Over the last two weeks, I have been speaking to you about the Holy Spirit. Today’s sermon title is “the Holy Spirit of Truth.” As you have just read, He said, “I have a lot more to say to you. However, you will not be able to accept everything at this moment.” He couldn’t tell them everything because they were not able to accept it all. “But when the Holy Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth.” In another verse, He said, “When the Holy Spirit comes, He will remind you of everything I have told you. He will give you understanding.”  It is remarkable that the words written in the Bible are being fulfilled in us.

I first came to church in May 1992. Prior to that, I had gone to church with a friend, but never seriously. But when I came to church in May 1992, it wasn’t because I was determined to start a faith life. Rather, it was because I had a strong desire to meet God. I thought, “I want to meet God! If He is really alive, I have to meet Him!” This was the reason I came to church. This was my determination. Many people had evangelized me before, but I was very stubborn and didn’t listen.

However, a person I had known since 1990 prayed for me continuously for three years, which led me to finally come to church. Over those three years, the change that took place in my heart was that I started to admit, “I am a sinner! I am accursed!” It wasn’t exactly in the same sense as the church’s teaching that says, “You’re a sinner!” Nevertheless, I tried to live a righteous life in my own way, but it didn’t work. I wanted to live righteously, but when I found myself as a wretched sinner, I was in complete despair. I was lost, not knowing what the meaning of my life was.

So I thought, “Living is no different from dying. If there is a heaven and hell, then this world must be a part of hell!” That’s how I felt at the time. “This world must be a part of hell. And if there are heaven and hell as Christians say, then I surely must be going to hell!” This was because I had tried to live a righteous life but failed. I discovered that I couldn’t live a righteous life. Anyway, since I had this kind of realization, I didn’t have the confidence say, “I’m righteous! I don’t need to go to heaven! Just leave me alone!”

That’s why I came to church. From May, I attentively listened to words preached at church. But the impression I got when I first came to church wasn’t pleasant. I wasn’t happy about everything I saw and heard. But since I wasn’t pleased with myself either, I didn’t have any energy to argue about the things in the church. Yet one of the things that displeased me the most was how the senior overseer always wore a white suit and white dress shoes whenever we had holy communion. He was wearing white from top to bottom, which was displeasing in my eyes. I wasn’t happy with anything. I didn’t like how they collected offerings or anything else.

Since I didn’t have hope and had come to church to find hope, I thought I should get rid of such an attitude, shouldn’t I? So I did. I cleared my heart of that attitude, paid close attention to hear the word, eagerly did Bible Study, and did whatever else I was told to do. Moreover, because I was told I should speak in tongues and receive the Holy Spirit, I just copied what I was told and started saying something. But I cannot say that it was speaking in tongues. This is because later, when I actually received the Holy Spirit, I experienced how I started speaking in tongues. Hence, I couldn’t say that what I copied and said before was actually tongues. At that time, I didn’t even have faith—I was merely doing what I was told.

However, when it came to saying, “In Jesus’ name I pray,” I just couldn’t get myself to say that. Although I started attending church in May, for the first three months, I couldn’t say at the end of prayer, “In Jesus’ name I pray!” Also, I couldn’t say, “God my Father!” These two things were very difficult for me. The reason I couldn’t say “Father” was because my father was back at home, and I have never called anyone else but him “Father” in my entire life. I couldn’t call someone I don’t even know “Father,” although I could call Him “God.” So I was only able to say, “God!” But even saying, “In Jesus’ name” was awkward. So instead, every time I prayed for three months, I said, “In the name of Truth, I pray.” For three months I said, “In the name of Truth I pray!” Because what I was seeking was the truth. The truth is that immutable something that transcends generation, place, and situation. What I was looking for was something eternal and unchanging. That’s  why I prayed, “In the name of Truth I pray.” I just thought that the Truth is God. “If it really is You, God, meet with me!” But what I was told at church was that I cannot know the truth, and I cannot know God. However,  the One who reveals and manifests God is the truth. And that Truth is Jesus! I couldn’t believe that. “How can Jesus be God?” I thought. “How can Jesus be God?”  The truth that I knew in this world was something invisible, like an unwritten law something unchangeable, such as the fact that the earth orbits the sun. I thought that truth was some kind of reason. I couldn’t accept the idea that a man was the truth. “How can the man that grew up in Nazareth be called the truth?” Because of my skepticism, I just prayed saying, “In the name of Truth, I pray!” And instead of saying, “Father,” I prayed, “God!” Nevertheless, I was fervent in all other aspects because I wanted to meet God. I kept praying like this: “God, if you are real, let me meet You!”

