主題：身份認同系列之2 – 轉化你的權柄範圍
日期：2014年2月23日
作者：Jan & Jolene Hamill
（這篇的基礎是源自前一篇，“發掘你的權柄範圍”）
當所有的都說了也做了，耶穌這位王是如何定義祂與我們立約的界限？我們又該如何據此推進？
盟約和界限
讓我們從了解盟約開始。主藉著與亞伯拉罕立約，確立了祂的土地和人民的界限。還記得主是如何用冒煙的爐和點燃的燈來封住此約的嗎？（注1）於是乎，點燃的燈一直就成為上帝立約和祂盟約的祝福在土地上恢復的記號。
從那時起，祂已用權柄的寶座委任許多人來監督和管理祂與祂的土地和人民所立的盟約。耶利米被設置在國家和國度。以利亞被賦予了王位，並見證了將以色列從巴力的手中轉交給永生的神。耶和華的使者被派來帶領摩西和他的人民到他們地域產業的特定界限中。
摩西死後，神委任約書亞開展工作。請注意，約書亞被賦予特定的地理邊界，然後他被告知在這邊界內“必無一人能在你面前站立得住”（參書1：2-5）（注2）。
這是什麼意思？在很大程度上，你推翻敵人的權柄是取決於與祂的盟約的對齊以及位居祂所設定的盟約中的界限裡！你對此能有所選擇嗎？嗯，有也沒有。約拿有一個選擇。當他選擇走了不同的道路，他經歷了歷史中第一次記載的潛艇之旅。同理，以色列人民面臨了一個選擇，要嘛去面對巨人，要不就是不要進入自己的土地。四十年的曠野生涯緊隨其後。當這種情況發生時，真讓人感到討厭！
但預言的命令正是如此。他們是命令，不是菜單上的超值選項或停車場的停車位。讓上帝來指引你的人生正是來遵循祂賜給所有門徒的命令。背起你的十字架來跟從我。那些為了我和福音撇下房屋，或田地，或家庭的，將在今世得百倍，在來世必得永生（馬可福音10：29-30，意譯）。
真是一個巨大的回報！這是說道，讓神來定義你人生的方向，這是絕對值得的 - 你盟約的委身，包括你的專業領域，你的家庭和你所居住的地理範圍。
轉化你的領域
你想要成為一個改變世界的人，對嗎？以賽亞預言提到對這些盟約的委身是如何會釋放出神的親密關係和彰顯的權柄以轉化你的世界。提到以色列的首都，他宣告，“我因錫安必不靜默，為耶路撒冷必不息聲，直到他的公義如光輝發出，他的救恩如明燈發亮。“（賽62：1）。
以賽亞接著宣告出在聖經中最充滿希望的其中一個預言，“你必不再稱為「撇棄的」；你的地也不再稱為「荒涼的」。你卻要稱為「我所喜悅的」；你的地也必稱為「有夫之婦」。因為耶和華喜悅你，你的地也必歸他。“（賽62：4）
對耶路撒冷的首都來講是個大好消息，對今日的首都城市而言亦然 - 包括華盛頓特區。
這一個轉化要如何實現呢？接下來的經文使事情明朗，“少年人怎樣娶處女，你的眾民（民：原文是子）也要照樣娶你；新郎怎樣喜悅新婦，你的神也要照樣喜悅你。“（賽62：5）
這是值得你集中注意力的地方。神指出將神的喜悅帶到我們的城市的過程是將祂的兒子與土地結婚 - 換句話說，與祂來立盟約，使祂對這片土地的夢得以彰顯。
盟約建立寶座
從這個盟約的邀請，你可以做偉大的事情，甚至生命能有很大的影響。但我個人的信念是，你永遠也不會有轉化你的領域所需的那個層次的神權柄的委任。轉化始於盟約。舉例來說，被記載下來耶路撒冷最大的轉化是在大衛統治的時期，這可以直接追溯到他將土地與上帝立約。不相信我？來讀讀詩篇132章，大衛誓言要在耶路撒冷恢復盟約的約櫃，並為祂建立一個 24/7的居所！
這讓我想起以賽亞書62章接下來的經文，“耶路撒冷啊，我在你城上設立守望的，他們晝夜必不靜默。呼籲耶和華的，你們不要歇息，也不要使他歇息，直等他建立耶路撒冷，使耶路撒冷在地上成為可讚美的。“（賽62：6-7）。
土地與神立下盟約釋放出祂來轉化這土地的政權。祂要如同一位新郎在祂的新娘那裡居留。盟約設立了寶座，在那裡我們的讚美讓祂得以居留。
從每一個敵人手中得釋放
在這種情況下，就像大衛，承擔這盟約的守望者日夜看守大門，讓大門是打開著，並迫使祂進駐在這土地。
最後一點。在這個盟約中，你會發現神應許將你們從一切敵人手中釋放出來。多棒的一個應許！這是在2014年中的一個關鍵點，今年是釋放的年份。
“我─耶和華與你們所立的約你們不可忘記，也不可敬畏別神。但要敬畏耶和華─你們的神，他必救你們脫離一切仇敵的手。“（王下17：38-39）
注1：創15:17 日落天黑，不料有冒煙的爐並燒著的火把從那些肉塊中經過。
創15:18 當那日，耶和華與亞伯蘭立約，說：「我已賜給你的後裔，從埃及河直到幼發拉底大河之地，
注2：書1:2 「我的僕人摩西死了。現在你要起來，和眾百姓過這約旦河，往我所要賜給以色列人的地去。
書1:3 凡你們腳掌所踏之地，我都照著我所應許摩西的話賜給你們了。
書1:4 從曠野和這黎巴嫩，直到幼發拉底大河，赫人的全地，又到大海日落之處，都要作你們的境界。
書1:5 你平生的日子，必無一人能在你面前站立得住。我怎樣與摩西同在，也必照樣與你同在；我必不撇下你，也不丟棄你。
Transforming Your Sphere of Authority
February 23rd, 2014
By Jon & Jolene Hamill
(The foundation for this article is laid in a previous article, Discovering Your Sphere of Authority.)
