So you think that martial arts are just about self defense? 00:00:01.36\00:00:04.10 Well, stay tuned to find out 00:00:04.13\00:00:05.47 what's really behind Martial arts 00:00:05.50\00:00:07.44 and eastern mysticism. 00:00:07.47\00:00:09.20 My name is Yvonne Lewis. And I am Jason Bradley. 00:00:09.24\00:00:11.91 And you are watching Urban Report. 00:00:11.94\00:00:14.18 Hello, and Welcome to Urban Report. 00:00:37.27\00:00:39.53 Our guest today is Eric Wilson, 00:00:39.57\00:00:41.54 former instructor in the martial arts of Qigong, 00:00:41.57\00:00:44.41 Bagua, and Tai-chi chuan. 00:00:44.44\00:00:47.08 Jason is with me. Yeah. 00:00:47.11\00:00:49.48 And we are going to explore the martial arts 00:00:49.51\00:00:51.88 and the force behind it. 00:00:51.91\00:00:53.72 Welcome to Urban Report, Eric. 00:00:53.75\00:00:55.45 It's a pleasure to meet you. 00:00:55.48\00:00:57.09 Before we start, we have a little clip 00:00:57.12\00:00:59.12 that just kind of sets this whole thing up, 00:00:59.15\00:01:01.46 and I want to air that clip. 00:01:01.49\00:01:02.96 Just take a look. 00:01:02.99\00:01:04.33 Wow. That was powerful. Yeah. 00:03:08.78\00:03:13.02 What got you involved in the martial arts? 00:03:13.05\00:03:16.99 Before we even go there, 00:03:17.03\00:03:18.36 lets talk about where you were born, 00:03:18.39\00:03:20.56 how you were raised, 00:03:20.60\00:03:22.06 all that and find out about your journey. 00:03:22.10\00:03:25.10 So where were you born and where did you grow up? 00:03:25.13\00:03:28.47 I was born in Orlando, Florida. 00:03:28.50\00:03:31.64 My parents were Seventh-day Adventist Christians, 00:03:31.67\00:03:34.38 so I was raised in a Christian home. 00:03:34.41\00:03:37.71 When I was probably five years old, 00:03:37.75\00:03:39.25 we moved up north to Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, 00:03:39.28\00:03:43.99 spent most of my life in that area on the east coast. 00:03:44.02\00:03:47.82 And were you an only child or did you have siblings? 00:03:47.86\00:03:50.59 No, I have a brother, seven years younger to me, 00:03:50.63\00:03:53.13 and we are very close, so, yes, madam. 00:03:53.16\00:03:55.60 Yeah, and so you were raised 00:03:55.63\00:03:58.63 by Seventh-day Adventist parents, 00:03:58.67\00:04:01.00 and so you grew up in a two parent household. 00:04:01.04\00:04:03.94 Yes, madam. 00:04:03.97\00:04:05.31 And then did it remained that way 00:04:05.34\00:04:07.58 or was there has been change, what happened in your life? 00:04:07.61\00:04:10.05 When I was 12-years-old 00:04:10.08\00:04:12.28 my parents went through separation and a divorce 00:04:12.31\00:04:15.82 and the enemy came into our home, 00:04:15.85\00:04:17.82 like it does in so many homes, and causes conflict. 00:04:17.85\00:04:22.86 And we don't even realize often that the conflict is with him, 00:04:22.89\00:04:26.49 not with one another. 00:04:26.53\00:04:28.10 So my parents were divorced, you know, when I was 12. 00:04:28.13\00:04:32.50 How did that make you feel when they got divorced? 00:04:32.53\00:04:36.97 It created doubt, it created insecurity, 00:04:37.01\00:04:43.31 it created a feeling of rejection, 00:04:43.35\00:04:46.78 as a young man, especially. 00:04:46.82\00:04:48.45 And I know its same for young women as well 00:04:48.48\00:04:51.25 but for young man especially, 00:04:51.29\00:04:53.82 a father figure, having a father, 00:04:53.86\00:04:56.16 a dad in a home is what gives you 00:04:56.19\00:04:58.39 and assures you of your purpose in life. 00:04:58.43\00:05:01.23 God has called all of us as sons and daughters of God, 00:05:01.26\00:05:05.23 and its true, a father and a mother, 00:05:05.27\00:05:07.64 that we are assured of that, that we're given a role. 00:05:07.67\00:05:13.41 And, so when my mom and dad were divorced 00:05:13.44\00:05:15.38 and my dad had to move away, I lost that, you know, 00:05:15.41\00:05:19.28 I was searching desperately for what is my purpose in life, 00:05:19.31\00:05:22.72 you know, what is my reason for being here. 00:05:22.75\00:05:25.35 And lot of times, young people, when they're searching that, 00:05:25.39\00:05:30.33 they look for role model. 00:05:30.36\00:05:31.69 It may be in Hollywood or it may be in sports 00:05:31.73\00:05:34.93 or it may be in the fashion industry, 00:05:34.96\00:05:37.17 but they are looking for someone 00:05:37.20\00:05:38.60 who look up to assure them of who they are 00:05:38.63\00:05:42.20 and their identity. 00:05:42.24\00:05:43.97 So for me, when I saw the man 00:05:44.01\00:05:47.24 that practicing the martial arts, 00:05:47.28\00:05:48.71 I saw what I was missing, 00:05:48.74\00:05:50.15 I saw the man that appear to be fearless, 00:05:50.18\00:05:52.91 they appear to be in control of every facet of their lives. 00:05:52.95\00:05:57.02 Nothing took them by surprise or caught them of God. 00:05:57.05\00:06:00.32 And I thought you know, that's what I want, 00:06:00.36\00:06:01.92 I want that kind of confidence, 00:06:01.96\00:06:03.63 I want that assurance in my life. 00:06:03.66\00:06:05.96 And I didn't realize that that assurance comes 00:06:05.99\00:06:08.33 from knowing who we are in Christ. 00:06:08.36\00:06:12.43 So, you, by the age of 14, 00:06:12.47\00:06:18.17 you were kind of searching for that mentor, 00:06:18.21\00:06:22.41 that role model, that hoping. 00:06:22.44\00:06:24.48 And in school, I guess at that time too, 00:06:24.51\00:06:28.68 you know, you go through like could bullied 00:06:28.72\00:06:31.45 or there can be... 00:06:31.49\00:06:33.29 Was that your situation as well? 00:06:33.32\00:06:35.22 Yes. 00:06:35.26\00:06:36.83 Men are trying to prove themselves, 00:06:36.86\00:06:39.53 especially young men. 00:06:39.56\00:06:40.90 So I had a number of men, young men that were you know, 00:06:40.93\00:06:44.90 trying to prove themselves and use me as their guinea pig. 00:06:44.93\00:06:49.90 So I told my mom, I said, 00:06:49.94\00:06:51.64 I really want to get started in martial arts. 00:06:51.67\00:06:53.41 And at first, my mom was very against it. 00:06:53.44\00:06:56.08 She couldn't explain why but she just felt in her heart 00:06:56.11\00:06:59.85 that something just was not right about it. 00:06:59.88\00:07:02.82 And anyway, I found out about a school 00:07:02.85\00:07:06.29 that was a "Christian martial arts school." 00:07:06.32\00:07:10.19 A Christian martial arts school, 00:07:10.23\00:07:11.89 I've never heard of such. 00:07:11.93\00:07:13.43 Well, yeah. 00:07:13.46\00:07:14.80 And like, back when I started, in 1983, 1984, 00:07:14.83\00:07:18.73 it was unheard off almost. 00:07:18.77\00:07:20.84 Now they're everywhere Christian martial art schools. 00:07:20.87\00:07:23.91 Yes, Christian yoga, Christian tai-chi. 00:07:23.94\00:07:26.51 I mean, it's everywhere. 00:07:26.54\00:07:27.88 What differentiates them from mainstream martial arts? 00:07:27.91\00:07:31.71 What do they do that differs? 00:07:31.75\00:07:34.28 They say the word "Jesus." That's about it? 00:07:34.32\00:07:38.72 I don't mean that derogatory, but often times you know, 00:07:38.75\00:07:42.12 it sort of like music. 00:07:42.16\00:07:44.03 What's Christian rock? 00:07:44.06\00:07:45.39 Or what's the difference between Christian rock 00:07:45.43\00:07:46.90 and regular rock? 00:07:46.93\00:07:48.26 Well, the words. 00:07:48.30\00:07:50.70 I'm going to do a yoga pose, or I'm going to meditate 00:07:50.73\00:07:53.94 but I'm going to meditate, I'm going to use Jesus' name. 00:07:53.97\00:07:58.31 So the school, I know that the intent was good, 00:07:58.34\00:08:01.78 they read Bible verses, you know, 00:08:01.81\00:08:04.08 they were some changes made in people's life. 00:08:04.11\00:08:06.58 But what was hard was is that, Jesus says, 00:08:06.61\00:08:09.32 if someone strikes you on one side of your face, 00:08:09.35\00:08:12.09 turn the cheek. 00:08:12.12\00:08:13.66 The martial art says, if someone swings at you, 00:08:13.69\00:08:16.59 block in counter. 00:08:16.62\00:08:17.96 So there's an opposition in the teaching. 00:08:17.99\00:08:21.53 One is completely against with the other, 00:08:21.56\00:08:24.00 the spirit is completely different. 00:08:24.03\00:08:26.43 One is a spirit of pride 00:08:26.47\00:08:28.07 and the other is the spirit of humility. 00:08:28.10\00:08:30.44 Well, and I'm going to explore that a little bit more 00:08:30.47\00:08:32.27 but let's go back for a second. 00:08:32.31\00:08:33.94 When you walked into that dojo for the first time, 00:08:33.98\00:08:36.88 what did you think? 00:08:36.91\00:08:38.25 Well, explain what a dojo is first of all 00:08:38.28\00:08:40.12 because some viewers might not know that. 00:08:40.15\00:08:42.95 And then explain how you felt when you walked into the dojo. 00:08:42.98\00:08:47.52 The first place my mother took me, 00:08:47.56\00:08:50.33 it was a Japanese school, which is a dojo. 00:08:50.36\00:08:52.99 It's a Japanese word and it means to us in American, 00:08:53.03\00:08:57.83 in English language, it means a training hall. 00:08:57.87\00:09:00.87 But if you look the word up in the Japanese 00:09:00.90\00:09:02.94 it actually has a much deeper meaning. 00:09:02.97\00:09:06.14 It means, up the place of enlightenment. 00:09:06.17\00:09:10.05 The Chinese word for that is Daochang. 00:09:10.08\00:09:12.71 It has the same meaning, a place of enlightenment. 00:09:12.75\00:09:16.69 In Hindu religion, it would be a place of Nirvana. 00:09:16.72\00:09:20.26 Interesting. 