My beloved, how precious is peace in our lives? Yet, there are so many things that disrupt it. Sometimes, we even break that peace ourselves because we find it difficult to handle. It is only after it’s broken that we truly realize how precious it was. I am so grateful to God, who always protects us in peace and guides us. He truly wants to give you that peace—not just for a moment, but forever. It is for this very reason, so that you may enjoy eternal peace, that He has introduced Jesus to you.

When Jesus came to this earth, He endured much persecution and suffered greatly. He cried out in deep distress. But now, He is in perfect peace. God rescued Him from the darkness and raised Him from the dead. Because of this, He is alive today and dwells in the Kingdom of Peace. We cannot see Him with our physical eyes, but this is not because He is an invisible being; it is because He is outside this universe. He has a physical body, and there were witnesses who saw His resurrected body long ago. He is hidden from our sight simply because He is not within this universe, not because He lacks a form. One day, we too will be resurrected and join Him there.

However, in the place called the Kingdom of God, or the Kingdom of the Son, there are great differences in the glory that people enjoy. Just look at all of creation. Flowers, for instance, vary in their splendor. There are nameless flowers blooming in the fields, while others are so beautiful that they are placed on the King’s table in the palace. Look at the birds as well. There are simple gray birds that hardly catch the eye, but there are also magnificent pitas with vibrant colors, and even peacocks. They all differ in size and beauty. What does this mean? It tells us that our lives in heaven will also differ. Of course, we must go to heaven. It is certain that those who believe in Jesus will go there. But for believers, the real question is: “In what state and with what level of glory will I live there for eternity?” This is exactly why we serve God so faithfully, even when we face criticism or persecution in our church life.

Every human being is naturally smart. We all know what is beneficial for us. No one has to teach us how to make money or how to look after our own interests. Christians are not fools. We, too, have lived in the world; we have lived as unbelievers and have had our share of education and experience. Yet, we still choose to serve God. It is not because we are foolish. It is because we have discovered something.

Imagine someone plowing another person’s field and discovering a hidden treasure there. When they see the treasure, they realize there is so much of it that they can’t even begin to dig it all up right then. What would you do? Would you just start digging it out on the spot? A smart person would cover it back up. Even if their only asset is a single house, they would sell it. They would sell that house just to buy that field. What would people say then? They would call them crazy. “Why is that person selling their own home to buy that tiny field? That land isn’t even good; is he a fool?” Relatives would come and try to stop them, saying, “Hey! Have you lost your mind? You just don’t know how the world works! Let me show you a much better field!” They would treat that person like an idiot, but that person is no fool. It’s because they have made a discovery. The reason we, as believers, live this life of faith is exactly because we have discovered something.

I recently heard a testimony from a famous celebrity couple. Since I had seen them on TV many times looking so bright and happy, I assumed they were both leading a life of faith together in one heart. However, it turned out that the wife was not a believer at the time. She was suffering from various illnesses and even saw demons that others could not see, which caused her great agony. Then, through her husband’s prayers and guidance, she came to church, was born again, and is now no longer tormented by those spirits. This story has been featured on TV several times, so many people—whether believers or not—may have heard about them at least once.

Yet, some people hear stories like theirs and say, “How could demons possibly exist in this world? It must just be a psychological issue.” And it’s true—those who have never experienced such things might naturally ask, “How can there be demons in this day and age?”

But in fact, one of the most prominent parts of Jesus’ ministry in the New Testament was casting out demons. Jesus began His ministry in Capernaum, a village north of the Sea of Galilee. He entered a synagogue where the Jewish people gathered for worship. As He opened the Scriptures and began to teach, something happened: a man possessed by a demon was exposed. Usually, people would never have known he was possessed because he seemed perfectly normal. But as soon as Jesus started preaching, the demon inside him revealed itself and began to speak. It cried out at Jesus, “Son of God! Why are You bothering us? Did You come to torture us?” But Jesus commanded, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And the demon obeyed.

