攻破坚固的营垒

林后10: 3-5 因为我们虽然在血气中行事，却不凭着血气争战。我们争战的兵器，本不是属血气的，乃是在　神面前有能力，可以攻破坚固的营垒，将各样的计谋，各样拦阻人认识　神的那些自高之事一概攻破了，又将人所有的心意夺回，使他都顺服基督。

        在圣灵的感召和带领之下，教会晨祷会已进行了四周。每次有十多位弟兄姐妹参加，上周六有十九位弟兄姐妹（包括三位小朋友）参加。上周二轮到我带领分享。题目：“攻破坚固的营垒”。经文：林后10：3-5。这段经文非常宝贵，每个细节都很重要。它至少向我们显明以下六方面真理：

• 属灵的争战真实存在

        保罗提醒我们，世界有邪恶势力存在。正义与邪恶、光明与黑暗，撒旦与上帝在争战。基督徒每天的生活都是一场战争。旧约中常讲到上帝吩咐以色列人要靠主战胜他们的仇敌。新约教导基督徒面对的是无形的仇敌和灵界的争战。耶稣在十字架上的死已彻底击毁蛇（魔鬼的象征）的头，但现今它的残余势力仍在垂死挣扎，因为“魔鬼知道自己的时候不多，就气愤愤地下到你们那里去了”（启12：12）。故此，我们要做好准备，随时以信心迎战。

• 基督徒是精兵

          记得一个摩门教徒（摩门教不相信三位一体，并在《新旧约圣经》之外加了一本《摩门经》，正统基督教派通常将摩门教视为异端）嘲笑我说：“你们基督徒没有战斗力啊，信主不像信主样子，既不好好悔改，也没有很好的属灵操守。”话糙理不糙。信异端的人比我们更有传教和信仰的热忱。反观今日基督徒属灵光景，有许多人躺在上帝的恩典上睡大觉，将基督徒的身份视为廉价的恩典，信主不愿付代价，只愿得属世好处和平安，却忘记了每位基督徒都应是基督的门徒，是基督的精兵（提后2：4）。精兵要训练有速，服从命令，有时甚至要冒着生命危险去战场争战。晨祷会可谓基督徒的练兵营，它操练我们在主里学习节制、谦卑、忍耐、顺服、愛心，使我们可以预备好为天国的荣耀而战，像约翰·班扬《天路历程》里描述的天路客基督徒那样雄赳赳气昂昂，不畏艰险、勇往直前，向着天国进军。

• 争战的兵器不是血气、而是神的能力

        我们的兵器是什么？它不是血气的。比如我们在面对孩子顽皮时常会动怒，想用自己肉体的强势或大吼大叫将对方压倒，然而这些就是血气的方式。这些方式不但不能解决问题，反而会雪上加霜，将问题变得更加严重。

          “在神面前有能力“这句话是说“有神的能力”。我们的兵器是神的能力，这能力来自于神的话语、来自于圣灵的充满。当神的话借着圣灵在我们里面工作时，我们就能活出基督的生命，并带着更多的柔和与谦卑来面对每天的人和事。 

• 仇敌的营垒十分顽固，但我们有更牢固的营垒

         “营垒”（strongholds）：原文是复数，指顽固不化、坚固的军事据点。说明仇敌像癌细胞的毒瘤一样顽固，不容易彻底摧毁。今日摧毁后，明日还可能死灰复燃。这营垒可能是网络上瘾，也可能是我们里面某种隐藏的罪，比如不信、骄傲、贪恋或自私等。故此，我们需要不断借着祈祷来抵挡和击垮它。同时，仇敌的“营垒”也提醒我们，基督徒有更坚固的营垒——即上帝的保守和眷顾。上帝为每位基督徒儿女预备了永恒的家，这家“是不能震动的国”（unshakeable kingdom来12：28）。靠着主的力量，我们无坚不摧。只要坚持不懈地祈祷，便能滴水穿石，更多经历主成就的大事！

• 这营垒是什么？

          这营垒是什么？注意，这营垒不是有形的建筑。它是“各样的计谋，各样拦阻人认识神的自高之事”，即各样属世的观点或学说以及拦阻人认识上帝知识的高墙。这营垒并不是金银所铸，而是各样虚假的谎言与学说，以及所有欺骗我们远离上帝、依靠自己的思想。魔鬼是谎言的灵，它从起初就欺骗夏娃。今日它仍然在借着各种理论学说欺骗人，让人怀疑上帝的话语与信实。我们一旦怀疑上帝、迷信自己，便会立刻落入魔鬼的圈套之中，成为它的囊中之物，受它摆布控制。故此，基督徒要谨防世上的小学（西2: 20）。

