Toking the Ghost Revisited

Back in February 2007, a fellow missionary I was traveling with started talking about “smoking the weed from heaven.” He would pretend to have a joint of marijuana between his fingers and have “smoke breaks with Jesus.” He also encouraged other believers to take “hits.” I was a bit uncomfortable with this idea but didn't contest it.

Then in October of that year, I heard John Crowder preach on “toking the Ghost” at a church in my hometown of Fargo, North Dakota. I was inspired to make a video with John to share with my missionary friend. During the filming, I experienced much laughter. I decided to make the video public figuring other people might enjoy it also.

Two weeks later at a church in Minnesota, I heard Benjamin Dunn share testimonies of people getting healed from “toking the Ghost.” This was just before he and John Crowder started ministering together. I believed this was God confirming His word in the mouth of two or three witnesses. 

Many people were blessed by my “Tokin' the Ghost” video including those who got saved out of the drug culture. However, numerous individuals took issue with it. One woman emailed me saying she couldn’t find basis for it in Scripture, where there are plenty of references to the Holy Spirit being like wine. 

In response, I referred to the leaves from the tree of life mentioned in Revelation 22:2. Evangelist Jesse Duplantis testifies in his book “Close Encounters of the God Kind” that when he went to heaven in 1988, he saw people smell leaves for healing or when they felt weak. I suggested that has a similar effect as “toking the Ghost”, which is breathing in the presence of God.

This same woman also asked if I thought John Crowder and Benjamin Dunn have a genuine reverence for God. Only God knows their hearts. James 1:27 says, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” John’s ministry is involved with taking care of orphans and “loving the lepers.”

Two years ago I decided to remove the “Tokin’ the Ghost” video from YouTube. In recent years, I’ve seen John teach things I thought were inaccurate and unscriptural. Therefore, I no longer endorse John’s ministry but still consider him a friend and brother in the Lord.

As far as I know, both John Crowder and Benjamin Dunn have stopped promoting “Toking the Ghost.” Their like-titled electronica CD is now out of print. Nevertheless, they continue to receive flak for preaching that. One man emailed me wanting to use my “Tokin’ the Ghost” video as part of an exposé on John Crowder’s ministry. I refused his request because I don’t want to give heresy hunters additional ammunition.

I used to get drunk on alcohol before becoming a Christian and yet “drinking of the Spirit” initially offended me. Since then I’ve embraced that just like “toking the Ghost.” Both of which are prophetic acts that I now rarely do in public. Even things clearly encouraged in the Bible such as speaking in tongues can be detrimental if done with the wrong motive or at the wrong time.

 “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside.” - Colossians 4:5

The Promise of Persecution

Leonard Ravenhill once said, “You can’t develop character by reading books. You develop it from conflict.” While God is not the one who brings calamity into people’s lives, sometimes He allows challenging situations to manifest so we develop a greater trust in Him and become more Christ-like.

2 Timothy 3:12 promises, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” If you are truly living for the Lord, then you should expect people to occasionally call you names like “religious fanatic”, “Bible thumper”, and “Jesus freak.” (My brother-in-law thanks people who call him the latter). Unfortunately some believers who are not grounded on the word of God will draw back when persecuted. Jesus talked about this in Mark 4:17, “and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.”

How should a Christian respond to persecution? Our natural human tendency is to answer likewise when people act ugly towards us. But Romans 12:14 says, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” 

One minister I know often jokes about “Percy” (his nickname for persecution) being an employee on his payroll. The Apostle Paul wrote about taking pleasure in persecutions in 2 Corinthians 12:10. But that doesn’t mean we are to be Christian masochists and purposely look for opportunities to be persecuted. When I’m out street evangelizing, sometimes the Lord will instruct me NOT to talk to certain people. Some folks are so hardhearted; they won’t be receptive to the gospel no matter how you present it to them.

Unless the Lord instructs you to remain at a particular place for a season, persecution may be a sign that it’s time to leave. One day a man who had invited me to stay in his home for a season suddenly started criticizing my ministry. Rather than waste time defending myself, I went out and won more souls for the Lord. Romans 12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” The next day I moved out of this man’s house. As Mike Murdock says, “Go where you are celebrated instead of where you are tolerated.”

Other times, you might need to stay and confront the persecution. I once lived with a professing believer who had serious personal issues. He would often get drunk on beer and then hurled strange accusations against me. In response, I sang songs about the blood of Jesus and the man backed off. 

So the next time you are persecuted, keep in mind that the battle is never with flesh and blood but wicked spirits manifesting through people whose lives are not submitted to the Lord. As long as you are not opening doors to the devil, receiving persecution is probably a sign that you are doing something right.

“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” - Matthew 5:12