“The Way” and Christianity. > Episode #1 >

Jesus told the disciples in John 14, I am going away. I am going away to prepare a place for you. And He said they knew where He was going and “the way” they knew. However, Thomas speaks up and declares, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way?”

I offer this as proof that without the Baptism of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the disciples still did not understand, and there was a whole lot they still did not know. But after that Baptism of the Holy Spirt, they became known as the people of “the Way”! What does this mean?

(Acts 9:1-2) > “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.”

It obviously means they now had understanding, and could tell and show people “the Way”. That is what I want to write about. As Christians, followers of Christ, we are meant to be people of “the Way”, “His Way”. Jesus said, “I am the way… the truth,…and the life.” We have been given a “Way of Life”. Are we living it? Are we, like a spiritual warrior, a Kung Fu master, living our disciplines? Because here is the truth, as a Christian, we have an enemy, and he wants to keep us from living “the Way”. And “the Way”, is how we keep him from doing that!

“The Way” is a light. And Jesus said if He was lifted up, all men would be drawn to Him! Jesus said that after we would be filled with His Holy Spirit, we would have the power to be witnesses of Him. Not just a weak witness having no power, but POWER to witness! To be light!

We have been given a Way of living, a life style in Christ. And we have an enemy who must be fought in order to live out that Way. But have we trained? Have we learned the fighting skills of our Way? Do we rejoice in this Way we have been given? This powerful life we can have! Or… has the enemy succeeded in stopping us?

How can we know if we have been stopped? What does it look like?

“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles (unbelievers) seek:)… (Matt. 6:31)

Hhmmm, ouch! Whaaat? Those things are not of our Way? And you wonder why I’m so attracted to Kung Fu analogies. Too many times I find myself having more in common with them than the typical American Christian. And it ought not be so. Who is this rich Jesus living in a mansion we preach? Why have we given the high ground of being non-materialistic to other religions who do not even have the truth? And in so doing, we lost the power to be a witness and almost lost this country! God has given us a second chance! But will we make the sacrifices now? Because you see, sacrifice is part of “the Way” for us in Christ.

I only quoted one verse. Not even the whole verse. I did not quote the Beatitudes, nor Jesus saying to consider the birds, how they do not store up in barns. Actually, I have not quoted even 1 % of our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount. The love of money is the root of all evil? You cannot serve God and money? Oh, I don’t love money. Really? It is the American way, you know.

I say these things only to point out there is a need. We do not know our fighting style of “the Way”. How can we stop the enemy of our soul from stopping us from living “the Way”? Especially if we do not even have any mastery of our fighting style? For it is very different from the ways of this world. I have spent many years thinking in this Way while setting in Churches preaching the American Jesus. I am ready to share these thoughts more strongly. Perhaps we are in such a time.

Our Way is the Way Paul said, when he said, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live! Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me!” This is the Sabbath lifestyle. I am at REST while God lives through me! It is powerful! It is peaceful! It is a joy! Please allow me to explain in a way you’re probably not expecting, the song “Bobby Mcgee”.

I believe there is a line in that song, “Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.” That statement is close to scriptural. Please allow me to adjust it just a little. Don’t think of it as “nothing left to lose”. But Jesus told Martha, that Mary had chosen things she CANNOT lose! (Luke 10:41-42)

This brings us back to the Sermon on the Mount! Jesus said, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and thieves break in and steal.” In other words, you will lose them!

He went on to say, “Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust CANNOT destroy and thieves DO NOT break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”

So what is this Way of life we have been called to? It is a powerful fighting style this world does not understand, and cannot defeat! Jesus said come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you REST! (Sabbath Style.) He said He would TEACH us! A Master Teacher. My yoke is easy and my burden light! Are we experiencing this? Or have we bought into the American Jesus and do not know “the Way”, as Thomas declared. Jesus says He will personally teach us “the Way”. But are we teachable?

Overcome evil with good? Does not faith make everything easier? When I’m working hard I break a sweat. I don’t normally break a sweat when I’m living in the peace of faith in God. Adam never broke a sweat until AFTER his fall! Faith is a supernatural way making everything easier if we surrender. Ouch. There’s that surrender word again. Did not Paul say he was crucified with Christ? There is a Way!

It is supernatural in nature. It is powerful because God is all-powerful. But it is a Way of surrender and sacrifice based on love. I beseech ye therefore brethren, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice… (Yeah, now were really getting into the Kung Fu, the excellence and mastery of our life style and fighting style.)

There is a Way. Jesus is the Way. God offers us to be strong in His Way! They that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits! But God’s Ways are not our ways. We do not understand! He expects us to trust Him by faith! Then we will understand. Chapter 11 of Hebrews talks all about people of God who understood His Way! It is recorded mighty exploits accomplished through them by the Way of faith and surrender! Enoch was even raptured!

Okay…this article only gives a glimpse of our fighting style in Christ, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but MIGHTY, through God! And we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. But we seek to save those still in flesh and blood! Overcome evil with good and be not entangled in the affairs of this world! Be free!

The purpose of episode #1 is to just begin opening our minds to the possibilities of living God’s Ways and what does that look like, our fighting style, because it is a fight! God’s wisdom is higher than ours. I’m thinking of a verse in Proverbs that kind of shows what I mean. The verse is also quoted in the New Testament with a few more details. But let’s look at Proverbs. (25:21-22)

“If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of fire (shame) on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.”

I don’t know about you, but when I first read this verse and it is saying to do good things to my enemy, I’m thinking that can be hard to do. But dumping burning coals of fire on the head of an enemy does sound like what a person would normally do to an enemy. So you see, it is a fight. We don’t realize how powerful our style is. We target the conscience of a person! We say to the person who claims to be “good”, have you ever lied? Or stolen anything, no matter how small? Or lusted after the opposite sex? What does that make you in the eyes of God? A liar. A thief. And an adulterer. Wow. So much for getting to heaven by our “goodness”. The Sword of God’s Word has gone forth! And it is sharper than any human sword!

So you see, we have a wisdom the world does not have, and the Gentiles do not live by. Do not lay up treasures in the earth, but focus on God? Train me Holy Spirit! It is the fool who is a happy white belt! Teach me YOUR fighting style! Give me perfect peace! Let me know the power of your REST and FAITH. Help me to know, understand, and live what those in Hebrews 11 knew, understood, and lived! Let my Bible be my Kung Fu and enable me to help rescue others from the dragon! It is a worthy life to live! Living in the power of His Way and showing others the power and joy of His Way! Amen!

So we walk in the Spirit, not the flesh. No, that don’t sound spooky or powerful at all, right? God reveals mysteries to us, to those who diligently seek Him. Again, Hebrews 11. Yes, the diligent seeker. Holy Spirit Dojo. Are we willing? Are we teachable? The eyes of the Lord constantly searches the earth for those whose heart is perfect toward Him. Freedom is just another word for someone living in what CANNOT be taken from them. I like that. I really like that. Mary knew.