It’s certainly strange to hear a demon speak, but what’s even more striking is how boldly Jesus responded, simply saying, “Come out!” And to everyone’s surprise, when Jesus commanded it, the demon left while trembling in fear. It went out screaming! Those who saw this must have thought, “What is this? This is a completely new teaching!” Before this, the people who taught them were like professors, but Jesus was different—He was like a King. When He said, “Out!”, the demon simply left. This isn’t how a professor acts. A professor carries a book and writes things on a chalkboard to teach, but that wasn’t His style. He had the majesty of a King. At His command, the demon fled, shaking with fear. This is the Gospel. This is the authority of Jesus that we, as believers, proclaim.

From the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry, demons appeared. And even in His final moments on earth, before He ascended into heaven after His death and resurrection, He spoke of them again. He said, “And these signs will follow those who believe…” And what was the very first sign? “In My name they will cast out demons.” The very first thing He mentioned was the matter of demons. During His ministry on earth, He gathered His disciples and sent them out with a specific command: “Cast out demons.” He had a clear purpose in calling them: that they might be with Him, that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to cast out demons. So, Jesus cast out demons, His disciples cast out demons, and now all who believe in Jesus cast them out as well. In fact, those who believe in Jesus are people who drive out demons. Why? Because what are demons? They are beings that rob us of our peace. There is no peace in a demon.

Not long ago, I met someone like this. A person came to our church, and when I asked why they had come, they said they weren’t a believer yet but were in so much pain. When I asked, “What’s troubling you?” they replied that while nothing specific had happened, their chest felt incredibly heavy and tight. They described it as a constant, suffocating feeling. It might sound like a psychological issue, but they were experiencing actual physical tightness and pain in their chest. They were suffering so much and said, “I’m in agony! I just want to find a way out of this!” It felt like he suffered from a suppressed emotional illness. These things that destroy our peace are the works of demons. Even that person doubted it, saying, “I think this might be a demon.” When I asked why they thought so, they mentioned seeing someone repeatedly in their dreams. It’s just like the celebrity’s wife I mentioned earlier; she kept seeing things in her dreams, too. When the deceased appear in your dreams, it means their spirit—a demon—has entered your body.

Once a demon enters, it is very reluctant to leave because they are so satisfying. Originally, these demons were beings that possessed their own bodies. But now, having lost their physical forms, they can no longer express themselves. They cannot drink, nor can they enjoy the pleasures they once had on this earth. So, what is the only way for them to drink, eat, and enjoy things again? It is to have a physical body once more. But since they don’t have one of their own, they look for the next best thing: entering someone else’s body. However, they can’t just enter any body they choose. Other people’s bodies already have their own spirits dwelling within them, making it difficult to just force their way in. This is why they often find it easier to enter their own family members or people they knew. Sometimes, a demon might even enter a total stranger by chance. I’ve heard spirits say things like, “I came in when this person was smoking,” or “I entered when they told a lie.” There are many different ways it can happen.

So, what does a demon do once it enters a person? It simply goes to work, manifesting its own characteristics. For example, let’s say there is a glass here. If we fill this glass with Coke, what color is it? The glass itself appears to turn black, the color of the Coke. Now, imagine we pour the Coke out and fill it with orange juice. What color is it now? It’s orange. The glass remains the same, but its appearance changes depending on what is inside of it.

It is the same with us. A person’s body may look perfectly fine, but if a spirit that died of cancer enters them, what happens to that body? Cancer appears. If a spirit of insomnia enters, what manifests? Insomnia. Or consider a spirit that died in a fire, unable to escape a confined space. If that spirit enters a person, what will they develop? They develop things like panic disorders. They feel suffocated whenever they are in a closed space. Many people lost their lives in subway fires, didn’t they? I later heard stories from the survivors. They say they can no longer ride the subway. They can’t even stay in a crowded room. Why? Because they start coughing uncontrollably. Even though there is no smoke, they cough the moment they step onto a subway. Why is that? It’s because the spirits of those who died with them have entered their bodies and are causing these abnormal symptoms. It’s so tragic for these survivors—they managed to survive the accident, yet they continue to suffer because of these spirits.

