於2016-02-23發佈


主題:身份認同系列之4 – 身份:命定之門的鑰匙
日期:2014年11月6日
作者:Matthew Harmon

一個人的一生就像一所大房子,充滿了故事和經驗。有各種樓層和房間保留給生命中某些特定的季節,每一個的風格都是獨特的,在設計和目的上都是複雜的。每棟房子裡的許多門隨著存在的過程打開和關閉。有些門比別的門更容易打開。有些門需要撬開一點。有些門最好是永遠都關閉的好。其他的,不管怎樣,都需要一把鑰匙。

到你命定的門是需要一把鑰匙的 - 一把似乎很難找到的鑰匙。它不能立即被造出來或是以任何方式再造一把。它無法用金錢買到,雖然要獲得它確實是需要付代價的。

這就是身份的鑰匙。

許多基督信徒漫步在自己的房子 - 他們的生命 - 永遠無法打開進入他們命定的門,因為他們根本不知道自己在基督裡真實的身份。儘管人們問自己他們在這個世界上的目的是什麼,他們很少活出這個答案來。我真實地相信在這個歷史的時刻 - 在世界的混亂和深刻的自我不明的季節中 – 上帝正在呼召祂的新婦來知道她的真實身份,並且活出她的目的,有效地將神的國度在地上推進如同在天上一樣。

基督這位鑰匙的鑄作者

要知道你在基督裡的身份,首先也是最基本的,就是你要個人性的來認識祂。正如老生常談,因為它就是真理!要如何能真正認識自己卻沒有先親密地認識這位創造自己的呢?我們認識自己的這趟旅程始於認知神的本質和屬性。祂是精心塑造身份鑰匙的那位,藉著在我們追求祂的過程中將祂自己顯露在我們的生命裡。當我們對祂的認知成長,三件重要事情開始發生: 

  1.   認識祂使你知道祂對你的說法如何。如果你真的想要知道上帝對於你的身份所說的,潛入祂的道中!收存這些例子: 
  • 祂稱呼你為祂的孩子。(約翰福音1:12)(注1)
  • 祂稱呼你為祂的義。(哥林多後書5:21)(注2)
  • 祂稱呼你為天上的國民。(腓3:20)(注3)
  • 祂赦免我們,釋放我們得自由。(以弗所書1:7,羅馬書8:2)(注4)
  • 祂稱呼你為君尊的和被揀選的祭司的一部分。(彼得前書2:9)(注5)

當我們藉著救恩在基督裡活過來,祂在我們的靈裡注入祂的DNA與祂的國度這些實體。這是我們在祂裡面的身份的主要組成分。

  1.   認識祂揭示了你在祂裡面的權柄。意識到祂神聖地呼召我們所要成為的人,這設置了先例讓我們能認知到祂的權柄並在其中運行。最近,我聽到一個牧師說,“未使用的權威產生了貧困和限制的靈”。多麼深刻的一個聲明!當祂自己的子民不明白在祂裡面擁有怎樣的權柄而活在冷漠無情和漫無目的的人生中,上帝該是如何地哀慟啊!

聖經教導我們,當我們在祂植入我們裡面的超自然的權柄中運行,我們就可以踐踏敵人的頭(參路加福音10:19)(注6),並得以被裝備傳福音到列國,見證神蹟,奇事和異能(參馬可福音16:15-18)(注7)。

然而,我相信我們在基督裡的權柄最有力的一方面,是我們共享祂的統治,並與祂同執政(參提摩太後書2:11-13)(注8)。當我們意識到“因為他如何,我們在這世上也如何”,這就讓我們更加得力自信(參約翰一書4:17)(注9)。雖然我們永遠也無法成為上帝祂自己,但祂呼召我們要如同祂在世界上一樣的人這樣的事實讓改變這個世界成為可能。假如我們真正相信這一點,我們的權柄來影響和轉化社區,城市和國家,將會是一個非常具體存在的現實!

3. 認識祂給你永恆的眼界,尤其是當你全心全意地了解到你將永遠與祂同在的這個事實!這個簡單卻深刻的啟示會讓你抱持一個永生的心態思維來度過你生命的每一個層面,賜下道路來達到你人生的目的。

思考這經文:

我見神叫世人勞苦,使他們在其中受經練。神造萬物,各按其時成為美好,又將永生(原文是永遠)安置在世人心裡。然而神從始至終的作為,人不能參透。“(傳道書3:10-11)

這是如此令人難以置信地來了解到神將自己的目的和差派我們的任務編織到永生的現實中!這些因素必能夠激勵我們比什麼都重要地來與祂同工改變列國。再多的名利都無法與永生的應許以及祂已經為我們準備了的祂永恆國度的推進這呼召能夠相比。

對真理的回應

  1.   得到鼓勵來更多地尋求基督!讓祂顯示出祂的本質和屬性,形成那會引導你活出祂已經為你預備的命定的真實身份的樣式。
  2.   評估自己的生命。是否你相信一些關於你自己但卻與上帝對你的觀感互相矛盾的謊言?請求聖靈顯露出對於你的價值自我否定的領域。
  3.   請求神賜給你勇氣來使用祂賜給你的權柄。請記住,信心需要有行動的配合!帶著上帝賜予你的權柄跨出來,為他人禱告,對病人按手,大膽地傳福音。
  4.   始終保持一個永恆的眼界!讓此成為你如何生活以及服事他人的錨。請求聖靈幫助你在心中保持如同在傳道書3章裡所提到的永生的現實。   



注1:約1:12 凡接待他的,就是信他名的人,他就賜他們權柄作神的兒女。

注2:林後5:21 神使那無罪(無罪:原文是不知罪)的,替我們成為罪,好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。

