Corey Russell, a well-known speaker and author, shared a gripping testimony of deliverance and transformation through Jesus during an interview with Pastor Vlad Savchuk.
“I screamed the name Jesus,” Russell recalled, “and it was like God came and breathed inside of me. And all I could say for the next five minutes is, ‘I’ve got air.’” His radical encounter began after a friend who had experienced deliverance told him, “Corey, it’s heaven or hell. You have to make a decision.”
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On Feb. 18, 1997, Russell said he was born again, instantly freed from drugs and sin, and filled with the presence of God. “Get on the pavement and give me your life. You’re mine,” Russell said God told him. That moment would define the rest of his ministry.
Power in Tongues and the Spirit Realm
Russell emphasized the transformative impact of praying in tongues: “I just said, God, I’m going to pray in tongues until peace comes.” He shared that during a season of intense warfare in his family, praying in the Spirit brought healing, peace and restoration. “We would feel presences enter into our room… and I would see peace come on our family.”
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Describing his daily practice, Russell said, “I will begin to pray in tongues out loud for about 20 minutes where I am now putting my eyes on the throne room of God… I am magnifying God with my spirit.” He called it a “three-part rhythm”: bless God, make requests and return to tongues or Scripture.
Mysteries and Strength in the Spirit
When it comes to tongues, Russell said many people resist because it “offends the mind” and requires faith: “Possibly look like an idiot for a second.” But he insists it unlocks deeper revelation and alignment. “He who prays in tongues edifies himself… that is going to bring into alignment your thought life… your emotions… your desires… and your body.”
Pointing to 1 Corinthians 14, he emphasized that tongues is a gift meant to build up the believer, not to be dismissed: “In no way is he [Paul] removing these gifts and saying they don’t matter. He’s actually establishing the glory of it.”
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The Secret to Sustained Fire
Russell compared the gift of tongues to a spiritual well. “It would well up, but I would not allow it to be released… I was so afraid… that fear, judgment, and pride” became the blockers. But once released, “those wells begin to just spring up… and you’re almost like you’re living in that fresh first love.”
To those hungry for more of God, Russell offered a simple prayer: “Father, I ask you in the name of your son to fill me with the Holy Spirit. I want to speak in tongues. I want to prophesy. I want everything you died for, Jesus.”
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
