通往兒子職分的道路
我們正在一場戰爭中，這不該讓我們感到驚訝，因為我們一生都處在戰爭中，如同人類在伊甸園墮落以來的每個世代都是如此。戰爭從未停止，只是改變形式，正如約翰壹書五章19節所言：「我們知道，我們是屬神的，全世界都臥在那惡者手下。」我們從出生那天開始就一直處在戰爭狀態，被拋到敵營陣線之後。
全世界可能都臥在那惡者手下，卻不是服在他的權柄之下。我們的王超越一切統治、權柄和管轄，祂用祂的犧牲買贖了世界。祂可以隨時取回此權柄，迅速解決惡者，但祂沒這麼做是為著祂和我們的益處，祂使用此情況訓練那些在要來世代與祂一起掌權的人。
我們越早瞭解衝突及為何這一生會持續衝突的原因，我們便會過得更好、更輕省。耶穌在約翰福音十六章33節說：「在世上，你們有苦難」。在這一世代，如果你活在地上，你會有苦難或試煉。因著被賦予地上權柄的人墮落，加上魔鬼和他的跟班被丟到地上，全世界充滿著紛爭。現在讓我們來讀約翰福音十六章33節：
我將這些事告訴你們，是要叫你們在我裡面有平安。在世上，你們有苦難；但你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。
在這些時候的戰役和混亂中，我們被呼召內心有平安，祂授予我們與祂一同坐在天上的寶座（以弗所書2:6）。在詩篇第二篇告訴我們，祂坐在天上發笑！因此，如果我們與祂一同坐在那裡，我們應當總是充滿幽默。
使徒保羅在使徒行傳十四章22節說：「我們進入神的國，必須經歷許多艱難。」這是我們必須抓住的重要真理─每個苦難或試煉都是讓我們進入神的國之途徑。這即是何以雅各書一章2節告訴我們：「我的弟兄們，你們落在百般試煉中，都要以為大喜樂。」怎麼會有人將落在試煉中看為大喜樂呢？因為那是進入天國的途徑。如果我們能停止對試煉的抱怨，開始尋找進入之門，我們會好過許多。
彼得對試煉更是大而無畏，正如我們在彼得前書一章6-7節所看見的：
因此，你們是大有喜樂；但如今，在百般的試煉中暫時憂愁。
叫你們的信心既被試驗，就比那被火試驗仍然能壞的金子更顯寶貴，可以在耶穌基督顯現的時候得著稱讚、榮耀、尊貴。
彼得說信心被試驗比金子更寶貴！如果我們相信此，每當我們落在試煉中，我們就覺得好像自己找到一袋金子。帖撒羅尼迦前書五章18節豈不是告訴我們：「凡事謝恩；因為這是神在基督耶穌裡向你們所定的旨意。」我們若以這樣的心態取代抱怨或自憐，我們可能會更快通過試煉，因為正是這樣的信念代表試煉在我們身上起了作用。
我們經歷試煉不是因為神對我們發怒，剛好顛倒過來：我們經歷試煉是因為神愛我們，祂對我們就像對自己的孩子一樣，正如我們在希伯來書十二章7-8節所讀到的：
你們所忍受的，是神管教你們，待你們如同待兒子。焉有兒子不被父親管教的呢？
管教原是眾子所共受的，你們若不受管教，就是私子，不是兒子了。
我們所經歷的試煉成為我們屬於祂的證據。主可以一復活立刻接管祂的權柄，祂沒有這樣做是為了我們的緣故，好讓那些蒙召成為神兒女的人，可以藉著此生所經歷的敵對而被認證與預備。倘若每個試煉都是進入天國的途徑，那真的是萬王之王可以在我們裡面雕琢祂本質的途徑，以致於祂可以將祂的權柄託付給我們。因此，大試煉是進入天國的大門戶！
(摘自喬納word for the week, Week 6, 2021)
The Path to Sonship
We are in a war. That should not surprise us because we have been in a war our whole life, as has every other human being to live since the fall in the Garden. It never stops, it only changes forms. As we are told in I John 5:19, “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” We’ve been in a war from the day we were born and were dropped behind enemy lines.
The whole world may lie in the power of the evil one, but not his authority. Our King is above all rule and authority and dominion, and He has purchased the world with His sacrifice. He may take this authority at any time and dispatch the evil one, but for now it is in His interest and our interest that He not do this as He is using this situation for the training of those called to reign with Him in the age to come.
The sooner we understand the conflict and the reason why it is so continuous in this life, the better and easier it will be for us. Jesus said in John 16:33, “in the world you have tribulation.” In this present age, if you are alive on this earth you will have tribulation, or trials. The whole world is in discord because of the fall of man who was given authority over the earth, and the devil and his legions who have been cast down to the earth. Now let us read the whole verse John 16:33:
“These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
We are called to have peace even in the midst of the battles and chaos of these times, and we will if we abide in Him who has overcome the world. He now sits on His throne above it all, and He has granted for us to sit with Him on His throne (see Ephesians 2:6). We’re told in Psalm 2 that He sits in the heavens and laughs! So, if we’re seated with Him there we should always be in good humor.
In Acts 14:22 the Apostle Paul said, “It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.” This is an important truth we must grasp—in every tribulation or trial there is a doorway for us to enter the kingdom. This is why we are told in James 1:2: “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials.” Why would anyone consider it joy to encounter trials? Because they are a doorway to the kingdom. If we would stop complaining about the trial and look for this door it would go much better for us.
Peter gets even bolder as we see in I Peter 1:6-7:
“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
“so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
He says that the testing of our faith is more valuable than gold! If we believe this we will feel like we have found a bag of gold every time we encounter a trial. We will thank the Lord for the trial. Are we not told in I Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus”? If we would do this instead of complaining or feeling sorry for ourselves, we would likely get through the trial much faster because it is that kind of faith that trials are meant to work in us.
We do not go through trials because God is angry with us, but rather the opposite: we go through trials because He loves us and is dealing with us as His own sons and daughters as we read in Hebrews 12:7-8:
“It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
“But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.”
The trials that we go through are evidence that we are His. The Lord could have taken His authority over the earth immediately after His resurrection. He did not do this for our sakes, so those who were called to be the sons and daughters of God could be proven and prepared by the opposition they endure in this life. If every trial is a gateway to the kingdom, it is really a gateway to the King to help work in us His nature so that He can trust us with His authority. So a big trial is a big gate to the kingdom!