A duel of fear. Another lesson from Batman Begins

I've been watching Batman Begins clips on average once every week. I find them so inspirational, and they keep me going in this uphill climb. There also just seems to be new insight that comes every once in a while about the spiritual life. I find it pretty cool.

I was watching yesterday when a new parallel came to mind. A duel of fear.

The bats in batman can represent a number of things. As for yesterday, a new parallel came to mind. They represent uncertainty, and the terrorizing of the imagination that naturally accompanies it.

Bruce Wayne used to be afraid of bats when he was young. They haunted him. The sight of them terrorized his heart. The bats can represent uncertainty. By our very nature, us humans fear uncertainty about things in the future, whether or not the outcome we value will be secured or not. Bruce Wayne had to face his fear of bats in order to become Batman and make a difference in Gotham city. He had to not fear uncertainty anymore, and just simply face it. For me, I face the "bats" of uncertainty a lot as a Christian journeyer. A lot of the times, I worry about my future job, marriage, ministry etc. It seems as if the enemy terrorizes my imagination with a lot of "what ifs" that fly chaotically like bats in the batcave of my soul. I was prophecied on a couple months ago that in this season of life, God would really build and stretch my faith in him. It definitely is becoming so true right now. But I sense change already. I am learning to existentially trust in God. Not necessarily to trust in God to secure my personal wishes, but to just trust in God amidst the uncertainty, to do what's best for his Kingdom in fighting the enemy of mankind. I feel that in this season, I have learned to simply confront the bats of "terrorizing uncertainty" in the batcave of my heart, and obey Jesus' commands to "not be afraid".

I feel like Bruce Wayne in this scene in this season of my life

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL_DDvgE0nU&feature=related

By God's grace, I slowly stepping out of the boat of security, and walking on the water of God's invisible path that Magneto-ly forms itself only for the next step that one walks. I am learning that the only way to deal with my fear of uncertainty is not to avoid circumstances that seem uncertain, but to face them square on, and change my inner reaction's ability to trust Jesus while the bats fly all around myself.

A surprisingly quote by N.T. Wright is interesting:

What instruction, what order, is given, again and again, by God, by angels, by Jesus, by prophets and apostles? What do you think - "Be good"? "Be holy"? Or, negatively, "Don't sin"? "Don't be immoral"? No. The most frequent command in the Bible is: "Don't be afraid." "Fear not."

Interesting eh? I am convinced that we can't learn to improve in obeying this commandment by burying ourselves in theological books all day, but we only improve in obeying it by squarely facing those bats right in their face and courageously having faith in God amidst temptations of doubt flying right in front of thy face.

There are many valid angles one can take when analyzing spiritual warfare. With the help of Batman Begins, I have discovered the new angle of "a duel of fear" where soldiers of Christ and demons of Satan have a battle of inflicting fear into the other party.

In the Gospels, we see demons inflicting fear in people either indirectly (causing people to doubt the goodness and sovereignty of God in ordinary circumstances and about the future) or directly (possessing humans and harassing them physically). But interestingly, we also see instances where demons "submit" to the disciples in the name of Jesus (Luke 10:17), where demons "shudder or tremble" before God (James 2:19), and where the devil "flees" from us (James 4:7). The only time someone "flees" from someone or something is when they're scared out of their sane (or not so sane) mind, hence it is reasonable to assume that Satan reacts to the presence of God like a zebra reacting to a lion. I think part of the reason why Satan and his demons react with terror in the presence of Jesus is because he threatens the security of their operations, schemes, livelihood, and well-being. That's why they "shudder/tremble/flee". Shuddering, trembling, and fleeing are not merely external actions, they are external actions caused by internal states of terror. And terror is caused by imagining all the horrifying "what ifs" that could happen to you. This is what Jesus does to his enemies. This should really come as no surprise since Satan and his demons see Jesus as he really is (Revelations 1:12-16). I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to be on that person's wrong side. Jesus has the power to throw his enemies into hell, and he can also torture them (Matthew 8:29, Luke 8:28). Of course he won't if you're on his side, and if you're on the side of the one described in Revelations 19:11-16, there is absolutely nothing to fear. I feel bad for the demons.

