You Shall Be My God (Genesis 28:10-22)

The passage we read today contains the confession of a man named Jacob. Jacob was the grandson of a man named Abraham. Now, the man Abraham is a very important to our faith. The Bible records the story of Abraham’s family in detail. And then—when the New Testament introduces Jesus, the One we believe in—the very first words are Abraham. “Jesus Christ, the Son of Abraham.”

And the Bible also says, “Those who believe in Jesus will receive the blessing that was given to Abraham.” So knowing what kind of blessing Abraham received is deeply connected to each of us. We need to understand well what kind of blessing Abraham received.

But the blessing that God gives always comes through His word. That’s why the question “What did God say to Abraham?” is very important. Because we are also connected to that word.

So now, Jacob—the grandson of Abraham—had an amazing experience, just like what we read together earlier. I would like to share with you what that means, how it is connected to us today, and what we should do going forward.

When you attend the church, believe in Jesus—and through Him, you come to know God. This God appeared to Abraham about 4,000 years ago and told him what He was going to do. When God appeared to Abraham, he was living in the region that today we call Iraq in the Middle East. And what did God say to Abraham? He said, “I will make you a blessing.” God promised, “I will make you a blessing, and through you, others will be blessed.” And who are those people? “All the nations of the world will be blessed through you.” God was revealing that He was about to begin a great work—and the first person He chose for it was Abraham.

However, at that time, Abraham was already 75 years old. When God first appeared to him, he was already 75. And to this 75-year-old man, God said, “Through you, all the nations of the earth will be blessed. You will have a child, and through that child, a great nation will be made.”

But here’s the problem: Abraham was 75 years old, and his wife was ten years younger than him, but Her body could no longer conceive. She couldn’t have children anymore. Yet God promised, “A great nation will come from your child, and many descendants will be born through him.” It sounds impossible, doesn’t it? However, God gave this promise in a very specific way.

Let’s say a great nation is going to be made. Then where would all those people live? It wasn’t going to be Iraq, where Abraham was living at the time. God said, “Leave Iraq. I will take you somewhere else, so follow Me.” And where did God lead him? To the region what we now call Palestine—where Israel stands today. It’s a fertile land on the eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea. The surrounding areas are barren, but only the eastern side of the sea is fertile. That region is called Palestine, and in those days, it was known as the land of Canaan. The Bible describes it as a land flowing with milk and honey. God said, “I will give you that land. There, your descendants will make a great nation.”

Then what would happen in that land? God said, “I will dwell among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.” This was a promise given to Abraham, one person, but what was going to happen next? God was saying, “You will give birth to a child in that land of Palestine. That child will have many descendants and become a great nation. I will dwell among them and be their God. And when I become their God, what will happen? Through that nation, through your descendants, through that great nation, all the nations of the earth will be blessed.” But whose blessing is this? It is God’s blessing! It’s God’s happiness!

This was the amazing and great work that He promised. But for this to be fulfilled, it wouldn’t take just three years. Thirty years wouldn’t be enough. Even three hundred years wouldn’t be enough. It would take something like three thousand years. And in fact, something visible finally appeared two thousand years later. It appeared in reality when Jesus Christ came on this earth.

Abraham believed that God’s promise and left the region of Iraq. His wife, who was said to be unable to bear children, actually gave birth to a son. But she didn’t conceive right after the promise was given—Abraham was 75 when he received the promise, and it wasn’t until 25 years later, when he was 100 years old, that the child was born. His wife was 90 at the time. She gave birth at ninety! It sounds impossible, doesn’t it? People laughed at them, but Abraham believed to the end—and sure enough, his wife gave birth at the age of ninety. She didn’t even have the physical ability to bear children. And yet, she gave birth. That’s when Abraham realized: “Ah, the God who appeared to me is the One who calls things that do not exist as though they did.”

To call things that do not exist as though they did—what an incredible power! That is the very God we have met. Our Pastor Ki-Dong Kim also met this God and shared the gospel with us so that we could come to know Him too. And he once had an experience like this. He healed a patient with a serious lung disease. The man had been dying, but after prayer, he could breathe again, move around, and even exercise. Later, his family insisted that he still go to the hospital for a scan—just to be sure. So he went and got the scan, and what they found was shocking. The lung that they thought had been healed was actually gone. It had almost completely disappeared, and only a shriveled, fist-sized piece remained. But this man was breathing just fine. Everyone thought he was healed. So what had happened wasn’t that his lungs had recovered and started functioning again, but that God was using what didn’t exist as though it did. Isn’t that something to be thankful for? But, unfortunately, when that man saw the scan results, a thought came into his mind—“I’m not really healed.” And from that moment on, he became sick again. So what we must realize is God calls things that do not exist as though they did.

Later, Abraham must have been overjoyed to have a child. But what made him truly joyful was not just the child himself, but the fact that God’s promise—one that seemed completely impossible—had come true. He saw it with his own eyes and rejoiced. “Wow, this God—His promises really do come true! Even the impossible is fulfilled!” Then he must have thought, “God made many promises to me. That I would become the blessing. That I would become a great nation. That He would be my God, and through me, all nations of the world would be blessed.” When his child was born, Abraham was completely convinced that all those promises would be fulfilled. He had received the proof. So he was absolutely sure that God was with him and that God protected him.

