First Martial art – “Serve God by the spirit”. What does it mean, to serve by the spirit? The Scripture says, circumcision is us! Circumcision is not one of the flesh of one’s foreskin, but circumcision is us. I am circumcision for you now. I am circumcising you today. Circumcision is us – those who serve God by the spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus and not in ourselves, nor in people, nor in church, nor any other thing, but in Christ Jesus and Him alone! And number three – those who have no confidence in the flesh. We do not boast in the flesh, but serve God in the spirit.
Those who serve God by the spirit, not by any relief aid! Why do I, Christian, have to come as a Santa? There are many bad things that Christians have done. Jesus did not go around handing out presents. Yes, He fed people a couple times, because it was a three day journey they walked, and He had compassion, but He didn’t engage with aid work handing out food and clothes for free. On the opposite, He was received in homes, and was fed, and He would give them the eternal Word. Therefore, change your mentality – I speak to you, Santas. Take off your hat and throw away your bag, and start walking in the ways of Christ.
So this is the first Martial Art – Serve God by the Spirit! Serve by the spirit, not by the flesh!
Second one: “Hold fast which you have.”
“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” (Revelation 3:10-11)
God has given us many things beginning with our being born from above and baptism by the Holy Spirit – but many of us have lost that, some have lost their ordination. One can lose what he has – do you understand? This is very serious! Do not lose what you have! It’s so easy to lose. How can you not lose it? Only by holding it, with your both hands – hold your salvation! Hold your gifts! Hold your ministry! Hold the people God has given you! Hold it! Hold what you have, hold your church! Do not play with it, do not entertain with it. Hold what you have, that no one may take your crown!” The crown is not only that of life – there’s the crown of glory and the crown of righteousness – three crowns are spoken of in the Bible. The crown of glory is given to the faithful servants. The crown of glory is given when you’ve completed your journey. And the crown of glory is given to all those who are saved. So that no one may take your crown – hold what you have.
Next one: Hide in Kindness.
When you don’t know what to do – take a pause and simply enter kindness, remain kind. Sometimes we fight for the truth – and it is called “zeal, but not according to the knowledge” – we grow spikes, and we hurt people tearing them apart. We fight for the truth. This is what pharisees did when they killed for the truth. Yes, it was “truth” they were fighting for. But you hide in what will save you. Better take a pause, go silent and hide, until you get covered with a protective “slime”. When you feel covered the walk out and open your mouth – then you are safe. Some of us are going through this kind of war – you fight for the truth, but you beat people. Better leave until you become kind. If you have jealousy and evil you are not with God. The Scripture says that offence does no righteousness of God. If you’ve been unfairly offended and you are mad – you are wrong. You are there mad and offended, and God is not with you. Enter into kindness and get covered by the kindness.
Next: “Pray by the Scriptures”.
It is written in the Scripture: “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Eph.5:9). That is, we release the truth. And it is so important that we release the truth, and when we do that, we receive the fruit of the Spirit.
When Jesus was on the cross, He said the words written in Psalms: “O My God, O My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Jesus prayed by the Scripture. Apostles, after they had been baptized by the Holy Spirit, prophesied by the Scriptures.
Quote Scriptures in your lives. Many preachers do not read the Word as they preach. Therefore, do not neglect the Word, read the Scriptures, declare the Scriptures, confess the Scriptures. Pray by the Scriptures, rather than ask for any unhealthy thing – it is better to declare the Scriptures. You can read a psalm or say a prayer of supplications by the Scriptures – this is beautiful. Therefore, fill your mouth with Scriptures. You know what I say: Whoever speaks, speak as God’s word.
Next: “Be Yourself and not a Copy”.
This is a valuable art. Many people imitate others. Perhaps there wasn’t his own experience in life, there isn’t much in himself. And this is not any bad or criminal thing – to imitate. But we still need to realize that those lessons of imitation have to build up a personality and individuality. Individuality in any case is the concentration of one’s experience and education, as well as the culture one received. Out of that a personality is formed.
But there’s copying, which is not imitation. To be a copy doesn’t mean to imitate. Take a hair style, dressing style, take the same… ring or other accessories. Those who feel they are being hunted by copiers act radically – they take up a foolish look, like shave their head and wear shabby clothes. After they copy that, he quits the look immediately. It‘s always there when people are eager to copy. Do not be a copy.