• 争战的最终目标是什么？

          “将人所有的心意夺回，使它都顺服基督了”。“所有心意”是指每一个意念。顺服基督是争战的最终目标。“夺回”：指被俘虏。马丁·路德在《意志的束缚》一书中指出，本质上人的意志是不自由的。他认为，人的意志如同妓女。它只有两种可能，要么受魔鬼奴役服从魔鬼，要么受上帝奴役、服从上帝。上帝的恩典则体现在三个层面：（1）通过上帝的圣灵的力量使罪人皈依；（2）通过对罪的赦免与基督的结合使罪人称义；（3）在上帝的圣灵的帮助下，成圣是一种不断增强的愛的能力（罗明嘉教授博士 Prof. Dr. Miikka Ruokanen：《Unio cum Christo in Spiritu sancto在圣灵中与基督联合: 马丁·路德《论意志的束缚》中三位一体上帝的恩典》）。这愛的能力则需要圣徒不断借着祈祷，抵挡罪恶，使我们的心灵更好地被圣灵所使用，不断操练成圣，从而达到顺服基督的目的。从而，基督徒借祈祷竭力争战，为了让我们每个意念都降伏在基督的权下，为主所用。

       之前教会一周只有周三晚上一次祷告会，藉着祷告驱散黑暗，带来光明。今年我们每天都有晨更祷告会，在晨光乍现之前便借着祈祷迎接光明。何等蒙福！二十世纪初中国著名布道家宋尚节常说：“奋兴使者没有什么可夸的，所有显而可见的奋兴光景，全仗代祷的人们”。我们晓得，属灵的争战是真实的。基督徒是精兵，我们每天要穿戴上帝所赐全副军装，用上帝所赐的力量，攻破魔鬼坚固的营垒，为上帝国度永恒的荣耀战，使自己顺服基督！使家庭顺服基督！使教会顺服基督！使人心顺服基督！愿主感召更多祈祷的勇士加入祷告大军！以基督之名，阿门！

Demolish Strongholds

2 Cor. 10:3-5 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world
does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the
contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 10:5 We demolish
arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of
God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ

Guided by the calling of the Holy Spirit, the church’s morning prayer meeting has been going on for four weeks. Each time, more than ten brothers and sisters participate, and last Saturday, nineteen brothers and sisters (including three children) attended. Last Tuesday, it was my turn to lead and share. The topic was “Demolish Strongholds,” and the scripture was 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. This passage is very precious, and every detail is important. It reveals at least six aspects of truth to us:

1. Spiritual Warfare is a Reality

Paul reminds us that there are evil forces in the world. There is a constant battle between good and evil, light and darkness, the devil and God. The daily life of a Christian is like a war. In the Old Testament, God instructed the Israelites to rely on the Lord to overcome their enemies. In the New Testament, Christians face invisible enemies and engage in spiritual warfare. The death of Jesus on the cross has completely crushed the head of the serpent (a symbol of the devil), but its residual influence is still struggling, as “the devil knows that his time is short, and he is filled with furious” (Rev 12:12). Therefore, we must be prepared and ready to face the battle with faith at any time.”

2. Christians are Special Forces

I remember a Mormon (Mormons do not believe in the Trinity and have an additional book called the Book of Mormon. Mormonism is considered by mainstream Christianity as heretical) challenged me, saying, “You Christians lack dedicating spirit. You don’t seem like true believers. You neither repent sincerely nor have good spiritual discipline.” His words were rough but had some truth. People adhering to heresies often exhibit more enthusiasm for spreading their faith. Examining the spiritual state of numerous Christians today, it is evident that some find comfort in the grace of God, regarding their Christian identity as something easily attained and undervalued. They are unwilling to pay the cost of following Christ and only seek worldly benefits and peace, forgetting that every Christian should be a disciple of Christ, a good soldier for Christ (2 Tim 2:4). A good soldier needs rigorous training, obedience to commands, and sometimes even risking their lives on the battlefield. The morning prayer meeting can be considered as a Christian training camp, where we practice self-control, humility, patience, obedience, and love in the Lord. This prepares us to fight for the glory of the Kingdom, just like Christian the pilgrim described by John Bunyan in The Pilgrim’s Progress, who was bold, fearless, marching forward, unafraid of difficulties, advancing toward the Kingdom.