When all is said and done, how has King Jesus defined the boundaries of His covenant with us? And how do we advance accordingly?
Covenant and Boundaries
Let’s begin with an understanding of covenant. The Lord established the boundaries of His land and people through a covenant with Abraham. Remember how the Lord came down with a smoking fire pot and a burning lamp to seal this covenant? Ever since, burning lamps have been a sign of God’s covenant and the restoration of His covenant blessing in the land.
And since that time, He has entrusted many with thrones of authority to oversee and steward His covenant with His land and people. Jeremiah was set over nations and kingdoms. Elijah was given a throne and witness to turn Israel from Baal to the living God. An angel of the Lord was sent to bring Moses and his people into the specific boundaries of their geographic inheritance.
After Moses died, God commissioned Joshua to carry on the work. Please note that Joshua was given specific geographic boundaries, and then he was told that within these boundaries “no man shall stand before you all the days of your life” (Joshua 1:2-5).
What does this mean? To a large extent, your authority to overthrow the enemy is dependent upon aligning with His covenant and dwelling within His assigned covenant boundaries! Do you have a choice in the matter? Well, yes and no. Jonah had a choice. When he set a different course, he experienced the first recorded submarine ride. So too, the people of Israel had a choice on either confronting their giants or not entering their land. Forty years of wilderness followed. Hate when that happens!
But prophetic mandates are just that. They are mandates, not options on a value menu or a car lot. Allowing God to direct your life is following through with the mandate He gives all of His disciples. Pick up your cross, and follow Me. Those who have lost houses, or fields, or family for My sake and the gospel’s shall receive a hundred fold in this life, and in the age to come eternal life (Mark 10:29-30, paraphrased).
What a great return! That said, it is well worth it to allow God to define your direction in life—your covenant commitments, including your professional spheres, your family and your geographic spheres.
Transforming Your Sphere
You want to be a world changer, right? Isaiah prophesied about how these covenant commitments would unlock God’s intimacy and manifest authority to bring transformation to your world. Speaking of Israel’s capitol, he declares, “For Zion’s sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness shines forth like brightness, and her salvation like a lamp that burns.”
Isaiah then declares one of the most hope-filled prophecies in the entirety of the Bible: “You will no longer be termed forsaken, nor shall your land any more be termed desolate; but you shall be called Hephzibah and your land Beulah, for the Lord delights in you, and to Him your land shall be married.”
That’s great news for the capital of Jerusalem, and that’s great news for capital cities today—including Washington DC.
How is this transformation accomplished? The next verse makes things clear: “For as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.”
This is worth your focused attention. The process God identifies to bring God’s rejoicing presence into our cities is that He compels His sons to marry the land - in other words, to come into covenant with Him to manifest His dream for the land.
Covenant Establishes Thrones
You can do great things and even have a great and impacting life apart from this covenant invitation. But my personal belief is that you will never be entrusted with the level of God’s authority necessary to transform your sphere. Transformation begins with covenant. For instance, Jerusalem’s greatest recorded transformation, under David’s reign, can be directly traced to His covenant with God for the land. Don’t believe me? Read Psalm 132, David’s vow to restore the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and build Him a 24/7 dwelling place!
Which brings me to the next passage of Isaiah 62: “I have set watchmen on your wall who will not hold their peace night and day. You who make mention of the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest, until He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.”
Covenant with God for the land unlocks His governmental authority to transform the land. He will dwell as a Bridegroom over His bride. Covenant establishes the throne on which our praise compels Him to dwell.
Deliverance from Every Adversary
In this context, just like with David, watchmen who bear this covenant will give themselves night and day to keep the gates open and compel His advancement in the land.
A final point. Within this covenant you will find God’s promise to deliver you from all of your adversaries. What a promise! This is such a key point for 2014, this year of deliverance.
The covenant I have made with you, you shall not forget; nor shall you fear other gods. But the Lord your God you shall fear, and He shall deliver you from the hand of every adversary. (2 Kings 17:38-9)