00:09:20.29\00:09:21.62 Isn't it interesting, how here in this country, 00:09:21.66\00:09:25.69 we have taken in certain practices 00:09:25.73\00:09:29.93 thinking that they are harmless, 00:09:29.96\00:09:32.43 thinking that they are just you know, 00:09:32.47\00:09:34.90 self-defense or whatever, 00:09:34.94\00:09:36.91 but it's more than what we know, 00:09:36.94\00:09:40.08 more than what we know. 00:09:40.11\00:09:41.51 Well, you know, it's like those things 00:09:41.54\00:09:42.88 where they look great on their surface, 00:09:42.91\00:09:45.25 but as you dig deeper, you unveil or uncover the truth 00:09:45.28\00:09:51.79 and the meaning behind it. 00:09:51.82\00:09:53.15 I mean, it's even if you look at today 00:09:53.19\00:09:56.02 with all this togetherness and stuff like that, 00:09:56.06\00:09:59.46 how people want to all come together in terms of religion 00:09:59.49\00:10:03.50 and things of that nature. 00:10:03.53\00:10:05.33 What happens is 00:10:05.37\00:10:06.70 people are gonna end up compromising morals 00:10:06.74\00:10:09.47 and beliefs, and coming together, 00:10:09.50\00:10:12.41 which sounds great on the surface 00:10:12.44\00:10:14.44 but what are you giving up? 00:10:14.48\00:10:15.81 Are you giving up God's law to follow man's law 00:10:15.84\00:10:18.85 and man's idea or you know, just a come together? 00:10:18.88\00:10:23.28 Right, right, right. I remember with you, J. 00:10:23.32\00:10:27.29 I put you into karate, and without knowing, you know, 00:10:27.32\00:10:31.73 I was thinking, Eric, as you're talking about, 00:10:31.76\00:10:33.86 your mother was a bit reticent about taking you 00:10:33.90\00:10:37.77 to learn about self-defense and stuff. 00:10:37.80\00:10:41.24 Well, with J, I wanted to put him in there 00:10:41.27\00:10:43.71 because I want to make sure 00:10:43.74\00:10:45.07 that if anybody was trying to fight with him or something, 00:10:45.11\00:10:47.74 he would know how to defend himself. 00:10:47.78\00:10:50.05 And, well, J, you tell what happened with you 00:10:50.08\00:10:54.58 when I put you and took you out. 00:10:54.62\00:10:56.92 Well, okay. 00:10:56.95\00:10:58.52 So she put me into karate 00:10:58.55\00:11:00.46 and I went and was excited about it. 00:11:00.49\00:11:04.19 But then I noticed they had the statue in the front 00:11:04.23\00:11:07.30 and they want you to bow to a Buddha, 00:11:07.33\00:11:09.43 and then you know, you are bowing to each other, 00:11:09.46\00:11:12.03 it's a lot of bowing going on. 00:11:12.07\00:11:14.47 And my mom, when she saw that, she was like, no, 00:11:14.50\00:11:17.94 you are not bowing to anything, you know. 00:11:17.97\00:11:20.58 And she ended up pull me out not too long after that. 00:11:20.61\00:11:24.05 Oh, yeah, he never went back. Praise the Lord. 00:11:24.08\00:11:25.91 Because, I didn't... 00:11:25.95\00:11:27.28 when I walked in, I hadn't walked in before. 00:11:27.32\00:11:28.98 I would just drop him off and pick him up. 00:11:29.02\00:11:31.65 But I walked in this time with him, 00:11:31.69\00:11:34.06 and I saw everybody was bowing to a statue. 00:11:34.09\00:11:38.96 And I thought, oh, no, oh, no, no, 00:11:38.99\00:11:42.56 my son is not going to do that. 00:11:42.60\00:11:44.07 Was that your experience, 00:11:44.10\00:11:45.43 when you walked into that first training center, 00:11:45.47\00:11:50.21 dojo for the first time, did they have you bow, 00:11:50.24\00:11:54.18 bow to each other, bow to the statue? 00:11:54.21\00:11:56.21 What did you do when you walked in? 00:11:56.24\00:11:59.05 The first time that I went, we were just there visiting, 00:11:59.08\00:12:02.38 so we didn't have to go through you know, 00:12:02.42\00:12:04.59 that part of the ritual. 00:12:04.62\00:12:07.16 But if someone signs up, 00:12:07.19\00:12:09.09 it's very common even here in the states. 00:12:09.12\00:12:11.33 If it's a traditional school, you remove your shoes 00:12:11.36\00:12:14.46 when you step into the school or onto the mat, 00:12:14.50\00:12:17.43 you bow to the instructor, you bow towards the showmen 00:12:17.47\00:12:20.44 or the front of the dojo, the studio. 00:12:20.47\00:12:24.64 And that was one of the things that really, 00:12:24.67\00:12:26.98 I found after years of being in the martial arts was, 00:12:27.01\00:12:31.91 it made me compromise what God's word say. 00:12:31.95\00:12:35.92 God's word says, you know, "I am the Lord your God, 00:12:35.95\00:12:39.12 thy shall not bow down or serve anyone above me." 00:12:39.15\00:12:42.32 That's right. 00:12:42.36\00:12:44.06 Being at that martial arts, it doesn't really mean that. 00:12:44.09\00:12:46.33 I know that's what it says, 00:12:46.36\00:12:47.70 but that's not what it really means. 00:12:47.73\00:12:49.90 The martial art says 00:12:49.93\00:12:51.27 when you reach at certain level of achievement 00:12:51.30\00:12:53.30 that you are called the Sifu or a Sensei, 00:12:53.34\00:12:56.07 which means a master. 00:12:56.10\00:12:57.91 Jesus said, don't call any man master, 00:12:57.94\00:13:00.04 you have one master, even me. 00:13:00.08\00:13:03.18 Again, there's a compromise. 00:13:03.21\00:13:05.15 And then you know, I learned later on, you know, 00:13:05.18\00:13:08.05 when I stepped on to the training floor, 00:13:08.08\00:13:11.89 almost every martial arts studio 00:13:11.92\00:13:14.52 that's a traditional studio, you have to remove your shoes. 00:13:14.56\00:13:18.89 And I remember you know, 00:13:18.93\00:13:20.26 when I was at church reading about Moses, 00:13:20.30\00:13:22.16 when he appeared before the Lord at the burning bush, 00:13:22.20\00:13:24.73 and God told him, take off your shoes, 00:13:24.77\00:13:27.47 you're standing on holy ground. 00:13:27.50\00:13:29.90 And you know, but I did all these things 00:13:29.94\00:13:32.47 and it was like small steps. 00:13:32.51\00:13:34.08 Either you take one step and compromise, 00:13:34.11\00:13:36.21 and it's easier to take the next one. 00:13:36.24\00:13:38.31 And then you take another, and then you take another. 00:13:38.35\00:13:40.25 And pretty soon you're so far down the path 00:13:40.28\00:13:42.22 you can't find your way back out 00:13:42.25\00:13:43.89 nor do you even realize that you're in the wrong. 00:13:43.92\00:13:46.62 That's right. 00:13:46.65\00:13:47.99 So it was that way, it was very gradual. 00:13:48.02\00:13:50.26 And I didn't realize where it was leading me. 00:13:50.29\00:13:53.23 How long did you study? I was in it right at 25 years. 00:13:53.26\00:13:57.53 And far did you go? 00:13:57.57\00:14:00.90 The highest rank that I was awarded 00:14:00.94\00:14:03.27 was a 5th Dan in Chinese kung fu. 00:14:03.30\00:14:08.28 And then I had seven black belts 00:14:08.31\00:14:11.05 in combative styles 00:14:11.08\00:14:13.55 and then I also have instructor certification 00:14:13.58\00:14:15.88 in internal arts in Chinese medicines. 00:14:15.92\00:14:18.45 Explain that system to us. So you said a 5th Dan. 00:14:18.49\00:14:21.12 What is a 5th Dan 00:14:21.16\00:14:22.49 and what are the different levels? 00:14:22.52\00:14:24.93 Okay, and these vary dependant on whether it's Japanese style 00:14:24.96\00:14:28.46 or whether it's a Chinese style. 00:14:28.50\00:14:30.57 But as a general rule, 00:14:30.60\00:14:32.83 a 1st Dan is a first level black belt. 00:14:32.87\00:14:36.30 That means you just got your black belt. 00:14:36.34\00:14:38.11 And the masters will tell you, 00:14:38.14\00:14:39.47 that means you've mastered the basics. 00:14:39.51\00:14:41.84 It means you just got out of you know, the beginning, 00:14:41.88\00:14:44.78 you know the basics. 00:14:44.81\00:14:46.58 And for people that want to go past that, 00:14:46.61\00:14:49.88 they'll normally strive 00:14:49.92\00:14:51.65 to become what's known as a Sifu in Chinese 00:14:51.69\00:14:54.82 or a Sensei, which is an instructor. 00:14:54.86\00:14:57.73 Some schools, I mean, 00:14:57.76\00:14:59.09 you have to be a 2nd Dan or 3rd Dan. 00:14:59.13\00:15:01.06 Other schools, I mean, you can be promoted 00:15:01.10\00:15:02.96 to that right off the bat if the other instructor knows 00:15:03.00\00:15:05.97 that you're ready. 00:15:06.00\00:15:08.07 But the Dan or Dan ranks, they normally have, 00:15:08.10\00:15:11.74 most schools will have first through 10th Dan. 00:15:11.77\00:15:15.24 So you make black belt 00:15:15.28\00:15:16.95 and that's concerned first Dan, 00:15:16.98\00:15:18.38 and then there's a second Dan, a third Dan, a forth Dan. 00:15:18.41\00:15:21.68 And to reach the level of a master, 00:15:21.72\00:15:25.32 typically is a sixth Dan. 00:15:25.35\00:15:28.79 Normally, it's the number six 00:15:28.82\00:15:30.56 that they consider to be a master, 00:15:30.59\00:15:31.93 which I find interesting. 00:15:31.96\00:15:33.29 That is interesting. 00:15:33.33\00:15:34.66 Because six is the number of man. 00:15:34.70\00:15:36.03 Right. 00:15:36.06\00:15:37.87 And I know the last grandmaster that I trained under, 00:15:37.90\00:15:41.17 you know, he explained to me one time. 00:15:41.20\00:15:43.24 He said, "Eric," he said, 00:15:43.27\00:15:44.91 "For someone to achieve that rank, 00:15:44.94\00:15:47.38 to be recognized in traditional kung fu," 00:15:47.41\00:15:49.68 which was my primary style back then, 00:15:49.71\00:15:52.55 "For someone to achieve a sixth Dan 00:15:52.58\00:15:55.12 there has to be a surrender to those powers, 00:15:55.15\00:15:59.69 there has to be a surrender." 00:15:59.72\00:16:01.29 He said, "You can have technique," he said, 00:16:01.32\00:16:03.93 "But it's not technique that makes a master, 00:16:03.96\00:16:07.83 there's something spiritual 00:16:07.86\00:16:09.20 that has to be imparted to you." 00:16:09.23\00:16:10.77 Isn't that fascinating? 00:16:10.80\00:16:12.17 You see if you're at this level. 00:16:12.20\00:16:15.20 You don't know about this spiritual dimension. 