於2016-01-20發佈


主題:對先知的回應
日期:2016年1月18日
作者:翟辛蒂

主耶和華若不將奧祕指示他的僕人─眾先知,就一無所行。”(阿摩司書3:7)

每年,一群來自全國各地受到尊崇的先知們聚集一起為將臨到的季節尋求神的旨意。在主對這一年的話語中,有關乎我們成功的關鍵,以及我們需要留意的告誡我們的事項 - 不僅是在個人的層面,同時也是集體性的。

雖然我們將主所說的話以每一個年度標示出來,但,來了解神的存在是不在人類的時間範圍這一點是很重要的。祂根據季節來做工,並且我們經常會看到對於這一“年”的話語是與希伯來曆以及希臘羅馬日曆相互呼應的。我們也經常會看到某些主題或概念從一年轉接到下一年,正如同主繼續實施自己的計劃一般。

隨著時間漸行,我們了解自己身為神國度的工人來觀看預言的應驗與否是很關鍵的。如果不理解預言需要我們這部分來採取行動,當先知性的話語似乎沒有實現時我們可能就會變得心煩意亂。

失望可能會挑起這樣的問題,“我聽到神了嗎?”或是“我是否錯過了神想要說的?”。我們甚至可能會變得疲憊和迷茫,不知道今天的預言是否是真實的。

預言是一個路線圖,為我們提供了策略性的信息,但它與命運這樣的概念是不一樣的。對於那些相信命運安排的人們而言,他們覺得未來是無法改變或修改的;生活就是如此,並沒有什麼可以對此做點什麼。

身為信徒,我們知道神賜給了我們自由意志。我們有責任做出選擇,並且聖經給了我們如果要蒙福就必須遵循的指導方針。雖然神確實從一開始就預知結束,我們還是要來選擇。如果沒有能力來與神同工以轉變事情,那麼禱告的目的是什麼?

為應許來爭戰

通常情況下,我們都被賜與先知性的話語,以致我們能來爭戰看到預言成就出來。重要的是要記住敵人不希望你獲得神的應許的好處,所以屬靈爭戰可能是必要的。

雖然我們的禱告在屬靈的界域裡神立即就回應了,但它需要持續不懈的禱告讓這些回應能在物質界裡體現出來。這先知性的話語給了我們希望讓我們能在惡劣環境中站立並堅信。

這使我想起但以理的故事。當他為以色列能從巴比倫的掌控中解脫出來而禱告和禁食後,天使長米迦勒終於到來了。他告訴但以理,神立即聽到他的禱告,但一個執政的 – 那地區的黑暗權勢統治者 - 阻止了他21天。雖然但以理的禱告立即被垂聽也付諸行動,是他堅持不懈的禱告讓大天使最終得以突破!

如果但以理在突破之前就心生沮喪而放棄了呢?他就永遠也不會看見神的應許成就。

我們必須在看到神的預言彰顯在我們的生命中這件事情上扮演積極主動的角色。

如何持守希望

要相信主的話將在你的生命中成就出來,讓神的應許帶給你希望並支撐你。不要在等待成就的過程中允許敵人播散下沮喪的種子!當你開始聽到主對這一年所說的話語,讓我們一起來看看要如何策略性地回應它:

閱讀整篇文章並做筆記。是否有某處是聖靈特別要對你說話的?我的意思是說,你是否對於某個部分特別注意到而在你的心中有神讓你所產生的共鳴?
 
用這些話語來檢視反思你的生活。其中是否有些告誡是你需要來進行調整的?(例如,如果預言說道,這是一個來“看見門”的一年,那麼你是否積極地禱告祈求神向你展示那扇祂要你穿越的門?這可能與工作,教會,甚或地理上的轉換有關)。尋求神任何祂可能要你做的改變。
 
從主的話語中寫出來給自己和家人的宣言(命令)。當你聽到神提到祂要做的或要釋放的,讓這些話語成為你個人性的,並且對你自己,家人,甚至你的城市宣告(命令)出來。這將有助於你持守住信心,即使在屬靈爭戰加劇的時候。

蒙受鼓勵!

