擁抱我們的試煉─啟示錄
這週我們來到啟示錄其中一個最令人興奮與戲劇化的徵兆：
我聽見在天上有大聲音說：我神的救恩、能力、國度、並祂基督的權柄，現在都來到了！因為那在我們神面前晝夜控告我們弟兄的，已經被摔下去了（啟示錄12:10）。
控告者已經被摔下去了！基督徒所面對最困難的試煉之一是假控告，這即是何以主用控告者來成為挑戰我們的主要工具，藉此來堅固祂的子民成為得勝者。我們若知道神認可我們，別人怎麼想我們，就應該不重要了。我們將從最強大的綑綁中得自由─對人的期望與想討人喜悅的鎖鍊。
要知道對神而非對人有信心是何等重要，當我們面對假控告時不應感到訝異，我們應當擁抱假控告如同一個重申我們鼓勵與信心的機會。事實上，懼怕人或想要從人來的尊敬、尊榮或認可，有可能成為最大陷阱，並成為對神信心的最大破壞，這是身為神的僕人都會遇到的事。下面是一些相關的確認經文：
耶穌轉過來，對彼得說：撒但，退我後邊去吧！你是絆我腳的；因為你不體貼神的意思，只體貼人的意思（馬太福音16:23）。
你喜歡被神的兒子叫『撒但』嗎？這可能是聖經中最嚴重的譴責，那是因為彼得體貼人而不體貼神的意思。你若要成為萬王之王的僕人，就不容因體貼他人的意思或同情他人而妥協我們體貼主的意思。我們蒙召要愛人，甚至為他們捨下生命，卻絕不是與主的心意違背。這些來自控告者持續的攻擊，幫助我們堅固體貼主心意的決心。
你們互相受榮耀，卻不求從獨一之神來的榮耀，怎能信我呢（約翰福音5:44）？
在這一節翻譯成『榮耀』的希臘文有時也被翻成『認可』。在這裡我們看見對信心其中一個主要破壞，在於尋求人的認可而非神的。要事奉萬王之王、成為祂的使者，我們必須全心擺上，單單尋求祂的認同與認可。任何對此的妥協都可能引至在其他生活層面的妥協。
你是否曾納悶，當人們要擁戴耶穌為王時，祂為何要逃到山上？這可能是祂自己人對祂的善意承認，卻也是人最放肆的行動。人若給予我們權柄，那他們也能拿回去。我們若不斷想討人的喜悅，到底是誰在掌權？人們無法使耶穌作王，那是因為祂生來就是王，是祂的父親使祂作王；因此，祂唯一必須取悅的人就是祂的父親，那正是祂活出來的樣式。
沒有比活出對主而非對人純淨與聖潔的敬畏更大的自由了，這不單是關乎我們的自由，更關乎萬王之王得著祂僕人對祂專一全然的獻上。
魔鬼不變的詭計就是讓我們分心，過度關心人們怎麼想我們，他們多半使用假控告。擁抱每一個假控告如同抵擋魔鬼試探的機會，很快牠就會逃離你。不要浪費你的試煉，直到牠被摔下去或逃跑。擁抱假控告如同更專注行主旨意的大好機會，並凡事討祂喜悅。
(摘自喬納 word for the week,Week41, 2017)
Embracing our Trials—The Book of Revelation
Week 41, 2017
Rick Joyner
This week we come to one of the most exciting and dramatic signs in Revelation:
“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10).
The accuser is cast down! One of the most difficult trials Christians deal with is false accusation. This is why the Lord uses the accuser as one of the primary instruments to challenge and thereby strengthen His people to become overcomers. If we know that God approves of us, then it should not matter what anyone else on earth thinks of us. We will be free of one of the strongest yokes of bondage—the shackle of human expectation and seeking to please men.
Knowing how crucial it is to have our faith in God and not men, it should never surprise us when we’re faced with false accusations. We should embrace them as an opportunity to reaffirm our encouragement and faith. In fact, the fear of men, or seeking the respect, honor, or recognition of men is probably the biggest trap—and one of the biggest destroyers of faith in God—that we will face as servants of God. Below are a few Scriptures that confirm this.
“But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests but man's’" (Matthew 16:23).
How would you like to be called “Satan” by the Son of God? That may be the most severe rebuke in the Bible, and it was the result of Peter setting his mind on man’s interests instead of God’s. If we are going to be the servants of the King of kings, then no other interests or sympathies can be allowed to compromise our devotion to His interests. We are called to love all men, even lay down our lives for them, but never side with interests that are not aligned with God’s. These constant attacks of the accuser help us to steel this resolve.
"How can you believe when you seek glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only true God" (John 5:44)?
The Greek word translated “glory” in this verse is also sometimes translated “recognition.” Here we see that one of the major destroyers of faith is seeking the glory or recognition of men rather than from God. The Son of God asks how we can believe if we’re seeking the recognition of man rather than God. To serve the King of kings and be His messengers, we must have a single-minded devotion to seek His approval and recognition alone. Any compromise of this will likely lead to compromise in other areas of our life.
Have you ever wondered why the Lord fled to the mountains when the people came to make Him King? This seemed to be a well-meaning acknowledgement from the people of who He was, but it was actually one of the most presumptuous acts of men. If the people give us our authority, then they can also take it away. If we are constantly seeking the favor of the people, who is going to rule? The people could not make Jesus King because He was born King. He was made King by His Father and, therefore, the only one He had to please was His Father. That is how He lived.
There is probably no greater freedom that we can ever know than to live in the pure and holy fear of the Lord instead of the fear of man. This is not just about our freedom, but also about the King receiving the undivided and total dedication of His servants.
The devil’s constant tactic to distract us into being overly concerned about what people think of us to a large degree by using false accusations. Embrace each one as the opportunity it is to resist the devil’s temptation, and soon he will flee from you. Until he has been cast down, or fled, don’t waste your trials. Embrace false accusations as the great opportunity they are to be even more resolutely focused on doing the will of the King and pleasing Him in all things.