00:16:15.24\00:16:17.87 You don't know 00:16:17.91\00:16:19.24 that that there's something else going on 00:16:19.27\00:16:22.34 underneath it. 00:16:22.38\00:16:23.71 It's as you continue 00:16:23.75\00:16:25.58 actually to get deeper and deeper into it 00:16:25.61\00:16:28.78 that you learned that there's something else going on here. 00:16:28.82\00:16:32.69 It's not just self-defense, it's a spiritual level too. 00:16:32.72\00:16:36.99 Let's unpack that a little bit more, Eric, 00:16:37.03\00:16:38.93 because you bring out some things 00:16:38.96\00:16:42.10 in your documentary that we are going to air, 00:16:42.13\00:16:44.60 by the grace of God on Dare to Dream. 00:16:44.63\00:16:46.90 We're going to show that clip a bit later. 00:16:46.94\00:16:49.64 You bring out some things in there about Dao 00:16:49.67\00:16:53.38 and about the circle. 00:16:53.41\00:16:55.44 I found that to be fascinating. 00:16:55.48\00:16:57.11 Let's talk a little bit more 00:16:57.15\00:16:58.48 about this spiritualistic aspect of the martial arts. 00:16:58.51\00:17:05.19 One of the, one of the first things 00:17:05.22\00:17:07.72 that I remember when I was training, 00:17:07.76\00:17:10.93 like, as a white belt, 00:17:10.96\00:17:12.29 as a beginner in the studio that I started in, 00:17:12.33\00:17:15.26 I would watch some of the men that had you know, 00:17:15.30\00:17:17.23 green belts or brown belts that had been there for, 00:17:17.27\00:17:19.90 you know, three years, or five years, or eight years, 00:17:19.93\00:17:22.47 or ten years. 00:17:22.50\00:17:23.94 And I would watch them when they would fight 00:17:23.97\00:17:26.07 or when they would kick the bag 00:17:26.11\00:17:27.48 or when they would do certain you know, 00:17:27.51\00:17:29.21 drills, and you could see the power that was there. 00:17:29.24\00:17:33.21 And then I would watch the grandmaster, 00:17:33.25\00:17:35.82 and I'll never forget something. 00:17:35.85\00:17:37.19 I remember one time 00:17:37.22\00:17:38.55 when he was talking to a group of the higher level students, 00:17:38.59\00:17:41.82 and he was talking to them about this energy 00:17:41.86\00:17:44.86 that is known as Chi, 00:17:44.89\00:17:46.23 or in the Japanese, they call it Ki, 00:17:46.26\00:17:48.03 like an aikido. 00:17:48.06\00:17:50.40 He was talking about this energy 00:17:50.43\00:17:52.80 that martial artists strove to access, to tap into. 00:17:52.83\00:17:58.01 And he said, "When you grab a hold of your opponent," 00:17:58.04\00:18:01.34 he said, "It's not just physical muscle." 00:18:01.38\00:18:04.78 You can't just physically do things 00:18:04.81\00:18:08.28 because that will only go so far. 00:18:08.32\00:18:09.92 I mean, I can run my whole life 00:18:09.95\00:18:11.95 and I'm never going to be overrun 70 miles an hour, 00:18:11.99\00:18:14.36 right? 00:18:14.39\00:18:15.72 You know, because I'm not built to do that. 00:18:15.76\00:18:18.49 With a human being, 00:18:18.53\00:18:20.93 the human fist is not physically built to do things 00:18:20.96\00:18:25.97 that you see a lot of martial artists capable of doing. 00:18:26.00\00:18:29.20 And when he was demonstrating this to them, 00:18:29.24\00:18:31.34 I remember we had a training bagged. 00:18:31.37\00:18:33.88 It was like 150 pound training bag. 00:18:33.91\00:18:36.78 And it's hanging you know, and he reached over 00:18:36.81\00:18:40.68 and he grabbed that with one hand 00:18:40.72\00:18:42.55 and he picked it up and he shook it with one hand. 00:18:42.58\00:18:46.55 And it was like, all of us were just dumbstruck, you know. 00:18:46.59\00:18:50.69 How did he picked that up with one hand 00:18:50.73\00:18:52.46 like it was featherweight? 00:18:52.49\00:18:55.56 And then he said, "That's what you got to know 00:18:55.60\00:18:57.27 how to tap into, that's what..." 00:18:57.30\00:18:59.23 So this carrot was constantly dangled in front of the, 00:18:59.27\00:19:04.11 the students that have been initiated, 00:19:04.14\00:19:06.54 the ones that have been there for a few years. 00:19:06.57\00:19:09.28 There's always that carrot. 00:19:09.31\00:19:10.68 They say, if you want more 00:19:10.71\00:19:12.41 you just got to take another step, 00:19:12.45\00:19:14.75 another compromise. 00:19:14.78\00:19:17.05 And that's the thing, you don't have a sense... 00:19:17.09\00:19:21.02 when you first get into it you have no idea 00:19:21.06\00:19:23.73 how far you're going to drift. 00:19:23.76\00:19:26.80 Because Satan is very crafty, 00:19:26.83\00:19:29.86 he just takes you just a little step at a time, 00:19:29.90\00:19:33.03 a little step at a time. 00:19:33.07\00:19:34.40 Were you going to say something, J? 00:19:34.44\00:19:35.77 Yeah. 00:19:35.80\00:19:37.14 We talked prior to this program 00:19:37.17\00:19:38.81 and you were you were talking about Chi, 00:19:38.84\00:19:41.21 and when you get to a certain level 00:19:41.24\00:19:43.65 how you're teaching different levels, 00:19:43.68\00:19:46.18 different things about Chi. 00:19:46.21\00:19:47.82 Will you touch on that? 00:19:47.85\00:19:49.25 What is your, definition of Chi? 00:19:52.29\00:19:55.72 Let me give you the definition that I was given 00:19:55.76\00:19:58.29 by one of the grandmasters I'd trained under. 00:19:58.33\00:20:01.56 I went to see him to learn from him 00:20:01.60\00:20:04.27 that weekend and he only taught black belts. 00:20:04.30\00:20:07.47 You could come to him from any style, any style, 00:20:07.50\00:20:11.17 it didn't matter, and so I went to learn, 00:20:11.21\00:20:13.17 and he would take you and begin training you. 00:20:13.21\00:20:15.71 Even if he had never been in that style 00:20:15.74\00:20:17.51 he could teach you how to make your style better, 00:20:17.55\00:20:20.28 how to make your abilities better. 00:20:20.32\00:20:22.55 And I asked him one time, I said, you know, 00:20:22.58\00:20:26.55 "How do you know what this person knows, 00:20:26.59\00:20:29.99 how do you help them?" 00:20:30.03\00:20:31.83 And he said, "Eric," he said, "all martial arts 00:20:31.86\00:20:34.63 find the roots at the Shaolin Temple." 00:20:34.66\00:20:37.50 And he said, "What was it that Shaolin Temple taught?" 00:20:37.53\00:20:41.90 He said, "If you see Taekwondo and you Tai-Chi, 00:20:41.94\00:20:45.07 and you see you know, yoga, 00:20:45.11\00:20:47.04 and you see Taoist exercises, 00:20:47.08\00:20:49.58 and you see you know, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or aikido, 00:20:49.61\00:20:53.31 if all of them find the roots at the Shaolin temple." 00:20:53.35\00:20:57.05 He said, "What was that they taught?" 00:20:57.09\00:20:59.55 Because all of these look 00:20:59.59\00:21:00.92 like they're so different from one another." 00:21:00.96\00:21:03.89 And I didn't know the answer, but I was very intrigued, 00:21:03.93\00:21:06.26 I wanted to know. 00:21:06.29\00:21:07.80 What is the common thread 00:21:07.83\00:21:09.40 that's woven throughout all of these different arts? 00:21:09.43\00:21:13.40 And I'll never forget, he drew a diagram 00:21:13.44\00:21:16.94 and he showed all these arts, almost like a family tree. 00:21:16.97\00:21:19.87 He showed all of these paths, 00:21:19.91\00:21:21.78 how they all went back to Shaolin, 00:21:21.81\00:21:24.15 and then at Shaolin, he took the marker 00:21:24.18\00:21:26.95 and he put a big E, and he circled it. 00:21:26.98\00:21:29.68 He said, "That's what they taught. 00:21:29.72\00:21:31.42 Energy, Chi." 00:21:31.45\00:21:34.22 And he said, "That's what they want to share 00:21:34.26\00:21:37.23 with the world." 00:21:37.26\00:21:38.59 He said, "Now when a beginner comes to me," he said, 00:21:38.63\00:21:42.03 "you teach a beginner that Chi is this internal strength 00:21:42.06\00:21:44.87 that's already inside you, 00:21:44.90\00:21:46.23 you just have to learn how to tap into it and use it." 00:21:46.27\00:21:49.40 And they do that with yoga, they do it with Tai-Chi, 00:21:49.44\00:21:51.67 they do it with aikido, meditation, whatever, 00:21:51.71\00:21:55.54 didn't matter what you call it. 00:21:55.58\00:21:57.41 He says, "Now for an intermediate student, 00:21:57.45\00:22:00.05 we tell them that Chi is a breath." 00:22:00.08\00:22:03.42 That's why you do the deep breathing exercises 00:22:03.45\00:22:05.85 that's why the meditation and, the chanting, the mantras. 00:22:05.89\00:22:11.99 He said, "Now for the advanced student," 00:22:12.03\00:22:14.76 he said, "for someone that's past black belt," 00:22:14.80\00:22:17.93 he said, "you reveal to them what Chi really is. 00:22:17.97\00:22:21.67 Chi is spirit." 00:22:21.70\00:22:24.31 And when he said that to me, you know, 00:22:24.34\00:22:27.04 alarm bells were going off. 00:22:27.08\00:22:29.24 But unfortunately, I mean, I turned my ear, 00:22:29.28\00:22:31.38 I didn't want to hear what God was trying to tell me. 00:22:31.41\00:22:34.65 And it was, it wasn't long after that 00:22:34.68\00:22:38.45 that I went to visit him for some one-on-one training. 00:22:38.49\00:22:42.42 And I'll never forget this, when this happened, 00:22:42.46\00:22:45.56 I was there in the studio, in a martial art studio 00:22:45.59\00:22:48.56 and he and I were talking, 00:22:48.60\00:22:50.17 and one of the young black belts, 00:22:50.20\00:22:52.10 younger man came in. 00:22:52.13\00:22:53.70 And he was carrying this big piece of artwork 00:22:53.74\00:22:56.00 that was covered in brown paper, 00:22:56.04\00:22:57.87 you know, wrapped you know, with string. 00:22:57.91\00:23:00.24 And the grandmaster was really excited. 00:23:00.28\00:23:03.11 And I don't call him that, I got to be careful, 00:23:03.14\00:23:05.98 I don't call him that because that's what I think of him. 00:23:06.01\00:23:08.85 He's just a man but I'm giving a reference. 