荒漠甘泉 Streams in the Desert
試煉使靈命堅固
經文: 「然而靠著愛我們的主，在這一切的事上，已經得勝有餘了。」（羅八37）
得勝有餘！得勝有餘並不是僅僅得勝，乃是得勝到一個地步非但不輸，而且還攻陷敵陣，擄掠戰利品。我們如何可以「得勝有餘」呢？「得勝有餘」必須在一個受試煉、逼迫的處境中，方能得到。所有的試煉都是絕對必需的，試煉可以使我們的靈命堅固。這好比磁器上的畫，必須經過火燒，纔能永久存留；也像山嶺上的香柏木，必須經過疾風的搖動，纔會扎根更深。我們所遭遇的屬靈戰爭，實在是一種變相的祝福；我們的大仇敵撒但，原是被利用來訓練我們，為我們得最後勝利的。相傳古時弗利家（Phrygia）民族，每次戰勝仇敵後，總把敵人的血吸盡，他們以為這樣可以把敵人的體力和膽量，加進自己的身體中去。不錯，勝一次試煉，就倍增一次我們屬靈的力量。因此，以後我們不只能勝仇敵，而且還能擄掠他們，使他們站在我們的戰線上替我們爭戰。以賽亞說：「他們要向西飛，撲在非利士人的肩頭上，一同擄掠東方人；伸手按住以東和摩押，亞捫人也必順服他們。」（賽十一14）非利士人是他們的敵人，但是他們不只能戰勝非利士人，而且還能騎在與他們不兩立的敵人肩上一同擄掠別人。正好像聰明的水手，能利用大風的推動來前進一樣；所以在我們屬靈的生命中許多不利的逆境，因著那加給我們恩典和力量的，都是使我們進入更深、更完全的機會。我們巴不得能和保羅一樣說：「我所遭遇的事，更是叫福音興旺。」（腓一12）──譯自更豐盛的生命（Life More Abundantly）
「感謝上帝，常帥領我們在基督裡誇勝，並藉著我們在各處顯揚那因認識基督而有的香。」（林後二14）
Hardship Makes Character
Scripture: "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Romans 8:37).
This is more than victory. This is a triumph so complete that we have not only escaped defeat and destruction, but we have destroyed our enemies and won a spoil so rich and valuable that we can thank God that the battle ever came. How can we be "more than conquerors"? We can get out of the conflict a spiritual discipline that will greatly strengthen our faith and establish our spiritual character. Temptation is necessary to settle and confirm us in the spiritual life. It is like the fire which burns in the colors of mineral painting, or like winds that cause the mighty cedars of the mountain to strike more deeply into the soil. Our spiritual conflicts are among our choicest blessings, and our great adversary is used to train us for his ultimate defeat. The ancient Phrygians had a legend that every time they conquered an enemy the victor absorbed the physical strength of his victim and added so much more to his own strength and valor. So temptation victoriously met doubles our spiritual strength and equipment. It is possible thus not only to defeat our enemy, but to capture him and make him fight in our ranks. The prophet Isaiah speaks of flying on the shoulders of the Philistines (Isa. 11:14). These Philistines were their deadly foes, but the figure suggested that they would be enabled not only to conquer the Philistines, but to use them to carry the victors on their shoulders for further triumphs. Just as the wise sailor can use a head wind to carry him forward by tacking and taking advantage of its impelling force; so it is possible for us in our spiritual life through the victorious grace of God to turn to account the things that seem most unfriendly and unfavorable, and to be able to say continually, "The things that were against me have happened to the furtherance of the Gospel." --Life More Abundantly
"Now thanks be unto God Who always leads us forth to triumph with the Anointed One, and Who diffuses by us the fragrance of the knowledge of Him in every place" (2 Cor. 2:14, literal translation).
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