you say? “Go ahead and report me if you want! I know the truth now.” “What truth?” he might ask. You can reply, “You’ve already been fired! You’re not using the power of the law—you’re just a fraud trying to threaten me. You have no authority!” At that moment, the man would be shocked and run away. It’s the same with demons. They come to torment you and say, “You’ve sinned, haven’t you? You’ve done wrong before God! You fought and disobeyed! So you deserve to be cursed!” and they bring curses with them. But what should our attitude be then? We can declare, “Demon! You already lost your authority! You were condemned as an unlawful being for killing Jesus! You are no longer legitimate—leave!” Those who believe in Jesus have been given this authority, and when they stand in it, the demons flee.

When that shaman received Jesus, the demons could no longer touch her. If she had believed in another religion, that would not have happened. Why is it that the demons could not touch her once she believed in Jesus? Because the name of Jesus is the name of God. To believe in Jesus means to become one with God. These demons also know who Jesus is—they recognize Him. Long ago, when Paul went to a certain region to preach the Word and cast out demons, the demons said to him, “We know who You are! You are the great One from God. Why have You come here to torment us?” Then Paul said, “Enough! Get out!” and the demon left the person. That demon had been a fortune-telling spirit. Once the demon left, could that fortune-teller continue to tell fortunes? Her power was gone, and her predictions failed. So who suffered loss? There was someone who had been hiring that fortune-teller, and he was the one most affected. He chased after Paul, shouting, “You ruined my business!” and even brought charges against him. That’s how serious it became. This shows that those who believe in Jesus have been given authority to command and drive out all the gods of this world.

The gods of this world continually try to draw near to people and rule over them. Even for those who believe in Jesus, a spirit also seeks to come and dwell within us. But which spirit is that? It is not one of the false spirits of this world. It is the Spirit of God—the Holy Spirit—who desires to dwell within us. The Spirit of God, unlike demons, is holy and pure. And what kind of spirit are demons? Simply put, they are unclean spirits. But God’s Spirit is holy and clean. So believing in Jesus means receiving that holy and pure Spirit. Now, would this Spirit dwell only in our bodies? If He were to dwell only in our bodies, He could stay with us for just a few decades. But that is not what God desires. He says, “I will be with you forever.” For Him to be with us forever, there must be something eternal within us. What is eternal in us? It is not the body, but the soul. So the Spirit of God comes not into the flesh but into the soul—and He never leaves. He does not separate from us; He remains forever. In short, to believe in Jesus means to receive the Holy Spirit. For people of the world, demons enter their bodies and cause chaos. But for those who believe in Jesus, the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of God—comes to dwell within them.

When a god of this world enters a person’s body and begins to act, that person starts to resemble that spirit. If the spirit of someone who died from drunkenness enters, the person becomes fond of drinking. If it is the spirit of someone who died in a fight, that person strangely keeps getting into fights and getting hurt. If it is the spirit of someone who committed suicide, the person constantly feels the urge to take their own life. Some who are possessed by the spirit of one who hanged themselves even show marks around their necks when the spirit manifests—red marks that suddenly appear. There are many astonishing cases like this. When possessed by the spirit of someone stabbed to death, the person may have convulsions, and knife-like marks can even appear on their body.

But when a person believes in Jesus, all such spirits are cast out, and the Spirit of God enters and dwells within their soul. When God comes in, His nature is revealed. Just as the nature of a demon is shown when it enters someone, so the nature of God is revealed when He comes in. What is God’s nature? That former shaman shared this testimony: after believing in Jesus, she said she became happy. Everything now feels beautiful, joyful, and bright. In the past, everything felt dark, painful, and gloomy, and she constantly wanted to die—but now, everything is completely different. This is because the very nature of God is light. God is holy, full of life, and full of joy. Therefore, when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we also become happy.

In the world, people often say, “Like father, like son.” When the father is a certain way, the son is usually the same. I used to think that was just a saying, but after having a son myself, I found it to be true. When I was young, I had a certain way of sitting while watching TV. No one ever taught my son to do that, but now I see him watching TV in exactly the same posture. I also used to have the habit of biting my nails as a child, and my son started doing the very same thing at the same age I did. No one taught him to do it—he just does it. I can’t even scold him for it, saying, “Hey, stop that!” because it’s so amazing to see. And sometimes I think, “I wasn’t like that, so why is he acting this way?” and then I realize he takes after his grandfather. It’s truly remarkable. Like father, like son.

