Yeshua-Do Updates, Vol.2, No.9, September 2007
NOTE FROM SENSEI VITOLD JORDAN
The Sword of the Desert
MYSTERIOUS SWORD OF YESHUA
(Yeshua-Shimmyo-Ken Ryu)
Vitold practicing “The Sword of the Desert” in British Columbia, Muncho Lake, July 2005
“If we cannot conquer our personal fears,
then a life of a thousand years is a tragedy.
If we can conquer them,
then a life of a single day is a triumph”.
- ANONYMOUS SAMURAI
“Let us not sleep as others do,
but let us be watchful and self-controlled…
For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.
On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up
against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought
to the obedience of Christ”.
- ST.PAUL (1 Tess.5.6; 2 Cor.10.3-5)
Nazguls from "The Fellowship of the Rings - LOTR", and the other pictures
“I am Anduril who was Narsil the sword of the Elendil.
Let the thralls of Mordor [hell] flee me…”
- (Inscription on Aragorn’s sword)
“I am the sword Glamdring, foe of Morgoth’s [Satan] realm,
hammer to the orcs [demons]”.
- (Insciption on Gandalf’s sword)
J.R.R.TOLKIEN, “The Lord of the Rings”
In the “Lord of the Rings” we can read about the Dark Riders, the Nine Nazguls, chasing Frodo who attempts to destroy the Ring of Evil. We all who want to improve, or better, sanctify our lives are too chased by the Ringwriths. The spiritual conflict is obvious and seems that there is no way to escape from it. We must face our adversaries, we must fight with courage and must win, or we will fall under the influence of darkness and die spiritually.
So, there are “Nine” spiritual strongholds, even “Nine” powerful and crafty enemies (shadow-warriors) – the wicked demons, and it is against them that our real fighting is:
(1) Gluttony
(2) Lust
(3) Fear
(4) Greed
(5) Unforgiveness
(6) Anger
(7) Depression
(8) Pride
(9) Murder
These demons has harassed and enslaved you too long, and you have given them a big advantage. If you want to be free you have to exchange roles. Gather your whole strength in this spiritual warfare; combine the Grace of Tao/Logos with your discipline and will-power and you will be unbeatable.
Awake! Awake! It is no longer possible to keep living this way! You are playing demons game, and they have you at their mercy. Stop complaining, or blaming others. Get my advice. Seek the demon inside yourself – dare to look inside! For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly (Mark 7.14-22). All these evils come from inside and make a man “unclean”.
On your warrior’s journey you may find many villains, but you will also find great warriors, saints, sages, and even angels. They are ready to serve you and help you in combat, drying sweat from your brow, wiping blood from your wounds. Only use your senses to recognize them.
Like David, the warrior-king, and his mighty men pursue the demons, harass them, fearlessly face them and destroy them:
“It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my Way [Tao/Logos] perfect…
I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them…
I have wounded them that they were not able to rise:
they are fallen under my feet.
For Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle”.
- PSALM 18.32-39
If it’s necessary, descend to the bottom of hell in search for them. In this moment, do not cowardlinesses take possession of your heart and make you give up the search. You will see that demons hide themselves and avoid your presence. When this happens do not think that you have won the battle, look deeper into the unexplored nooks. Hunt them out without mercy day and night, because to you mercy will never be shown. Learn to recognize their footprints, their specific marks and smell, their filthy anointing. And when you find them, fight with might, split them open with a single stroke of the sword, with your breath, with the strength of the thunder. Make sure they are annihilated, and then return back to reality. Retire humbly even when you have triumphed, so stay humble. This is the Way of the Warrior.
“If you wish to weaken the enemy’s sword power;
first know his thoughts,
move in spirit,
fly in,
enter into his realm, and cut him down!”
- YESHUA-WARRIOR
So, the “Nine” (shadow-warriors) are overcome through rigorous, yet moderate self-discipline. This discipline is found primarily in the areas of redirection of negative (evil) thoughts through meditation, prayer, and swordsmanship exercises performed as a prophetic act, which is visualizing the removal of the enemy influence or attacks by cutting his images.