But later on, Abraham received another word from God. This was after his son had grown up. God told him to offer that son as a sacrifice. But not just any sacrifice—God told him to offer his son as a burnt offering, a sacrifice by fire. Now, this sounds strange, doesn’t it? God had promised that Abraham’s descendants would become a great nation. But for that to happen, his son would need to have children, and those children would need to have more children. Yet now, God was asking him to offer up this only son. If the son dies, wouldn’t that make God’s promise impossible? It seems like a contradiction, doesn’t it?

Abraham must have thought, “If I do what the Lord says and kill my son, then he won’t be able to have children—and how could my descendants ever become a great nation? Wouldn’t that mean God’s promise won’t be fulfilled?” But there was one possible answer that could satisfy both sides: Abraham obeys and offers his son, and then—God raises him back to life. Abraham was convinced of this. He believed, “Ah, God must be the One who can raise the dead.” So, he took his son on a three-day journey to the place of sacrifice. He laid him on the altar, tied him up, and truly raised the knife to kill him.

Then God said, “Stop! Now I know. I know that you truly love Me.” And He said, “Because you have loved Me and did not withhold your son, I will not withhold My Son, but give Him to you and to your descendants. I see that you have faith that is not even hesitant to give up your own son. I chose the right man.” God acknowledged him. At that moment, Abraham looked up and saw a ram. A ram had its horns caught in a thicket. So Abraham offered it in place of his son as a sacrifice, and then he returned with his son.

This is the faith Abraham had. As I mentioned earlier, “God calls what does not exist as though it does.” Abraham had one more kind of faith: he believed that God raises the dead. That’s the faith he had. And we, who believe in Jesus today, have this same faith as Abraham. God uses what doesn’t exist as though it does. And second, He raises the dead. That’s who our God is. All of us here will one day die. But God wants to raise the ones He desires. And who does He want to raise? Those who are united with His Son, Jesus Christ.

So then, who can become one with Jesus? God’s Son is holy. So what should we do to become one with Him? We should be united with someone holy, but how does God see us humans? If we are to become one with someone holy, we must be holy as well—only then would such a union be fitting. But when God looks at us, we humans are not holy. Our hearts are full of unclean things: hatred, murder, lies, jealousy, violence—all kinds of impurity dwell in us. Unless these are cleansed, how can we ever become one with a holy God?

Some may think, “Then I just need to stop lying. I must not murder others. Then maybe I’ll be worthy!” But that is not the case. God has already said, “All have sinned.” Every person in the world is a sinner. Every single one. Whether it’s Buddha or Confucius—every person is a sinner. Our hearts are full of what is unclean. “What about pastors?” you might ask. Pastors are sinners, too. Their hearts are full of unclean things as well. Even now, as I speak before you, I am not doing so because I am full of purity or because there is nothing dirty in me. I, too, have many filthy things inside me.

And yet—I have become one with Jesus. God has resolved all this problem. How? His Son, Jesus Christ, paid for my sin. Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ came to this earth, took upon Himself all our filthy sins, and was put to death as the price of sin. People say, “Jesus died!” But to be precise—He was sentenced to death. Why was someone without sin put to death? Because there was sin, He was put to death. But That sin was not His, but ours. To acknowledge this and accept what Jesus has done for us—that is what it means to believe in Jesus.

But being made clean is not the end. Once we accept this and are cleansed, we must become one with Him. Just as God promised Abraham, we must become one with God, and the word He spoke—“I will be your God, and you will be My people”—must be fulfilled. I believed in Jesus and received the forgiveness of sins. Because I have been made clean, I can now become one with Jesus.

And what is the way to become one with Jesus? I was baptized in the name of Jesus. That is why everyone who believes in Jesus must be baptized. I know that some of you who are new here today have already been baptized. If so, you have become one with Jesus. And from that moment, the nature, attributes, and power of God begin to enter into us.

That is when we begin to grow. It doesn’t end with the birth of a child. A child must grow. In the same way, being baptized and united with God is not the end— we too must grow. Then how? We must now obey His Word. Only by obeying the Word can our souls mature. Being born is not the end—we must live as a person, gain strength, grow in knowledge, receive our rights, and come to work. It’s the same in God’s kingdom. If we have believed in Jesus and become one with Him, then we now begin our life of serving God.

Now, I want to talk about a very basic part of serving God—a truly foundational step. If you have been baptized and you believe that you are now one with Jesus, then you must show that faith through your actions. One important way to do this is through what we call the “tithe.” Tithe! You may have heard of it.

It means giving one-tenth of our income to God. If we earn $1,000 a month, we set aside $100 and offer it to God. If we earn $10,000, then we offer $1,000. If our income $100,000, we give $10,000. As the amount gets larger, it feels heavier, doesn’t it? If it’s one million dollars, you would need to give $100,000. That’s not easy—because money is incredibly important in this world. But you’re asked to set that money apart and offer it to God. This is something only those who truly believe that God is alive can do. If a person does not acknowledge that God is living, they simply cannot do it—not even by forcing themselves.

Now, you are making a confession: “I want to meet God.” Some of you may even say, “I have already met God.” If that is the case, then at the very least, you must express your faith before God. At the very least. And when we give even this minimum confession of faith, God gives us more faith. He reveals Himself to us even more.

