0105 跟隨的生命大能
耶穌回答說，「我所去的地方，你現在不能跟我去，後來卻要跟我去。」《約翰福音 13:36》
耶穌說了這話，就對他說：「你跟從我吧」 （約翰福音 21:19）。三年前，耶穌曾說：「跟從我」（馬太福音 4:19），彼得毫不猶豫地跟隨了。耶穌不可抗拒的吸引力在他身上，他不需要聖靈的幫助就跟隨了。後來他到了否認耶穌的地步，他的心就碎了。然後他領受了聖靈，耶穌再次說：「你跟從我」 （約翰福音 21:19）。現在，只有除了主耶穌基督站在彼得面前，再無他人。最初的「跟從我」並沒有什麼奧秘，只是外在的跟隨；現在耶穌要求的是內在的犧牲和降服（參見約翰福音 21:18）。
在這兩次之間，彼得曾以發咒起誓來否認耶穌（參見馬太福音 26:69-75）。但隨後他徹底走到自我以及他所有自給自足的盡頭，他自己再沒有什麼可依賴的了。在他赤貧的狀態中，他終於準備好接受復活的主給他的一切。「就向他們吹一口氣，說：『你們受聖靈。』」（約翰福音 20:22）。無論神在你身上做了什麼改變，永遠不要依賴它們；但要建基於一位，就是主耶穌基督，以及祂所賜的聖靈。
我們所有的承諾和決心都以否認告終，因為我們沒有能力去實現它們。當我們完全走到自我的盡頭，不僅是心智上，而是完全地，我們才能「領受聖靈」。「領受聖靈」，這個概念是侵入性的；現在只有一位引導你生命路程的，那就是主耶穌基督。
自然地說，沒有什麼比腐朽讓我們更快速灰心喪氣了——身體美麗的衰退，天然生命的衰亡，友誼的消逝，以及群體的解體，所有這些事情都能讓人灰心喪氣；但保羅說，當我們信靠耶穌基督時，這些事情都不會讓我們感到沮喪，陽光會穿透它們。《幫助之地》
0105 The Life of Power to Follow
Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.” —John 13:36
“And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ‘Follow Me’” (John 21:19). Three years earlier Jesus had said, “Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19), and Peter followed with no hesitation. The irresistible attraction of Jesus was upon him and he did not need the Holy Spirit to help him do it. Later he came to the place where he denied Jesus, and his heart broke. Then he received the Holy Spirit and Jesus said again, “Follow Me” (John 21:19). Now no one is in front of Peter except the Lord Jesus Christ. The first “Follow Me” was nothing mysterious; it was an external following. Jesus is now asking for an internal sacrifice and yielding (see John 21:18).
Between these two times Peter denied Jesus with oaths and curses (see Matthew 26:69-75). But then he came completely to the end of himself and all of his self-sufficiency. There was no part of himself he would ever rely on again. In his state of destitution, he was finally ready to receive all that the risen Lord had for him. “…He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’ ” (John 20:22). No matter what changes God has performed in you, never rely on them. Build only on a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, and on the Spirit He gives.
All our promises and resolutions end in denial because we have no power to accomplish them. When we come to the end of ourselves, not just mentally but completely, we are able to “receive the Holy Spirit.” “Receive the Holy Spirit” — the idea is that of invasion. There is now only One who directs the course of your life, the Lord Jesus Christ.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
There is nothing, naturally speaking, that makes us lose heart quicker than decay—the decay of bodily beauty, of natural life, of friendship, of associations, all these things make a man lose heart; but Paul says when we are trusting in Jesus Christ these things do not find us discouraged, light comes through them. –The Place of Help.