於2016-02-22發佈


主題:身份認同系列之11 - 用“是的“來找到你的定位
日期;2016年2月1日
作者:Diane Lake

”…焉知你得了王后的位分不是為現今的機會嗎?“(以斯帖記4:14)

知道你在基督裡是誰,從來沒有像現在這樣重要。當我們對自己的定位和目標抱持堅定的信念,神就能讓我們如同社會改革的推動者般更有效地使用我們。

我們的屬靈身份包括了解我們的被造是刻意的,如在性別,種族和民族方面。這包括我們是神國度裡的孩子有信心來繼承和具有權威。它帶來我們如何在恩賜和呼召方面融入基督的身體這方面的認知–做為信徒,神故意設計我們可以用根據祂的心意所賜的恩賜獨特地運作。[1]

如果你在這個旅程中是個新手,來了解做為神的兒子們到底意味著什麼以及明白屬靈恩賜的目的–這基礎是個很好的開始。與基督的身體中的先知性的肢體相連結這也是很重要的。當一位先知性的導師針對在我的童年時期一個影響我的身份認同這方面的事情為我禱告和服事時,我的人生強力地受到影響。

我出生的時候,我父親深深渴望能有一個男孩。我的靈裡吸收了這一點,直到主在這方面服事我之前,我都不知道這是如何深深地影響著我。不知不覺的,我帶著需要證明我的存在這樣的意識長大了,就是以防禦性及追求完美的方式表現出我的存在。一旦我明白神正是照著祂的意思精準地並故意地創造我,我的生命就被轉化了。

神使用轉化過的人們來轉化社會。為了能將神的心意有效地服事他人 – 例如那些對自己的性別身份混淆的人們 - 首先你必須對自己有安全感。

正如以斯帖是在一個特定的時間和地點出生來為猶太人帶來拯救,你和我出生在一個加速和豐收的時代。甚至當你在讀這篇文章,你可以放心,神在祂的計劃中有為你規劃的地方!

說“是的”

你並沒有太年輕,太老,太殘缺,或是來不及被神使用。神並不需要最好的,最聰明的,甚至那些看似顯而易見的選擇 – 祂所需要的是那些在心中大聲說“是的”的人們。

大衛是舊約中的一個例子,神選擇了看似太年輕,也不是耶西的兒子中的一個不二之選。祂甚至不是神對國王的首選,而是掃羅的代替者!當然,大衛也不完美,但他確實有一個溫柔的心和火熱賣力地跟隨神。

在新約,路加福音14章中大筵席的比喻也給我們一些洞見。那些第一批受邀參加盛宴的人們不願也不同意放下人的慾望來赴宴。對此,那人打發僕人出去 - 不只是一次,而是兩次 - 去尋找那些願意說“是的”人們。

與神的計劃對齊,對你而言是很重要的,因為你的意願是神不能改變的一件事情。有一次我曾經聽到主說道,神學並非如同我們所想的一直都是那麼重要 – 神可以改變你的神學觀,但即使如此祂也不會強迫你說“是的!”。

一個記號

 ”…蝗蟲…那些年所吃的,我要補還你們。”(珥2:25)

神曾經使用一個天使告訴我,對我來說並沒有太晚了。我最近才進入聖靈充滿的生命和服事,而其他像我這種年齡的人們已經如此服事了30年,但我才剛剛開始。

有一刻當我特別懷疑神對我的計劃,主說話了。首先,祂斥責我的不信,接著告訴我祂要顯示一個記號讓我知道祂是與我同在的。我對此也心有存疑! - 但接下來所發生的事情至今還是讓我感到吃驚。

幾天後,我帶著女兒赴約;那天也正好是我48歲的生日。隨後,我們去一家喜歡的餐館吃午餐 – 是一個點餐之後就拿個牌子擺在桌上的那種餐廳。

在我們拿到食物後不久,我的女兒起身去拿一些剛剛忘了拿的佐料。因為我們所坐的位置可以看到整個餐廳,我很驚訝地看到我以前未曾謀面的一位男士走近我們的桌子。他指著擺在我們餐桌上的點餐號碼(我並沒有注意到上面寫的是48號),微笑著說道,“你不是48,你是28”。說完,他就轉身離開了。

我驚呆了。我的腦子如賽跑樣在轉 - 這個陌生人怎麼會知道這是我48歲的生日?我的女兒趕緊過來問我他說了什麼。當我聯想他所說的話,我們都一致地認為,一些預言性的事情剛剛發生了。

當晚,主向我解釋這個信息。祂透露,祂送出了一個預言性的祝福 – 那二十歲左右的年歲錯過了,看似浪費了多年(那些我對於屬靈真理許多的懵懂無知,沒有賣力進入祂對我的計劃的年日),這些都將恢復給我。祂應許將對我命定的祝福在我剩下的年日中濃縮給我 - 沒有什麼會是錯過的!