00:23:08.88\00:23:10.92 Right, right. 00:23:10.95\00:23:12.29 But this grandmaster, 00:23:12.32\00:23:13.66 he was so excited about receiving this artwork. 00:23:13.69\00:23:16.59 And so he took the paper off of it 00:23:16.62\00:23:18.49 and he put this out there and says, 00:23:18.53\00:23:19.86 "This really beautiful piece of Chinese calligraphy. 00:23:19.89\00:23:23.43 And you know, you look at it, 00:23:23.47\00:23:25.07 and I knew what some of the Chinese symbols were 00:23:25.10\00:23:27.60 in calligraphy, but not all, I couldn't read Chinese. 00:23:27.64\00:23:31.07 And so the young black belt left 00:23:31.11\00:23:33.07 and we were there alone in the studio, 00:23:33.11\00:23:36.14 and I asked the grandmaster, I said, 00:23:36.18\00:23:39.51 "What does it mean?" 00:23:39.55\00:23:41.88 And he got this look on his face, 00:23:41.92\00:23:43.65 and I could tell that the enemy, 00:23:43.69\00:23:46.76 the dragon was influencing him, how to avoid it. 00:23:46.79\00:23:52.23 And he said, "What it means in English is, 00:23:52.26\00:23:57.97 it's the devil that's in the details." 00:23:58.00\00:24:01.14 Wow. 00:24:01.17\00:24:02.50 And when he said that, 00:24:02.54\00:24:07.44 I mean, didn't know what to say, 00:24:07.48\00:24:08.81 because there was no getting around that. 00:24:08.84\00:24:10.45 And it was like the Lord was in his mercy, 00:24:10.48\00:24:12.75 he was trying desperately to set me free. 00:24:12.78\00:24:16.28 And in my mind, what I said was, 00:24:16.32\00:24:19.95 okay, he may believe that 00:24:19.99\00:24:21.32 but I don't have to go that far. 00:24:21.36\00:24:23.26 You know, I'm not going to, it doesn't mean that to me, 00:24:23.29\00:24:26.29 you know, when we meditate, I know what she's meditate to 00:24:26.33\00:24:29.86 but I'm meditating to Jesus. 00:24:29.90\00:24:32.23 That's what I did. 00:24:32.27\00:24:33.60 Eric, I did almost the same thing, 00:24:33.64\00:24:35.40 because a lot of you know my journey 00:24:35.44\00:24:38.47 with eastern medicine, traditional Chinese medicine. 00:24:38.51\00:24:41.34 And I did a lot of the same thing. 00:24:41.38\00:24:43.65 Once you've gotten to a certain place 00:24:43.68\00:24:47.25 and you start finding out a little bit more, 00:24:47.28\00:24:49.78 and a little bit more, 00:24:49.82\00:24:51.15 you have one or two choices to make. 00:24:51.19\00:24:53.19 You either say, "Oh, I'm way I'm out too far," or you say, 00:24:53.22\00:24:58.59 "I don't embrace that, this is where I am, 00:24:58.63\00:25:02.20 I am a Christian, I'm not into that eastern thing, 00:25:02.23\00:25:05.93 so I'm going to just put that aside." 00:25:05.97\00:25:08.84 So I know exactly what you're saying 00:25:08.87\00:25:11.01 that you reached that point and really the Lord was, 00:25:11.04\00:25:15.08 he was reaching out to me almost tears in my eyes 00:25:15.11\00:25:18.05 as you were talking, because I know 00:25:18.08\00:25:19.91 he was trying to get your attention 00:25:19.95\00:25:22.08 and show you where you were. 00:25:22.12\00:25:24.29 But by this point you were so immersed it 00:25:24.32\00:25:28.46 that you made rationalizations for it. 00:25:28.49\00:25:31.33 Yes. 00:25:31.36\00:25:32.69 So how did these little compromises 00:25:32.73\00:25:37.10 and rationalizations, 00:25:37.13\00:25:38.90 how did that affect your family? 00:25:38.93\00:25:41.04 By this time I would imagine 00:25:41.07\00:25:42.77 that you have a family, you're married. 00:25:42.80\00:25:45.21 How did your studying the martial arts 00:25:45.24\00:25:47.18 affect your family? 00:25:47.21\00:25:50.15 Probably the greatest way that I noticed from myself 00:25:50.18\00:25:53.38 that the training in the martial arts, 00:25:53.42\00:25:57.82 and it wasn't just martial arts, 00:25:57.85\00:25:59.42 but it was also some of the other arts 00:25:59.45\00:26:01.22 that I had begun learning. 00:26:01.26\00:26:02.89 You know, the internal arts like Tai-chi, or Bagua, 00:26:02.92\00:26:05.86 or Qigong. 00:26:05.89\00:26:07.46 The focus was inward. 00:26:07.50\00:26:09.83 So you know, someone that practices Tie-Chi, 00:26:09.86\00:26:12.43 you're always taught in that class how do you feel. 00:26:12.47\00:26:16.24 You know, so instead of being faith in God's word, 00:26:16.27\00:26:18.27 it's feeling. 00:26:18.31\00:26:19.64 In yoga, your focus is inward. How does this make you feel? 00:26:19.67\00:26:23.21 Are you breathing right 00:26:23.24\00:26:24.58 or are you feeling that in the right place? 00:26:24.61\00:26:26.92 Well, looking inward, the focus is on self, 00:26:26.95\00:26:30.79 in the martial arts the focus is on self. 00:26:30.82\00:26:33.72 If you open the yellow page ad, anywhere in the country, 00:26:33.76\00:26:37.39 you'll see one main description, self, 00:26:37.43\00:26:41.16 self-esteem, self-discipline, self-control, self-defense. 00:26:41.20\00:26:46.23 Everything's focuses on self rather than on others. 00:26:46.27\00:26:51.37 So what happened was 00:26:51.41\00:26:52.74 I started noticing in my family, 00:26:52.77\00:26:54.34 in my marriage that my focus was on self, 00:26:54.38\00:26:58.65 it was on me rather than on how can I please my wife, 00:26:58.68\00:27:01.95 how can I sacrifice myself 00:27:01.98\00:27:04.22 on behalf of my family, my wife, 00:27:04.25\00:27:06.02 my children, and others. 00:27:06.05\00:27:08.09 My focus was on me, I want to take care of me. 00:27:08.12\00:27:12.49 And that developed kind of correlated with your, 00:27:12.53\00:27:18.43 the deeper you got into the martial arts, 00:27:18.47\00:27:20.70 the more into self you became? 00:27:20.74\00:27:23.00 Yes, Yes. 00:27:23.04\00:27:24.64 And, and that's amazing too 00:27:24.67\00:27:26.24 because like there's a lot of the yoga websites now, 00:27:26.27\00:27:30.41 when you look, 00:27:30.45\00:27:31.78 they'll have a picture of the Buddha. 00:27:31.81\00:27:34.95 And they'll have a picture, you know, and they'll say, 00:27:34.98\00:27:37.69 "Yoga is the study of self, 00:27:37.72\00:27:39.49 it's the realization of the greater self within." 00:27:39.52\00:27:43.09 And you think, wow, 00:27:43.12\00:27:44.46 I mean, has the Lord not warned us of this? 00:27:44.49\00:27:46.90 And you know, yoga is creeping into churches, 00:27:46.93\00:27:51.13 and schools, and there's just this big push. 00:27:51.17\00:27:55.74 I'm working now on my second little booklet, 00:27:55.77\00:27:58.37 my first one was, What's Wrong with Acupuncture? 00:27:58.41\00:28:01.28 Because I was involved in that for years. 00:28:01.31\00:28:04.71 And now I'm working on one, What's Wrong with Yoga?" 00:28:04.75\00:28:07.42 Praise the Lord. 00:28:07.45\00:28:08.78 Praise the Lord, because people think that it's harmless, 00:28:08.82\00:28:12.42 it's just them stretching and breathing, and it's not. 00:28:12.45\00:28:15.82 What do you say is wrong with yoga? 00:28:15.86\00:28:18.79 The part that is the most, 00:28:18.83\00:28:23.53 the thing that should give us the most clear warning 00:28:23.57\00:28:26.53 is what the word yoga literally means. 00:28:26.57\00:28:29.37 When you look at the word yoga up, in Hindu, Sanskrit, 00:28:29.40\00:28:33.27 if you go to any Hindu dictionary 00:28:33.31\00:28:35.34 or any yoga website, 00:28:35.38\00:28:36.78 they are open about what yoga is. 00:28:36.81\00:28:39.48 The word yoga literally means to yoke to 00:28:39.51\00:28:42.85 or be joined to Brahma, 00:28:42.88\00:28:45.29 which is another name for the Hindu Gods collectively. 00:28:45.32\00:28:48.92 And it's a counterfeit. 00:28:48.96\00:28:51.36 Jesus said, "Come unto me all you that labor 00:28:51.39\00:28:53.60 and are heavy laden, 00:28:53.63\00:28:54.96 take my yoke upon you and learn of me." 00:28:55.00\00:28:58.20 But these pagan disciplines are saying, 00:28:58.23\00:29:01.57 "Become yoked to Brahma, 00:29:01.60\00:29:03.44 become yoked or join to these Hindu Gods." 00:29:03.47\00:29:07.48 So that that's the first clue that it's not a good thing. 00:29:07.51\00:29:10.78 Absolutely. 00:29:10.81\00:29:12.15 It's interesting because all of these things 00:29:12.18\00:29:13.55 are the opposite of Christianity, 00:29:13.58\00:29:15.95 like you were saying a lot of self, self, self, self 00:29:15.98\00:29:19.52 and then feelings. 00:29:19.55\00:29:20.89 We're taught to operate off principles not feelings. 00:29:20.92\00:29:23.39 Amen. So that's very interesting. 00:29:23.43\00:29:26.29 And then it's interesting that it's, the whole thing 00:29:26.33\00:29:28.83 is seems like in terms of martial arts 00:29:28.86\00:29:31.63 that it's based off deception, right? 00:29:31.67\00:29:34.50 So you are supposed to teach a certain thing 00:29:34.54\00:29:36.57 to different levels. 00:29:36.60\00:29:38.11 So you tell them that okay, this Chi is just energy, 00:29:38.14\00:29:41.64 it's just the life force. 00:29:41.68\00:29:43.14 Then it becomes breathing. 00:29:43.18\00:29:44.95 Then you know, later what was the third thing? 00:29:44.98\00:29:47.78 Then it becomes a spirit. 00:29:47.82\00:29:49.15 Then it becomes spirit, so then you really find out 00:29:49.18\00:29:52.09 once you've already got deep enough. 00:29:52.12\00:29:55.99 So I find that to be very interesting, 00:29:56.02\00:30:00.13 almost like gone back to the garden. 00:30:00.16\00:30:02.70 It is, and it's funny that you use that analogy 00:30:02.73\00:30:05.37 because when you look at what they teach 00:30:05.40\00:30:09.87 in any of these eastern mystical arts, 00:30:09.90\00:30:13.64 I was asked one time, you know, 00:30:13.68\00:30:16.71 what is it, if you could sum up in one sentence, 00:30:16.75\00:30:19.58 what's the danger of any of these eastern practices? 