You can’t entrust money to someone who cannot handle it. Money is only given to those who have the ability to manage it. Imagine a fifth-grade child asking, “Give me $1,000.” What parents would actually hand it over? But if that child becomes mature and responsible, parents will give it when the time is right. In the same way, God gives to those who are able to handle it. If we say we have faith, then we should become people who are able to give one-tenth to God.

Earlier, we were talking about Jacob. The promise God gave to Abraham was passed down to his descendants. That son was Isaac. And Isaac had a son named Jacob. The promise continued to be passed down through them. Now, while Isaac was an only son, he had two sons. Among them, Jacob was the younger. The older was named Esau, and the younger was Jacob. Normally, blessings—just like in our culture—are passed down to the firstborn. But Jacob wasn’t the firstborn; he was the second. So by birth order, he wasn’t the one to inherit the blessing.

However, Jacob greatly longed for God’s blessing. He desired to receive the blessing that God had given to his grandfather Abraham. So he deceived his brother, deceived his father, and received the blessing instead. In a way, he received it through cunning means. As a result, his brother wanted to kill him. It almost led to murder in the same household. If Jacob had stayed there, he would have been killed. And if he died, then what would happen to God’s promise to Abraham that his descendants would become a great nation? That promise wouldn’t be fulfilled if Jacob were dead. So when his brother tried to kill him, Jacob had to flee. He fled from the land of Canaan—the very land that God had promised.

But fleeing came with worries. God had not only promised many descendants, but He had also promised this land—the land of Canaan. Yet Jacob was now leaving that very land to save his own life. For God’s promise to be fulfilled through him, he had to both stay alive and keep the land. But at that moment, preserving his life came first, so he ran. And no one knew when—or if—he would ever return. His brother wouldn’t be the end of the story; Esau would also have children. Jacob and Esau would be enemies, and Jacob might never return in his lifetime. Perhaps even his children might not be able to return. If that happened, the land would have nothing to do with Jacob, and the promise wouldn’t be fulfilled through him.

So, for Jacob, even though he was fleeing, what mattered most was returning. Only if he returned would God’s promise be fulfilled through him. Only then would the promise—“I will be with you”—come to be fulfilled, and he would become a blessing, through whom all nations on earth would be blessed. While on the run, Jacob laid down to sleep before he had fully left the land. And while sleeping, he had a dream. In that dream, God appeared and made a promise: “The promise I gave to your grandfather Abraham will be fulfilled through you. You shall be a blessing, and all nations will be blessed through you. For this, you will make a great nation, and you will return to this land.” When he woke up, he realized it had been a dream.

After that, Jacob made a confession. “Wow! I didn’t know—God is truly in this place!” Then he built an altar and made a vow. “God, I pray to You. I must return to this land. Since You have promised it, if You truly make me come back to my father’s house, then the Lord shall be my God. I will be sure You are with me. I will believe that You will accomplish great things through me. I will believe that all nations of the earth will be blessed through me. If I only return—if I can come back—then You shall be my God. If I come back safely—if You really become my God and I can see for sure that You’re with me—then I’ll do this. I’ll give You one-tenth of everything I have.” What does that mean? “God, if what You promised to Abraham is fulfilled to me, I know You’re with me, and I have clear proof for this, then I’ll give You a tenth of all I own.” This is the very heart of what the tithe is about.

In the end, Jacob returned after twenty years. By then, he had four wives, twelve children, and great wealth. When he came back, the brother he feared would kill him instead welcomed him with open arms. And Jacob became a great nation. His twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel. He came to make a great nation. And God even gave Jacob a new name: Israel. “You have wrestled with God and prevailed. You, before God, cried out for blessing and refused to let Him go. Finally, you prevailed.” And so God named him “Israel,” meaning “the one who prevails.”

And from his descendants came the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Jesus fulfilled all the promises God had made long ago. He paid the price for our sins. And then God gave us His name. That’s why we were baptized by His name. And we can receive the Holy Spirit who comes in the name of Jesus. For those who have received the Holy Spirit, He now dwells in them. That means, the promise God made to Abraham has been fulfilled.

So then, if we are someone truly believes that God’s promise—“I will be with you”—has been fulfilled in our life, what should they do first? We should begin by giving the tithe. That was the original promise from long ago: “If You bring me back to this land safely, if You become my God, then I will give You a tenth of all that I gain.”

So this God you are truly desire to believe in—the very One whom Abraham served, the One who raised Jesus Christ from the dead, the One whom Pastor Ki-Dong Kim encountered and through whom He worked powerfully, the One whom Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim met and through whom He is now leading us, and the One I myself have met—He is all the same God. He is one and the same. If you want this God to be your God, and you truly believe that you too are to become a blessing who makes blessing to all people, then start by giving the tithe.

Of course, giving the tithe might feel difficult—especially if you don’t believe it. If you don’t believe it, you won’t be able to do it. But if you truly believe, you can give. Why? Because God is the One who can give far more than that. In fact, He already has, and He will continue to do so. That small amount is nothing in comparison. Some people try to save every little bit but still end up living in poverty. Others save money their entire lives, live tightly, and accumulate wealth—only to get sick when they finally try to enjoy it, and they pass away. Even if they want to leave that money to their children, sometimes something unexpected happens and the money disappears.