我相信在餐廳中遇見的那位普通男士是一個天使。不僅因著他並沒有提早出現,並且我們目擊以下的陳述也不相合。我的女兒看見他從我所說的恰好相反的方向走近桌子,她還說他消失不見了,而我是看到他走出了門!確實,神給了我一個記號。[2]

如果你覺得自己已經錯過了,請求主恢復生命和命定給你。我們每個人都處在屬靈之旅中不同的地方,所以上帝要告訴你的會與我的不同。但神是不偏待人的。當你心中帶著“是的”賣力就近祂,祂對你所存的計劃將會展現出來。
 

尾注

[1] 參考 - 詩篇 139;羅馬書 8:14-17;以弗所書2:10;希伯來書2:4。

[2] 更多細節請參考Diane Lake所著的 The Signal From God



Finding Your Place Starts with "Yes!"
February 1st, 2016
By Diane Lake

“… Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

Knowing who you are in Christ has never been more important. When we have a firm sense of our place and purpose, God can use us more effectively as change agents in society.

Our spiritual identity includes knowing we are created intentionally in ways like gender, race and ethnicity. It includes confidence about our inheritance and authority as children in God’s kingdom. And it brings understanding of how we fit into the body of Christ regarding gifts and calling—as believers, God deliberately designed us to function uniquely with gifts given according to His will.[1]

If you’re new to this journey, it’s good to start with a foundation of what it means to be sons of God and understanding the purpose of spiritual gifts. It’s also important to connect with prophetic members in the body of Christ. My own life was powerfully impacted when a prophetic mentor prayed and ministered over me concerning an aspect of my childhood that affected identity.

When I was born, my dad deeply longed for a boy. My spirit absorbed this, and until the Lord ministered to me in this area, I had no idea how much this had affected me. Unknowingly, I had grown up with a need to justify my existence, which manifested in ways like defensiveness and perfectionism. My life was transformed once I understood God made me exactly and deliberatelyas He intended!

God uses transformed people to transform society. In order to effectively minister God’s heart to others—like to those confused about sexual and gender identity, for example—you must first be secure yourself.

Just as Esther was born at a particular time and place to bring deliverance for the Jews, you and I are born into an age of acceleration and harvest. Even as you’re reading this, you can rest assured God has a place in His plans for you!

Saying “Yes”

You are not too young, too old, too damaged, or too late to be used of God. God does not need the best, the brightest, or even those who might seem the obvious choice—what He needs is people with a great big “yes” in their hearts.

David was an Old Testament example of someone God chose who appeared too young and not the obvious choice among Jesse’s sons. He wasn’t even God’s first choice for king, but Saul’s replacement! Of course David wasn’t perfect, either, but what he did have was a tender heart and a zeal to follow hard after God.

In the New Testament, the parable of the great supper in Luke 14 also gives insight. Those first invited to participate in the great feast were unwilling and unyielded to the man’s desire for them to come. In response, the man sent his servant out—not just once, but twice—to find those willing to say “yes.”

Aligning with God’s plans for you is important because your will is the one thing God can’t change. I once heard the Lord say that theology is not always as important as we think it is—God can change your theology, but even that won’t force you to say “Yes!”

A Sign

“… I will restore to you the years that the… locust has eaten.” (Joel 2:25)

God once used an angel to show me that it wasn’t too late for me. I’ve come so recently to Spirit-filled life and ministry that others my age have been in ministry for 30 years, and I’m just getting started.

At one point when I particularly doubted God’s plans for me, the Lord spoke. First, He rebuked me for my unbelief, and then told me He was going to give me a sign that He was with me. I doubted even this!—but what happened next still amazes me.

Several days later, I took my daughter to an appointment; it also happened to be my 48th birthday. Afterwards, we went to lunch at a favorite restaurant—one where you order your food and are given a number for your table.

Shortly after getting our food, my daughter got up to get some condiments we’d forgotten. Since our table had a view of the whole restaurant, I was surprised when a man I hadn’t seen before approached our table. He pointed to the order number on our table (which I hadn’t noticed was 48), smiled slightly and said, “You’re not 48, you’re 28.” Then he turned and left.

I was stunned. My mind raced—how had this stranger known it was my 48th birthday? My daughter hurried over and asked what he’d said. As I related his words, we both agreed that something prophetic had just happened.

Later that day, the Lord explained the message. He revealed that He’d sent a prophetic blessing—that the twenty or so missed and seemingly wasted years (when I had been ignorant of many spiritual truths and not pressing into His plans for me) would be restored to me. He promised to condense and compress the blessing of my destiny into the years I had left—that nothing would be missed!

I’m convinced the ordinary looking man in the restaurant was an angel. Not only had he not been present earlier, but our eyewitness accounts did not match. My daughter saw him approach the table from the opposite direction I did, and she said he disappeared, while I saw him exit out the door! God, indeed, had given me a sign.[2]

If you feel you’ve missed out, ask the Lord to restore life and destiny to you. Each of us is at a different place in our spiritual journey, so what the Lord wants to show you will be different than me. But God is no respecter of persons. As you press into Him with a “yes” in your heart, His plans for you will unfold!

Endnotes


[1] See Ps. 139; Rom. 8:14-17; Eph. 2:10; Heb. 2:4.

[2] For a more detailed account of this encounter, see The Signal From God, by Diane Lake.