00:30:19.61\00:30:23.89 It's one thing. 00:30:23.92\00:30:25.85 It undermines faith in God's word. 00:30:25.89\00:30:29.86 And let me share, you just said it. 00:30:29.89\00:30:32.56 They put feeling instead of faith in God's word, 00:30:32.59\00:30:35.90 instead of principle. 00:30:35.93\00:30:37.27 This is what God says, I'm going to walk forward 00:30:37.30\00:30:39.37 because he said this, he's promised this. 00:30:39.40\00:30:42.30 But do I feel that way? 00:30:42.34\00:30:43.81 So you're taught to rely on how you feel 00:30:43.84\00:30:46.24 rather than what you know to be right 00:30:46.27\00:30:48.28 from the word of God. 00:30:48.31\00:30:49.88 And in my life, in the martial arts 00:30:49.91\00:30:52.38 as well as the other arts, traditional Chinese medicine 00:30:52.41\00:30:55.38 or the qigong or whatever, 00:30:55.42\00:30:57.29 that principle was the same that was what was compromised. 00:30:57.32\00:31:02.16 So as I began to yield to what these eastern arts 00:31:02.19\00:31:08.76 were telling me to do, taking my shoes off, bowing, 00:31:08.80\00:31:11.90 calling the man Sifu or master or grandmaster, 00:31:11.93\00:31:14.87 when God's word says don't do that. 00:31:14.90\00:31:17.41 They got easier to compromise. 00:31:17.44\00:31:19.91 And when the enemy came into my wife and I's life, 00:31:19.94\00:31:22.98 as he attacks so many marriages, 00:31:23.01\00:31:26.08 God's word says, this is how you do it. 00:31:26.11\00:31:29.58 I hate divorce. 00:31:29.62\00:31:31.39 I have no will that anyone ever goes through that 00:31:31.42\00:31:34.42 because I know the damage it does. 00:31:34.46\00:31:37.16 And then I'm used to looking inwardly, 00:31:37.19\00:31:42.60 how does this make me feel? 00:31:42.63\00:31:44.37 You know, well, I don't care if that's what God's word says. 00:31:44.40\00:31:47.97 May be he didn't even really mean that. 00:31:48.00\00:31:49.74 I can remember 00:31:49.77\00:31:51.14 when the devil first brought the thought 00:31:51.17\00:31:53.54 to my mind about, 00:31:53.58\00:31:54.91 this is not going to work, you know, 00:31:54.94\00:31:56.28 I'll just need to split up. 00:31:56.31\00:31:57.65 You were made for one another. 00:31:57.68\00:31:59.01 It's like, I went through this scriptures for months 00:31:59.05\00:32:02.02 looking up every single word that I can find, 00:32:02.05\00:32:04.95 every promise, every commanded by God 00:32:04.99\00:32:07.82 that had to do with marriage. 00:32:07.86\00:32:09.62 And it's like I couldn't find anything to give me an out. 00:32:09.66\00:32:13.73 And it's not that I wanted to get divorced 00:32:13.76\00:32:15.80 but it was like I had been taught for all those years 00:32:15.83\00:32:19.40 to top to fight physically, 00:32:19.43\00:32:23.71 even though the Word of God says, 00:32:23.74\00:32:25.24 "That the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, 00:32:25.27\00:32:27.48 they're not fleshly." 00:32:27.51\00:32:29.01 So when my marriage came under attack 00:32:29.04\00:32:31.51 instead of getting on my knees 00:32:31.55\00:32:33.35 and using the sword of the Spirit, 00:32:33.38\00:32:36.55 I was trying to do it in my own strength. 00:32:36.58\00:32:38.79 And I failed miserably, 00:32:38.82\00:32:40.66 and I felt like I couldn't achieve, 00:32:40.69\00:32:42.92 I couldn't do the right thing. 00:32:42.96\00:32:45.16 You know, I would say, I'm going to bite my tongue, 00:32:45.19\00:32:46.59 I'm not going to say that. 00:32:46.63\00:32:47.96 The next thing I knew I'm opening my mouth 00:32:48.00\00:32:49.43 and I'm saying something that, 00:32:49.46\00:32:51.00 you know, I shouldn't say that hurt my wife. 00:32:51.03\00:32:53.84 So it got to a point where I just said, 00:32:53.87\00:32:55.20 you know I can't do this anymore, 00:32:55.24\00:32:57.31 I can't live this way anymore. 00:32:57.34\00:32:59.47 And I walked away from my wife and my family. 00:32:59.51\00:33:02.94 And you know, I was hurting, 00:33:02.98\00:33:05.38 but I hurt them so much greater. 00:33:05.41\00:33:08.38 But all of that came about because of one simple thing, 00:33:08.42\00:33:12.72 not having faith 00:33:12.75\00:33:14.16 that God will do exactly what he's promised. 00:33:14.19\00:33:18.19 So was your wife, 00:33:18.23\00:33:20.23 when you were studying the martial arts and all that, 00:33:20.26\00:33:23.33 was she noticing the changes in you over the years 00:33:23.37\00:33:27.54 as a result of that or did she, 00:33:27.57\00:33:29.64 does she have a connect the two things? 00:33:29.67\00:33:33.71 She didn't, when we were, when we were still together 00:33:33.74\00:33:38.45 because we wound up going through a separation 00:33:38.48\00:33:40.55 and divorce. 00:33:40.58\00:33:42.95 She saw the changes but she didn't realize 00:33:42.98\00:33:46.49 that there were spiritual forces 00:33:46.52\00:33:48.39 that were working to bring those changes about, 00:33:48.42\00:33:51.33 fallen angels. 00:33:51.36\00:33:52.69 I mean, demons or devils, whatever you want to call them. 00:33:52.73\00:33:56.53 They have an active role in so many people's lives 00:33:56.56\00:34:00.84 and she didn't realize 00:34:00.87\00:34:02.20 that that's what was causing the conflict. 00:34:02.24\00:34:05.07 You know, Ephesians 6 tells us 00:34:05.11\00:34:06.98 that we wrestle not against flesh and blood 00:34:07.01\00:34:09.01 but against principalities and powers. 00:34:09.04\00:34:11.55 That's not just the people that are rule in the world, 00:34:11.58\00:34:14.28 it's the people that are in our homes. 00:34:14.32\00:34:16.89 Like demons. Yeah. 00:34:16.92\00:34:18.92 And we open the door for them 00:34:18.95\00:34:21.66 to the certain things within our lives 00:34:21.69\00:34:23.56 that open the door for them to come in. 00:34:23.59\00:34:25.79 That's right, that's right. Absolutely. 00:34:25.83\00:34:27.16 So by my permission they were entering into our lives. 00:34:27.20\00:34:31.60 And I'll give an example 00:34:31.63\00:34:33.77 the word martial art is the art of war. 00:34:33.80\00:34:36.64 It literally means martial, war, art, the art of war. 00:34:36.67\00:34:41.81 And you think, 00:34:41.84\00:34:43.38 is that what I wanted to teach my children? 00:34:43.41\00:34:45.61 That's the fruit of what that training will do. 00:34:45.65\00:34:48.52 They say it's self-discipline and self-control 00:34:48.55\00:34:51.42 but what you're actually gonna have 00:34:51.45\00:34:53.19 is you're gonna have someone who's very proud, 00:34:53.22\00:34:55.59 independent, un-submissive, selfish, 00:34:55.62\00:35:00.30 self-centered, controlling. 00:35:00.33\00:35:03.26 All of those fruits of warfare, in my wife and I's life, 00:35:03.30\00:35:09.14 one of the things that first struck her, 00:35:09.17\00:35:13.51 it was right after we had separated, 00:35:13.54\00:35:15.64 I don't know if we were divorced yet or not. 00:35:15.68\00:35:17.41 But the Lord showed her something, she had a dream. 00:35:17.45\00:35:21.45 And she said, in this dream she saw, 00:35:21.48\00:35:25.22 the higher level people that were there at the school, 00:35:25.25\00:35:27.62 that I was training with, you know the green belts, 00:35:27.66\00:35:29.99 brown belts, black belts. 00:35:30.03\00:35:31.79 And she said, "We were linked arm and arm together," 00:35:31.83\00:35:37.07 and she said, "she looked and she could see us," 00:35:37.10\00:35:40.34 and then she said, "she saw on the outside, the wives, 00:35:40.37\00:35:44.97 and the mothers, and the children. 00:35:45.01\00:35:46.81 And she said, "We were getting closer in this circle, 00:35:46.84\00:35:51.15 was being pulled tighter, 00:35:51.18\00:35:52.55 and the families were being pushed to the outside." 00:35:52.58\00:35:57.42 And I remember her telling me that dream 00:35:57.45\00:35:59.82 and I sort of just dismissed it, 00:35:59.85\00:36:02.06 I didn't want to hear it when she told me, 00:36:02.09\00:36:03.69 I wasn't, my eyes weren't opened to hear or to see. 00:36:03.73\00:36:08.36 And but the Lord is very merciful. 00:36:08.40\00:36:11.80 How did he get your attention? 00:36:11.83\00:36:15.70 One night I was teaching a class, 00:36:15.74\00:36:18.47 this was after my wife and I had been divorced for sometime. 00:36:18.51\00:36:25.11 I was teaching a class, and it was a Bagua class, 00:36:25.15\00:36:28.92 and I was teaching a beginning level group, 00:36:28.95\00:36:31.39 so we were going through the motions very slowly, 00:36:31.42\00:36:33.56 it's similar to Tai-Chi. 00:36:33.59\00:36:35.72 And I was leading them 00:36:35.76\00:36:37.66 in what's called a form or a Kata. 00:36:37.69\00:36:40.90 And I was leading this group of men and women 00:36:40.93\00:36:44.77 and we were walking slowly in this circle, 00:36:44.80\00:36:47.14 and we were doing these certain mudras, 00:36:47.17\00:36:49.17 these hand movements, 00:36:49.20\00:36:50.87 and we were focusing internally on our breathing 00:36:50.91\00:36:54.31 and focusing on moving this "energy" through our body. 00:36:54.34\00:37:00.38 And while we were doing this I looked 00:37:00.42\00:37:02.72 and were moving no faster than this, 00:37:02.75\00:37:04.92 everything that we were doing was slow motion. 00:37:04.95\00:37:07.69 And as I was doing it a looked in the eyes 00:37:07.72\00:37:11.19 of you know, those 12, 13, 14 people that were there, 00:37:11.23\00:37:14.56 however many. 00:37:14.60\00:37:16.43 And it's like they were in a trance, they were gone, 00:37:16.46\00:37:19.40 and they were drenched in sweat. 00:37:19.43\00:37:22.77 And a thought popped into my head, 00:37:22.80\00:37:25.67 we have not done anything that is Callisthenic. 