Chapter 10: Casting Out Demons by the Holy Spirit

Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matthew 12:24-32)

When the Pharisees saw Jesus casting out demons, they criticized Him saying, “This man cast out demons only by Beelzebub the ruler of the demons.” To which Jesus replied, “If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?” Jesus affirmed that Satan could not cast out Satan. However, some believers say that shamans can cast out demons. Shamans cannot drive out demons. They can only plead with them to leave, but never cast them out.

Demons can only be cast out in the name of Jesus Christ and its authority. We should never confess that there is another way. In 2 Peter 1:6, the apostle explains that with knowledge must be self-control. So many Christians nowadays obstruct God’s ministry with their acquired knowledge. They think that their knowledge is far better than the knowledge of God. However, we should never cherish anything that surpasses the knowledge of God.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (2 Cor. 10:4-5)

The weapons that the believers use do not come from the flesh or the world. It is the heavenly power that renders ineffective the lofty knowledge of this world that goes against God. The world knows that once a person dies, he cannot be revived again. However, this indisputable principle has been utterly destroyed by the power of God that raises people from the dead.

We must hold onto the absolute knowledge that declares that demons are only cast out in the name of Jesus. Anyone who believes that other methods to cast out demons exist is not a true Christian. We have to subdue all the secular logic and ideas that exalt themselves against God and bring them into subjection to Christ.

He who sins is of the Devil, for the Devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the Devil. (1 John 3:8)

Jesus Christ came to the world to destroy the works of the Devil. The theories and ideas of this world cannot destroy the works of the Devil. The one that directly oppresses man’s flesh is a demon, and this demon is controlled by the Devil, the ruler of this universe. Within this universe, there is no one greater than the Devil. This is why Jesus called the Devil, “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31).

Even a prominent hospital still has a morgue. This clearly demonstrates that no theories or ideas could overcome death, namely the power and authority of the Devil. However, there are no mortuaries in Christ. In the Bible, the authors of the Gospels used the Greek word soma (body) instead of ptoma (corpse) when referring to the dead body of Jesus. Even when Jesus was dead, the Bible described him as a living body, not a dead corpse.

If secular theories or ideas could resurrect the dead, then Jesus Christ would not have mentioned about resurrection during His ministry. Also, if the powers or merits of this world could destroy the works of the Devil, then Jesus would not have needed to come into this world to destroy him. However, 1 John 3:8 clearly explains that Jesus came into the world to destroy the works of the Devil. God sent His Son into the world to destroy the works of the Devil because only the Son of God could destroy the works of the Devil.

It is a serious problem that even believers are saying things like “a shaman could expel demons too”. Based upon my knowledge, faith and experiences, I can never admit that shamans could cast out demons. However, the so-called leaders of churches today are saying such things.

“What? Ki Dong Kim cast out demons? Even shamans do that too!”

But I want to ask them, “Then why can’t you cast out demons that even shamans expel?”

And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? (Matt. 12:27)

We need to watch what we speak. Jesus clearly warned us that every careless word would be tried in the day of judgment (Matt. 12:36). Saying that even shamans can expel demons could have been said to mock someone; however, such words will be judged at the end. We must clearly understand that the only one that can destroy the works of the Devil is our Lord Jesus Christ.

Some people say that I use hypnotism to cast out demons. I once saw a magician used hypnotism to levitate people. However, I have never seen anyone cast out demons through hypnotism anywhere. The Bible never says that such a method can be used to cast out demons.

My knowledge of demons initially came as I read through the Bible. In my first year as a Christian, I was able to read the Bible forty-two times. I was very surprised that demons were so frequently mentioned in the Bible. I learned that demons harmed, oppressed and dragged people to destruction, and that Jesus cast them out when He was on the earth. I also learned from the Bible about expelling them in the name of Jesus. The Bible revealed that all believers could cast out demons in Jesus’ name and that it was Christ’s mandate to all Christians to do so. I have never read any other books that mentioned so frequently about demons.