It is the same in the spiritual world—“Like spirit, like person.” A person’s actions come from the spirit that is within them. When one draws near to a holy spirit, they become holy; when one draws near to an unclean spirit, they become unclean. When one is close to a sick spirit, they become sick; when one is close to a murderous spirit, they can easily become a murderer. When a spirit of anger enters a person, that person also becomes angry. Even when they do not want to get angry, they suddenly lose control and shout. That happens when such a demon dwells inside. Therefore, you must clearly understand that believing in Jesus means receiving the Holy Spirit. Why do you come to church? You come to receive the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes into you, He works within you, transforms you, and makes you appear changed. I bless you all in the name of Jesus to receive the Holy Spirit!

The Son of God, Jesus, died without having any sin, didn’t He? By His death, He paid the price for sin, and that merit was given to all humanity. He did not have to die, yet He shed His blood and died for no reason of His own. That merit was for us—He paid the price for our sins. It is like someone saying, “Hey, I already paid for your meal, so you can just eat and leave.” But if a person does not believe it and says, “Who would ever pay for me? Maybe he’s trying to make me look like a thief. I’ll pay for it myself,” then that person ends up paying anyway. But someone who believes simply says, “Thank you so much!” and goes free. In the same way, when Jesus paid for all our sins and made us clean, believing that is faith. By that faith, we are made clean. Even if someone accuses you, saying, “Aren’t you ashamed? You’ve committed so many sins!” you can still say, “I believe that He has paid for all my sins!” No matter how unworthy or filthy you may think you are, God is pleased with this very faith.

When asked, “Are you clean before God?” very few people would confidently answer yes. Our consciences are often burdened with guilt. But we are not made clean by our own deeds. We are clean because Jesus paid the full price for our sins. No matter how many sins you have committed, or how ungodly your actions may have been, two thousand years ago Jesus already paid for all your sins on your behalf. You are called to believe this—and when you believe it, you are made clean.

If you say, “I believe today, but I’m not sure I’ll believe tomorrow. I keep wavering back and forth,” then put your faith into action. How can you do that? Be baptized. Once you are baptized, it no longer matters if your thoughts waver, because God has already seen your baptism. Being baptized in the name of Jesus means declaring, “I accept the merit of Jesus! His death is my death, and His resurrection is my resurrection. I have been made alive again in God!” So even if your thoughts go back and forth, God recognizes that baptism. The Lord said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” Because you have been made clean, you are now able to receive the Holy Spirit.

When you receive the Holy Spirit, God can use you freely, and many signs will appear showing that He is with you. When you see the evidence of God’s presence in your life, you will say, “I’m blessed! I’m so happy! Why do I feel so joyful?” Even when someone attacks you, you will not be afraid. Though there may be many worries in life, you will not be anxious—because God is with you and takes care of everything. Of course, there will still be difficulties, but the way you respond will be different from the people of the world, for you will always be led by the Holy Spirit. I bless you in the name of Jesus to stop relying on the spirits of this world, to reject them completely, and to receive the Holy Spirit who comes from God in the name of Jesus.

To believe in Jesus and be saved simply means to believe in what you have already received. But the Holy Spirit does not come to those who remain still without seeking Him. What did the Lord say earlier? “Ask!” He said, “Keep asking! Ask until you receive!” To say, “I believe in Jesus, I have been saved, I have been made clean,” is faith. But to receive the Holy Spirit, you must keep asking until He gives Him to you. If He has not yet given, then keep asking until He does. “Which father, if his son asks for bread, would give him a stone? How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” This is what the Lord said. So now that you have already been made clean, I bless you in the name of Jesus to earnestly seek and receive the Holy Spirit. And if you still think, “I’m not clean yet,” then what should you do? Be baptized. Then God will acknowledge you as clean. Be baptized in the name of Jesus.

I’ll pray.

God our Father, we thank You for sending Jesus Christ to pay the full price for our sins. Now, may those who have not yet been baptized receive baptism and fully accept His merit. And may those who have been baptized earnestly seek You and receive the Holy Spirit. Let the Holy Spirit guide them and rule over them by the law of the Spirit of life, so that they may become holy saints who can overcome even death. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.