So, how can we solve this misery? It is truly heartbreaking to hear such stories, and I feel a deep desire to help. Our Jesus can resolve all of these issues. Why? Because Jesus is the Son of God, who stands above all other gods. He is the King over all gods. That is why even demons recognize Him. It isn’t a struggle or a fight between Jesus and demons. Jesus can give an absolute command to them, and they must obey. Some people who don’t quite understand may see us driving out demons and say, “Oh, these Sungrak people are fighting with demons.” But that is not true. We are not fighting them; we are using the King’s authority to unilaterally drive them out.

Where does that authority come from? It comes from faith. It is believing, “Through His Son, God has given me the authority of a son. I possess the authority of judgment that has already judged the devil!” With that faith, we drive out demons. Great works happen through that authority alone, and it manifests the moment you acknowledge it. For example, imagine a farmer. A president with absolute power notices how hard this farmer works and suddenly gives him a command: “From today, you are the Minister of Agriculture!” Now, what should this man do? If he says, “Yes, I understand!”, he becomes the Minister of Agriculture from that very moment. But if he says, “I don’t have the ability. I’m not educated. I can’t do this,” then nothing happens. However, if he accepts the command and says, “Yes, sir!”, he holds the authority of a minister from that day on. Even highly educated people will then bow their heads to him. Don’t you agree?

Our God has given us this same authority through His Son. It is written, “Those who believe in Jesus have the authority of the children of God!” That is why we can give the command: “Demon, come out!” And it leaves. This is something that can happen from the very first day you believe in Jesus.

Because I was taught these truths so well at Sungrak Church, I have personally experienced many such things. I joined the military just three months after I started believing in Jesus. You could say I was a brand-new believer back then, right? In the military, there are always people getting sick or injured. They would say, “My back hurts,” “I have a headache,” or “I sprained my ankle.” Every time I saw that, what do you think I did? I used my authority. I laid my hands on the painful spots and prayed. Sometimes, I even rebuked and cursed the demons. When I did, miracles began to happen. As I continued, the scope of these works expanded. These signs followed me not only in the military but also after I returned to society.

Later, I went to China as a missionary. At that time, I was still a layperson who had only been a believer for five years, but I went there to preach the Gospel. Right before my eyes, there was an elderly man who was paralyzed on one side of his body. To be honest, I didn’t go there specifically expecting to heal him. I simply did what I had always done. It was just that this time, the person in front of me was in a much more serious condition than anyone I had seen before. I laid my hands on him, prayed, and commanded: “Get up!” And right then and there, he stood up. That experience gave me even greater courage.

Later on, a blind man came to see me. The Bible mentions several times how Jesus opened the eyes of the blind. So, I laid my hands on him and prayed. However, his eyes didn’t open immediately. In that moment, it might have been easier for me to just say, “You’ll get better gradually,” and send him home. But I felt that would be dishonest before God. So, I stayed right there, held up my fingers in front of his eyes, and asked, “How many do you see?” He replied, “I can’t see anything.” I prayed again and asked once more, “How many?” Again, he said, “I still can’t see.” We went back and forth like this, continuing to pray. Then, all of a sudden, he shouted, “I can see!” And just like that, his eyes were opened.

As I took courage and obeyed the Word more faithfully, these miracles began to happen more and more frequently. These things don’t occur because someone has reached a high level of spiritual training or asceticism. Rather, they happen because God promised that this authority belongs to everyone who believes in Jesus. So, if you believe in Jesus and begin to exercise that authority starting today, you will see that power manifest in your life from this very moment.