If someone claims that demons can be expelled by hypnotism, then demand this from them: “If there are any reports that document proofs of hypnotism used for demon expulsion, show me. If you are sure that demons could be cast out with hypnotism, then perform it now.” People who accuse believers of casting out demons through hypnotism should at least prove that hypnotism does cast out demons.

Suppose that I can cast out demons by hypnotism. That would mean that this ability is my own. Then, why would I only declare the name of Jesus when I could make a decent living with this gift? The shamans make a lucrative income with their ceremonies, so if this ability were mine, then I should make a profitable living. There would be no reason for me to continue this line of work while getting overwhelmed with criticisms and persecutions as I preach Jesus Christ. To my knowledge, I was the first Christian to cast out demons in Korea since Christianity was introduced eighty years ago. Since then, I have made innumerable disciples who are still casting out demons all over the world. I have never taught hypnotism to any of them to cast out demons. I have always taught them to cast out demons using the name of Jesus.

When the Pharisees saw Jesus casting out demons, they said that demons could only be cast out with the help of Beelzebub. So in a way, they had initially acknowledged the power of demons since they admitted that demons could cast out demons. But if this were true, then their faith, by which they themselves could not cast out demons, was no better than the authority of demons. Ignorant people love to talk about others. If a person was penalized a dollar every time he slandered someone, then there would be fewer conflicts between people. Christians need to be careful so that they do not sin with their words. We need to hold onto the words of Jesus. He has already affirmed that demons cannot expel demons.

Some say that people should not be too excited with demon expulsion and use Luke 10:20 to support their claim, “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Yes, it is more important that our names are written in Heaven rather than just subduing demons. I also emphasize this to my disciples when I teach them. Some people say these who cast out demons actually practice lawlessness since Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matt. 7:21-23).

However, these verses do not label demon expulsion as lawlessness. Instead, the point of these Scriptures is that though one casts out demons, everything is useless unless he follows the will of the Father. Most definitely, these verses do not teach that casting out demons is lawlessness.

The Bible endeavors to teach us to use God’s power, but believers vehemently refuse it. We should not give excuses for the powerlessness in our lives, but instead prostrate in repentance before God. We must earnestly request the fullness of God’s power. We should never say frivolous words such as, “Shamans can cast out demons too.” The Bible clearly testifies that the ruler of Heaven is the only One who can defeat the ruler of this world.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. (Rev. 12:11)

Believers can overcome the enemy with their words. Let us not cause our own downfall by our thoughtless words, but instead be obedient to the word of God by being filled with the Holy Spirit and power.

Apostle Paul was not one of the original twelve disciples. He never met nor dined with Jesus. In the beginning, he actually thought that the followers of Jesus should be put to death. Thus, he was there as a witness when Stephan was stoned to death. In the beginning, he erroneously concluded that the spreading of the Gospel of Christ was an impediment to the will of God. However, he himself was transformed by the Gospel and also became a witness of it. However, people were not ready to acknowledge the authority of Paul as they did with Peter. So Paul introduced himself as, “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God” (2 Cor. 1:1).

But people questioned him: “What do you have as a proof that you are an apostle? Were you among the twelve? Did Jesus ever directly teach you? How are you an apostle?” To these questions, Paul responded, “Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds” (2 Cor. 12:12).

Apostle Paul considered performing signs and wonders as the proof of his apostleship. Christ’s church needs to be filled with the authority to cast out demons.

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the Devil, for God was with Him. (Acts 10:38)

During the Old Testament times, when God chose someone to be king over His people, a prophet anointed them with oil. So, being anointed by the Holy Spirit is the same as being appointed as king by the Holy Spirit. As saints, we have all received the Holy Spirit, and through the Holy Spirit, we have been anointed with royal authority.

There have been many martyrs and pastors since Christianity came into Korea, but there has not been a single person who dealt with demons. As far as I know, casting out demons and healing the sick started in Korea through me, who was a mere country boy at that time.