Money never truly belongs to us. But how amazing is it that we can use something so small like money to confess our faith to God? A confession of faith is eternal. We’re using something that will perish and disappear for something eternal. When we give the tithe, God does not rejoice thinking, “Ah, I’ve gained some money.” It’s not like that. If my son comes and says, “Dad, I saved up this money just for you,” and gives me $50, I’m not excited, thinking, “Great! I’m going to spend this!” That’s not what moves me. What moves me is the thought, “My son is growing up. He’s thinking of me.” That’s what makes me proud. So what does the father do? He doesn’t take that money to buy himself a drink. No, he adds another $50 and gives it back to his son, saying, “Here, use this for yourself.” That’s the heart of a father.

God is the same way. We say we’re giving something to God, but in truth, what we’re really offering is not the amount—it’s our faith that He is with us, and our gratitude. That’s what we’re giving. Without that heart, there’s no use coming before God saying, “God, bless me.” It’s not that He hasn’t blessed us—think about it: He has already given us eternal life. Unless we respond properly to what we’ve already received, we won’t be able to grow any further.

Since this is your first time attending the Newcomers Worship, we don’t have a time for offering. However, this is simply because we don’t want to burden you on your first visit. But if you truly desire God’s help, want to build a deeper relationship with Him, and want to serve Him faithfully, you should give offerings. You might think, “I don’t have any money. I don’t earn anything, so I can’t give a tithe.” But even if you don’t have a job, money can still come your way—perhaps someone gives you an allowance or a gift. Let’s say you receive $50 in a month. Then just set aside $5 as your tithe. You might think, “But I didn’t earn that; it was just a gift.” Even then, give one-tenth from it. That small act is meaningful—it is not the same as giving nothing. From that time, God will recognize it. He will say, “This person is sincere,” and He will begin to grant you the treasures He has kept hidden until now.

We who believe in Jesus are not fools. We are wise. So why do we bring our money to church? It’s not that we’re giving it to the church. It’s not that we’re throwing it away. We are offering it to God.

Also, strictly speaking, the tithe is not even considered a regular offering. An offering is what I give voluntarily, but the tithe is something God has already claimed as “His own.” He said, “It is Mine!” Everything we earn comes from God. If you earn $1,000 a month, that entire amount is from Him. Honestly, we could give it all back and still owe Him—but God, in His kindness, tells us, “You may keep $900 for your needs. But from that $1,000, set aside $100 to express your faith. That portion is Mine.” So if we withhold the tithe, we are actually stealing from God. And how can God bless someone who is stealing from Him? He might let that person live, but they won’t be able to receive what comes next. That’s why giving the tithe is something basic—we ought to start from there.

If you ever think to yourself, “I want to give God a gift,” then that is what you do in addition to the tithe. These additional gifts are what we call offerings. The tithe and offerings are separate. That’s why we, the members of Sungrak Church, naturally set aside our tithe first. And then every time we come before God, we bring an offering. We never come empty-handed. When I go visit my parents, I don’t go empty-handed. I bring something. When I meet elders or people I deeply respect, I don’t just say, “Thank you! I’m so grateful!” I often prepare a gift in an envelope and offer it to them. Because we are so grateful that God has given us eternal life, we cannot keep coming before Him empty-handed every time.

Now, since you are attending the Newcomers Worship, there is no designated offering time here, just so that you won’t feel pressured. But that doesn’t mean offerings are unnecessary. If you want to receive God’s blessing and catch His attention, you are to give offerings. You can bring an offering envelope or just prepare an envelope at home and bring it with you. If there’s no designated time for offerings, you can simply place it in the front, or hand it to the pastor as you come in. You can also put it in the offering box in the main sanctuary.

It’s good for you to make sure to do this—not for the church, but so that you can draw closer to God. Tithes and offerings are something you should do if you want to meet God more deeply.

And then—just wait and see what happens. We’ve all experienced it. Things that were so hard to accomplish suddenly begin to work out. It always felt like there wasn’t enough, but even after tithing, we were never in lack.

The Bible tells us that Jesus not only died on the cross but also became poor while on earth. Why? So that we could become rich. But “rich” doesn’t mean becoming wealthy—it means no longer being bound by money. It means we don’t live crushed under money. We are not slaves to it. I don’t have a lot of money either. But I don’t live as if I’m bound by it. If there’s something I must do, I do it—even if I don’t have the money. And strangely, the money follows. That’s the kind of richness we have. People without this richness can’t act, even when they have a pile of money—because they are anxious and afraid. But believers can act, even without money. And then the money follows. It’s mysterious. We are rich. But we can’t expect this kind of life if we haven’t even begun to offer the tithe.

Beloved, whether you have much or little, even if you only receive one dollar, give ten cents. Then something different will surely happen in your life. And through this, confess with all your heart, “God, You are my God. You truly are my God.” Then God will also draw nearer to you.

I bless you in the name of Jesus to become such a person.

I will pray.

God our Father, we thank You for giving us the reality of the promise You made to Abraham. Since You have become our God, help us—just as Abraham did, just as Jacob did, just as You commanded, and just as Jesus Himself did—to also give a tenth of our income and confess our faith through it. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Scripture you read today is from 1 Corinthians chapter 2. The title of this sermon is “Which Spirit Resides in Me?” The Scripture verse we read says, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” This verse mentions the spirit which we have received. The spirit we received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God—that is, the Spirit of God. You might not be sure whether you have received Him or not, but if you are a believer in Jesus, then you have received God’s Spirit. Yes, believers in Jesus receive the Spirit of God.