3. The Weapons of Warfare Are Not of the Flesh, but of God’s Power

What are our weapons? They are not of the flesh. For example, when facing a mischievous child, we might be tempted to get angry and try to overpower them with our physical strength or by yelling loudly. However, these are ways of the flesh. Not only do these methods fail to solve the problem, but they also make things worse, escalating the issue further.”

The phrase “they have divine power” reminds us that our weapons are the power of God, and this power emanates from God’s Word and is fully present in the Holy Spirit. When God’s Word works within us through the Holy Spirit, we can live out the life of Christ and approach each day with more gentleness and humility.

4. The Enemy’s Strongholds Are Stubborn, But We Have Stronger Fortress

The term “strongholds” is in the plural form, indicating stubborn and solid military base. It illustrates that the enemy’s strongholds are as persistent as malignant tumors, not easily eradicated. Even if destroyed today, they may resurface tomorrow. These strongholds could be an addiction to the internet or some hidden sins within us, such as disbelief, pride, greed, or selfishness. Therefore, we need to continually resist and demolish them through prayer. On the other hand, the enemy’s “strongholds” also remind us that Christians have even stronger stronghold or fortress—the protection and care of God. God has prepared an eternal home for each child of God, the home is “an unshakeable kingdom” (Heb 12:28). With the strength of the Lord, we can overcome any obstacle. Through persistent prayer, we can achieve great things in the Lord!

5. What Is This Stronghold?

What is this stronghold? Note that this stronghold is not a tangible structure. It is “arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. It refers to various worldly viewpoints, theories, and walls that hinder people from understanding the knowledge of God. This stronghold is not made of gold or silver but consists of various false lies and doctrines, deceiving us to turn away from God and rely on our own thoughts. The devil is the spirit of lies, deceiving Eve from the beginning. Today, it continues to deceive people through various theoretical teachings, causing doubts about God’s word and faithfulness. Once we doubt God and trust ourselves, we naturally fall into the devil’s trap, becoming its prey, subject to its manipulation and control. Therefore, Christians must be cautious of the “basic principles of the world” (Col 2:20).

6. What is the Ultimate Goal of Spiritual Warfare?

“Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” “Every thought” refers to every idea. The ultimate goal of the warfare is to make every thought obedient to Christ. “Take captive” implies being captured or enslaved. Martin Luther, in his book “The Bondage of the Will,” pointed out that fundamentally, human will is not free. He compared the human will to a whore, having only two possibilities: either enslaved to the devil, obeying the devil, or enslaved to God, obeying God. God’s grace is manifested on three levels: (1) Through the power of the Holy Spirit, sinners repent; (2) Through the forgiveness of sins and union with Christ, sinners are justified; (3) With the help of the Holy Spirit, sanctification is an ever-increasing capacity for love (Professor Dr. Miikka Ruokanen: “Unio cum Christo in Spiritu sancto – The Grace of the Triune God in Martin Luther’s ‘On the Bondage of the Will’’). This capacity for love requires saints to continuously resist evil through prayer, allowing our minds to be better used by the Holy Spirit, continually being sanctified, and thus achieving the purpose of obedience to Christ. Therefore, Christians strive in prayer to bring every thought under the authority of Christ, to be used for the Lord’s purposes.

In the past, the church held a prayer meeting only once a week on Wednesday evenings, to dispel darkness and bring in light through prayer. This year, we have a morning prayer meeting every day, welcoming the light before dawn through prayer. What a blessing! In the early 20th century, the well-known Chinese evangelist John Sung often said, “Revival messengers have nothing to boast about; all visible scenes of revival depend on those who pray on behalf of others.” We understand that spiritual warfare is real. Christians are heavenly soldiers, and every day we must put on the full armor of God, using the divine strength to demolish the devil’s strongholds, fighting for the eternal glory of God’s kingdom, and making ourselves obedient to Christ! Making our families obedient to Christ! Making our churches obedient to Christ! Making our hearts obedient to Christ! May the Lord call more prayer warriors to join the prayer army! In the name of Christ, Amen!