I also couldn’t believe that God created heaven and earth. I wanted to believe it. I wanted to believe because they said He did, yet I wasn’t able to believe. Furthermore, I couldn’t believe that Jesus was born from a virgin named Mary, who had never known a man but gave birth through the power of the Holy Spirit. It all seemed absurd. These were things I wanted to believe, but I simply couldn’t. The fact that Jesus is the Son of God was  also something I tried to believe, but it didn’t come to me as faith.

About three months later, I went to a College camp. While I was there, I prayed earnestly. The camp lasted five days, but until the fourth evening, despite praying fervently, nothing changed. No changes took place at all. I was only trying to believe by my own will. But I knew that it wasn’t faith. I was using my will to believe, but that alone wasn’t faith. I knew it. I thought to myself, “With this, I can’t take care of my spirit or maintain my own life. I must meet God!”

It was the Friday evening, and everyone went to have dinner. But I couldn’t bring myself to go. There were three other people in my group who were also new to church. But they wept, repented on the second day and third days, and said they met God. But although I had opened my heart wider than any of them, nothing happened to me. I was getting anxious, so while everyone else went to eat, I went to pray by myself. Our church has a Retreat Center. There’s a very large hall, and I knelt on the wooden floors and prayed. I prayed for a long time, and as I was very longing and earnest, I was getting louder and louder without even realizing.

After a while, I realized that all this time, I had not been praying out loud very much. The loudest I had prayed was a soft babble, barely audible even to myself. But when I became really longing, it was different. I got louder and louder, like a child screaming and throwing a tantrum to his mum, begging for a lollipop, and even crying if he doesn’t get one. It was similar to that. I was crying out and praying earnestly, saying, “God, I admit I’m a sinner! I admit that I am cursed! I want to meet You God! I heard You sent Your Son to pay the price of my sins. I believe that. I want to believe that! But I can’t seem to believe! Let me meet You!”

During that camp, I was taught the reason why I was in that state. It was because I had not received the Holy Spirit. As the Lord said in this passage, “Even if I teach you many things, you wouldn’t understand! But when the Holy Spirit comes, He will guide you into all truth.” He will guide you into the truth.

No matter how much I talk about China here, you cannot know what China is really like. What’s the best way for a person to know about China? To visit China. Go into the country. Then they will notice the different smells, see the different scenery, and experience it for themselves. They will be in the context. In the same way, when the Holy Spirit comes, He doesn’t teach you one by one. Rather, He takes you into the truth itself, like holding your hand and leading you in. Then there’s no need for words. Thus, the Bible has this passage. When the time comes— that is, when you receive the Holy Spirit— no one will need to tell you, “Know God! You must know God!” Why? Because from the oldest to the youngest, everyone will know God. When you are in China, you don’t need to ask the children there, “Do you know how to speak Chinese?” There’s no need to ask if they can speak Chinese. From the elderly to the children, everyone knows how to speak Chinese, and they all love Chinese food.

For these reasons, I knew that I had to receive the Holy Spirit. That’s why I prayed like this. “Grant me the Holy Spirit!” And also, “I want to meet You, God!” I also prayed further, “God, I admit that I am a sinner. Not only that, I also want to believe that Jesus already paid the price of my sins and forgave me! I acknowledge this!” However, I was only believing this intellectually; no real change took place in my heart. I was claiming to know the Lord, but what truly mattered was that the Lord needed to acknowledge me.