Batman went through a journey of facing and conquering his fear of bats, and in turn, striking terror into emotions and imaginations of his enemies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WjQt_jIN-M&feature=related.

We have the same ability to do that when we walk in the power and name of Jesus. Demons fear the crap out of Jesus. They don't fear jack about us though. While we shouldn't take pride in the demons submitting to us (Luke 10:20), we should expect to terrorize them when we take the presence of God with us in spiritual warfare. A commonality between us humans and the demons is that we both are susceptible to the fear of uncertainty. Only one person isn't, and that's the person in charge of the universe, Jesus. So I've learned that us humans don't fight the fear of uncertainty by being certain of outcomes, but fight the fear of uncertainty by trusting in the unpredictable yet faithful One in charge of uncertainty. For the demons, it's not so fortunate. Uncertainty is not on their side because the universe is not ultimately governed by someone on their side. For us soldiers of Christ however, uncertainty is on our side if we trust the King of the universe who unpredictably, yet faithfully controls everything.

Bruce Wayne decided not to fight crime with his own identity, but with the identity of a symbol that represented something greater than just a mere human

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J6J5BcHFCs&feature=related

Bruce Wayne: People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy and I can't do that as Bruce Wayne. As a man, I'm flesh and blood, I can be ignored, destroyed. But as a symbol, as a symbol, I can be incorruptible, I can be everlasting

Alfred: What symbol?

Bruce Wayne: Something elemental, something terrifying


Similarly, Paul didn't fight God's enemies merely "as a man" and with mere "flesh and blood". But he did them in the "symbol" or name of Jesus, which represented the presence of God (Acts 19:11-12) and caused evil spirits to leave the humans being harassed by them. But as for those who did not carry the "symbol" or name of Jesus (which represented the presence of God with them), they were actually terrified themselves when they tried to do battle with the demons (Acts 19:13-16). They were "ignored" and "destroyed" because they tried to fight demons merely as men/flesh and blood.

I am indebted to Batman Begins for new insight into spiritual warfare. For it is not merely a duel that sheds spiritual blood on both sides. It is a duel of fear and inflicting terror on one's enemy.

Thanks for lesson # 80794325265972045 Bruce Wayne

living from another world that has extraordinary effects on this one

"Living from another world that has extraordinary effects on this one" has been the theme of my life for the past couple of weeks.

I wrote an email TC coaches a few days ago. I'll just copy and paste (after editing)it here for those who are interested:




Ladies and Gentlemen, we live in epic times. Of course "epicness" can only be fully "epicly" experienced through a first-hand episode that contains the subjective textures of first-person experience within an epic context itself. Illustration. The LA Lakers playing in the fourth quarter of the NBA play-off finals in game 7. Sure, a psychology professor can give an objective/technical description of what Kobe Bryant and other LA Laker players go through in the psychological experience of playing in the fourth quarter of game 7 in the NBA finals to his psychology students in a lecture. But if Kobe Bryant attended that lecture, his experience would be totally different than him actually playing on the court and having a first-person experience of the fourth quarter in game 7 of the NBA finals with all the subjective textures of first-person consciousness on that NBA court that millions of NBA fans around the world are watching during the moment when it actually happens.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I dare to say that the end times are approaching closer and closer with the passing of every year. I forgot whether it was Bernard or Nathan telling me that the increase in the frequency of these large-scale events in the world that have dramatic proportions (i.e. "Jasmine revolution" in middle east/Japan's disasters last week), shows signs of maturing birth pangs of the world, labouring more and more until the end times are fully conceived. Although we don't know for sure when Jesus will come again, we all know it's one day less every day. I personally feel that we're in the "third period" (although I'm not a dispensationalist haha [I go to TC, how can I be a dispensationalist?]), the "ninth inning", the "fourth quarter" so to speak of God's story on earth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjW_GLOPmj0