(小石城以马内利华语浸信会Little Rock Immanuel Chinese Baptist Church)

阿妮塔的故事：《像太阳一样升起》的读后感

        去年11月26日清晨主日崇拜时，一位美国非裔姐妹很早走进我们教会。我主动走到她面前和她打招呼，并自我介绍。她也向我介绍说，她叫阿妮塔·周(Anita Joe)。她在一次为中国那么多失丧的灵魂祷告时，上帝呼召和感动她要去作华人福音事工。

        我问她： “您是怎么找到我们教会的？”

        她回答说：”我从网上找到你们教会，看到你们网站上关于牧师教导”圣洁”方面的真理，我就来了。”

         对阿妮塔的到来我们既满心感恩又充满好奇。感恩的是，上帝居然感动这位美国姐妹愿意去作华人福音事工；好奇的是，她到底是谁？她怎样经历耶稣？她的人生目标是什么？三周前阿妮塔送给我她写的书《像太阳一样升起：帮助你从破碎走向完整的自助指南》（Rising like the Sun: A Self-help Guide Taking You From Brokenness to Wholeness）。这本书为我揭开了她的许多秘密。本书至少强调了几个重点：

• 它讲述了深层的破碎及完整的医治

        《像太阳一样升起》对我产生了很大的震撼。阿妮塔的故事可谓跌宕起伏，充满戏剧性，她经历过人生撕心裂肺之痛、又体会到十架之愛的甘甜。她出生在阿肯色州小石城、在亚利桑那州图桑(Tucson, Arizona)长大。她的童年是一场噩梦，她说她在暗无天日——既黑暗又可怕的情形中诞生（第58页）。她父亲是一个鳏夫，带着两个孩子，一个女孩一个男孩。她是六个孩子中的一个，排在八个孩子的中间。她父亲是一名恋童癖者，也是一名恶霸；母亲则经常骂人。他们对儿女极度偏心造成恶果。她后来接受耶稣基督为救主而得到重生得救；在19岁时经历圣灵特别的浇灌；在30岁在参加特别聚会时从被拒绝中释放出来。

         对于受儒家思想影响强调内敛、含蓄和面子的文化环境下长大的华人来说，我们不太容易将自己过去的遭遇以及内心深处的伤疤讲述出来。然而，将自己的故事讲述出来是一种真正的释放。在阿妮塔的书中我看到她坦诚地讲述了她所遭遇的一切，包括父亲对她的性侵，母亲对她的冷漠残酷、对父亲恶行的置若罔闻、甚至将她当成第三者嫉妒她，她的抑郁症，她丈夫的冷暴力和不忠，以及她一段无家可归住在救济站的经历。

        从某种程度上说，阿妮塔的人生可谓千疮百孔。然而她脸上流露出的并不是尚在流血的伤疤，而是绽放出阳光般的喜乐。正如她自己所言：最难战胜的是破碎的痛苦（the pain of brokenness），这痛苦在内心深处留下深深的疤痕。”这种情感伤害的治愈必须是渐进的”(Healing for this kind of emotional damage must be progressive)。她重生得救之后，在主里逐渐学习饶恕的功课。有一天她向主承认不饶恕人的罪，并弃绝心里所有的苦毒。这是她通向自由的第一步。接着，她曾经历到圣灵所赐予的愛，感受到她是被愛的。这医治了她从前被父母拒绝的痛苦。重要的一件事是，她在阿特兰大服侍一间小教会时，在一次姐妹聚会中，圣灵感动她分享自己的故事。她开始很抗拒，但后来顺服了。当她走上讲台时，泪水夺眶而出，她几乎无法唱完开头的歌曲。当她开始讲述自己的故事时，所有人的目光都集中在她身上。当她讲完后，束缚的枷锁被打破，从她开始，许多姐妹获得了自由（第175页）。

• 它体现了阿妮塔对圣经独特的理解

        像阿妮塔所说的，她没有受过正式神学培训，她对圣经的理解不一定是按着正统学院派的模式。然而，她对圣经经文非常熟悉，她对经文的理解有独到的见解、并且与她个人坎坷的经历连在一起。她从诗篇69：8”我的弟兄看我为外路人，我的同胞看我为外邦人”看到大卫曾经是一个被家人轻视、被父亲打发去放羊，甚至被排除在宴席之外（撒上16：11）的孩子。于此类比，阿妮塔的母亲对她很冷漠残酷，不给她圣诞礼物，对她遭受父亲性侵不管不问，甚至在她想去考美容执照时都不肯开车送她去考场。她从诗篇40: 2 “他从祸坑里，从淤泥中，把我拉上来，使我的脚立在磐石上，使我脚步稳当”体会到上帝如何将她从深淤泥里拉上来，使她不再不饶恕她的父母，甚至带着感恩的心面对他们。她从摩西的母亲约基别（出2：2；6：20）身上看到伟大母亲的信心榜样，她不惜冒着生命危险而保全了摩西的生命，从而成就了上帝在摩西身上伟大的计划。