Let me give another analogy. Let’s say I know the president. I know President in my country. But does the president know me? No, he doesn’t know me. In this instance, I can’t exactly say that I “know” him. Similarly, although I knew God, I needed God to also say, “I know you too,” and grab my hand. That’s when we can have fellowship. So I earnestly prayed, “I accepted what the Lord gave me. For me, You sent Jesus the Son of God, and He paid the price of my sins. And I acknowledge the grace You bestowed on me until now! So come and meet me! Help me to know this! Let me experience everything that You have given me as grace!”

As I earnestly prayed out loud, it was loud enough to echo through the whole place. And this made a difference. It was different to when I prayed quietly and softly. First of all, I was different. I didn’t become conscious of other people. And I also started to seek the Lord more earnestly.

It’s like this: Imagine someone who is usually very shy and can’t raise their voice. But they fall into the water, and someone is passing by. No one in that situation would quietly say, “Excuse me~” to call someone. Instead, they have to raise their voice. And if the noise of racing cars drowns out your voice, you’ll yell even louder, “Can someone help me!!” You will shout as loudly as you can.

Similarly, our desperation to meet God goes far beyond the cry for help. It can’t be likened to asking someone for a cup of water. Yet, in many instances, people think of meeting God as nothing more than asking for a cup of water. That’s why they can’t make a sound. But we are more desperate than a person who is drowning in the water crying, “Help! Help!” Meeting God should be an urgent matter. If you are desperate, you will ask loudly. But if you are not desperate, if you are not opening you heart that much, I doubt whether God will work within you.

“God! I want You to meet me!” It wasn’t long after I started praying. But all of a sudden, I met Him. From that moment on, I can’t explain what happened from that moment on. In one word, I met Him.

If I had to force myself to describe it—it’s not an extraordinary way of putting it, just my best attempt— it felt like a ball of fire came inside of my head, then went all the way down into my belly, and exploded. I’m only just describing how it felt. As that exploded, I burst out crying in repentance. And in that moment, do you know what the first word that popped out of my mouth was? It wasn’t “Lord,” and it wasn’t “God.” Do you know what it was? The very word I hadn’t been able to say until that moment brust out as soon as I received the Holy Spirit.

“Father!” I cried.

I was shocked. I myself was shocked. To call God “Father” was something I couldn’t do until then. But the moment I received the Holy Spirit, I said so easily and unconsciously, “Father!”

What I felt at that time was similar to how a child might feel. A child wakes up from his nap and notices that mum’s not home. What would a child do in that situation? He cries. He cries and cries for so long, about an hour, and mum still doesn’t return. Let’s say the child is about three years old. Then he stops crying but he is still in tears, trying to holding back his cry. He waits for his mum in fear. He’s thinking, “Mum, come quickly!” While he is scared and waiting, suddenly, the door opens, and his mum walks in. What does the child do then? He cries again—but not out of joy with a smile on his face. He cries out loud again while he feels upset but relieved at the same time.

That’s exactly how I felt when I received the Holy Spirit. The truth I had been seeking for years— the God whom I so wanted to meet— had come inside of me. He came into me. He came by the Holy Spirit. I experienced mixed emotions of joy, sadness, an overwhelming touch, and regret all simultaneously. I wept and wept. I was very thankful. The overall sentiment was joy. “I finally met God!”

This overwhelming joy was over me, and then I wept. I kept crying. I cried for so long that they told me to stop crying because the sermon was about to start. They had already finished singing for 20 minutes, and the preacher was coming up to preach. So I had been crying for an hour. And it wasn’t a quiet cry, but like an animal I was crying out loudly, with tears and snot coming down all over my face. When I opened my eyes, of course the floor was covered and wet from my tears and snot. I was covered in tears. It was embarrassing, but that wasn’t important. I was overjoyed. If the situation allowed me, I would’ve cried all day.

That was my experience when I received the Holy Spirit. The amazing part was that from that moment forward, I was already believing everything I had heard before. I was already believing it. There was no need to question whether God created the heavens and the earth. It became so obvious to me. Even the fact that Jesus is the Son of God was a given. “How can anything exist without God?” My perspective had changed completely. The words I heard were in my head before, but they became my faith.

If you hear the word without the Holy Spirit, it can get into your head; but only when you receive the Holy Spirit, the Word goes right into your spirit. After that time, regardless of any troubles, you cannot forget that overwhelming experience. In a way, the power of that meeting with God— the joy and the experience— is what keeps your faith life for the rest of your life.

