於2011-07-03發佈
先知性感動

我們很容易把感動視為先知性啟示最低的形式,但那並不表示它們不重要。感動常常是知道某件事,卻不知道是怎麼知道的。這些感動可以很微小,也可以很強烈,但它們仍是模糊不清的,很少有清晰或明確的感動。

舉例來說,當你在一個人旁邊,你可能會感到很憂傷。你可能開始感受到是旁邊這人的感覺,卻不知道為什麼。在這樣的情況下,你可以求主啟示更多的細節,但祂可能已經向你顯示一切你需要知道的事。切記,主不太在乎人們對我們的先知性能力有多印象深刻,祂所在乎的是祂的子民受到服事。這人可能只需要一點點的憐憫與瞭解,就可以拋開不愉快的情緒。

神可以大大使用凡是尋求更敏銳於這些感動的人;我們可能認為每一個人都可以從他人或一些情況中得著這樣的感覺,這樣說也許沒錯。當使徒寫到:『你們都可以發預言』(直譯,參考哥林多前書14:31),他似乎在指出任何人都可以得著先知性的敏銳度。我並不是在說就是這樣;然而,我時而認為這是神賜給所有人的恩賜,但只有一些人發展出來,所發展的程度也不一樣。這不同於先知的職分,他們是出於主明確的任命並得著明確的信息。

我也認為神常會賜下更多給那些用心發展此敏銳度的人,還有那些出於對他人的愛來使用的人。即便如此,當我們領受更多或更高層級的啟示時,我們易於對一般性的領受使用『神如此說』。就連『耶和華如此說』的說法都只在舊約時代使用,因為每一位偶像與假神都有先知為其發言,所以為耶和華發言的必須道出他們為誰發言。盼望我們在教會圈不需要使用此術語,但我們若在街頭服事可能就需要這樣說。

當我還是年輕的基督徒,我感到使用『神如此說』常是為了美化人們的宣言或感覺。當我們說我們要釋放從主而來的信息,這樣的說法是很嚴肅的事,除非我們是以高層級的方式領受信息,使我們毫不懷疑那是從神來的,否則我們不應該如此大膽的說。只是出於一個感動所領受的,實在很難有如此的把握一定是從神而來。

感動可以非常真實,也可能從主而來,但感動的層級比較容易受自己的感覺、假設或推測所影響。我認為在此層級所領受的事情,前面應該用『我認為』、『我感覺』或『我感到』,而不是『神如此說』。

想一想,假設你是一位君王,你會讓代表你的人加上他們自己的感覺或想法,然後說是從你而來的嗎?假設我是一位君王,發現有任何人這樣做,我很難託付他們重要的信息或任務。這可能是何以許多人除感動之外,從沒有在先知性的權柄中成長的原因。

正直對先知性的人非常重要;沒有比從神來的信息更有價值的事物,所有我們需要認真看待。不要加添或刪減,更不要加上我們個人的意見。倘若神可以信任所賜予我們的感動,祂將會賜下更多。然而,不管在哪一層級,先知性的人主要的絆腳石就是開始感覺,神會使用我們傳達信息,一定是因為我們想的和祂一樣,因此我們的意見也就是祂的意見。這是非常可怕與極具毀滅性的自大。

倘若我們有一個感動,可以用一般性的、可以討論與可以修正的方式分享。倘若你感受到某個很強的感動,最後卻是錯的也不要感到驚訝或沮喪。單單定意從經驗中學習,開始操練,嘗試從周遭的人或狀況中感受,然後測試這些感受。此外還需要知道一件很重要的事,就是有時你什麼也感受不到。倘若你有一個很強烈的感動,你可以用比較大的信心來分享,但那仍是感動,而不是明確的啟示。

沒有採取第一步,就無法繼續走下去。開始敏銳於你的感動,學習分辨感動的來源是在先知性恩賜裡成長的第一步。在自己的呼召與恩賜中,決心擁有一個穩固的根基,不要輕看小小的開始,定意全力以赴,在神所託付的一切事上成為好管家。

(摘自 喬納 word for the week, Week 24, 2011)


The Prophetic Experiences, Part 1
Prophetic Impressions
Week 24, 2011

We tend to think of IMPRESSIONS as the lowest form of prophetic revelation, but that does not mean they are not important and the source of important revelation. Impressions are usually knowing something without knowing how you know it. These can be gentle or strong, but they are still ambiguous, rarely clear, or specific.