• 它揭示灵界的真实存在

        阿妮塔深刻地认识到灵界魔鬼的真实存在。她从圣经中看到魔鬼是撒谎之人的父。在所经历的乱伦、家庭混乱，被拒绝、和仇恨的背后有一股邪恶势力的存在。她曾有几次在梦中经历污秽的邪恶以不同形式展现出来。她认识到性取向混乱是一种邪恶的攻击，她曾受到性取向混乱的迷惑，但上帝的灵带领她战胜这一切（148）。然而她的弟弟格雷格(Craig)却没有那么幸运了。他像阿妮塔一样小时候缺乏父愛。但他却走上了与阿妮塔不同的一条吸毒、同性恋、监狱、艾滋病的不归之路。格雷格后悔说：”我希望我能像你一样。但是我做了太多错误的选择，以至于走到今天这个地步”。不过，感谢主的是在他得了艾滋病后临死前接受了耶稣，后来他安然睡在主的怀中。主耶稣终将医治他，因为”人间没有天上无法医治的悲伤”(Thomas Moore, 1779-1852, 第206页)。

• 它展现了失败后的勇气

        由于缺乏审慎祈祷的选择，阿妮塔经历了一段失败的婚姻。离婚后，她并没有为了分家产与前夫撕破脸皮告到法庭。相反，她顺服圣灵的感动，选择谦卑地净身出户。不幸的是，离婚六个月后她前夫就惨死家中。后来，她经历一段无家可归的日子。即或如此，她将这段经历视为上帝的呼召，并将其称之为主的管教或考验，使她从中更深体会到上帝的眷顾，以及人性对关愛、尊重及尊严等的深层需要。

         阿妮塔在书中讲到”仙人掌上开的花朵”。她从破碎的家庭、婚姻及人生际遇中走出来，并在各种环境中体会耶稣从十字架上所发出的医治、安慰和亮光。读过她这本的人说：”你看上去不像是经历那么多的人”。我问她现在的生活怎么样？她用一个词来概况，那就是”感恩”（”GRATEFUL”）！她知道这是天父上帝的恩赐，主的圣愛一直在眷顾…… 让我们继续为阿妮塔未来的侍奉方向代祷，求天父继续指引她！

        诗歌”你的愛不离不弃”：”没有一个忧患耶稣不能担当，没有一个痛苦耶稣不能背负”。阿妮塔是一位喜欢4点钟作晨更祷告的姐妹。书名《像太阳一样升起》源自于以赛亚书60：1 ”兴起发光，因为你的光已经来到，耶和华的荣耀发现照耀你。” 思想一下，当黎明前的清晨第一缕阳光破晓之际，一束微光从地平线上冉冉升起，从灰暗到愈发光明，渐渐地眼前灿烂辉煌、无限壮丽。这正是圣灵在我们里面发光的过程。愿在基督里的人都一同从灰尘中兴起发光！阿门！

 

Anita’s Story: Reflection on “Rising Like the Sun”

On the morning of November 26th last year, during Sunday worship, an African American sister entered our church very early. I approached her, greeted her, and introduced myself. She, in turn, introduced herself as Anita Joe. She shared that during a prayer for the many lost souls in China, God called and moved her to engage in Chinese gospel ministry.

        I asked her, “How did you find our church?”

        She replied, “I found your church online and came after seeing the truth about ‘holiness’ in the pastor’s teachings on your website.”