This "background music" reflects a bit of the "epicness" of what I feel of the times that we're in. Of course this "epicness" is hidden to the average person's eye that is distracted by the trends and programs of the world. This "epicness" of the Kingdom is like treasure hidden in a field. Little does the world know the "Grand Program/Drama" that daily escapes their awareness. But it is not only the fact that non-Christians are oblivious to this epic "hidden storyline of the universe". A lot of Christians, having access to the "HDTV signals" of this divine drama fail to tune into it and instead tune into the "2D-black and white cartoons" that "typical/non-hidden cable channels" enable them to tune into. However, for the earnest/relentless seeker, there are the "HDTV signals" of the "hidden storyline of the universe" that one can constantly tune into and experience. Even for those who know that this "hidden drama of the universe (the Great Commission)" theoretically exists, a lot of the times for various reasons, one only receives technical/abstract/detached descriptions of it, similar to a technical/abstract/detached university lecture. It is an inexpressible joy (1 Peter 1:8) to be transformed and tune into the Kingdom of God just like how Neo was transformed and tuned into the Matrix. A technical/abstract/detached definition of the matrix would not give Neo the experience that Neo experienced first-hand with all the rich subjective textures of first-person experience. He lived from another reality first-hand that had extraordinary effects on "normal" reality (he did not dodge bullets by operating within "normal"/everyday reality, but he was able to dodge them because he was operating from another one that had effects on the "normal" one). Likewise, when we read the New Testament, we see that these disciples of Jesus did not saturate themselves with technical/abstract/detached descriptions of the Kingdom of God (as important as they are), but experienced it first hand with all the rich subjective textures of first-person experience, and as a result, if one just reads the book of Acts, one can see that it is as if they really lived rooted in another reality (the Kingdom of God) that has extraordinary effects on "normal" reality.

Ladies and Gentlemen, if we just look at church history, minus all the abominations/dark blotches, we see that God instigated supernatural revivals in every single century since Christ physically came and left. This century is no different. If God instigated a supernatural revival with supernatural results that were exponentially more than the mere sum of human effort alone in every single century with no exception, he can do it in this century no doubt about it. The secular media never reports this stuff because [fill in the blank].

Ladies and Gentlemen, we live in epic times, if we can tune into God's HDTV drama (with surround sound [if one engages in Christian mysticism]). The Kingdom of God "portal" to this "other world that has extraordinary effects on this one" has not closed along with the canon of the Bible. It has been open ever since, but few find it. I have read about these saints in church history who have experienced it first-hand. In the beginning, I was vicariously experiencing it through their biographies. Now, by the grace of God, it is not merely a second-hand experience. It has started to become first-hand.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I think God is up to something big in Toronto. I think he wants to do the kind of stuff we see in the book of Acts right here in Toronto (of course not replicas of exactly what he did back them, but categorically similar things with a comparable magnitude). Maybe I'm idealistic. Maybe I'm retarded. But I know that God has brought revivals in the western world within the past 3 centuries in separate movements. In the 18th century, God moved through the Wesleyans (headed up by friggin wicked John Wesley) to revive England (I actually heard that due to God working in the Methodists lead by John Wesley, the negative effects of the French Revolution in France were blocked from negatively impacting England [how sick is that?]). In the 19th Century, God moved through Charles Finney and the movement God started through him to revive America. In the 20th century, God used the early pentecostal movements to revive America. Dude, God can totally do something crazy of epic proportions in Toronto in the 21st century. Let us tune into this "hidden story of the universe" right where we are. Let us do it ladies and gentlemen.

For those who study revivals throughout the centuries, they will realize that supernatural revivals that occur with epic proportions begin with a small group of people regularly praying together. A couple weeks ago, in the middle of an extremely stimulating conversation with 3 other brothers that I met recently, one of them spontaneously said with passion "yo man, let's just start praying for city-wide revival in Toronto every single week together!". So it is set. It has started. And we invite any other like-minded brothers who want to tune into the "hidden story of the universe" right here in Toronto to come. The point of these meetings is not to merely chill while refraining from performing blatant sinful acts explicitly outlined in the Bible not to do (lie, cheat, steal) and enjoy each other's company and entertain each other without "doing the wrong things as Christians". Instead, the point will be very focused. To labour in prayer for all-out-city-wide-no-nonsense-supernatural revival for Toronto. And also to discuss some practical strategy of where to go from here (the present state of things), to the destination (city-wide revival). The more brothers from different perspectives/backgrounds who have the same-united passion, the merrier. Of course it is understood that not everyone is specifically called to this specific prayer meeting with us. By all means, if you form your own city-wide revival prayer meeting and regularly pray with other saints, or join an already existing one, that is cool too. If you don't respond, you will not be judged lol. But for those who want to become part of a "prayer platoon" for city-wide revival in Toronto but don't currently know of any, feel free to message me.