For example, when you are next to a person, you might feel sorrow. You can begin to sense that the person is feeling this but not know why. In such a case, you can ask the Lord to show you more or get more specific, but He may have already showed you all that you need. Remember, the Lord does not usually care that people are impressed with our prophetic abilities as much as He wants His people ministered to. Just a little compassion and understanding may be all this person needs to snap out of what is bothering them.

Those who seek to become more sensitive in picking up these impressions can be powerfully used by God. We may think that almost everyone can pick up this kind of signal from others or from situations, and this may be true. When the apostle wrote “you may all prophesy” (see I Corinthians 14:31), he seemed to be implying that prophetic sensitivity is available to anyone. I am not saying that it is; however, I have at times thought that this is a gift that God gave to all people, but that only some develop it and those do it to different degrees. This is different from the office of a prophet, who has a specific commission and mandate from the Lord and gets specific messages.

I also think that those who care enough to develop this sensitivity, and who use it out of love for others, are often given more by God. Even so, one of the things that may inhibit us from receiving more or higher levels of revelation, may be the tendency to say “thus saith the Lord” to things that we only have a general sense about. Even this term, “thus saith the Lord,” was only used in Old Testament times because every idol or false god had prophets who supposedly spoke for it, and so one speaking for Jehovah had to distinguish who they were speaking for. Hopefully, this is not needed in our church circles, but it might be if we are ministering on the streets.

Even when I was a young Christian, I felt that using this term, “thus saith the Lord,” was too often used more to embellish pronouncements or feelings that people had. It is a serious thing to say we are delivering a message from the Lord. We should not be that bold without having received the message on such a high level that we have no doubt that it was from Him. You cannot have that kind of assurance with anything that you receive just by an impression.

Impressions can be very real and from the Lord, but they are also on a level that can easily be influenced by our own feelings, assumptions, or presumptions. Therefore, I think anything received on this level should be prefaced with “I think,” “I feel” or “I’m sensing,” rather than “thus saith the Lord.”

Think about it. If you were a king, would you let people represent you who added their own feelings or thoughts to a situation and said that it was from you? If I were a king and found out that anyone was doing this, I would be hesitant to trust them with important messages or assignments. This could be why many never grow in prophetic authority beyond this.

Integrity is critical with the prophetic. There is nothing more valuable than a message from God, and we need to treat it as such. Do not add to it, and do not take away from it. We especially do not want to add our own opinion to it. If we can be trusted with impressions, then we will likely be given more. However, on any level, a major stumbling block with prophetic people is to start feeling that because the Lord used us to give a message, it must be because we think just like He does about things, and therefore our opinion is the same as His. This is a terrible and potentially devastating arrogance.

If we have an impression, let us share it as such, being general, entreatable, and correctable. Don’t be surprised or discouraged if you feel something strongly and it turns out to be wrong. Just resolve that you are going to learn from the experience. Start practicing. Try to pick up things with people or situations, and test them. It is just as important to know when you are not picking up anything. If you get a strong impression, you can probably share it with a bit more confidence, but it is still an impression, not a specific revelation.

You cannot make any journey without taking the first step. Becoming sensitive to impressions and learning how to distinguish them from our own feelings is the first step in growing in prophetic gifts. Determine that you want a solid foundation for your calling and gifts, and do not despise small beginnings, but resolve to do the best that you can as a steward of anything you’re entrusted with.