從天上賜下的復興
你預備好了嗎？
經文
加拉太書一11-24
11弟兄們，我告訴你們，我素來所傳的福音不是出於人的意思。
12因為我不是從人領受的，也不是人教導我的，乃是從耶穌基督啟示來的。
13你們聽見我從前在猶太教中所行的事，怎樣極力逼迫殘害神的教會。
14我又在猶太教中，比我本國許多同歲的人更有長進，為我祖宗的遺傳更加熱心。
15然而，那把我從母腹裡分別出來、又施恩召我的神，
16既然樂意將他兒子啟示在我心裡，叫我把他傳在外邦人中，我就沒有與屬血氣的人商量，
17也沒有上耶路撒冷去見那些比我先作使徒的，惟獨往亞拉伯去，後又回到大馬色。
18過了三年，才上耶路撒冷去見磯法，和他同住了十五天。
19至於別的使徒，除了主的兄弟雅各，我都沒有看見。
20我寫給你們的不是謊話，這是我在神面前說的。
21以後我到了敘利亞和基利家境內。
22那時，猶太信基督的各教會都沒有見過我的面。
23不過聽說那從前逼迫我們的，現在傳揚他原先所殘害的真道。
24他們就為我的緣故，歸榮耀給神。
信息分享
過去幾天我們都在看「復興禱告」的一些指標，也是那些對復興很有負擔的人，他們禱告的一些特點。我們已經研究過六個特點（當然還有更多）：第一是熱誠；第二是堅持；第三是大膽；第四是有說服力；第五是悔罪；第六是絕望。
現在讓我們來思想另一個問題：是甚麼令這些特點顯露出來呢？是神放在人心裡的東西？還是源自周圍的情況？很可能是兩者的結合。我認為章伯斯（Oswald Chambers）掌握了當中的關鍵。他說：「每當神計劃賜下復興的祝福時，祂首先會在那些把自己預備好以供祂使用的人心裡放下負擔。」請留意這句話：「那些把自己預備好以供祂使用的人。」章伯斯講述一個年老的聖徒一天晚上來到牧者那裡宣佈說：「我們即將有復興。」那牧者問他為甚麼這樣說，老人回答：「兩小時前，我到牛棚去照顧我的牛，主使我一直不斷的禱告，因此，我知道我們即將有復興。」章伯斯接著說：「是的，正如老人所預測，復興接著臨到那兒。」
我們是否也為神預備好自己了呢？我們在屬靈上是否有足夠的敏銳力，知道神甚麼時候會介入並將祈求復興的負擔放在我們心裡？或者說，這就是復興遲遲不出現的真正原因？
「復興遲遲不出現，是否因為我們在屬靈上不夠敏銳？」
進深研究
約三1-8；羅八14；徒十19-20
1. 耶穌說了關於聖靈的甚麼事情？
2. 彼得有些甚麼經驗？
祈禱
慈愛的天父，今天，您再二次將您的指頭放在我生命的神經中樞上，令我感到震撼。求您幫助我不要後退，因為我知道這是生與死的問題。求您幫助我預備好自己以讓您使用。奉耶穌的名祈求，阿們。
Heaven-Sent Revival
Are you available?
Bible reading:
Galatians 1:11-24
11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin.
12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased
16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being.
17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas[a] and stayed with him fifteen days.
19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord's brother.
20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.
21 Then I went to Syria and Cilicia.
22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.
23 They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy."
24 And they praised God because of me.
Message
Over the past days we have been looking at some of the marks of "revival praying" - the special characteristics that appear in the intercessions of those who feel deeply burdened for revival. We have examined six of these characteristics (though of course there are many more): first, zealousness; second, persistence; third, boldness; fourth, persuasiveness, fifth, contrition and sixth, desperation.
We now ask: What is it that causes these characteristics to manifest themselves? Is it something that God puts into people's hearts or is it something that arises out of the conditions that are around? Probably it is a combination of both. Oswald Chambers has the key to it, I think, when he says: "Whenever God plans to send revival blessing He first lays a burden for it on the hearts of those who make themselves available to Him." Note the phrase: "those who make themselves available to Him". Oswald Chambers tells the story of how an aged saint came to his pastor one night and announced: "We are about to have a revival. The pastor asked him why he thought this, whereupon the old man replied: "I went into the stable to take care of my cattle two hours ago, and the Lord has kept me in prayer until just now. Because of this I just know we are going to have a revival." Oswald Chambers continues: "Sure enough, a revival followed just as the old man had predicted."
Are we similarly available to God? Would we be spiritually sensitive enough to know when God is breaking in upon us to lay a burden of prayer upon our hearts for revival? Is this perhaps the real reason why revival tarries?
"Is revival delayed because we are not spiritually sensitive"
Prayer
Gracious and loving heavenly Father, once again You have Your finger on a nerve centre in my life - and I wince. Help me not to draw back, for I know that here are the issues of life and death. Help me be available. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
Further study
John 3:1-8
Romans 8:14
Acts 10:19-20
1. What did Jesus say of the Holy Spirit?
2. What was Peter's experience?
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