Once, a lady brought her son who was lame. I took him and raised him up on his feet forcefully and told her to call him. “Come to me baby. Come to mommy!” When the baby started to walk toward his mother, I let go and he walked! Things people had never heard of in the history of Christianity in Korea became common through a layman like me.

How was all this possible? Why did God use me? I had not even gone to a seminary when these signs were happening. I was not even a lay pastor in a church. I was just a layperson teaching Sunday school. The first time I raised someone from the dead, I was still a layman. I also began casting out demons before I even stepped into a seminary. I had never read any theological books at that time. Before I went to the seminary, the only book I read was the Bible. Only the Bible taught me that believers could cast out demons in the name of Jesus. True Christians are those who possess the power of Jesus Christ as it is promised in the Bible. The power of Jesus Christ not only existed a long time ago, but it is still active in all of us today. We have believed His promises and received salvation. So it should not be strange that the power of God manifests through us. We must allow God to use us whenever and however He desires. We have to be ready.

How has the Kingdom of God come upon us?

But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Matt. 12:28)

Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. (Matt. 16:28)

Judas Iscariot died, but the other disciples experienced the Holy Spirit after Jesus sat down on the throne. About the coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you” (John 14:18-20).

So the advent of the Holy Spirit is the same as the Kingdom of God coming upon us. Therefore, casting out demons proves that the Kingdom of God has come upon us.

Who are we that the demons fear us? Who are we that the demons wail before us? God has anointed us with the Holy Spirit and appointed us as kings. Subduing and casting out demons is the legal privilege of believers as kings.

Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matt. 12:32)

How can a person be forgiven for speaking against the Son of Man, but not for speaking against the Holy Spirit? When Pilate tried to release Jesus, the Jews kept saying, “Away with this man! Away with this man! Crucify, crucify Him!” The resentful cries of the crowd drove Jesus to the cross. The followers of Jesus were very sad at His death. One thing for certain is that atonement comes from the death Jesus suffered on the cross. If people had not despised and opposed the Son of Man, man would have never received atonement for his sins. The reason the Son of God came to this world was so that He would be despised, maltreated, and then finally crucified on the cross. If He had not come in the flesh, then people could not have flogged nor crucified Him on the cross. However, Jesus came in the flesh, which bled when speared and agonized when lashed. If He had come to this world as God, then He could not be seen nor bound.

The Son of God came in the flesh so that He could be despised, beaten, mistreated, and killed. This is the reason the Bible says that those who speak against the Son of Man would still be forgiven. People did not know what they were doing when they killed Jesus, but it was because of such an event that they were able to receive atonement. When the crowd was crying out, “Away with Him, away with Him. Crucify Him on the cross!” Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34). People ignorantly killed the Son of Man, but in the end, His death became salvation to mankind. The Son of God came in the flesh so that He could be rejected and opposed.

However, the situation is completely different with the Holy Spirit. No one can bind the Holy Spirit. The world does oppose and slander Jesus, but none from the world insults the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit came to be welcomed, not to be slandered. So whoever blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven in this age or in the age to come. The Holy Spirit is the one who brings salvation and heavenly power to us (Acts 1:8). We have become people of Christ through the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9). And through the Holy Spirit, God will raise us up from the dead (Rom. 8:11).

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

The disciples eagerly wanted to go out into the world to tell the world that Jesus has risen, but Jesus told them to wait for the Holy Spirit. Jesus clearly communicated that anyone who desires to participate in His ministry must receive the Holy Spirit. That is why Jesus exhorted His disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit.

Receiving the Holy Spirit is the earnest request of Jesus. I work as a servant of Christ not because I graduated from a seminary. People think they can start working for God as soon as they graduate from a seminary, but the Bible never said that people needed to graduate from a seminary to become a servant of God. The only Biblical requisite is receiving the Holy Spirit. Jesus has told us that once the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we would receive power and become His witnesses.