00:37:25.71\00:37:29.14 Why are they sweating? 00:37:29.18\00:37:31.01 I mean, physically, physiologically, 00:37:31.05\00:37:33.95 that doesn't make sense. 00:37:33.98\00:37:35.48 Why are they drenched in sweat, and we're moving this slow? 00:37:35.52\00:37:40.72 And at that moment I remember, it was, 00:37:40.76\00:37:44.23 I felt like I was taken above. 00:37:44.26\00:37:47.86 It's like I was looking down from 20 feet above 00:37:47.90\00:37:50.87 where we were, 00:37:50.90\00:37:52.23 and I could see what I was doing, 00:37:52.27\00:37:53.60 I could see our students and I saw a pattern. 00:37:53.64\00:37:59.97 You know it's like somebody, 00:38:00.01\00:38:01.34 when a farmer goes out in this field 00:38:01.38\00:38:02.84 and there's a crop circle, what does he see? 00:38:02.88\00:38:05.48 It's a mess, who did this to my corn? 00:38:05.51\00:38:08.08 When the guy flies over that morning in the airplane, 00:38:08.12\00:38:10.59 he's like who did that design on the ground? 00:38:10.62\00:38:14.02 He doesn't see a mess, he can see what it really is. 00:38:14.06\00:38:17.56 And the Lord was allowing me to see from his perspective. 00:38:17.59\00:38:22.16 And when the class was over, I went to a piece of paper 00:38:22.20\00:38:25.67 and I drew what that looked like, 00:38:25.70\00:38:27.27 and it was a circle with a dot in the center, 00:38:27.30\00:38:30.01 a focal point or a bull's eye. 00:38:30.04\00:38:33.38 And all the sudden, it was like there was a flash in my mind 00:38:33.41\00:38:36.34 of that picture that, it's called enso, 00:38:36.38\00:38:40.62 that picture of that circle with that dot in the middle. 00:38:40.65\00:38:43.72 Through all the literature, all the books that I had, 00:38:43.75\00:38:46.69 didn't matter if they were Chinese or Japanese or Hindu, 00:38:46.72\00:38:50.26 Aikido, Kung-Fu, Shaolin, even Filipino. 00:38:50.29\00:38:55.16 I remembered seeing that in the books in my library. 00:38:55.20\00:38:59.80 And that night I went home, to my apartment 00:38:59.83\00:39:02.50 and I started pulling those books out, 00:39:02.54\00:39:05.14 looking for that symbol. 00:39:05.17\00:39:06.57 And after I found it in so many different places, 00:39:06.61\00:39:09.54 I went online and looked, 00:39:09.58\00:39:11.61 and I saw what that symbol really meant. 00:39:11.65\00:39:14.12 And I began, the Lord began to cause me 00:39:14.15\00:39:17.82 to understand the powers that were behind 00:39:17.85\00:39:20.82 when I was practicing. 00:39:20.86\00:39:23.02 And I thought, you know, how do I tell my students this? 00:39:23.06\00:39:25.59 I mean, they're going to resist. 00:39:25.63\00:39:26.96 You tell somebody a new truth and the wall goes up. 00:39:27.00\00:39:29.16 What does the symbol mean? I'll tell you in a second. 00:39:29.20\00:39:31.87 Okay, okay go ahead, go ahead. 00:39:31.90\00:39:33.34 I got to tell you how... 00:39:33.37\00:39:34.70 Okay, okay go ahead. 00:39:34.74\00:39:37.47 So I went to my advanced class the next week, 00:39:37.51\00:39:40.08 we had a special group of people 00:39:40.11\00:39:41.64 that met on a certain night, 10 o'clock at night 00:39:41.68\00:39:44.61 after all the other classes were done, 00:39:44.65\00:39:46.72 and we had a closed door class, 00:39:46.75\00:39:48.48 where I taught them about the secret stuff 00:39:48.52\00:39:50.29 in martial arts, you know, Chi and Energy. 00:39:50.32\00:39:53.02 And I told my son, I have homework for you. 00:39:53.05\00:39:56.46 I said, "I want you to," 00:39:56.49\00:39:57.83 I drew that symbol on the board, I said, 00:39:57.86\00:40:00.73 "I want you to find out what this symbol means." 00:40:00.76\00:40:02.43 I said, "I don't care where you look, 00:40:02.46\00:40:04.17 you can look in Babylonian, Egyptian Hieroglyphs, 00:40:04.20\00:40:08.00 you can look in witchcraft, you can look in Tattoo books, 00:40:08.04\00:40:11.14 you can look in martial arts." 00:40:11.17\00:40:12.67 I said, "I don't care where you find that symbol, 00:40:12.71\00:40:14.74 find that symbol and find the meaning for me." 00:40:14.78\00:40:16.88 And the symbol is a circle, within a circle. 00:40:16.91\00:40:20.32 It's a circle with a dot in the center. 00:40:20.35\00:40:22.65 A circle with a dot. 00:40:22.68\00:40:24.02 It can be, doesn't matter the size of the dot, 00:40:24.05\00:40:25.62 it's just a circle within a circle. 00:40:25.65\00:40:28.82 And, anyway, so left on with that, 00:40:28.86\00:40:31.96 didn't make a big issue out of it. 00:40:31.99\00:40:33.73 They all came back the next week for that class 00:40:33.76\00:40:36.53 and you could have heard a pin drop 00:40:36.56\00:40:38.93 when I walked in. 00:40:38.97\00:40:40.30 Nobody was talking. Everybody was just silent. 00:40:40.34\00:40:43.94 And I asked them I said, 00:40:43.97\00:40:45.31 "Okay," I said, "Who wants to go first?" 00:40:45.34\00:40:47.88 And one by one they began to get up 00:40:47.91\00:40:50.15 and share what they found and what their sources were. 00:40:50.18\00:40:53.52 And they were from all kinds of sources. 00:40:53.55\00:40:56.69 But all of them had the same answer. 00:40:56.72\00:40:58.85 All of these high level students 00:40:58.89\00:41:00.89 had the same answer. 00:41:00.92\00:41:02.52 The symbol is the symbol for the Sun God. 00:41:02.56\00:41:06.39 It was the original symbol of the Yin and Yang. 00:41:06.43\00:41:09.06 You know we see a Yin and Yang, which is part white, 00:41:09.10\00:41:11.73 part black, a little bit a wide in the dark place 00:41:11.77\00:41:14.97 and a little bit of black in the light place. 00:41:15.00\00:41:17.21 That symbol originally was just a circle. 00:41:17.24\00:41:20.24 And then the Dao said, 00:41:20.28\00:41:21.64 "It's really a circle with a dot in the center." 00:41:21.68\00:41:23.95 And then they said, 00:41:23.98\00:41:25.31 "No, it's really a symbol with a Yin and Yang. 00:41:25.35\00:41:29.48 And now we're seeing that change one more time 00:41:29.52\00:41:31.79 to where it's actually three, 00:41:31.82\00:41:35.09 there's a division into three spheres. 00:41:35.12\00:41:39.46 But they all found it. 00:41:39.49\00:41:40.90 So I didn't have to tell them what I had found, 00:41:40.93\00:41:44.13 they found it. 00:41:44.17\00:41:45.87 The Sun God. 00:41:45.90\00:41:48.04 I hope that our viewers are picking up 00:41:48.07\00:41:52.24 on what this really is, this is not... 00:41:52.27\00:41:55.74 Again, there are surface things 00:41:55.78\00:41:58.41 and then there are latent, a cult, hidden things. 00:41:58.45\00:42:03.79 And the Lord would have us to know 00:42:03.82\00:42:06.89 what is really behind this eastern mysticism. 00:42:06.92\00:42:10.99 Remember, in the Bible 00:42:11.03\00:42:12.36 how people will worship famous Sun, 00:42:12.39\00:42:15.43 God hated that. 00:42:15.46\00:42:17.20 And now it's all through the martial arts, 00:42:17.23\00:42:20.87 the Yin and the Yang, you know, 00:42:20.90\00:42:22.34 the whole concept of blending... 00:42:22.37\00:42:25.77 The light with dark. 00:42:25.81\00:42:27.14 Light with darkness, good and evil. 00:42:27.18\00:42:29.18 It's like God never called this to-- 00:42:29.21\00:42:31.01 we are to eschew evil. 00:42:31.05\00:42:32.58 Amen. 00:42:32.61\00:42:33.95 But God, but, 00:42:33.98\00:42:36.12 God, would have us to know that this is what's going on 00:42:36.15\00:42:42.09 out there so that we can be equipped, 00:42:42.12\00:42:44.09 we can be equipped and well furnished. 00:42:44.13\00:42:46.70 Now, what about if you, is there any way to separate, 00:42:46.73\00:42:50.93 let's say you want to learn self-defense techniques. 00:42:50.97\00:42:53.64 Like how can you separate, 00:42:53.67\00:42:55.74 or can you even separate the spiritual component 00:42:55.77\00:42:59.37 from the actual physical part? 00:42:59.41\00:43:02.74 That's a good question, 00:43:02.78\00:43:04.11 and we have a lot of Christians, 00:43:04.15\00:43:05.48 especially men that ask that. 00:43:05.51\00:43:07.12 Because you know, as a man, 00:43:07.15\00:43:09.32 we ought to protect our families, 00:43:09.35\00:43:10.85 we are to protect the helpless. 00:43:10.89\00:43:15.06 What I have found 00:43:15.09\00:43:17.03 and I encourage every man and woman 00:43:17.06\00:43:19.23 that's listening, you know, seek the Lord personally 00:43:19.26\00:43:22.93 for they answer of this question. 00:43:22.96\00:43:24.30 I'm going to share with you what the Lord has shown me. 00:43:24.33\00:43:28.90 The idea, let's take for example of our military. 00:43:28.94\00:43:32.34 Right now our military is being trained 00:43:32.37\00:43:34.01 in a lot of the different eastern arts. 00:43:34.04\00:43:37.18 Our police officers are being trained heavily in the Chinese, 00:43:37.21\00:43:42.58 and the Japanese, and the Filipino martial arts. 00:43:42.62\00:43:47.92 We did not see military or law enforcement 00:43:47.96\00:43:52.09 using these arts until after World War II, 00:43:52.13\00:43:55.73 when our troops came home from Asia, 00:43:55.76\00:43:59.27 from Okinawa. 00:43:59.30\00:44:00.84 When, when our troops went to Okinawa, 00:44:00.87\00:44:02.80 they saw all these little masters, you know, 00:44:02.84\00:44:04.94 some of them only 4.8 foot, 5 foot tall, 00:44:04.97\00:44:07.98 they could do the seemly miraculous things, 00:44:08.01\00:44:11.88 and they were enthralled. 00:44:11.91\00:44:13.82 And they came back 00:44:13.85\00:44:15.18 and they brought that with them. 00:44:15.22\00:44:16.55 And then the Orient 00:44:16.58\00:44:17.92 begin to send more masters over here 00:44:17.95\00:44:20.06 to introduce you know, these eastern techniques. 00:44:20.09\00:44:24.39 Because with the eastern techniques 00:44:24.43\00:44:26.16 comes the eastern philosophy. 