Kung Fu and Christianity > Episode One > I’ve spent some time considering where to take this Blog site next. We’ve just completed several teachings on the Helmet of Salvation and our need to put our priestly garb on every day. We are aware of the psychological warfare bombarding our society and especially our children every day. We are not blind to the dangers of our time. We recognize we live in a world of violence where certain power hungry people want to have their way no matter what it does to others.

We also recognize the evil principalities, spirits, and demons of hell that are involved in all of it. We are not the doctor who treats the symptoms of cancer, but we are the doctor who seeks to remove the “cause” of the cancer, the roots of the darkness and violence we live in. We know whoever this darkness may come from, that person would be a different person if they could be saved, delivered, and filled with the Spirit of God! We do not to seek to judge, but to rescue the person and defeat the one who is the real enemy, Satan.

We are the light of truth in a world of lies and deception. We are on a battlefield of faith, and I want to present a way of looking at things that will appeal to “some” in a very strong way, and others might say, “How silly”. But for those of us it appeals to, we will enjoy! Now… where to start?

In the beginning… Christians were known as people of “the Way”. Later, in Antioch, they began being called Christians. But I actually really like that “Way” title, and I did not realize how many times it actually was used in the book of Acts. Like seven times! And of course, Jesus referred to himself as “The Way”, the truth and the life.” What a powerful statement He made!

There is something about that original title that really appeals to me. It has kind of like a Kung Fu effect to it, because we are called to spiritual warfare. But how many of us really pursue our priesthood in that Way? Here’s the thing, our salvation is by grace. There is no work we can do to save ourself. God has saved us period! We embrace God’s truth, admit how messed up we are in sin, we sincerely regret we are and repent of our sinful nature. We reach out to God to follow God’s Word and God saves us! We experience a supernatural birth we cannot do ourself! We are saved by believing in God’s grace, love, and mercy.

In fact, I think we have preached so much grace in every form we can that we have failed to properly balance it with the message of works! The message of training! Growth! Development! Our Kung Fu! We have developed lopsided wishy washy Christians who spend little time becoming a full man of God. We remain white belts, not black! We are unskilled and weak against our enemy. The time has come to change.

There is a breed of Christian hungry for a good fight and want to know how to rescue others as they have also been saved. We want to know how to effectively fight Satan in behalf of others! They want to pay the price to follow like a a martial artist will pay a price to learn a fighting style! There is a lion’s roar building in God’s people and they want to find a Holy Spirit Dojo! No more “Your Best Life Now”, give me the real stuff! Even the hard stuff! Put me in coach! Where’s MY battlefield?! MY cross! MY sacred hill to die on!

I want to take the liberty of using the word Kung Fu. I told my guys this last week that my Bible is my Kung Fu! And I am 100 % accurate in that statement. Because the Chinese word, Kung Fu, is not meant to only refer to martial arts fighting. It is a way of life. It refers to the fight we face to master any goal! That word can be applied to becoming a doctor, mechanic, writer, warrior, anything you’re willing to work hard towards and seek mastery! Black Belt! And we should have a desire for God’s Spirit of excellence! Who are these happy white belt Christians? They should be hiding in shame, not laughing and boasting like clowns.

There are many analogies that can be made comparing Christianity, the Way, to a form of spiritual martial arts, and I want to use them. I want to inspire God’s people with a spiritual warrior mindset. I know it inspires me, and I want to share that with others. We will be looking at the word Bushido, also. But for today, lets examine the word Kung Fu and then I will explain why it might be a very useful means of imparting spiritual inspiration.

In Chinese, the word, “Kung” (or Gong), means = “merit”. which is “effort” or “hard work”. It is to earn something by way of dedication and hard work. Merit.

The word, “Fu” = a man / teacher / master. And it has a connotation of “time” involved.

In other words, it indicates a skill achieved through hard work, over time, by way of a master teacher of the subject. I have done that for 70 years now. I have attended countless Church services where I have heard master teachers delve deep into the mysteries of God and how God’s supernatural world works. My Bible is my Kung Fu! I face every challenge of life, every battle or fight, every task or goal, in the “Ways” I have learned in countless Holy Spirit Dojos! My brain is trained in the Ways of God. I am a proud card carrying, Bible carrying member of the the people of “the Way”! And after so long, yes, I am a teacher of that Way, also.

I have so much to say on this. But let me say this, shame on those of you who are a happy white belt! You can only be a happy white belt if you are faithfully training for that next belt. Then you are happy! Indeed, richly so! Consider what Paul spoke of in 1st Corinthians 9:24-27…

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but (only) one receives the prize?”

“Run in such a way the you may attain it.” (!)

“And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate (disciplined) in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but WE (DO IT) for an imperishable (eternal) crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

In the King James version, those scriptures begin with the words: “And every man that striveth for the mastery…” I like that word “mastery”. Paul paints a very vivid picture of a spiritual athlete or spiritual warrior training for the challenge. Jesus challenged us to pick up “OUR” cross and follow after Him. Is this what Joel Osteen teaches? If he does, I’m sure he does not explain it the way I do. And thanks to a lot of weak training in modern Churches, we are overly ripe for the great falling away our Bible speaks of to come. Unless…

We know that day will come… but does it need to be us? A fresh fire has begun in America! If we feed and fan those flames, maybe there could yet be another great revival in our country! I hope to see Holy Spirit Dojos springing up all over our country in this fire from heaven! Will we be a man on fire? Trained in all the Ways of our Lord? Are we willing to endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ? Or is that more than we signed up for? If it is, then I question your salvation. There is no fire of God in you.

That Helmet of Salvation will come against the stink’n think’n of this decaying dark world and separate our Ways from theirs. Either we are a person of His Way, or not. The fire always proves what is real and what is not.

We have only begun to open this subject. God offers us a “fighting style”. Will we become proficient in it? White Belt? Yellow Belt? Brown Belt? Black Belt? 10th Degree? The fire will test and the fire will reveal. The fire also trains! Holy Spirit has promised to train us and lead us into all truth. We have no reason to remain helpless victims. But Satan loves it when we do.

I did a series of teachings with my guys about Jesus turning our water into His Wine. We are expected to fill the pot with water. We are expected to do our part, what we can do. Then, when the water reaches the proper level, God comes in and does what we cannot! Our works of water becomes His powerful works of His Wine, the Kingdom of God! God has not left us unarmed and defenseless! We have a “Fighting Style” He expects us to learn, AND USE!

I could think of many potential names for this fighting style from heaven. We learn to walk with God like Enoch did. We are Godwalkers. The weapons of our warfare are not physical, but mighty! Through God! Pulling down strongholds! And every lie that tries to exalt itself against the true knowledge of God! Let us be strong in the Lord and the power of His might! Call it what you will, but it is REAL. This is no virtual reality mumbo jumbo of smoke and mirrors. We cut through the lies and deception with the perceptions of God! It’s part of our spiritual Kung Fu!