注3:腓3:20 我們卻是天上的國民,並且等候救主,就是主耶穌基督從天上降臨。

注4:弗1:7 我們藉這愛子的血得蒙救贖,過犯得以赦免,乃是照他豐富的恩典。
羅8:2 因為賜生命聖靈的律,在基督耶穌裡釋放了我,使我脫離罪和死的律了。

注5:彼前2:9 惟有你們是被揀選的族類,是有君尊的祭司,是聖潔的國度,是屬神的子民,要叫你們宣揚那召你們出黑暗入奇妙光明者的美德。

注6:路10:19 我已經給你們權柄可以踐踏蛇和蠍子,又勝過仇敵一切的能力,斷沒有甚麼能害你們。

注7:可16:15 他又對他們說:「你們往普天下去,傳福音給萬民(萬民:原文是凡受造的)聽。
可16:1 信而受洗的,必然得救;不信的,必被定罪。
可16:17 信的人必有神蹟隨著他們,就是奉我的名趕鬼;說新方言;
可16:18 手能拿蛇;若喝了甚麼毒物,也必不受害;手按病人,病人就必好了。」

注8:提後2:11 有可信的話說:我們若與基督同死,也必與他同活;
提後2:12 我們若能忍耐,也必和他一同作王。我們若不認他,他也必不認我們;
提後2:13 我們縱然失信,他仍是可信的,因為他不能背乎自己。

注9:約一4:17 這樣,愛在我們裡面得以完全,我們就可以在審判的日子坦然無懼。因為他如何,我們在這世上也如何。 



Identity: The Key to Destiny’s Door
November 6th, 2014
By Matthew Harmon

A person’s life is like a large house, full of stories and experiences. There are various levels and rooms reserved for certain seasons of life, each one unique in style, complex in design and purpose. Within each house are many doors that open and close throughout the course of its existence. Some are easier to open than others. Some require a little prying. Some are best left closed forever. Others, however, require a key.

The door to your destiny is one that requires a key--one that can seem very difficult to find. It cannot be created instantly or reproduced in any way. It cannot be bought with money, although it does come at a price.

This is the key of identity.

Many Christ-followers wander through their houses--their lives--never able to open the door to their destiny because they simply do not know their true identity in Christ. Although people ask themselves what their purpose in this world is, they rarely live out the answer. I truly believe that in this time of history--in a season of worldly chaos and profound self-anonymity--the Lord is calling His Bride to know her true identity and to live out her purpose, effectively advancing the Kingdom of God here on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Christ the Key-Molder

To know your identity in Christ requires first and foremost that you know Him personally. As cliché as it sounds, it is the truth! How can one really know himself without first intimately knowing the One who created him? Our journey to knowing ourselves begins with knowing God’s nature and character. He is the One who carefully molds the key of identity by revealing Himself in our lives as we pursue Him. As we grow in our knowledge of Him, three significant things begin to take place:
 

    1. Knowing Him causes you to know what He says about you. If you truly desire to know what the Lord says about your identity, dive into His Word! Take this for instance:
       
      • He calls you His child. (John 1:12)
      • He calls you His righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
      • He calls you a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven. (Philippians 3:20)
      • He calls you forgiven and set free. (Ephesians 1:7, Romans 8:2)
      • He calls you royalty and part of a chosen priesthood. (1 Peter 2:9)

      When we become alive in Christ through salvation, He infuses our spirits with the reality of His DNA and His Kingdom. This is the primary building block of our identity in Him.

    2. Knowing Him reveals your authority in Him. Knowing the people He has divinely called us to be sets the precedent for understanding and operating in His authority. I recently heard a pastor say, “Unused authority creates a spirit of poverty and limitation.” What a profound statement! How grievous it must be to the Lord when His own people do not understand the authority they possess in Him, and therefore live in apathy and purposelessness!
      The Bible teaches us that when we operate in the supernatural authority He has implanted in us, we trample on the head of the enemy (see Luke 10:19) and are equipped to preach the Gospel to the nations, witnessing signs, wonders and miracles (see Mark 16:15-18).

      I believe the most powerful aspect of our authority in Christ, however, is that we share in His rule and reign with Him (see 2 Timothy 2:11-13). This is even more empowering when we realize “as He is, so we are in this world” (1 John 4:17). Although we can never be God Himself, the fact that He has called us to be as He is in this world makes changing it possible. If we truly believe this, our authority to influence and transform communities, cities, and nations will be a very tangible reality!

    3. Knowing Him gives you eternal perspective, especially when you wholeheartedly understand the fact that you will spend eternity with Him! This simple yet deep revelation allows you to live every aspect of your life with an eternal mindset, giving way to your purpose.

      Consider this:

      I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. - Ecclesiastes 3:10-11

      How incredible it is to know that God weaves His purpose and tasks for us into the reality of eternity! These factors should motivate us to partner with Him in changing nations far more than anything else. No amount of money or fame can ever compare with the promise of eternity and the calling He has prepared for us to advance His eternal Kingdom. 


Responding to Truth 

  1. Be encouraged to seek Christ more! Allow Him to reveal His character and nature, and form your true identity that will lead to living out the destiny He has prepared for you.

  2. Evaluate your own life. Are there lies you have believed about yourself that contradict what the Lord has said about you? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas where you have negated your self-worth.

  3. Pray for God to give you the courage to utilize the authority He has given you. Remember that faith requires action! Step out in your God-given authority to pray for others, lay hands on the sick and boldly preach the Gospel.

  4. Always maintain an eternal perspective! Allow this to be an anchor for how you live your life and minister to others. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you keep the reality of eternity in your heart, as it says in Ecclesiastes 3.