This method I call –“The Sword of the Desert”, or better, the “Mortification of the Carnal Man”; called after the spiritual teaching of the Ancient and Desert Fathers (2nd-4th Century).
Practiced in an early morning and sometimes at evening. Here there is right time and place for using your “Killing-Sword” (Satsu Jin-ken). Thus, combined exercises and swordsmanship become a powerful remaking of the entire Yeshua-warrior personality according to spiritual and Christ-like model, rather than a sensual, emotional and egoistical precedent in man’s life.
GLUTTONY (overeating, watching TV, computer, etc.) – first enemy, who dulls our natural and spiritual senses, enslaves body an mind through consumption and laziness, must be and can be successfully overcome by fasting, moderate eating, and creative managing of your time (Luke 8.14; Philip. 3.19, Gal. 5.24).
UNCHASTITY (Lust, Adultery) – is overcome by manual or any labor in the day, and filling the mind with positive thoughts and images through spiritual reading (Job 31.1; Gal.5.16-17; 1 Thess. 4.3-8; 2 Tim 2.22; 1 John 2.16).
FEAR (Fear of life or death, Fear of being yourself, Fear of sickness, Fear of loosing anything, Fear of poverty, Fear of being rejected) – is overcome by faith in Christ and walking in His love, and also by creative self-image (Ps.3.6; 27.3; 91.5; 118.6; Prov.3.24; John 12.24).
GREED – is overcome by intentionally embracing simple living (1 Tim. 6.10; James 5.3), sharing and charity.
UNFORGIVENESS – can be rooted out from the heart by forgiveness (Eph. 4.32; Col. 3.13) and forgetting.
ANGER – is overcome through compassion and humbly avoiding casting blame on others (Ps.37.8; Matt.5.22).
DEPRESSION – is overcome through thankfulness and hope (1 John 3.3), which always offers a great encouragement.
PRIDE (Superiority, Arrogance) – the mother of all evil – is successfully overcome by humility (1 Pet.5.5-6) and serving to others.
MURDER (Fault-finding, Blaming, Slander, Criticism, Hate, Revenge, Cruelty; 1 John 2.15, 18; 4.20-21) – the last enemy – is a result of progressing and not uprooted evil. The greatest weapon we already have – Love (Rom.5.5), overcomes this enemy.
Combining all given remedies will result in your spiritual development on the Way and an ever-victorious life. But, in this warfare don’t rely on yourself alone. Rather clothe yourself with the uniform of Master’s Righteousness and put on His Armor (Is.61.10; Eph.6.10-18), then raise your “Sword of Truth” and decisively cut down the unmasked enemy lurking deeply within.
As it is sang by Yeshua-warriors:
‘With your sword
Cut down the enemy
Lurking inside yourself.
Purge your heart from evil,
Still your mind,
Allow God’s light to shine through you.
With decisive stroke and shout
- “Eiii”! and “Yah”!
The Sword of the Spirit
Cuts down the enemy
Lurking deeply in your own mind’.
Remember:
Every anointed cut with your sword and every movement of your body, in YESHUA-SHIMMYO-KEN RYU swordsmanship can be a prophetic act of expelling evil, and cleansing of the heart and mind.
The egoless is open, flexible, supple, fluid, and dynamic in body, mind, and spirit. Being egoless, the self identifies with all things and all people, seeing them not from its self-centered perspective but from their own perspective centers. This is the creative way in your spiritual training resulting in good fruits causing change of human heart and releasing of many blessings.
“The Sword of the Desert” in BC, Muncho Lake, Aug.2006
“The true victory is defeat of your carnal nature.
That triumph is far superior to the conquering of any foe.
The ultimate strategy is to win through virtue and perseverance, not by battle.
The Way of Yeshua and the sanctified Way of the Sword are identical,
That of killing ego”.
- YESHUA-WARRIOR
Sensei Vitold
Yukon, September, 2007