Jesus is the Son of God. However, He has never said, “I cast out demons because I am the Son of God.” Even Jesus said that He cast out demons by the Holy Spirit. If the Son of God relied on the Holy Spirit to cast out demons, how much more should we? We cannot cast out demons without the help of the Holy Spirit. The descent of the Holy Spirit on the believers means that the authority of the Kingdom of Heaven has come upon them. No other authority can subdue the authority of the ruler of this world. Thus, people who want to cast out demons need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Many modern day Christians have misconceptions about being filled with the Holy Spirit.

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:31)

Some people misunderstand the phrase “the place where they had gathered together was shaken” and think that shaking is a sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit. They have even labeled this as the gift of shaking. Some people ask for prayers so that they could receive it. The pastors go even further and pray for them, “Receive the gift of shaking!” If someone around you shakes his arms and claims to be filled with the gift of shaking, then you should say, “You unclean demon, get out right now!” If he keeps shaking, then continue to curse the demon. The demon will eventually say, “I’ve been exposed! I’m leaving.” People think that it is the Holy Spirit shaking the person, but in reality, it is the demon preparing itself to leave. When you command the demon to leave at the moment of shaking, the demon will leave quite easily. The problem lies in that too many people try to feel the Holy Spirit’s indwelling. However, being filled with the Holy Spirit is when our personality is under the control of the Holy Spirit.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit began with the early church. We can see from the Bible that the first thing that manifested through the disciples when they were filled with the Holy Spirit was speaking in tongues. I am not a pastor from a Pentecostal church. I am a pastor of a conservative, biblical Baptist church. The Baptists do not acknowledge any laws other than the Bible and thus, they do not even have by-laws within the denomination. It is an important distinction of the Baptist church to follow all that the Bible supports, though it might go against their usual way of thinking. I am a Baptist pastor, but I acknowledge the speaking in tongues that the Pentecostal churches practice. The reason is that the Bible talks about speaking in tongues in many different places.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:4)

Speaking in tongues by the fullness of the Holy Spirit is an undeniable occurrence. When water boils, it makes bubbling noises. When the stove is turned off, the bubbling noise fades away. When the stove is turned on again, it makes the bubbling noise and vice versa. Likewise, one speaks in tongues when he is filled with the Holy Spirit. A person who previously spoke in tongues becomes reluctant to do so if he is not filled with the Holy Spirit. Thus, many weak believers rarely speak in tongues though they have received the gift. However, they start to speak in tongues again once they attend a revival or a special camp meeting and experience God’s grace again. They say, “Pastor, I received the gift of tongues a long time ago. It disappeared for a while and now I received it again.” Tongues is not something that God gives and takes away. Anyone who receives the gift of tongues can speak in tongues at anytime. Without the fullness of the Holy Spirit, it is difficult to pray in tongues, but with the fullness of the Holy Spirit, tongues come out effortlessly.

By observing how much you speak in tongues, you can verify if you are filled with the Holy Spirit. However, speaking in tongues does not lead a person to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Rather, a person filled with the Holy Spirit speaks much in tongues. On the other hand, a person not filled with the Holy Spirit does not have the desire to speak in tongues. If tongues has become cumbersome or awkward to an individual, then it shows that he is not filled with the Holy Spirit. Just as the water boils at 100 degrees Celsius, a person filled with the Holy Spirit naturally speaks in tongues. Though a person thinks he is filled with the Holy Spirit, if he does not have the desire to pray in tongues, then it proves that he is actually not filled with the Holy Spirit. Apostle Paul said to the saints in Corinth, “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all” (1 Cor. 14:18).

Unfortunately, too many people regard speaking in tongues as something wrong. People tend to give more weight and authority to the words of scholars. But we must understand man’s knowledge and wisdom change with time, whereas God’s wisdom and knowledge do not change. Worldly wisdom cannot limit the Holy Spirit. Though people try to limit the Holy Spirit, He will never allow it. What I want to emphasize right now is not the speaking in tongues but being filled with the Holy Spirit. The fullness of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential in our spiritual lives.

