讓我用自己的話來複述他的意思：每當神打算在地上施行祂的旨意時，祂並不是專橫隨意的去行動，而是觸動向祂禱告的心，然後透過禱告作為橋樑來完成祂的計劃。沒錯，神是擁有絕對主權的神，但祂不會以獨裁或任意妄為的方式來達到祂的目的，祂也不會違反祂的屬性和祂在世上確立的原則，正如祂不會製造四方的圓形，或者是年老的嬰孩一樣。神就是神，祂是統管禱告原則的主宰，因此，禱告與復興確是息息相關的。我所看到的所有復興，都是與那些有力、有信心的禱告、以某種方式連繫在一起的。

我認為神的主權和人的責任，是用以下的方式協調起來，達成和諧的：神為了祂百姓的利益，認為那裡需要復興的時候，祂便會將禱告的責任交付給少數的兒女，讓他們的禱告成為復興能力流動的橋樑。請讓衛斯理的名言再次在你心中響起：「只有透過禱告，神才會在世上成就救贖的工作。」

「禱告與復興是息息相關的」

進深研究
王下十九1-37；箴二十一1；出十七8-13；啟十九6

1. 是甚麼令希西家採取了那樣的行動？
2. 神怎麼樣展示祂的主權？

祈禱
神啊，我明白您不是要專橫或任意地施行您的旨意，而是要流露您的屬性，藉此向我們啟示您自己。在您榮耀的權威中，我的心跳動不已──這是愛的心跳。親愛的天父，感謝您，阿們。

Heaven-Sent Revival

Day 339

"Except through prayer"

"Devote yourselves to prayer...." (v.2)

Bible reading:
Colossians 4:2-15

2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.

4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.

6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

7 Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant[a] in the Lord.

8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our[b] circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.

9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.

10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.)

11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews[c] among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.

12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.

14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings.

15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.

Message

A single sentence written by the great John Wesley has helped me more than anything else to balance the two great truths we referred to yesterday - the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man. Here is the statement which Wesley made: "God does nothing redemptively in the world - except through prayer."

Permit me to put into my own words what I think he was saying whenever God wants to bring His purposes to pass here on earth He does not act arbitrarily, but touches the hearts of praying people and then ushers in His purposes across the bridge of prayer. God may be sovereign but He is not dictatorial or capricious. He can no more act against His nature and the principles He has established in the world than He could make a square circle or an aged infant. There are some things impossible even for God, and acting independently of the principles of prayer is one of them. This is why prayer and revival are so inseparably linked. I know of no revival that is not connected in some way with powerful, believing, intercessory prayer.

This, then, is how I see God's sovereignty and man's responsibility being brought together in harmony: when God decides that in the interests of His people a spiritual revival is necessary. He lays a burden of prayer upon the hearts of His children - it may only be comparatively few - so that their prayers become the bridge across which revival power flows. Let Wesley's famous statement ring in your heart once again: "God does nothing redemptively in the world - except through prayer."

"Prayer and revival are inseparably linked"

Prayer
O God, I see that Your purposes are not arbitrary or capricious but the expression of Your nature - a revelation of Yourself. Amid the splendour of Your majesty I feel a heartbeat - a heartbeat of love. Thank you, dear Father. Amen.

Further study
2 Kings 19:1-37
Proverbs 21:1
Exodus 17:8-13
Revelation 19:6

1. What caused Hezekiah to act as he did?
2. How did God show His sovereignty?

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