There are many spirits in the world. Those spirits keep entering people and try to use them according to their will. Such spirits are also referred to as demons.

When a certain spirit enters a person’s body, the spirit manifests its own characteristics in that person. It is like when cola is poured into a bottle, the bottle appears to be black. And if Fanta is poured in a bottle, the bottle looks orange. What’s changing in color is not the bottle itself. It is because the bottle is filled with a colored liquid, that the bottle appears to be that color also. Similarly, when a demon enters a person’s body, it manifests its characteristics. It can cause illnesses and bring about problems to the person’s relationships. It can also cause an accident and even trigger suicidal thoughts. In some instances, the person gets told by others that their personality seems to have changed suddenly. These things occur when a demon occupies a person. In other words, these are caused by the spirit of the world that entered the person.

However, couldn’t a person simply reject the spirit of the world from entering them? Couldn’t they reject and say, “Don’t come into me”? Unfortunately, the spirits of the world are not so courteous. They will not stop coming in because a person rejects them; they come in regardless of the person’s will. They are like burglars. They are like thieves. Though they are told, “I don’t like you,” they still come in.

Moreover, when a demon enters a person, the person may not necessarily realize it. The person may be unaware that a demon is occupying them. People don’t realize that a demon has entered them. And the problem is that demons come in when people are unaware, causing accidents and other problems. That’s where the real problem lies.

It is not uncommon for demons to enter people’s body and harass them—in fact, it is very common. The only thing is that some people are sensitive to it, while others are not. Among those who are especially sensitive, some people get used for special purposes.

For example, a certain person’s parents were mediums. But as parents, they didn’t want their child to follow in their footsteps. Later on, when the child grew up, he became very ill. He went to the hospital, but the doctor said there was nothing wrong with him. But he was in excruciating pain. His condition got so bad that it hindered his everyday life and he had to quit his job. He was in so much pain and agony. While he tried his best to survive through the ordeal, one of his family member died. So he went to see a fortune teller and what advise did he get? He was told to receive a spirit (be possessed). In other words, he was destined to be a medium. In such situations, some people resisted for a while, but many of them became possessed by a spirit in the end. Once they become possessed, they become healthy and well again. From then on, by the demon they are possessed by, they can see other demons and read people’s future based on what the demons tell them. This is how they become mediums.

The Bible makes mention of such people. There is a mention about a girl “possessed by a spirit of divination.” Among the people in the Bible, there is a man named the Apostle Paul. One day, while he was in a certain region, a girl kept following him around, shouting, “This man is the servant of the Most High God.” Eventually, Paul became annoyed and told the demon, “Come out of her!” And the demon left her. The spirit of divination had left her. Do you think the girl was able to do fortune-telling afterwards? No, she couldn’t. She lost her “divination ability.” So her master of whom she was a slave became outraged because she could no longer make profit by her fortune-telling. He sued Paul and tried to punish him for what had happened. In this way, when a demon (spirit) of divination departs from a fortune teller, that person cannot continue fortune-telling.

Demons try to use people in such ways. By causing ill health and threatening to kill them, demons invade people’s body and take advantage of them.

But where do the demons go into? They go into people but specifically what part of the person do they occupy?

Man has a body, and within the body, there is a spirit. The true self is not the body but the spirit within me. It is the eternal true self. Though it cannot be seen, that eternal being is the true self, and it is called a spirit. The spirit is using the body. The body is like the clothes we wear. Clothes always change. The clothes we are wearing right now are different to the clothes I wore ten years ago. And thirty years from now, the clothes I will wear will again be different. As time goes by, these clothes will become old and worn and eventually have to be thrown away. Likewise, the eternal “me” will have to throw off this body and depart for somewhere. That eternal “me” is the spirit.

Where do demons— the spirits of the world—come into, the body or the spirit? Demons originally had bodies. What I’m saying is, they used to be human. Because they used to be humans but are disembodied, it is tormenting. Therefore, demons want to go back inside a human body. And once inside a person’s body, they wish to carry out their own desires.

I will tell you a true story that a certain sister at church experienced. She used to be quite overweight. But when I saw her about 6 months later, she looked like a completely different person. She had lost so much weight. So I asked, “Your weight loss was a success!” But her answer was, “I cast out a demon.” “Really? What demon was it? Was it an overweight demon?” She said it was a foreigner—and apparently, it really loved hamburgers. That’s what the demon itself said. This sister had a part-time job at a U.S. army base, and it was while she was there that this demon entered her. Since then, this sister suddenly began to love hamburgers so much that she had to have a hamburger every day. She never ate like that before but she started eating hamburgers every single day. Sometimes even two a day. That’s how she gained so much weight. The one that made her eat hamburgers was the demon. It was according to the demon’s desire that she ate those hamburgers. Later, when the demon was cast out, it confessed before leaving, “I’m the one who made her eat like that.” Ever since the demon left, she didn’t crave hamburgers anymore. And as she stopped eating hamburgers and started eating healthily, she lost all weight. She became half the size she was before. These things really happen.