Now that's the Gospel. Not merely the forgiveness of sins (as crucial as that is) without actively participating in the "divine drama" of God's story. This Gospel is the Good News of an invitation to active first-person participation in the "matrix" of the Kingdom of God that allows its citizens to be caught up in the "story"/"program"/"will" of God and what he's up to right now, and in addition to knowing truthful/correct abstract doctrine, experiencing the "subjective textures of a first-person journey" of these truths embedded in a story that is more epic than any bestselling blockbuster that has ever been produced. I think that's good news. It's good news to know that I don't have to buy a PS3 to enjoy an RPG. I'm in one already. It's good news to know that I don't have to purchase "rogers on demand" (although I think my dad did) in order to enjoy an epic movie. I'm in one. And co-labouring with the storywriter to help unfold his story (i.e. letting his will be done) is not only an after-life heaven, but heaven (the presence of God) is now. As Dallas Willard said, "the Good News is that if you want to go to heaven, don't wait t'il you die, enter it now!". Anything short of that is plain boring. I have learned that a worldly lifestyle not only gets more and more sinful, it gets more and more boring. The opening credits of sin are captivating and alluring. But right after the opening credits, the rest of the program is more uninteresting than Canadian politics.



If we learn to live, function, and operate from the "matrix" of the Kingdom of God, we will be gradually enabled to "dodge bullets" not by operating on this world, but by operating in another world that has extraordinary effects on this one.

Unless the Lord... it's over

Unless the Lord orchestrates city-wide revival in Toronto... it's over.

Unless the Lord unites followers of Christ from different denominations not for the sake of unity itself, but to accomplish a greater purpose - to expand his Kingdom by reviving the entire city of Toronto... it's over.

Unless the Lord prevents even well-intentioned followers of Christ from getting caught up in miscommunication with each other with respect to reviving the city of Toronto... it's over.

Unless the Lord ignires a supernatural passion in each and every labourer involved in city-wide revival for Toronto... it's over.

Unless the Lord protects endeavours for city-wide revival for Toronto from attacks from the enemy... it's over.

Unless the Lord convinces various followers of Christ the need for all 3 points of the Kingdom Triangle in proportional balance for Toronto city-wide revival... it's over.

Unless the Lord humbles each labourer to rely on his power and not man's power in endeavouring to revive the city of Toronto... it's over.

Unless the Lord shows up, arranges all the dominoes of cause-and-effect to sweep this city just like how he did at Pentecost 2 millenia ago, and "engineers" the whole process... it's over.



Unless the LORD builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
-Psalm 127:1

random scribbles

I am so impressed by the TV show Smallville. It is the first TV show on cable (in my knowledge) to portray pride as something sinful/evil/destructive. No other TV show I've watched has ever done that. Yes Smallville does have premartial sex scenes N stuff, but still, I can't believe they portrayed pride as being something distasteful, harmful, to be avoided!

If you're stickin' with Jesus it's all-chill
If you thinkin' that you'll leave him then I think you've never met someone who's more super than that dude from Smallville

-Phanatik from Cross Movement







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I was browsing pics of Dallas Willard on the "Dallas Willard is my homeboy" facebook group. There is something about this guy. Just looking at pictures of this great apprentice of Jesus makes me really see Jesus in him. His face is just full of sublime joy, peace, and love. I want that. Paul said "Follow me as I follow Christ" in 1 Corinthians 11:1. I dare say that Dallas Willard is a modern day Timothy (It's risky saying someone is a modern day Paul) that I'm willing to follow as he follows Jesus so well. Thanks Jesus, for such an awesome role model to follow in this age!







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I watched the first 10 seconds of this clip over 10 times just now. Man. It is so wicked how Batman just swings into the subway window, hops and grabs those ceiling bars, and lands with a "this is it" glare in ras al gul's face. That glare in 0:07-0:08 is so inspirational! I wanna metaphorically look God's enemy in the eye with a glare like that.