Have you ever experienced sleep paralysis? When it happens, you are asleep but find yourself unable to move. Sometimes, you can even see a demon with your own eyes. It might be sitting on top of you, even strangling you. In that moment, you’re confused about whether your eyes are open or closed—you are clearly awake, but you simply cannot get up. You want to scream for help, but no sound comes out. You are completely pinned down, just lying there helpless. You are being tormented, seeing the demon pressing down on you with your own eyes, yet unable to do a single thing about it. Can you imagine how suffocating and terrifying that must be?

Back in high school, I had a friend who frequently suffered from the sleep paralysis I just described. Interestingly, his parents were church leaders—his father was an Elder and his mother a Senior Deaconess. However, they were more like “religious” people rather than true believers; it was hard to say they had the assurance of salvation. Their son, my friend, had no faith at all. He was constantly tormented by demons. One day, when I visited his house in high school, I found cigarettes; he was already smoking back then. Later, in college, I visited him again and saw about a dozen Bibles piled up. Do you know why he bought them? Because of his frequent sleep paralysis, he would lay the Bibles in a wide circle around his body and sleep inside that circle. Did it work? He said it didn’t help at all, so he just piled them up in a corner. He even used a Bible as a pillow instead of a real one. Do you think that would have any effect?

This is exactly what superstition looks like—using the Bible as nothing more than a lucky charm. If you don’t even know the Word and don’t acknowledge the authority Jesus has given you, what good does it do to sleep surrounded by Bibles? In the past, the Catholic Church used what they called “holy water,” praying over it and sprinkling it, but without faith, all of that is useless. If you have faith, you could sprinkle water, lay a handkerchief on someone, or even just blow a breath on them. The key is faith; it’s not about the physical materials you use.

I eventually evangelized this friend when I was in college. He even started attending our church. After I received the Holy Spirit, I became very bold. When the demon came to visit my friend again, I told him, “Curse it in the name of Jesus.” He said that although he couldn’t get the words out of his mouth, he did exactly as I told him in his heart. Inside, he said, “Demon, go away!” And the demon’s reaction was quite interesting. How do you think it reacted? It went, “Huh? and just left. It was as if it was surprised, thinking, “That’s unexpected,” and then it took off. So the next time it appeared, my friend used even greater faith and shouted, “Demon, get out!” This time, it fled while screaming, “Aaaaaah!” After that, the demon never returned. He continued to attend church faithfully, but unfortunately, his parents disliked our church. His older brother was a pastor himself, and they even came to our retreat site to take him away. He said to me he would live a life of faith by himself, but later he stopped attending church altogether. It’s truly heartbreaking.

Jesus came to rescue those who are tormented by demons. First, He judged the devil, the king of all demons, two thousand years ago. What was the process of that judgment? It was through Jesus’ death and resurrection. What was the greatest thing the devil could do? It was to condemn and kill people. That is exactly how the devil killed Jesus—by condemning Him. The devil incited people to say, “This man, Jesus, has blasphemed God! He claims to be the Son of God!” and had Him put to death. Now, if God had simply stayed silent and said, “Yes, that man is indeed a sinner,” then Jesus would have remained a sinner. But God did not do that. Instead, He said, “No, He is My Son! I know Him!” and He raised Him back to life.

This means the devil, who put Jesus to death, was exposed as a lawbreaker. Originally, the devil held the authority to curse, attack, and kill people, but after Jesus rose from the dead, that authority was stripped away. Since then, the devil has had no authority over those who believe in Jesus. No one can evade this truth. Now, believers can defeat the attacks of these demons. And how do we do it? Not by our own strength, and not by fighting a physical battle, but by using our authority to curse and drive out the demons.

Furthermore, God did not send His Son only to remove these demons; there is something even more important. He sent His Son so that each of us could be with the Son of God forever in heaven. Therefore, He did not just heal our physical sickness; He also paid the full price for the sins of our spirits. Through the death of Jesus, the debt for our sins has been paid. In fact, the price for all your sins was already paid two thousand years ago. Even before you knew Jesus, even before you could confess, “I am a sinner,” He had already paid your debt in full. And only after accomplishing this is He now making it known to you.