00:44:26.19\00:44:28.43 Yin and Yang, every art, 00:44:28.46\00:44:30.97 no matter whether it's Chinese medicine 00:44:31.00\00:44:32.80 or yoga or Tai-Chi or Reiki or kung-fu, 00:44:32.83\00:44:38.37 it doesn't matter. 00:44:38.41\00:44:39.77 Every one of those arts, 00:44:39.81\00:44:41.54 their philosophy is based on Yin and Yang, 00:44:41.58\00:44:44.25 the blending of light and darkness. 00:44:44.28\00:44:46.65 Now with self-defense, and I'll give you an example. 00:44:46.68\00:44:50.79 I cannot find the phrase self-defense 00:44:50.82\00:44:53.66 anywhere in Scripture. 00:44:53.69\00:44:55.39 I can find, I can find hundreds of places 00:44:55.42\00:44:59.29 where it says, "The Lord is my defense." 00:44:59.33\00:45:01.83 And I'll share with you why I respond with that. 00:45:01.86\00:45:05.57 I remember one day when my stepfather, 00:45:05.60\00:45:07.70 and he is a God-fearing man. 00:45:07.74\00:45:09.57 He came to visit with my mom and my family had left 00:45:09.60\00:45:15.08 and he and I were there alone. 00:45:15.11\00:45:16.44 And he came into the office and he said, he said, "Eric, 00:45:16.48\00:45:19.75 let me ask you a question now that your wife's not here." 00:45:19.78\00:45:22.88 He said, "Now I know you got out of the martial arts," 00:45:22.92\00:45:25.39 he said, "I know God you know, called you out of that." 00:45:25.42\00:45:27.42 And he said, "But if someone broke into your house tonight 00:45:27.46\00:45:32.73 and they were going to hurt your wife and children," 00:45:32.76\00:45:35.56 he said, "You'd use those martial arts techniques 00:45:35.60\00:45:39.17 to defend your family, wouldn't you?" 00:45:39.20\00:45:41.37 And the moment he started the question 00:45:41.40\00:45:42.80 I knew where it was going, and I was praying, 00:45:42.84\00:45:45.77 I was like, Lord, I need an answer, 00:45:45.81\00:45:47.58 not my answer, I need your answer. 00:45:47.61\00:45:49.31 What is your answer? 00:45:49.34\00:45:51.21 And the Lord gave me that answer. 00:45:51.25\00:45:53.62 And I told him, I said, "Wayne," I said, 00:45:53.65\00:45:56.55 "I know you're a man of God, 00:45:56.58\00:45:57.92 I know you believe the Bible, don't you?" 00:45:57.95\00:45:59.72 And he said, "Yes." 00:45:59.75\00:46:01.09 And I said, "Right here, in Psalm 34:7-8, 00:46:01.12\00:46:06.53 there's a promise that's given us." 00:46:06.56\00:46:08.90 The Lord says, "The angel of the Lord 00:46:08.93\00:46:12.93 encamps round about them 00:46:12.97\00:46:15.10 that fear Him and delivers them. 00:46:15.14\00:46:19.14 Blessed is the man that trust within him. 00:46:19.17\00:46:22.68 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good." 00:46:22.71\00:46:25.98 And I said, "You know what," 00:46:26.01\00:46:27.35 I said, "I'm not saying that God is going to condemn someone 00:46:27.38\00:46:31.65 who uses a gun or that uses a baseball bat 00:46:31.69\00:46:34.89 or uses pepper spray. 00:46:34.92\00:46:37.03 That's not what I'm saying." 00:46:37.06\00:46:38.59 I said, "But what I have decided in my life 00:46:38.63\00:46:40.76 is I want to walk on a path of faith. 00:46:40.80\00:46:44.33 I want to walk as I see Peter, and James, 00:46:44.37\00:46:46.70 and John, and Paul. 00:46:46.74\00:46:48.50 And I can't find one account of them 00:46:48.54\00:46:50.44 ever having to defend themselves 00:46:50.47\00:46:52.87 in the New Testament." 00:46:52.91\00:46:55.04 Now I did have someone bring it to me one time 00:46:55.08\00:46:57.71 to question, the Old Testament. 00:46:57.75\00:46:59.35 Well, God sent the children of Israel 00:46:59.38\00:47:01.15 into the land of Canaan, and he said, 00:47:01.18\00:47:02.52 wipe out man, woman, and child, and what about that? 00:47:02.55\00:47:06.39 And I was like, 00:47:06.42\00:47:07.76 okay, that's a good question Lord, you know. 00:47:07.79\00:47:09.42 What your answer to that? 00:47:09.46\00:47:11.29 And a friend of mine have a little light studios, 00:47:11.33\00:47:13.70 just happened to have that answer. 00:47:13.73\00:47:15.83 And he called me one day and he shared it with me. 00:47:15.86\00:47:17.90 He said, "Eric did you ever notice 00:47:17.93\00:47:19.87 that when the children of Israel 00:47:19.90\00:47:21.34 were sent into the land of Canaan, 00:47:21.37\00:47:22.94 what the Lord told them?" 00:47:22.97\00:47:24.84 I said, I mean, no, I didn't. 00:47:24.87\00:47:27.18 He said, it actually says, you won't have to fight 00:47:27.21\00:47:30.45 because I'm going to send the hornets in the bees in, 00:47:30.48\00:47:33.38 in front of you 00:47:33.42\00:47:34.75 and they will drive out the inhabitants of the land. 00:47:34.78\00:47:37.72 But you know what, 00:47:37.75\00:47:39.09 they didn't trust God to do what he said he would do. 00:47:39.12\00:47:40.99 So God said, "Okay, if you're going to have to go to Plan B, 00:47:41.02\00:47:44.83 then I'll help you. 00:47:44.86\00:47:46.80 But I want plan A." 00:47:46.83\00:47:48.83 So, you know, when it comes to self-defense, 00:47:48.86\00:47:52.73 when Jesus said, turn the other cheek, 00:47:52.77\00:47:54.77 he's not talking about somebody 00:47:54.80\00:47:56.14 that's trying to murder you or your family. 00:47:56.17\00:47:58.57 He's talking about you and I have an issue, 00:47:58.61\00:48:00.94 or you and some man has an issue, 00:48:00.98\00:48:02.81 and there's pride involved, and I'm trying to show you up 00:48:02.84\00:48:05.31 or you're trying to show me up. 00:48:05.35\00:48:07.02 Jesus was like, take the blow. 00:48:07.05\00:48:09.08 I mean, it's not going to kill you, 00:48:09.12\00:48:10.62 get knocked down, it's not going to kill you. 00:48:10.65\00:48:13.56 So that's what that means 00:48:13.59\00:48:14.92 when it talks about turn the other cheek. 00:48:14.96\00:48:16.86 You know, defending your family, 00:48:16.89\00:48:18.29 I encourage each of us 00:48:18.33\00:48:20.23 because of the days we're living in, 00:48:20.26\00:48:22.83 to learn how to take hold of his promises 00:48:22.86\00:48:25.33 and not let go because he cannot lie. 00:48:25.37\00:48:29.17 So if someone is, 'cause this question 00:48:29.20\00:48:31.71 had crossed my mind earlier. 00:48:31.74\00:48:33.34 If after 24, 25 years of practicing that, 00:48:33.38\00:48:38.71 if someone approached you from the back 00:48:38.75\00:48:40.95 and just grabbed you, 00:48:40.98\00:48:42.32 would you just instinctively go into a defensive mode, 00:48:42.35\00:48:46.42 just because that's kind of, that was where you were? 00:48:46.45\00:48:50.43 Do you kind of instinctively respond to that or, 00:48:50.46\00:48:55.50 'cause you might not even have a chance 00:48:55.53\00:48:57.20 to cognitively go there. 00:48:57.23\00:48:59.87 I'm just, you know what I mean, like... 00:48:59.90\00:49:01.24 Like a reflex. Like a reflex. 00:49:01.27\00:49:02.77 Okay, and that's I'm glad you brought that up. 00:49:02.80\00:49:07.61 One of the grandmasters I trained with, there were two. 00:49:07.64\00:49:10.18 The first one, he told me something he said, "Eric," 00:49:10.21\00:49:12.45 he said, "you never want there to be a thought in a fight." 00:49:12.48\00:49:16.99 He said, "If you think 00:49:17.02\00:49:18.65 while you're fighting you've already lost." 00:49:18.69\00:49:21.42 We were taught in the Chinese system, 00:49:21.46\00:49:23.36 in kung-fu, you've got to become the animal. 00:49:23.39\00:49:26.90 If you're a tiger stylist, you have to become, 00:49:26.93\00:49:31.03 you have to allow that spirit of the tiger 00:49:31.07\00:49:34.07 to take possession of you. 00:49:34.10\00:49:35.80 And they weren't really you know, 00:49:35.84\00:49:38.77 in a nice way, you know. 00:49:38.81\00:49:40.71 You want to become like that tiger, 00:49:40.74\00:49:42.84 and that inspires you with, wow, 00:49:42.88\00:49:44.55 they're ferocious and they're brave. 00:49:44.58\00:49:46.41 And they let that go for a while. 00:49:46.45\00:49:48.32 But after you get past black belt 00:49:48.35\00:49:50.15 or right at, they tell you, you have to become it. 00:49:50.19\00:49:53.86 You don't pretend anymore. We go through the motions. 00:49:53.89\00:49:57.79 Like in the Chinese system, you know, 00:49:57.83\00:49:59.16 you would do motions like a tiger 00:49:59.19\00:50:01.36 or stance like a tiger. 00:50:01.40\00:50:03.40 But we do that because you're going through those motions 00:50:03.43\00:50:06.33 to make it easier to allow that spirit to come in. 00:50:06.37\00:50:11.04 So on a self-defense, you know, viewpoint, 00:50:11.07\00:50:16.44 when we look at that and you think, 00:50:16.48\00:50:19.35 how do I defend myself against somebody? 00:50:19.38\00:50:21.85 You know, are those reactions going to come back? 00:50:21.88\00:50:26.19 Walking away from martial arts is not like walking away from, 00:50:26.22\00:50:29.82 okay, I'm not going to go clubbing anymore, 00:50:29.86\00:50:31.46 I'm not going to listen to rock 'n' roll music. 00:50:31.49\00:50:34.86 There were spirits that had been there 00:50:34.90\00:50:36.83 influencing my life for those 25 years, 00:50:36.87\00:50:40.14 those had to be cast out of my life. 00:50:40.17\00:50:44.17 And when the Lord, you know, set me free from that. 00:50:44.21\00:50:47.84 I remember, I kept a couple of boxes that had rank, 00:50:47.88\00:50:52.71 and certificates, and all these pictures, 00:50:52.75\00:50:55.18 and videos, and books and all that junk. 00:50:55.22\00:50:58.55 And one day the Lord spoke to me and he was like, 00:50:58.59\00:51:00.49 how long are you going to keep that stuff? 00:51:00.52\00:51:03.09 I said, why, I may need that, Lord, you know, 00:51:03.12\00:51:04.73 one day to show people. 