向執政和掌權的作見證
雷克-喬納
2022.4.23
翻譯：Kate
轉載/轉寄 請註明出處：國度禱告網
我本來比眾聖徒中最小的還小，然而他還賜我這恩典，叫我把基督那測不透的豐富傳給外邦人，又使眾人都明白，這歷代以來隱藏在創造萬物之神裡的奧祕是如何安排的，（以弗所書3:8-9）。
教會如何向天上的執政和掌權的彰顯神的智慧？首先，我們必須瞭解撒旦在神的寶座前保持的誇口。
當耶和華要在曠野毀滅以色列時，摩西通過提醒耶和華，如果祂現在毀滅以色列，全世界都會說，耶和華有能力把以色列人帶出埃及，但祂沒有能力把他們帶入應許之地（見民數記14:13-16）。撒旦在教會問題上也對上帝提出了類似的指控。牠堅持認為，主可以赦免我們的罪，但祂沒有能力把我們從罪性中解救出來，當然，這是撒旦的工作。這樣一來，牠認為牠的邪惡力量比主的強大，因為牠控制著人類，甚至是被救贖的人類。然而，正如以弗所書5:25-27所告訴我們的。
你們作丈夫的，要愛你們的妻子，正如基督愛教會，為教會捨己。要用水藉著道把教會洗淨，成為聖潔，可以獻給自己，作個榮耀的教會，毫無玷污、皺紋等類的病，乃是聖潔沒有瑕疵的。
在末日來臨之前，將有一個教會為神的羔羊做一個合格的新娘。她將沒有 "毫無玷污、皺紋等類的病，是聖潔沒有瑕疵的"。她將永遠向整個天堂的主人證明，真理比謊言更強大，主的仁慈最終將戰勝邪惡。
第一個亞當的新娘生活在一個完美的世界，然而她選擇了犯罪。在末日到來之前，"末後的亞當"（見哥林多前書15:45）基督將有一個生活在最黑暗時代的新娘，一個最不完美的世界，但她選擇了順服上帝。她將追隨光明，在真理中行走，在她的主面前聖潔而無瑕。她愛真理勝過愛這個世界，或對這個世界的接受。正因為如此，在未來的所有時代，她將被稱為配得與萬王之王一起統治。
每當我們選擇走在光明中，即使整個世界都在跟隨黑暗，我們也是光明力量的見證。每當我們做正確的事，即使整個世界都在做錯事，我們也是正確力量的見證。這種力量有一天會戰勝地球上所有的錯誤。
在這個時代，真理和光明的力量的最大見證就是願意受苦，甚至死亡，而不是妥協於真理和光明。那些認識真理和光明的人的見證將是為那永恆的東西而活，而不僅僅是為暫時的東西而活。願意為公義的緣故受苦是一個人對公義有終極奉獻的最終見證。這種見證甚至被天使所驚歎，他們有一天會使所有人向真理、公義和上帝的恩典下跪--他是一切真理和公義的源泉。
Witnessing to Principalities and Powers
Rick Joyner
To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places (Ephesians 3:8-9).
How does the church make known the wisdom of God to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places? First, we must understand the boast that Satan maintains before the throne of God.
When the Lord was about to destroy Israel in the wilderness, Moses interceded by reminding the Lord that if He destroyed Israel now the whole world would say that the Lord had the power to bring Israel out of Egypt, but He did not have the power to bring them into the Promised Land (see Numbers 14:13-16). Satan maintains a similar accusation against God concerning the church. He maintains that the Lord can forgive us for our sins, but He does not have the power to deliver us from our sinful nature, which is, of course, the work of Satan. In this way he maintains that his evil power is stronger than the Lord=s because he controls mankind, even redeemed mankind. However, as we are told in Ephesians 5:25-27:
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.
Before the end comes there will be a church that is a worthy bride for the Lamb of God. She will be without "spot or wrinkle or any such thing . . . holy and blameless." She will be a testimony to the entire host of heaven for all time that truth is stronger than lies, and the goodness of the Lord will always ultimately triumph over evil.
The bride of the first Adam lived in a perfect world, and yet she chose to sin. Before the end comes the "last Adam," (see I Corinthians 15:45) Christ, will have a bride who lives in the darkest of times, a most imperfect world, and yet chooses to obey God. She will follow the light, and walk in truth, holy and blameless before her Lord. She loves the truth more than she loves this present world, or the acceptance of this present world. Because of this, for all of the ages to come, she will be known as worthy to rule with the King of kings.
Whenever we choose to walk in the light, even when the whole world follows after darkness, we are a testimony to the power of the light. Whenever we do right, even when the whole world does wrong, we are a testimony of the power of right. That power will one day overcome all of the wrong on the earth.
In this age, the greatest testimony of the power of truth and light is that it is willing to suffer and even die rather than compromise truth and light. The testimony of those who know the truth and light will be to live for that which is eternal, not just for the temporary. The willingness to suffer for the sake of righteousness is the ultimate testimony that one has the ultimate devotion to righteousness. This witness is even marveled by the angels, who will one day cause all to bow the knee to truth, righteousness, and the grace of God—He is the Source of all truth and righteousness.