And that experience is exactly as is written in the Bible. After that time, power was manifested—when I laid my hands on the sick, the demons left. Three months after that experience, I went to military service. And even in the army, I laid my hands on the sick, and they got well. Also, there was another change that took place. Previously, I couldn’t understand the words I read in the Bible. But ever since I received the Holy Spirit, it was very interesting to read the Bible. I understood what it was saying.

Things were different when I listened to sermons too. I had listened to Sungrak Church’s sermons,  but I didn’t understand what they meant. He didn’t leave a great impression on me. But once I received the Holy Spirit, I saw him in a completely different light. The sermons sounded totally different to me. At first, I couldn’t hear any of it. Yet after receiving the Holy Spirit, it was so interesting to listen to. I could understand what he was saying. And these changes are written about in the Bible. “When the Holy Spirit, He will enlighten you. When the Holy Spirit comes, He will guide you into all truth”. It’s amazing.

From that time on, my life became a fulfilment of the words of scripture—living a life of experiencing exactly the same experiences as Jesus. And those experiences will continue on, until the resurrection. Since Jesus resurrected, I also will resurrect. It is written in the Bible, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you (namely the Holy Spirit), He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through the Holy Spirit who dwells in you.” Hence, the Holy Spirit must abide in us to raise us up as God raised up Jesus. That is why you have to receive the Holy Spirit.

This is the reason I call the day I received the Holy Spirit as “the day I met God.” As I testified last week, soon after I started my first job, I told the people at work, “I met God on August 2, 1992.” At that my manager asked, “What do you mean?” So I told her, that she also needs to meet God. And she, who had been a Christian for 50 years, earnestly supplicated to receive the Holy Spirit and when she did, she had the same experience. She experienced what I experienced when she received the Holy Spirit.

You need to receive the Holy Spirit. We who believe in Jesus must receive the Holy Spirit. If we don’t receive the Holy Spirit, it is the same as washing the dishes nice and clean and not putting any food on it. You washed the plates to serve food on it, but what is the use if you don’t put any food on it? So you must receive the Holy Spirit. You are already made clean. If you have been united with Jesus through baptism, you are clean. If you still don’t have faith regarding the forgiveness of sins, then believe in the forgiveness of sins and be baptized. It is written, “Whoever believes in Jesus and is baptized will be saved”. If you are baptized, you will be one with Jesus. Then you are all ready to receive the Holy Spirit. Even if you are lacking in your deeds, for example, you can’t quit smoking yet, that’s okay. First receive the Holy Spirit. And He will give you strength. Whoever is united with Jesus can receive the Holy Spirit. You must have a longing.

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When Jesus came to the earth, He knew He was going to be killed. He already knew that when He came, people would hate, despise Him, and ultimately nail Him to the cross to die. He was ready for that when He came. However, when the Holy Spirit comes inside us, He doesn’t come with the expectation that He will be despised, neglected, or rejected in us. He, the Holy Spirit, comes as King. He comes into us with the anticipation of using us, inspiring us, governing, and leading us to follow the path of Jesus. He comes to change us so that we follow Jesus. With Jesus, He suffered on the earth. Yet He resurrected and was glorified in heaven. In the same way, the Holy Spirit comes into us so that we follow Jesus. What happens when we follow Jesus? The Holy Spirit will resurrect us just as He did Jesus, and will lead us to heaven to be glorified, just as Jesus was. This is the reason the Holy Spirit is sent to the believers. It is not only for certain selection of men, but to all believers. Jesus described the receiving of the Holy Spirit as “streams of living water flowing from within you.” Remember how I told you that it felt like something exploding in my belly? Jesus said streams of living water will flow from within us. The power of life will overflow.

