於2012-04-01發佈

憐憫:屬靈權柄的根基

正如我們曾討論過,即使你讀過許多書來介紹某人的聲音特性,倘若你從未親耳聽過,你可能很難在群眾中認出那聲音,甚至想不起那人的聲音特性。你若花許多時間和那人在一起,即便有其他人在說話,但你一聽到就會馬上認出來。同樣地,花時間與主在一起,自己來聆聽祂的聲音,這是完全無法取代的。即便如此,是有一些原則可以幫助我們,直到我們更認識祂。

首先,從神的靈來的,往往伴隨祂愛與憐憫的明顯觸摸。從別處來的,或是從人來的,通常會有別的議程,不是自我吹噓,就是想以錯誤方式來影響話語的目標。聖靈的存在是為要彰顯耶穌,將我們拉近祂。

那些用恩賜來得著他人注意,或來建造他們自己事工或權柄的人,充其量只是不成熟。不成熟可以非常真實與有用,因為沒有任何成熟的先知一開始就成熟。我樂意得著一種恩賜,只要按手在人們身上說:『奉主耶穌的名長大成熟』,但我不認為會有這樣的恩賜。成熟惟有來自時間和經驗的累積。

不是因為我們尊榮與尊重聖靈所做的事,就意謂我們應當大肆渲染。事實上,要真實尊榮聖靈,我們應當承認祂的工作根本用不到我們大肆渲染,多半時候渲染越少反而越好。我們可能覺得必須使人震驚自己恩賜的能力,但這樣的震驚往往使人對我們關閉。想一想主與井邊的婦人一起時,祂是何等『自然』與溫和。就算你的話很準確,但你若用話語嚇到人,他們會下意識的否認而非承認你所說的話。  

然而,在先知界,你會聽到許多關於先知性話語和知識言語的奇異例子,但談論這些極端例子是合乎常情的,正如『正常生活』絕不會成為夜間新聞,正常先知性事工很少會被報導。然而,正常的先知性事工卻是主軸,為神國度所成就的遠超過大肆渲染。我們的目標不應是引人注目,而是單單順服。

當引人注目的事發生時的確令人興奮,為此感到興奮並沒有錯,但我們若以為自己很不得了,期待每件事都令人嘆為觀止,我們便大錯特錯了。記得神賜恩給謙卑的人,祂不斷將恩典賜給那些持守謙卑的人。

我們必須超乎一切來謹記在心的是,我們首要的工作任務便是在愛神與彼此相愛中成長。約翰雷克(John G. Lake)曾經歷到,他所禱告的人似乎都得著醫治。當人們問他秘訣,他回答說,當他為某人禱告,他不會停止,直到他感到神對那人的憐憫,於是他知道他們得醫治了。

憐憫是所有真實屬靈權柄的根基,當耶穌憐憫羊沒有牧人,祂就成為他們的牧人。當祂憐憫在黑暗中的人,祂就成為他們的教師。神是愛;我們若跟隨祂,我們會在愛中成長,藉此我們會在祂愛的能力中成長。

(摘自喬納 word for the week, Week 11, 2012)


Compassion: The Foundation of Spiritual Authority - The Path of Life, Part 4
Week 11, 2012 
Rick Joyner 

As we’ve discussed, even if you’ve read many books on the characteristics of a person’s voice, if you have never heard it with your own ears, you will likely have a very hard time recognizing that voice in a crowd. You may not have even thought about the technical characteristics of their voice, but if you have spent a lot of time with that person, you’ll recognize their voice as soon as you hear it, even if others are talking. Likewise, there is simply no substitute for spending time with the Lord and hearing His voice for ourselves. Even so, there are some principles that can help us until we come to know Him that well.

First, what is coming from the Spirit of God usually has an obvious touch of His love and compassion attached. What is often coming from the other side, or the human side, usually has another agenda, either to puff up the prophet, or to influence the target of the word in a wrong way. The Holy Spirit exists to reveal Jesus and to draw us to Him.

People who are obviously using the gifts to draw attention to themselves, or to establish their own ministry or authority, are at best immature. The immature can be very real and useful, because no mature prophet ever started out mature. I would love to have the gift where I could just lay hands on people and say, “Be mature in Jesus’ name,” but I don’t believe that gift exists. Maturity can only come from time and experience.        

Because we honor and esteem anything of the Holy Spirit, this does not mean that we should sensationalize it. In fact, to really honor the Spirit, we should acknowledge that His work does not need sensationalizing by us. The less sensational, the better it is most of the time. We may feel that we have to shock or stun people with the power of our gift, but this shock often closes people to us. It’s just too much for them to handle. Consider how “natural” and gentle the Lord was with the woman at the well. You can be absolutely accurate with a word, but if you scare people with it, they will have a knee-jerk reaction that causes them to deny it instead of acknowledge it.

However, in prophetic circles you will hear a lot of bizarre examples of prophetic words and words of knowledge, but it is natural to talk about the extremes. Just as “normal life” will never make the evening news, normal prophetic ministry seldom gets the press. However, it is the bulk of the work of the ministry, and overall may accomplish far more for the kingdom than the sensational. Our goal should never be to be spectacular, but to simply be obedient.

When the spectacular happens it is exciting. It’s fine to be excited about it, but we’re making a big mistake if we think we’re now on that level and expect everything going forward to be that spectacular. Remember that God gives His grace to the humble, and He keeps giving His grace to those who stay humble.

Above all things, we must keep in mind that our number one job description is to grow in love for God and one another. John G. Lake seemed to enter a place where everyone he prayed for got healed. When he was asked the secret, he replied that when he prayed for someone he would not stop until he felt the compassion of God for that person, and then he knew they were healed.

Compassion is the foundation for all true spiritual authority. It was when Jesus felt compassion for the sheep without a shepherd that He became their Shepherd. When He felt compassion for those who were in darkness, He became their Teacher. God is love. If we’re following Him, we will grow in love, and through this, we will grow in the power of His love.