雖然我們必須為神為我們所預備的未來虔誠地禱告爭戰,祂已賜給了我們所需的工具讓我們能抓牢祂的應許,並在我們的生活中享受他們。奉耶穌的名我們已經得勝!當12個月後年曆轉換,回顧你的生命神是如何策略性地使用當今主的話語之時,一切都將是值得的。為你自己和你所愛的人來相信祂的話語,你將會在今年看到神在你的生命中成就不可思議的事情!

 

 
Responding to the Prophets
January 18th, 2016 By Cindy Jacobs

“Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets”. - Amos 3:7

Each year, a group of respected prophets from around the nation meets to seek the Lord’s will for the upcoming season. There are keys to our success as well as admonitions for us in the word of the Lord for the year that we need to pay heed to—not only on a personal level, but also on a corporate level.

Although we label these words from the Lord with each calendar year, it is important to understand that God exists outside of man’s time. He works according to seasons, and we will often see a word for the “year” corresponding with both the Hebrew and Greco-Roman calendars. We will also frequently see a certain theme or concept carry over from one year to the next as the Lord continues to carry out His plan.

Along with timing, it is key to understand the role we play as workers in God’s kingdom to see prophecy come to pass. Without understanding that prophecy requires action on our part, we might become upset when a prophetic word seems unfulfilled.

Disappointment can stir up questions like, “Did I hear God?” or “Did I miss what God was trying to say?” We may even become jaded and confused, wondering if prophecy is real today.

Prophecy is a road map that gives us strategic information, but it is not the same as the concept of fate. For those who believe in fate, they feel the future cannot be changed or altered; life is what it is, and nothing can be done about it.

As believers, we know God has given us a free will. We are responsible for making choices, and Scripture gives us the guidelines we need to follow in order to be blessed. While God does foreknow the end from the beginning, we still have to choose. Without the ability to partner with God to shift things, what would be the purpose of prayer?

Without the ability to partner with God to shift things, what would be the purpose of prayer?

Contending for the Promise

Often, we are given a prophetic word, so we can contend to see the prophecy fulfilled. It is important to remember the enemy does not want you to reap the benefits of the promises of God, so spiritual warfare may be needed.

Though our prayers are immediately answered by the Lord in the spiritual realm, it takes persistent prayer for those answers to manifest in the physical realm. The word gives us hope to stand and believe in the midst of adverse circumstances.

This reminds me of the story of Daniel. After praying and fasting for Israel to be freed from Babylon, the archangel Michael finally arrived. He told Daniel that God heard his prayers right away, but a principality—who was the ruling power of darkness over the region—held him back for 21 days. Though Daniel’s prayers were heard and acted upon instantly, it was his prayers of perseverance that allowed the archangel to ultimately break through!

What if Daniel had become frustrated before his breakthrough and given up? He would have never seen God’s plan fulfilled.

We must play an active role in seeing God’s prophetic word manifest in our lives.

How to Stay Hopeful

While believing for the word of the Lord to come to pass in your life, allow the promises of God to give you hope and sustain you. Don’t allow the enemy to sow seeds of discouragement while waiting for the fulfillment! As you begin to hear the word of the Lord for the year, let’s take a look at how to strategically respond to it:

Read through the entire word and take notes.
Are there any points that the Holy Spirit is amplifying to you? By this I mean, is there a resonance in your heart given by God to pay attention in a special way to a particular portion?

Use the word to take stock of your life.
Are there any points that are admonitions to make an adjustment? (For example, if the prophecy says this is the year to “see the door”, are you actively praying for God to show you the doors He wants you to walk through? This might be related to a transition in jobs, churches, or even a geographic move.) Seek God about any changes He might be asking you to make.

Write decrees for yourself and your family from the Word of the Lord.
As you hear God speak about what He wants to do or release, make the words personal and decree them over yourself, your family, and even your city. This helps your heart maintain a posture of faith, even when the spiritual battles intensify.

Be Encouraged!

Though we must prayerfully battle for the future God has for us, He has given us the tools we need to grab hold of His promises and enjoy them in our lives. We already have victory in Jesus’ name! It will be rewarding to look back over the way God has strategically used the current Word of the Lord in your life when the calendar turns in 12 months. Believe His words for yourself and your loved ones, and you will see God do incredible things in your lives this year!