Therefore, you must accept this truth. When you accept it, God forgives your sins. From that moment on, you are qualified to be with God. To those who have received the forgiveness of sins and obtained this right to be with Him, God sends His own Spirit—the Holy Spirit—instead of demons. He sends the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. Thus, He works together with us through His power.

However, while we are still on this earth, we continue to face attacks from demons. Even though we believe in Jesus, we can still be subject to their attacks. What is the gateway for these attacks? It is when we do things that God hates. In today’s scripture from Exodus, the Ten Commandments are recorded. What do they say? “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image or worship idols. Observe the Sabbath day. Do not take the name of the Lord in vain. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not bear false witness. You shall not covet.” What does this tell us? It clearly shows us the things that God hates.

When we go to heaven, we will be with the Son of God forever. But He truly hates these things. If we desire to go to that heaven, we must distance ourselves from such sins. Unfortunately, we are constantly being attacked by these things, and they still dwell within us. Therefore, we originally had no right to enter heaven. But Jesus has already resolved all of that for us. However, just because God has resolved it, it doesn’t mean we should continue to commit adultery or murder. From now on, we must be careful. We must make an effort, and more importantly, we must learn to hate those things just as God does.

What happens if we commit such sins? What happens if we commit murder or adultery? What happens if we fail to keep the Lord’s Day holy, take the name of God in vain, or harbor greed in our hearts? What happens if we bear false witness? It is in these moments that demons enter. This is when they find an opening to seize the opportunity and torment our physical body.

Therefore, God not only desires for our spirits to prosper, but He also wants us to be free from the attacks of demons while we are on this earth. And if a demon has already entered, He wants us to drive it out. These Ten Commandments reveal the very character of God. We are to be with this God for eternity—what kind of God would we want Him to be? If He were a God who loved worldly pleasures and was merciless, would we truly want to be with Him forever? But as we have seen, our God is a God who hates idols. He is a God who wants us to be at peace. He is a God who has His own holy dignity. He desires for us to honor our parents and hates adultery, theft, and false witness. That is the kind of God He is

As you hear this, you might think to yourself, “Oh no, I’ve committed so many of these sins…” But try looking at it from a different perspective. For instance, consider the command “Do not commit adultery.” Imagine that this command is directed not at you, but at your spouse. If your husband or wife were to commit adultery, would you be happy? If someone were to commit murder against you, what would happen? If others lied to you, how would you feel? So, do not look at this only from your own position. Instead, try to understand it from God’s perspective—He hates for such things to happen in His kingdom. God simply wants us to be happy. He is showing us the path that allows us to live with Him in eternal happiness.

By nature, we are filled with such sins, making us unworthy of His kingdom. Nevertheless, God sent Jesus to pay the full price for our sins so that we could enter that kingdom. God desires so greatly for us to enter His kingdom and enjoy His happiness that He was willing to resolve our sin problem for us. God’s thoughts toward us are not of evil. Even when He says, “Do this” or “Do not do that,” He is not trying to oppress or bind us. His thoughts toward us are of life and peace. I bless you in the name of Jesus, that you may truly receive the life and peace that God gives.

God is the God of life and peace. When we are with Him, His life and peace will overflow within us. However, if we distance ourselves from God, that life and peace will also drift away; instead, the spirits of this world will draw near and bring curses. Even if we find yourself in such a situation, seek God again! God will surely help us. He truly desires to resolve all the problems in our circumstances and our physical body. Cling to Him. Cry out to Him! Then, God will certainly come to our aid. I bless you in the name of Jesus, that God’s happiness and peace may overflow in your lives.

God our Father, we truly desire for all of us to be happy with Your own happiness. These demons try to interfere with our happiness and disturb our peace, but we lean on You, make You our refuge, and place our trust in You. Please help us. Also, help us to understand Your heart—the heart of a Father who longs to help us—so that we may all become those who truly love You. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.