於2011-06-20發佈
在先知預言上成熟

在我們更深入教導先知性的屬靈恩賜,以及主對祂子民說話的方式之前,我們一直在談論先知性事工的屬靈和道德根基。為何此如此重要的兩個原因:

1)先知性事工的主要目的在於召喚神的子民轉向祂、轉離惡行。在所有先知性能力中,最有效率的就是帶領神子民悔改與重建的恩膏。

2)先知性事工的第二個主要目的是在我們即將進入的時候,若對未來擁有正確並可靠的知識,將是我們所能擁有最有價值的恩賜。這是先知性事工的專門領域,當最有錢有勢的人開始來尋求幫助,許多的考驗與誘惑將會臨到。

為此緣故,我們必須持續以主的方式來堅固自己。主藉著允許這樣的攻擊臨到先知性事工,來幫助我們驅除那些只因其廣受歡迎而被吸引的人。先知性事工會再次受到歡迎,甚至會有更多人尋求。當聲望大大提升,品格的真正考驗將會來到,而這也是一般教會所面臨的情況。

我們也看見整體教會的領導階層開始需要大幅度改變;對基督教的抨擊不斷,促使教會正在甦醒。幾乎每一天我都聽見,基督教領袖現在不再將他們的事工、教會或活動視為他們應做的主要事情─他們正在領受一個深度啟示,就是我們如何需要彼此,我們必須建造整個基督肢體。現在只在萎縮、垂死的教會才會找到教派主義。世上成長最快與最健康的教會,都是那些很難貼上任何教派標籤的教會,儘管他們屬於某個教派或運動。

教會也開始招聚沒有固定教會的信徒;昨晚我聽見一位牧師的見證,他的教會有六十個人固定聚會,他看到教會名冊上還有數百個人的資料,他開始拜訪這些過去的會友。在短短幾個月,超過三百個人固定聚會。這些人大部分是因為這位牧師關心他們,聯繫他們,促使他們回到教會。

調查顯示有將近一半的基督徒沒有固定教會;正如你常聽我說到,若沒有正確與祂的肢體連結,就無法正確與頭連結。我們需要教會生活的一切挫折與惱怒,得以在基督裡成熟。沒有活躍的教會生活,先知性恩賜和品格就無法發展。

我們需要教會,但教會也需要我們。許多教會對先知性事工猶豫不決,是因為曾有過不好的例子。這些冒充的先知或假先知,使水變為混濁,但這是教會興起更高標準的正直、品格與成熟度的大好機會,以戰勝這些負面評價。倘若我們認為這些問題不值得勝過,我們便不配得主在這些時候,所賜予我們這些極度寶貴的先知性恩賜。困難不是為了阻止我們,乃是要幫助我們。

在聖經與歷史中很明顯的一個原則,就是越容易越快得到的東西,也就越不重要。神所使用的偉大恩賜與事工,往往在極大的困境中被塑造與煉淨。因此我們需要將擺在我們面前的問題與困難,視為從神而來成長、值得信賴的大好機會。

正如我們的朋友傅蘭吉(Francis Frangipane)喜歡說:『你絕不會在主的測試中失敗,你只不過一直測試直到通過!』倘若我們從教會裡的反對與問題中逃跑,你可以相信我們會在另一個時間與地方面對相同的問題。主賜下這些測試,就像我們在學校中的考試一樣─好讓我們可以晉升。倘若你要更上一層樓,你需要擁抱測試並努力於上,直到你可以通過。

(摘自 喬納 word for the week, Week 22, 2011)


The Prophetic Gifts, Part 4
Maturing in the Prophetic
Week 22, 2011
   

Before we go into the more in-depth teaching on the prophetic gifts of the Spirit and the ways that the Lord speaks to His people, we have been addressing the spiritual and moral foundation of prophetic ministry. There are two reasons why this is important.

1) A primary purpose of the prophetic ministry has always been to call God’s people back to Him and to turn from their wicked ways. The most effective of all the prophetic abilities has been the anointing to bring repentance and a restoration of God’s people to Him.

2) The second main reason is that we are entering the times when accurate, dependable knowledge of the future will be the most valued gift anyone can have. This is the special domain of the prophetic, and many tests, and temptations will come when even the most wealthy and powerful start turning to you for help.

For this reason, we must continually fortify ourselves in the ways of the Lord. The Lord has helped us with this by allowing such an attack to come upon the prophetic ministry that it has driven away most who were drawn to it simply because it was something popular. It will be popular again and even more sought after than ever. The real test of character will come when great popularity comes, which has also been the case with the church in general. 

We are also seeing the beginning of a badly needed change in the leadership of the whole church. With the almost constant assault now being released against Christianity, the church is waking up. Almost daily, I am hearing from Christian leaders who now see that the building of their own ministry, church, or movement, is no longer the main thing they should be doing—they are receiving a deep revelation of how we need each other and how we must be about building the whole body of Christ. Sectarianism is now only found in shrinking, dying churches. The fastest growing and healthiest churches in the world now tend to be those that it is really hard to put any sectarian label on even if they are a part of a denomination or movement. 

A move is also beginning to gather the scattered believers. Last night I heard an account of a pastor who took over a congregation that had about 60 people regularly attending services. He went to the church rolls where there were hundreds of others and started contacting and visiting these former members. Within a few months, more than 300 were regularly attending services and it was growing fast. With most of these people, it was just the fact that this pastor cared enough about them to contact them that caused them to come back.

Studies show that nearly half of all Christians now are not a part of a local church. As you will hear me say often, we cannot be properly connected to the Head without also being properly connected to His body. We need all of the frustrations and irritations of local church life to mature in Christ. The prophetic gifts cannot develop as they should without a vital local church life, and neither can prophetic character.

We need the church, but the church needs us as well. Much of the church has been hesitant about the prophetic because of the bad examples of it that they have experienced. These pseudo prophets, and in some cases false prophets, have muddied the waters, but this is an even greater opportunity to rise to higher standards of integrity, character, and maturity that will overcome these negatives. If we don’t think that it is worth the trouble to try to overcome this, then we are not worthy of these extremely valuable prophetic gifts that the Lord is giving in this time. Difficulties are not meant to stop us, but to help us. 

One principle that is apparent in Scripture and history is that the easier and quicker something is obtained, the more insignificant it is. The great gifts, and the great ministries, are always fashioned and purified by passing through great difficulties. We therefore need to see the problems and difficulties laid before us as opportunities from God to grow and become trustworthy. 

As our friend Francis Frangipane likes to say, “You never fail one of God’s tests; you just keep taking them until you pass!” If we run from opposition or problems in one church, you can believe we will have to face them at another time and place. These tests are given to us just like the ones we took in school—so that we could be promoted. If you want to go higher, embrace the test and work on it until you can pass it.