People might then ask, “Up to how much should I be filled with the Holy Spirit?” Not until you feel elated, but until you speak in tongues.

And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues. (Mark 16:17)

When you are able to cast out demons, then you will also be able to freely speak in tongues. Casting out demons and speaking in tongues are natural signs of those who are filled with the Holy Spirit. It is abnormal for these signs not to occur through the saints.

If speaking in tongues were not beneficial to us, then Jesus would not have given it to us. Profanities and insults at God have ended with Jesus Christ. After the ascension of Jesus Christ, God does not tolerate any defiance to His authority. The Bible clearly tells us there will not be any forgiveness for blasphemy against God since the ascension of Jesus. The Holy Spirit came to govern those who welcome Him; He did not come to be blasphemed against. When the pastor gives the benediction, he never excludes the words, “May the inspiration, influence and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Many of you say, “Amen” to the benediction, but why do you limit the works of the Holy Spirit?

Before Jesus was glorified, no one had received the Holy Spirit, and no one had spoken in tongues before the Holy Spirit came.

For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:39b)

The advent of the Holy Spirit occurred after the crucifixion, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus to sit on the throne in Heaven (John 16:7). There had been works of the Holy Spirit before Jesus was crucified on the cross. Yet, they were different since the Holy Spirit personally indwelled the believers only after the ascension of Jesus.

What are the characteristics of the Holy Spirit as the Helper? The word Helper appears four times in the book of John alone. First, John 14:16 says, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.”

Jesus was the visible Helper who dwelt among us, but when He ascended into Heaven and sat on His throne, He sent another Helper to us, which is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit who came as the Helper stays with us forever.

Second, John 14:26 says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

Third, John 15:26 says, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.”

Fourth, John 16:7 says, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

The word Helper is not used in John 16:13, but it says, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.”

Jesus never said that the works of the Holy Spirit would be far away from us. He has never said that the work of the Holy Spirit would cease from a certain time period.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Heb. 13:8)

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is definitely the will of Christ. Some people label tongues as a foreign language. They explain that God gave tongues as a means to evangelize to different ethnic people since communication between them were not effective. However, this theory does not have any Biblical proof. Difficulties in communication still exist today because of the various languages. However, during the times of the early church, Judea had already been governed by the Greek culture for over 200 years. So by that time, Greek was being used as an official language. Therefore, it would not have been difficult to spread the Gospel in the Greek language. Of course, Peter was not very fluent in Greek, but there are no records of Peter evangelizing through tongues anywhere in the Bible. The Bible never says that tongues was a medium of evangelism. If Peter spoke in tongues when he evangelized, then he would not have needed an interpreter. But Peter had an interpreter, named Mark, during his ministry.

Another thing to note is that tongues is not a medium of God’s revelation. What are said through tongues are not the words of God, but the spirit of a person praying to God. If it were the words of God, then the Bible would be full of interpretations of tongues. However, in reality, there is not a single word of translation of tongues in the Bible. Some people think that tongues mentioned in Acts chapter two and 1 Corinthians chapter fourteen are different. They say that the tongues in Acts chapter two is understandable, whereas tongues in 1 Corinthians chapter fourteen is incomprehensible. However, not everyone was able to understand the tongues spoken in Acts chapter two. The only people who understood the tongues spoken by the disciples were the devout Jews that had gathered from all over the empire. Other people could not understand what the disciples were saying, so they thought that people speaking in tongues were drunk. But since the disciples appeared to be slightly different from a common drunkard, they said that they were drunk with new wine (Acts 2:13). However, the devout Jews understood the tongues of the disciples and were astonished.

There is a need to closely examine the words of the devout Jews who came from different parts of the empire.

And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? (Acts 2:8)

This does not mean that those speaking in tongues were speaking in different languages, but that the people who heard then speaking in tongues heard it in their own native language.