So this is how demons come in and take control of a person. Recently, there was news about a mental patient who killed a doctor. He said, he apparently kept hearing a voice telling him, “Kill him! Kill him!” over and over. Imagine hearing voices all the time. It’s not a mere feeling. He could actually hear a voice speaking into his ears. But the voice didn’t stop talking to him. It even cursed and cursed him, in the end, that the person became paranoid in the end. Just one hour of hearing a voice like that would be torture, but he heard the voice 24 hours a day and couldn’t even sleep. The voice told him, “Die! Die!” Then it told him, “Kill him! Kill him!” So after being harassed like that for some time, he followed the demon’s instructions and killed a person. However, after the killing, he said, “I don’t know why I did that.” And the people who knew him also testified that he was not that kind of a person.

About ten years ago, there was a similar incident. A certain man murdered an entire family. He entered a house and murdered every member of the family. When the police questioned him as to why he did it, there was no clear motive behind his deed. But that man also heard a voice tell him to murder. He didn’t even know anybody in that family. He simply went inside and struck them down with a blunt weapon. Where did he find the blunt weapon? The voice he heard told him what to do. “Open that drawer.” He opened it. “Take that out of the drawer.” And he did. After he murdered everyone, he reported the incident to the police himself. He himself had no idea why he did it. In this way, demons go into people and commit such deeds.

This is the activity of the spirits of the world that people are experiencing. But the Scripture says, “We have received, not the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God.” This means that believers in Jesus haven’t received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who comes from God. This Spirit is the Spirit of God who came from God. His Spirit is holy which is why we call Him the Holy Spirit.

Concerning the Holy Spirit, Jesus promised ahead of time. After Jesus died and was resurrected, He ascended to heaven. But before He died, He said, “I will go to Jerusalem, be arrested by men, and be killed.” The disciples were worried and said, “That should not happen.” Yet the Lord told them, “Don’t worry. I will be raised on the third day.” However, the disciples couldn’t believe His words, for they had never seen the resurrection. Resurrection is when the dead come back to life. Jesus went on to say, “After my resurrection, I will go to God the Father. When I go, I will ask the Father and send you the Holy Spirit.”

What happens when the Holy Spirit comes, just as He said? Jesus said, “On that day, you will know. Until now, you couldn’t understand what I’m saying to you, but when the Holy Spirit comes, He will teach you what I told you. In addition, He will let you also have the authority of God—the very authority that I have. Then you will be My witnesses. You will understand what I have given you, and thus you will become witnesses who testify to it.”

Despite Jesus’ words, it would not be easy for the disciples to believe that. Therefore, Jesus promised them, saying, “I will show you miraculous signs and wonders.” What are miraculous signs and wonders? Miraculous signs are visible traces of the invisible God at work, whereas wonders are supernatural and extraordinary events. So Jesus promised, “With supernatural events and marvelous signs that the world cannot bear, He will testify to the things you preach about Jesus”.

After that, Jesus ascended to heaven. Now, people cannot see Jesus who is in heaven, neither have we seen Him. However, He said, “When I go to heaven, I will ask the Father and send the Holy Spirit.” Thus, if Jesus really is in heaven as He said, then even now people should still be receiving the Holy Spirit just as He promised. On the contrary, if Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to heaven were all a lie, there would be no such thing as people receiving the Holy Spirit in this world. However, over the last 2000 years until the present time, believers in Jesus have been and are receiving the Holy Spirit. It is not demons who come, but the Holy Spirit who comes.

I, too, have received the Holy Spirit. In that sense, I am possessed by a spirit. While the spirits that worldly people receive are the spirits of the world, I received the Spirit of God. Those who are possessed by the spirits of the world come to resemble them and do what they do. However, those who received the Spirit of God come to resemble God and do His works.

What is God like? He is a happy and blessed God. And as I received the Holy Spirit, I, too, am happy and blessed by God’s happiness. God is eternal. Hence, the happiness I have received is also everlasting. God is the Almighty who created heaven, earth, and all things. Therefore, ever since I received the Holy Spirit, I can take and use the things in the world according to my needs. In the past, I was limited in what I could do because I lacked the resources and money. But now I don’t worry about that. Instead, my concern is whether or not a particular task is necessary and right. If I am certain that it is necessary, I will go ahead with it , even if I may not have any money to do it. Then, money will follow.

My way of life has changed. Receiving the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean you will win the lottery or become very wealthy suddenly. But you do become rich. You actually become rich. This doesn’t mean you now have a lot of money. What does it mean to be poor? It’s when you can’t afford to do what you have to do. You are unable to do what you must do. However, after receiving the Holy Spirit, I can do what I want to do. I can do what I have to do. How can I do without money? Well, money follows. Something strange begins to happen.

Pastor Ki-Dong Kim, who planted our church, set a prayer point to build a large worship place and started praying, “God, help me to build a worship place that can accommodate 10,000 people.” When did he start praying for this? When there were only seven church members. Actually, even before there were seven, he already began praying about it and planted the church. In 2009, which was forty years later, that prayer was answered. That’s how he built a worship place that could accommodate 10,000 people. Did he have the money to afford the construction? No. It wasn’t built with money. Because he decided to build it and began the work, the money followed. Of course, he had to get a loan, which is still being paid off. Nevertheless, he built it, didn’t he?

