我們的重建策略─啟示錄  

這週我們繼續來研讀啟示錄十二章：

弟兄勝過他，是因羔羊的血和自己所見證的道。他們雖至於死，也不愛惜性命。 

所以，諸天和住在其中的，你們都快樂吧！只是地與海有禍了！因為魔鬼知道自己的時候不多，就氣忿忿的下到你們那裡去了（啟示錄12:11-12）。 

在這裡我們被賜予終極得勝策略：

         1) 羔羊的血

         2) 我們的見證

         3) 我們不害怕死亡

我們有多相信羔羊寶血的能力呢？

我曾受一基督肢體領袖委員會之邀，來監督一位高知名度佈道家的重建。我知道這本是我應做的，所以我接受了這項任務。後來有許多領袖分別來找我，試圖將他們的標準與指導方針強加於重建上。我本來非常歡迎他們的投入，直到我意識到他們的建議反而限制了十架救贖與重建的能力。他們想注入他們的意見取代神的能力，容我稍作解釋。

這些領袖藉由放入他們個人對重建過程的時間限制，來限制十架大能。我詢問他們從那裡得到這些指導方針，是否可以給我一些聖經的解釋，他們卻給不出來。他們基於個人意見來決定需要完成什麼，我甚至懷疑他們是否可以做得到其中的一些。當我更深探究，我發現他們想要執行的嚴格過程，更多取決於基督身體對於此跌倒所能忍受的尷尬程度，勝過這位弟兄需要悔改、得醫治並被堅固以免再次跌倒。重建並不是處罰─而是讓人們得以悔改、醫治與重建。

這是一種啟發與警訊，後來有一人跟我分享他們密切注意許多公開攻擊這位佈道家，譴責他的失敗，這些人後來不是自己也跌倒了，就是離婚或去世。我說這些話並不是要羞辱任何人，若設身處地來看，我可能也是有罪的。我分享此是為了教育與保護那些設限十架救贖與重建能力的人，這往往是比那些可能有罪需要重建的人更嚴重的過犯。身為領袖或教師，我們擁有更多的影響力，也可能要預期更嚴格的審判，正如雅各所言。

當我們高舉我們的意見來決定十架大能要花多少時間來做某事，這是高層次的自以為是。倘若我們決定某個過程需要花三年或五年的時間，我們是基於什麼所做的決定？正如彼得說：『親愛的弟兄啊，有一件事你們不可忘記，就是主看一日如千年，千年如一日』（參考彼得後書3:8）。 這裡的其中一個意思是主可以用一天來做我們認為需要一千年的事，祂也可以用一千年來做我們認為一天就可以完成的事。時間長短是在主的手中。       

我曾問那些我認為他們對此重建過程並不符合聖經意見的人，是否他們認為否認主比這位佈道家所做的更嚴重，他們都一致同意否認主更糟。於是我問他們為何主如此快速重建彼得，不到幾週就高舉他成為教會領袖階層的主導地位，他們卻想要把比較不嚴重的事延長好幾年重建。

加拉太書六章1節告訴我們：『弟兄們，若有人偶然被過犯所勝，你們屬靈的人就當用溫柔的心把他挽回過來；又當自己小心，恐怕也被引誘。』這節經文也可以被翻譯為：『若有人偶然落入過犯中…』那幾乎包括一切，在這裡我們也看到『你們屬靈的人』應當能夠重建任何落入過犯的人，沒有任何事物超越十架救贖與全然重建的大能。

(摘自喬納 word for the week,Week42, 2017)



Our Strategy for Restoration—The Book of Revelation
Week 42, 2017
Rick Joyner

         This week we continue our study of Revelation 12:

"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.

"For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time" (Revelation 12:11-12).

         Here we are given the ultimate strategy for overcoming:

         1) The blood of the Lamb

         2) Our testimony

         3) We do not live in fear of death

         How much do we believe in the power of the blood of the Lamb? I was once asked by a council of leaders in the body of Christ to oversee the restoration of a high profile evangelist. I knew I was supposed to do this, so I accepted. Then many of the leaders came to me separately and tried to impose their standards and guidelines on the restoration. I welcomed their input until I realized that what virtually every one of them was suggesting limited the power of the cross to redeem and restore. They wanted to inject their opinions in place of the power of God. Let me explain.

         These leaders would place limits on the power of the cross by placing their own time limits on the process. I asked them where they got these guidelines, if they could give me examples in Scripture, and they could not. It was based on their opinion of what needed to be accomplished, some of which I doubted they could have lived up to themselves. As I dug deeper, I found that the severity of the process they wanted implemented depended more on the level of embarrassment endured by the body of Christ because of this fall than on what was needed to get this brother to repent, be healed, and strengthened against this type of failure again. Restoration is not about punishment—it is about getting the person to repent, be healed, and restored.  

         This was illuminating and alarming. Later, a person shared with me that they had followed many who publicly attacked this evangelist and condemned him for his failure. They had all either fell themselves, were divorced, or passed away. I am not saying this to shame anyone, and being on the other side I may have been guilty of the same thing. I am sharing this for the education and protection of those tempted to be presumptuous in limiting the power of the cross to redeem and restore. That is often a more serious transgression than what those who need restoration may be guilty of. The more influence we have as leaders or teachers, the stricter the judgment we can expect, as James wrote.

         It is high level presumption for us to exalt our opinions to determine how long it will take the power of the cross to do something. If we determine a certain process should take three years, or five years, what are we basing this on? As Peter said, “With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day” (see II Peter 3:8). One thing this means is that the Lord can do in one day what we think should take a thousand years. He can also take a thousand years to do what we think should be done in a day. Timing is in the hands of the Lord.

         I asked some of those who approached me with what I thought were unbiblical opinions about this restoration process if they thought denying the Lord was worse than what this evangelist had done. They all concurred that denying the Lord was worse. I would then ask why the Lord restored Peter so fast and exalted him to the pinnacle of leadership in the church in just a few weeks when they wanted to take something less serious and stretch it into years.

         We are told in Galatians 6:1, “If a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted” (NKJV). This could have been translated “if any man is caught in any trespass….” That’s pretty much all encompassing. We also see here that “the spiritual” should be able to restore anyone who is caught in any trespass. Nothing is beyond the power of the cross to redeem and fully restore.