If you imitate anyone you need to realize what you are imitating – Christ in man, but not a copy of the image. There’s a great difference between a copy and an image. The average would be a replica man – he looks alike, but it’s not the man. Do not be a replica, be the original. Imitate Christ. Paul said: “Imitated me as I Christ”, that is imitate my imitating God. Imitate Christ in brothers and sisters, but do not be a copy, because it humiliates man.
Number 6 – Hide in Obedience
“…who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name” (Phil. 2:6-9)
Obedience leads to exaltation. Through humbleness and obedience He leads to the glory. What is obedience? Today they say, obedience humiliates. “Why should I obey you?”- they say. Well, because I asked you, not as a pastor, but as a brother. Why? Because it is written, “obey one another in the fear of God” – that’s it. So my grounds for asking something is that I am a brother, that is enough. You do something just because someone asked. Therefore, hide in obedience, brother and sister.
Number 7 – Don’t be Afraid to Keep on Coming True.
Don’t be afraid! You come as a new man! Yesterday you weren’t really good, you were in bad mood, you left angry or hungry, but today you come as if nothing had happened. You come, you arrive new as the dawn.
Number 8 – Begin All Things over Again.
This is serious, these are heavier martial arts. It is especially difficult to begin prayer life again – if it’s gotten sour, if you have problems with the Word – begin all over again. What can stand in the way? Habits have laid up and filled the empty space. If you don’t pray nor read the Word it means some other things have filled it up this space. Certainly, some thief has stolen it and is sitting there, instead of prayer and reading the Bible. Whoever it may be, this is a thief. Anyone who takes things from God is a thief, even if he is smiling from inside. You can’t give any of the things that belong to Gods to anyone else, no matter who that is. Therefore, begin all over again, all things – morning, switch places, change the order, even of your morning routing – break it and do it afresh, shift something, your furniture, clothes…
Anything can bind you, even good things can be a curse, like over care can become a curse even for a child – give him a chance to bruise his nose. Let him get some rest from you. Such love chokes, people flee from it. Take anything – let it be itself!
Number 9 – Crush your Spirit.
“Thus says the Lord, The heaven is My throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that you build to me? And where is the place of my rest? For all those things has My hand made, and all those things have been, said the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My Word.” (Is.66:1-2)
How can we have a contrite spirit? Crush your spirit. This is such a powerful martial art. Crush your spirit not only when you sinned or you are wrong, when you feel a lump in your throat and tears rolling up, but when you are angry, stubborn, furious, when your fists are about to explode – go on your knees and burst out weeping, do an effort to cry about your own sins, not about your offender. Get your spirit and break it against your knee.
The Lord is watching, He may see a person whose behavior is not pleasing to Him. But he suddenly stops, falls on his knees and repents with his head down to the ground – he is crushed. The Lord says, I forgive you, and says to the Angel, Pass him by, because – “but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My Word.” We need to learn to crush our spirit. And the Scripture says, there are such prayers:
“It is good for a man to bear
The yoke in his youth.
Let him sit alone and keep silent,
Because God has laid it on him;
Let him put his mouth in the dust—
There may yet be hope.
Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him,
And be full of reproach.
For the Lord will not cast off forever.
Though He causes grief,
Yet He will show compassion
According to the multitude of His mercies. (Lamentations 3:27-32)
What’s here is “keep beating, keep crushing, let it be so, let you be right. Yes, I am hurt, but keep beating, perhaps there’s still hope. I am worthy, Lord”. And you crush your spirit, you don’t fight, you don’t stand for your tiny human righteousness, but you expose your neck – keep beating, I am worthy…
This is what it means to crush your spirit, not to all this is given. These are very high bars.
The last one here – “Explode with your Spirit”
When did Paul explode with his spirit?
“But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” (Acts 13:8-11)
The kind Paul who took care of the brothers filling their bowls in the morning – explodes with his spirit in the spiritual warfare. I know many places like this. But they explode with the spirit not only for the judgments, but for breakthrough, like Samsom mad the pit or David struck Goliath. Those are all explosions of the spirit. Ascension in. the spirit won’t take you to those results, only an explosion in your spirit. Therefore, explode with your spirit!