Pastor Ki-Dong Kim also prayed, “God, I will write 250 books. Help me to accomplish that.” How can one person write 250 books? He was already very busy with pastoral ministry. I have never heard of anyone like him. People who write a lot would write around ten books at most. But how does a pastor who is engaged in full-time ministry write 250 books while also building this massive worship place and ministering so many church members at the same time? Yet, in fact, the number of books he wrote is about 270. Just this year, he wrote two books already, and last year he wrote six. Isn’t it remarkable?

This is not something that can be achieved by man’s abilities but by God’s help. It is possible because the Holy Spirit is at work within him. So we who believe in Jesus have now received the Spirit of God and live by the power of God’s Spirit.

Remember how I said demons come into people’s bodies? Well, the Spirit of God does not come into people’s bodies but into their spirit. Only God’s Spirit can enter man’s spirit. Once He comes into the spirit, He never departs. He can’t be separated. Even if the person dies, He doesn’t just depart. If He came into the body only, He would have to depart once the body dies. However, as He comes into our spirit, He resides in us forever.

We who believe in Jesus have received the Holy Spirit. If you believe in Jesus and become sanctified, you must receive the Holy Spirit. To believe in Jesus and be sanctified means to be ready to receive the Spirit who is holy. We cannot become holy by doing many good deeds. By good deeds, nobody can be made holy enough for the Holy Spirit to come into them. God sent Jesus and had Him shed His blood and die to pay the price of our sins. He was executed to pay the price of our sins. When you admit our sins and accept this truth, God will deem us as holy. He will approve us as one who can receive the Spirit of God.

If God deems someone as holy, that person is truly holy. They are able to receive the Spirit of God. For God’s Spirit is holy, He cannot go into someone who is unclean. That is why God’s Spirit cannot go into the unbelieving worldly people. On the other hand, the spirits of the world are more than able to enter them. This is because those spirits are unclean, and so are the worldly people. On the contrary, God’s Spirit is holy. He is clean. Therefore, a person’s spirit ought to be clean in order for Him to enter. Otherwise, the Spirit of God cannot go into that person.

Originally, we were unable to receive God’s Spirit either, but now we are able to. It is not because we are “good” people, nor because we observed God’s word well. It is because Jesus already paid the price of our sins, and if anyone believes this, God declares, “You are clean!” That is why the Holy Spirit comes into us. After He comes in, He does God’s work inside of us.

Since the Holy Spirit came into me, God hears me when I pray in Jesus’ name. Moreover, He answers my prayers. When I lay my hands on the sick and pray for them, He heals the sick. When I curse the demons, they flee. Also, the Holy Spirit testifies to the hope of the resurrection which I have—that I, too that I will be resurrected like Jesus did. In addition, the Holy Spirit enlightens me how great the grace Jesus bestowed on us, and reveals to me what that grace is.

To believe in Jesus and thus possess the name Jesus is similar to having a key—one that key can open a great storehouse. When you open and step inside that storehouse, there’s no end in sight. It is massive. It’s hard to see everything inside in just one glance. Believing in Jesus means opening that door and entering the storehouse. Believing in Jesus means possessing this key. What we need to do from then on is to find out what treasures, riches and wonderful things are stored inside. Because only then can we  use them.

Despite obtaining the key, some people only take a quick glance but don’t step inside the storehouse. Let’s say a person needs a car right away. But he doesn’t have one. If he had carefully looked into the storehouse, he would find a car and be able to use it. But since he doesn’t know that there is a car in there, he doesn’t get to use it and continues to live a poor life. That is why it is important to know exactly what is inside the storehouse.

Who enables us to know the things inside the storehouse? The Holy Spirit does. The reason the Holy Spirit is given to us is “that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God”. Therefore, by receiving the Holy Spirit and relying on Him, we come to understand God’s mysteries. In the Bible are God’s mysteries. We can come to know of God’s mysteries in the Bible, but without the Holy Spirit’s help, we cannot understand them. It is by the help of the Holy Spirit that we understand those mysteries. As we read the Bible, we should be discovering many different things. “Wow, here is eternal happiness! There’s treasure here! There is power! There is happiness! There’s even a large house!” Then we will be grateful and filled with joy—and we are able to take and use them whenever we need them. For this reason, the Scripture says, “Now we have received…the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given us by God.” Therefore, it is imperative to receive the Holy Spirit.

There’s a sign that follows when the Holy Spirit comes in. It will be unbearable for the unclean demons, so if there were demons hiding within you, they would not have a choice but leave. However, you also have to hate them and drive them out. Now and then, they leave by themselves, but unless you hate the demons knowing that they must be cast out, they won’t leave even if they know they have to. They will resist. They feel tormented once they leave, which is why they want to stay hidden no matter what. For that, they will keep deceiving you. At the time you receive the Holy Spirit, they know they are exposed and feel compelled to leave. But if you don’t know that, they will remain inside you. It is only when you become aware of them and decide to drive them out that the demons leave.

This is something that could happen when a person receives the Holy Spirit. Upon receiving the Holy Spirit, the person speaks in tongues, repents in tears; he has met God. However, he suddenly has a bad headache. He has a splitting headache. What might be the cause? It is a demon manifesting itself. It is not the person who is in pain but the demon. That’s when he should cast out the demon. He is able to drive it out because the Holy Spirit abides in him.

To give another example, a person, after receiving the Holy Spirit, determines himself to diligently go to church every week. But from the next week, he already struggles to make it to church. Things come up which prevent him from going to church. He faces interference. It is actually a demon hindering him. Similar things like that happen again and again.