This is given to all. He gives this to all the believers. Therefore, you must long for the Holy Spirit. “Thank You for pouring out upon someone like me the Spirit of God, whom I thought was only given to Jesus! Pour out the Holy Spirit upon me! Grant me the Spirit of God!” If we receive the spirit of this world— the demons— the characteristics of demons will manifest. If a demon that died of cancer comes into us, we can get cancer. If a demon that died of a fire comes in, we will be caught in a fire. If a demon that died of a car accident comes in, car accidents will occur often. But if the Holy Spirit comes in, we will resurrect. We will be taken up. We will later have everlasting life. And the life of God will be active in us. God’s traits will be manifested. We will become good just like our God who is good. We will be courageous just as our God is. And we will have peace just like our God. When the Holy Spirit comes in us, we become a part of God. We become a part of Jesus Christ.

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I will let you in on a secret. It may not be very evident, but I have a very high self-esteem. I am always conscious of the fact that I am a part of Jesus. It’s hard to express this any better, but honestly, I can even say, “I am Jesus!” “I am Jesus!” What I mean is, I am a part of Jesus’ body. If someone hits my finger, I don’t say to him, “Hey why did you hit my finger? Can you imagine how painful it is for my finger? Although it doesn’t concern me, don’t hit my finger from now on!” If anyone hits my finger, I’ll say, “Why did you hit me!” I would be angry. The finger is me. In the same way we are members of Jesus’ body. Parts like the finger. So God considers us like Himself. Jesus Christ treats us as though we are Him. That’s why we can have the same sentiments of Jesus to resist the devil and the demons. Hence, we are bold.

Once my son was walking to preschool when suddenly his legs gave way, and he collapsed on the ground. And he couldn’t stand up. At first, I thought he was playing me. “Hey get up!” But he couldn’t. In that moment, my heart sank. I thought he wouldn’t be able to walk again. Because when I was in China, I helped many people by casting out demons, and a couple of them were crippled and couldn’t walk. They became crippled one day when they just collapsed on the street and were never able to stand up again. Later on, they were healed. After they were healed, they did the Lord’s work. But those people came to mind in that moment. Now, my child couldn’t get up. I was a panicking for a moment and was trying to catch a taxi to take him to the hospital, but there weren’t any taxis. Then I thought, “What am I doing? I am a part of God, a part of Jesus. I always say I have faith, and yet what am I doing right now?” At that point, I didn’t think of myself as the father of my child, but as a part of Jesus, that is, as Jesus Himself.

So what did I do? I didn’t pray, “God heal him!” Even Jesus commanded us. We don’t only pray, but in some situations, we have to use His authority. So I commanded my son, “In Jesus’ name I command you—get up!” Suddenly my son stood up, just like that. “Run!” I said, and he started running. My son was so happy and was amazed too. Others might just laugh over it because it was resolved too easily. But it could’ve been serious. A man of faith can resolve situations so easily that in other people’s eyes it seems insipid. However, we acknowledge this as God’s doing. Whoever has received the Holy Spirit has such authority.

So pray, “God, pour Your Holy Spirit on me!” The Holy Spirit, who comes in Jesus’ name, will never leave you once He comes. He will not leave you even if you die. He can’t be separated from you spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes in, He doesn’t leave you. There is only one way He can leave you. Say, “Jesus is not the Son of God, I was deceived by Jesus. Jesus be cursed!” If you deny Him like that, the Holy Spirit will depart. But apart from that, the Holy Spirit will not leave you regardless of whatever wrongdoing you do. Unless you reject Him, the Holy Spirit will abide in you forever and take you all the way to heaven.​

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So pray, “Grant me the Holy Spirit!” As I said before, you are restricted if you don’t speak out loud. Even if it might be soft, let’s pray out loud today for a short time. Just repeat a few times, “God, pour the Holy Spirit on me!” Pray out loud if possible, with a loud voice. Let’s say that together. Let’s cry out “Jesus!” first and then pray. Let’s say it together. First, let’s cry out, “Jesus!”

“Jesus! Grant me the Holy Spirit! I welcome You! Come into me! Lead me!”

Let us pray like this individually and sincerely. Let’s call on Jesus once, and then pray.

Father God, we ask that You pour out Your Holy Spirit upon every soul who has opened their lips and asked for the Holy Spirit. As promised, help them to understand the words of Jesus, the Son of God, and lead them into the truth. Thank You God. In Jesus’ name. Amen!