从天上赐下的复兴
复兴是一种沉溺吗?

经文
以弗所书三14-21
14因此,我在父面前屈膝,
15(天上地上的各(或作:全)家,都是从他得名。)
16求他按着他丰盛的荣耀,借着他的灵,叫你们心里的力量刚强起来,
17使基督因你们的信,住在你们心里,叫你们的爱心有根有基,
18能以和众圣徒一同明白基督的爱是何等长阔高深,
19并知道这爱是过于人所能测度的,便叫神一切所充满的,充满了你们。
20神能照着运行在我们心里的大力充充足足的成就一切,超过我们所求所想的。
21但愿他在教会中,并在基督耶稣里,得着荣耀,直到世世代代,永永远远。阿们!
信息分享
昨天我们在思考复兴所带来的问题时,看到有一家教会认为应该每天晚上认真祷告,直到复兴的来临;这是一种沉溺的需求过于深刻的属灵渴望。在这儿我们不禁要问:甚么叫做沉溺?沉溺,是不断挤进脑海中、重复或持续的思想意念,以减轻个人的基本焦虑。它实际上是一种防卫机制,令人可以专注于持续或不断出现的思想,从而避免焦虑。
多年前我曾经和一位年青的心理学家谈话,他告诉我他曾作过一个关于人的个性的研究,对象是那些不断撰写或谈论属灵复兴的人。研究的过程中他发现一个有趣的模式,就是这些人都有一种沉溺的倾向。我于是提议让我也参加他所设计的这个心理测验,结果显示虽然我是坚定和专一的人,但是我可以接受改变,而这是有沉溺倾向的人所做不到的。当我看到他完全相信我是一个有节制的人时,我于是告诉他我一直以来同样是对复兴有很大的渴望,他听后认为我真是一个例外!
我知道有些基督徒会由于个性的缘故而对某些事情执着沉迷,包括对复兴的渴望。但是我也知道在世界各地,越来越多有节制的基督徒在这个关键的历史时刻,发现自己的内心是越来越渴望能够看见神行使祂更强大的能力。有些人可能认为这是一种沉溺,我却认为这是一种掌管,是神的旨意在掌管人的思想。
「愿我经历神的掌管,而不是人的沉溺」
进深研究
约壹五1-15;罗八25;来十22;彼前一3
1. 甚么东西推动我们祈求灵性的复兴?
2. 「盼望」这个词儿在圣经里面是甚么意思?
祈祷
天父,我不愿意成为沉溺的受害者,我希望能够接受神的掌管。求您占据我的心灵,让我每天从心里去思想您、感受您的同在。阿们。
Heaven-Sent Revival
Is revival an obsession?

Bible reading:
Ephesians 3:14-21
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father,
15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name.
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
18 may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Message
Yesterday we looked at a church whose commitment to pray every evening until revival came was more an obsessive demand than a deep spiritual desire. This raises the question: What is an obsession? An obsession is a repetitive or persistent thought or idea which crowds into the mind and thus helps to relieve one's basic anxiety. It is really a defence mechanism which enables the personality to avoid anxiety by focusing not on the anxious feelings but on the continuing or recurring thought instead.
Some years ago I talked with a young psychologist who told me that he had made a study of the temperaments of people who continually wrote and talked about spiritual revival and had found an interesting pattern - all of them tended to be obsessive. I offered to take the psychological test he had devised and it showed that although I was determined and single-minded, I was also able to change - something an obsessive person cannot do. When I saw he was convinced that I was a fairly well-adjusted person, I talked to him about my own preoccupation with revival. And he said I was the exception that proved the rule!
I have no doubt that by reason of their temperament some Christians can become obsessed about anything - including revival. But I also know that around the world there is a growing army of well-adjusted Christians who are discovering within their hearts at this vital time in history a deepening desire to see God work in great and mighty power. Some may see it as an obsession; I see it as a possession - the thoughts of God taking hold of the thoughts of man.
"May I experience divine possession, not obsession"
Prayer
O Father, while I do not want to be the victim of an obsession, I most certainly want to be the recipient of divine possession. I give You the freedom to occupy my whole being and to think and feel in me day by day. Amen.
Further study
1 John 5:1-15
Romans 8:25
Hebrews 10:22
1 Peter 1:3
1. What motivates us to pray for revival?
2. What does the word "hope" mean in Scripture?
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