If you have received the Holy Spirit, then you must drive out the demon that took advantage of you all this time. Although people come asking me to drive out demons from them, if they haven’t received the Holy Spirit, oftentimes I don’t drive them out. The reason for that is, there is a potential for the demons to come back in even if they are driven out. Remember I said that demons are constantly looking for a body? They are seeking a body to enter. “Now that I’ve been cast out, I will go somewhere else!” But they can’t find a suitable place to go. What might be the reason for that? There are already demons occupying other people’s bodies. Hence, when a demon attempts to go inside someone, the other demons already inside will say, “Hey! Get out! There’s no room for you here!” So the demon that can’t find a place to go will go back to the house it occupied previously and takes a peek. It finds the house unoccupied. There aren’t any demons. When that demon was cast out, the house was swept clean. However, the master of the house isn’t present. In other words, the person hasn’t received the Holy Spirit. Therefore, their faith is not stable. In that case, the demon will go back in.

When it does, it doesn’t just go in. It has a concern. “If I go into him, he will drive me out again. I’m weak by myself and will get cast out. I should take other demons with me and build a strong fortress.” So it calls other demons that have not yet found a place, saying, “Hey, I know a great place. Come with me!” In the end, it brings seven other demons with it. Previously, the person was only occupied by one demon, but later on, he has seven. Just one demon is enough to bring torment— so how much distressful would it be to have seven demons? That is why the person’s condition becomes worse than it was at first.

Why does this happen? It is because the owner of the house isn’t there after it was swept clean. For this reason, once a demon is cast out, the person has to be in subjection to a new master. So who should the master be? Jesus has to become the master. The Holy Spirit must reside within and reign. That is why you need to receive the Holy Spirit. If you want demons to be cast out of you, you first need to know Jesus in depth and receive the Holy Spirit. You must let the Spirit of God reside inside of you, not the spirits of the world. When God’s Spirit dwells in you, He will display God’s nature and God’s peace, so that your life will be like that of God. This is what happens when we believe in Jesus.

So drive out the demons. And receive the Holy Spirit. How do you receive the Holy Spirit you ask? In our church, we teach step-by-step on these topics. Please listen carefully to the words of those who lead you and follow their guidance. If they advise you to undertake a particular lesson at church, please do so. It is for your benefit that they suggest that. And when you hear someone tell you to pray to receive the Holy Spirit, open your mouth and pray aloud.

When I first came to church, I was able to do everything else except for prayer. All other things I could accept intellectually, but prayer is something I had to actively do by opening my mouth and using my own words. For example, if I was supposed to pray, “Help me, God our Father”, I could say up to “Help me God”, but I couldn’t say “Father”. Because I have my father at home and I felt sorry to be calling someone else “Father.” Hence, I could only say “God.” And although I was able to pray, “Help me God,” I prayed with difficulty in a very small voice. I was conscious of others listening to me. Since I was new to church, I felt as though everyone was looking at me and couldn’t pray out loud. I went to church for 3 months and although I thought I was quite zealous, I couldn’t open up my heart, that even during prayer I was still conscious of others.

But finally, I had such a deep longing to meet God and started praying to receive the Holy Spirit. As I became more and more longing, I became louder and louder in my prayer. However, I still couldn’t say the words, “Father God.” All I could say was, “God, I want to receive the Holy Spirit. If You have forgiven all of my sins, grant Your Holy Spirit to me. I want to meet You.” Then I got louder and louder and finally cried out, “God I want to meet You!” In that moment when the Holy Spirit came, something interesting happened.

When the Holy Spirit came, it was as if a ball of fire fell on top of my head. It felt as though that fire travelled down my body into my abdomen and exploded. When that exploded, I burst out crying. As I burst out crying, the first word that came out of my mouth was, “Father!”

All that time, I wasn’t able to say the word “Father”, but as soon as the Holy Spirit came, that very word came out of my mouth. It was not awkward at all to call God, “Father.” This is the working of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes, He reveals the grace of God poured out on me. He enlightens me of that grace. He reminds me of that grace. After I received the Holy Spirit and cried out, “Father!”, tears ran down my face and my nose was running, and I had intense encounter of God’s love for me and was filled with thanksgiving.

My life was changed from that day on. Not long after, I heard in a sermon, ”if a believer lays his hand on the sick, the sick will get well.” So in a matter of weeks of receiving the Holy Spirit, I began to lay hands on any sick person I met. And they actually got well. I have been doing that until now. That’s how I met Jesus in 1992 and continued my faith life to this day.

God is living. Receive in His Spirit. But first of all, be sanctified. Acknowledge the merits of Jesus— how He shed His blood. And once your spirit is sanctified, receive the Holy Spirit. Then the Holy Spirit will reveal to you about the gifts God has given you. From now on, reject the spirits of the world. Cast out the interferences of the spirits of the world. Receive the help of God’s Holy Spirit. I bless you all in Jesus’ name.

I’ll pray.

Father God, help everyone here to receive Your Spirit. If they have been hindered by the spirits of the world until now, help them to be released from those interferences. Let them receive not the spirits of the world but Your Spirit so that they deeply understand what You have lavished on them as grace and therefore be filled with happiness and joy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pastor Ki-Taek Lee
The Director of Sungrak Mission Center