1003 職事之地
耶穌說：「非用禱告（有古卷加：禁食二字），這一類的鬼總不能出來。」 《馬可福音 9:29》
門徒私下問祂說：「我們為什麼不能趕出牠去呢？」(馬可福音 9:28），答案在於與耶穌基督的個人關係。「非用禱告，這一類的鬼總不能出來。」專註於祂，然後加倍、再加倍地專註於祂。我們試圖做神的工卻不專註於祂的能力，反而只是隨從我們自己本性的想法，我們就依然永遠無能為力，像門徒們在那個情況下一樣。我們急切地服事神而不認識祂，實際上是誹謗和羞辱神。
當你面對困難情況，外在無事發生，你仍然可以知道自由和釋放將被賜下，因你持續專註於耶穌基督。你在服事和事工中的職責是確保在你和耶穌之間沒有任何隔閡。現在有什麼在你和耶穌之間呢？如果有，你必須克服它，不是當作煩惱而忽視它，也非藉著往上而越過它，而是面對它，並走過它，進到耶穌基督的面前。然後，那個問題本身，以及你所經歷與之相關的一切，都會榮耀耶穌基督，以一種你永遠不會知道的方式，直到你面對面見到祂。
我們必須能夠「如鷹展翅上騰」（以賽亞書40:31），但我們也必須知道如何下來。聖徒的力量在於下來以及在山谷中的生活。保羅說：「我靠着那加給我力量的，凡事都能做。」（腓立比書 4:13），他所提及的大多是卑辱之事。然而，我們有能力拒絕被羞辱，並說：「不啦，謝謝，我更喜歡與神同在山上。」我能否在耶穌基督真實之光中面對事物真實面貌，還是這些事物真實面目摧毀我對祂的信心，使我陷入恐慌呢？
來自章伯斯的智慧
信心永遠不知道它被引導到哪裡，但它熱愛並認識那位引領者。《竭誠為主》，3月19日
1003 The Place of Ministry
He said to them, “This kind [of unclean spirit] can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” —Mark 9:29
“His disciples asked Him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ ” (Mark 9:28). The answer lies in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “This kind can come out by nothing but” concentrating on Him, and then doubling and redoubling that concentration on Him. We can remain powerless forever, as the disciples were in this situation, by trying to do God’s work without concentrating on His power, and by following instead the ideas that we draw from our own nature. We actually slander and dishonor God by our very eagerness to serve Him without knowing Him.
When you are brought face to face with a difficult situation and nothing happens externally, you can still know that freedom and release will be given because of your continued concentration on Jesus Christ. Your duty in service and ministry is to see that there is nothing between Jesus and yourself. Is there anything between you and Jesus even now? If there is, you must get through it, not by ignoring it as an irritation, or by going up and over it, but by facing it and getting through it into the presence of Jesus Christ. Then that very problem itself, and all that you have been through in connection with it, will glorify Jesus Christ in a way that you will never know until you see Him face to face.
We must be able to “mount up with wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31), but we must also know how to come down. The power of the saint lies in the coming down and in the living that is done in the valley. Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) and what he was referring to were mostly humiliating things. And yet it is in our power to refuse to be humiliated and to say, “No, thank you, I much prefer to be on the mountaintop with God.” Can I face things as they actually are in the light of the reality of Jesus Christ, or do things as they really are destroy my faith in Him, and put me into a panic?
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One Who is leading. My Utmost for His Highest, March 19, 761 L