And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. (Acts 2:6)

Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God. (Acts 2:11)

In 1 Corinthians 14:2, it says, “For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.”

If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. (1 Cor. 14:27-28)

Since speaking in tongues is the spirit talking to God, no one is able to understand it, but people with the gift of interpretation can understand what the spirit is saying to God. Paul instructed to speak in tongues before the congregation only with an interpreter. In other words, without an interpreter, one was prohibited from speaking in tongues in front of the congregation. However, this was not a prohibition of tongues or speaking in tongues in the church. The phrase “keep silent in the church” means to keep silent in front of the assembly. Apostle Paul was teaching not to speak in tongues in front of people, but it was not a prohibition of tongues before God. Tongues is the prayer of the spirit.

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. (1 Cor. 14:14)

What does “but my understanding is unfruitful” mean? If I am speaking in tongues while thinking Good morning, it does not mean that my tongues is saying, “Good morning.” The thoughts of the mind do not influence the content of tongues. Regardless of what is in the mind, the spirit prays to God. For example, a person can pray all night for his family with the mind, but his spirit might not have prayed at all for his family.

Then how should we pray? If there are any known requests in the mind, then those can be prayed for by saying, “Father, grant me heavenly power!” Then, when you cannot remember what to pray for, you can speak in tongues. When you remember some prayer requests, you can pray, “Father God, give me the word of wisdom, knowledge and power!” In this way, you can switch from praying with your mind to praying with your spirit just like using two legs to walk. Some people think that any thoughts during tongues are actually the contents of the spirit’s prayers to God, but this is not true. What is being said in tongues have no relations to what a person is thinking.

A few days after I became a Christian, my church held a revival. The sermon on the first day was about the blood of Jesus. I was filled with the Holy Spirit and started to deeply repent that night. The next morning, while I was giving thanks for the forgiveness of sins, my tongue started to twist and weird words started to come out of my mouth. So I went to my aunt who was a Christian to find out what was happening to me.

“Auntie, when I was praying this morning, my tongue started to twist and weird sound started to come out of my mouth.” “Oh, you must have been speaking Greek.” “Greek? How could I speak Greek?”

Every time I opened my mouth to pray, this weird sound kept coming out. I ran to the church and said, “Lord if this is from You, then I don’t care if my jaws drop, I’ll keep speaking.” I actually spoke in tongues for nine hours. Suddenly, my spiritual eyes opened and I started seeing visions. Even afterwards, I heard of people seeing visions after speaking much in tongues. The opening of spiritual eyesight is another evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Just as the window becomes clearer the more it is cleaned, your spiritual eyes will open the more you are filled with the Holy Spirit.

No matter how hard you try, 99 is still one shy of a 100. People give up because of this last one, and say that it was useless to reach up to 99. We have to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that God can use us. Because I wanted to be filled with the Holy Spirit, I sometimes prayed on the street holding onto a streetlight. Once children gathered around me to see what I was doing. I prayed whenever, wherever the opportunity allowed me. I once went to the bathroom and prayed for so long that my aunt said, “He’s been in the restroom for hours, why isn’t he coming out?” At her words, I came back to my senses. I did not even realize that time had passed. I yearned for the fullness of the Holy Spirit in my life. In result, God has worked greatly through me because I was full of the Holy Spirit.

Speaking in tongues is one of the things that demons hate the most. Thus, speaking in tongues definitely benefits our spirit. Spiritual well-being then brings great collateral contribution to our physical health also. Speaking in tongues activates our spiritual metabolism, which distresses the demons. The demons hiding in our nervous system would eventually leave when spiritual activity is too strong for them to bear. Thus, as the demons leave, people would feel great relief in their bodies. People being relieved of headaches and muscle pain when they pray in tongues is due to this reason.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is the will of God. I pray in Jesus’ name that all of you will be filled with the Holy Spirit and use the royal authority and power in your spiritual lives.