00:51:04.76\00:51:06.09 And God was like, burn it, 00:51:06.13\00:51:08.63 because you still haven't closed the door. 00:51:08.66\00:51:11.27 So what I did was, I photocopied everything 00:51:11.30\00:51:13.23 that need to be photocopied, 00:51:13.27\00:51:15.24 and I went outside my family and we lit a nice bonfire. 00:51:15.27\00:51:19.77 And it was amazing because when we did this, 00:51:19.81\00:51:23.41 I was burning the belts, and burning certificates. 00:51:23.45\00:51:26.01 And certificates on parchment paper, 00:51:26.05\00:51:27.75 you know, it's just paper. 00:51:27.78\00:51:29.35 You'd stick a green belt certificate in there 00:51:29.38\00:51:31.19 and it was gone. 00:51:31.22\00:51:33.25 And I put the first black belt certificate in there, 00:51:33.29\00:51:36.12 in kung-fu, and it took probably 10 or 15 minutes 00:51:36.16\00:51:39.33 for that one piece of paper to burn. 00:51:39.36\00:51:42.50 It sat there in the middle of a bonfire 00:51:42.53\00:51:44.57 that was you know, four feet tall 00:51:44.60\00:51:47.07 and it sizzled and smoked, but would not catch fire. 00:51:47.10\00:51:51.24 And my son even noticed it, 00:51:51.27\00:51:53.07 he was like, "Dad, what what's wrong with that? 00:51:53.11\00:51:55.38 Why would it not burn?" 00:51:55.41\00:51:57.45 And same thing, when I put that first black belt in there. 00:51:57.48\00:52:00.18 I mean, it took forever for that thing to burn. 00:52:00.22\00:52:03.18 And the other belts, it was like there were gone. 00:52:03.22\00:52:06.25 But God told me, he said, Eric, he said, 00:52:06.29\00:52:08.02 when you come out of it, are you willing for me 00:52:08.06\00:52:11.56 to deliver you from all the gifts 00:52:11.59\00:52:13.70 that you've gained? 00:52:13.73\00:52:15.56 And I remember the verse in the Bible, it says, 00:52:15.60\00:52:17.53 'If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creation. 00:52:17.57\00:52:21.34 Old things are passed away, 00:52:21.37\00:52:23.24 behold, all things are become new." 00:52:23.27\00:52:25.37 And I wrestled with that for a few days and I was like, 00:52:25.41\00:52:28.48 I'm willing for you to take those gifts. 00:52:28.51\00:52:30.51 I'm willing for you to take those memories, 00:52:30.55\00:52:32.61 and I forsake them. 00:52:32.65\00:52:34.22 And so now if somebody comes up 00:52:34.25\00:52:35.82 and they grab a hold of me, 00:52:35.85\00:52:37.75 they're just grabbing a hold of just a nobody. 00:52:37.79\00:52:40.42 I'm 47 year old, nobody. 00:52:40.46\00:52:43.26 Well, that's amazing, your story is amazing. 00:52:43.29\00:52:45.69 And we are planning to air, 00:52:45.73\00:52:48.46 you have a documentary really, a two part series 00:52:48.50\00:52:52.57 that we want to air on Dare to Dream. 00:52:52.60\00:52:54.40 We want to show a clip from that in just a second, 00:52:54.44\00:52:57.11 but your story is just amazing, and we thank you so much. 00:52:57.14\00:53:01.48 Let's show that clip 00:53:01.51\00:53:02.84 so that viewers can see what's going to be on that. 00:53:02.88\00:53:05.85 I remember my first introduction 00:53:20.90\00:53:22.50 to the martial arts. 00:53:22.53\00:53:24.80 I was only about four or five years old, 00:53:24.83\00:53:27.00 as I watched in amazement as a little oriental man 00:53:27.04\00:53:30.34 perform seemingly impossible feats of skill and power. 00:53:30.37\00:53:34.88 A seed was planted that day, 00:53:34.91\00:53:37.11 a seed which grew silently within in my heart 00:53:37.15\00:53:39.71 for the next 10 years of my young life. 00:53:39.75\00:53:43.12 I never forgot the exhibition that I had seen that day, 00:53:43.15\00:53:46.69 and I dreamed of the possibility 00:53:46.72\00:53:48.36 of doing those things, 00:53:48.39\00:53:49.72 which I had watched the little old Asian man 00:53:49.76\00:53:52.33 demonstrate with such ease. 00:53:52.36\00:53:54.96 But little did I realize the darkness 00:53:55.00\00:53:56.90 into which this path I was now following would lead. 00:53:56.93\00:54:00.60 Nor the lives that my decision that day 00:54:00.64\00:54:02.70 would influence and forever change. 00:54:02.74\00:54:06.11 Today, the martial arts are looked upon as sport, 00:54:06.14\00:54:09.31 as self-defense, help, and fitness, 00:54:09.34\00:54:12.58 and often as a form of artistic expression. 00:54:12.61\00:54:15.78 But is this the way it is always been? 00:54:15.82\00:54:18.59 Who are these men and women who dedicate their lives 00:54:18.62\00:54:21.59 to these arts and amaze onlookers 00:54:21.62\00:54:24.29 with their incredible feats 00:54:24.33\00:54:25.93 of almost superhuman strength and speed? 00:54:25.96\00:54:29.20 How are these abilities attained? 00:54:29.23\00:54:31.23 And from whence comes the philosophies 00:54:31.27\00:54:33.64 and spiritual teachings which permeate practices? 00:54:33.67\00:54:37.77 Why do we see such a growing influence 00:54:37.81\00:54:39.97 of Eastern philosophy and mystical practices 00:54:40.01\00:54:42.28 within the Christian church over the last 10 years? 00:54:42.31\00:54:45.91 Are these practices focused merely on athletic ability? 00:54:45.95\00:54:49.48 Or are they being used to prepare mankind 00:54:49.52\00:54:52.19 for the coming of a world teacher 00:54:52.22\00:54:54.46 and a 1,000 years of peace? 00:54:54.49\00:54:57.66 Are these eastern mystical arts, 00:54:57.69\00:54:59.49 based merely on human talent and ability? 00:54:59.53\00:55:02.56 Or is there something much darker 00:55:02.60\00:55:04.43 and more elusive working behind the scenes? 00:55:04.47\00:55:09.54 Wow! The Dragon Revealed. 00:55:09.57\00:55:12.71 That's, it's an amazing documentary. 00:55:12.74\00:55:14.81 And Eric, and Little Light Studios 00:55:14.84\00:55:17.81 have given us permission to share it with you. 00:55:17.85\00:55:20.52 So check your listing, your schedule 00:55:20.55\00:55:22.95 to see when it's going to air 00:55:22.98\00:55:24.95 because we're going to air it on Sabbath afternoons, 00:55:24.99\00:55:27.02 on Saturday, for those you don't know 00:55:27.06\00:55:28.82 when the Sabbath is. 00:55:28.86\00:55:30.19 The Seventh-day of the week, Saturday. 00:55:30.23\00:55:32.03 We're going to start airing it on the Sabbath, 00:55:32.06\00:55:34.40 Saturday afternoon. 00:55:34.43\00:55:35.76 So check your schedule to see when it's going to air. 00:55:35.80\00:55:40.04 Excellent. 00:55:40.07\00:55:41.40 So, Eric, what would you tell our viewers 00:55:41.44\00:55:43.54 in one minute or so. 00:55:43.57\00:55:45.61 What would you tell the viewer 00:55:45.64\00:55:47.58 who has been involved in the martial arts, 00:55:47.61\00:55:51.98 how can they detach from it? 00:55:52.01\00:55:54.82 What can they do to get away from it? 00:55:54.85\00:55:57.35 Tell them, please look into that camera 00:55:57.39\00:55:59.22 and talk to our viewer about their journey. 00:55:59.25\00:56:03.76 What I would do for anyone 00:56:03.79\00:56:06.63 that this had involvement in these arts, 00:56:06.66\00:56:08.80 whether it be martial arts, or Tie-Chi or yoga, 00:56:08.83\00:56:12.03 just seek from God's word first the truth. 00:56:12.07\00:56:16.34 Lord, does this line up with your word? 00:56:16.37\00:56:19.11 Once you've done that, all it takes is surrender. 00:56:19.14\00:56:22.61 The moment that we go to Christ and we say, 00:56:22.64\00:56:25.18 I'm so sorry what I did, 00:56:25.21\00:56:26.78 I didn't know this was ignorant. 00:56:26.82\00:56:29.08 I didn't know when I was involved in it. 00:56:29.12\00:56:31.69 Ask Him to forgive you, 00:56:31.72\00:56:33.62 tell him that you want to surrender 00:56:33.66\00:56:35.29 and be completely his. 00:56:35.32\00:56:37.33 And the moment you do that, 00:56:37.36\00:56:39.46 that moment he will set you free. 00:56:39.49\00:56:42.86 We so appreciate you and your ministry. 00:56:42.90\00:56:45.87 Tell us, give us your website so that people can find you. 00:56:45.90\00:56:49.10 Our website is IsaiahMinistries.wordpress.com. 00:56:49.14\00:56:54.34 And we'd be happy to answer questions 00:56:54.38\00:56:56.64 or to also send help if someone would like help or prayer. 00:56:56.68\00:56:59.91 Oh, that's great. 00:56:59.95\00:57:01.28 Thank you so for being with us. It is a pleasure to meet you. 00:57:01.32\00:57:03.22 And you too, J. You too. 00:57:03.25\00:57:05.45 Matthew 7:17-20 says, 00:57:05.49\00:57:07.86 "Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit 00:57:07.89\00:57:10.96 but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 00:57:10.99\00:57:14.20 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit 00:57:14.23\00:57:17.07 neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 00:57:17.10\00:57:20.04 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down 00:57:20.07\00:57:23.64 and cast into the fire. 00:57:23.67\00:57:25.47 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." 00:57:25.51\00:57:28.61 So we ask you today, 00:57:28.64\00:57:30.31 what is the root of the tree that you are developing? 00:57:30.35\00:57:35.18 Is it a corrupt tree 00:57:35.22\00:57:38.42 or is it good fruit that's gonna be born 00:57:38.45\00:57:41.29 from a good root? 00:57:41.32\00:57:44.03 Check and see what you're studying, 00:57:44.06\00:57:46.33 make sure that you're in the will of God. 00:57:46.36\00:57:49.03 God has a plan for you, He's not gonna let you down. 00:57:49.06\00:57:53.03 So thank you so much for joining us. 00:57:53.07\00:57:55.10 Thank you, Jason. And you're welcome, mother. 00:57:55.14\00:57:57.27 Thank you again, Eric. This was a blessing. 00:57:57.31\00:58:00.48 Join us next time 'cause you know what, 00:58:00.51\00:58:02.24 it's just wouldn't be the same without you. 00:58:02.28\00:58:04.61