        Anita’s presence filled us with gratitude and curiosity. We are thankful that God inspired this American sister to participate in Chinese gospel ministry. Meanwhile we are interested in knowing more about her story. Who was she? How did she come to know the Lord? What are her aspirations? Three weeks ago, Anita graciously shared the book she wrote with me, titled “Rising Like the Sun: A Self-help Guide Taking You From Brokenness to Wholeness.” This inspiring book unveiled many aspects of her life. It emphasizes several key points, including:

1. It tells the story of profound brokenness and complete healing

         “Rising Like the Sun” has a profound impression on me. Anita’s story is full of twists and turns, dramatic, as she goes through the heart-wrenching pain of life and experiences the sweetness of love from the cross. She was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and grew up in Tucson, Arizona. Her childhood was a nightmare, born into a situation that was both dark and terrifying (P. 58). Her father was a widower with two children, a girl, and a boy. She was one of six children, in the middle of eight. Her father was a pedophile and a bully; her mother was verbally abusive. Their extreme favoritism towards their children had devastating consequences. She later accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and experienced rebirth; at the age of 19, she had a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit; at the age of 30, she was released from rejection during a special meeting.

         For individuals raised in a Chinese cultural milieu strongly shaped by Confucianism, which underscores the virtues of restraint, reservation, and “saving face,” expressing our personal narrative and the profound wounds within is a challenging endeavor. Yet, sharing our own story, especially those secret parts, represents a genuine form of freedom. In Anita’s book, I observe her courageously detailing every facet of her journey, encompassing her father’s sexual abuse, her mother’s harsh and apathetic demeanor, who ignored her father’s evil behavior, and even treated her with envy as if she were the other woman instead of victim, her struggles with depression, her husband’s emotional mistreatment and infidelity, and a period of homelessness spent in a shelter.

        To a certain extent, Anita’s life can be characterized as marked by wounds. However, what is apparent in her countenance is not the still-bleeding pain but the brilliance of sunshine-like joy. As she articulates, the most challenging aspect to conquer is the pain of brokenness, a pain that leaves profound scars in the heart. “Healing for this kind of emotional damage must be progressive,” she asserts. Following her rebirth and salvation, she gradually assimilated the lesson of forgiveness in the Lord. One day, she admitted to the Lord her reluctance to forgive others’ sins and discarded all bitterness from her heart. This marked her initial stride toward freedom. Subsequently, she encountered the love bestowed by the Holy Spirit, sensing that she was truly loved by God. This spiritual healing removed the pain of rejection from her parents. A pivotal moment occurred when she, serving in a small church in Atlanta, was prompted by the Holy Spirit to share her story during a sisters’ conference. Despite initial resistance, she eventually complied. Stepping onto the podium, tears streamed down her face, and she could barely complete the opening song. As she began narrating her story, everyone’s attention focused on her. Upon completion, the shackles of bondage were shattered, and starting from her, many sisters found freedom (P. 175).

1. It illustrates Anita’s Unique Understanding on the Bible 

        As Anita mentioned, she did not have formal theological training, and her understanding of the Bible may not necessarily follow the pattern of orthodoxy theological understanding. Nevertheless, she is deeply familiar with biblical scriptures, offering insightful interpretation that intertwine with her personal tumultuous experiences. From Psalm 69:8, “I have become a stranger to my own brothers, an alien to my mother’s sons,” she draws parallels with David, who was once looked down upon by his family, sent by his father to tend sheep, and even excluded from feasts (1 Samuel 16:11). In a similar comparison, Anita’s mother was cruelly indifferent, not giving her Christmas presents, ignoring her father’s sexual abuse, and even refusing to drive her to the exam venue when she needed to take a beauty license test.

From Psalm 40:2, “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand,” she understands how God pulled her out of deep pit, enabling her to no longer harbor unforgiveness towards her parents and face them with a heart full of gratitude. From the example of Moses’ mother, Jochebed (Exodus 2:2; 6:20), she sees the model of great maternal faith. Jochebed risked her life to preserve Moses’ life, contributing to God’s great plan for Moses.

1. It reveals the real existence of the spiritual realm

Anita deeply recognizes the true existence of demonic forces in the spiritual realm. She sees from the Bible that the devil is the father of lies. Behind the experiences of incest, family chaos, rejection, and hatred, there is the presence of an evil force. She has had several dreams where filthy evil manifested itself in different forms. She acknowledges that sexual orientation confusion is an evil attack behind the scenes, and she herself was deceived by it, but the Spirit of God led her to overcome all of it (P. 148). However, her brother Craig was not as fortunate. Like Anita, he lacked fatherly love in his childhood. Yet, he took a different path, leading him to drug addiction, homosexuality, prison, and eventually AIDS. Craig expressed regret, saying, “I wish I could be like you. But I made too many wrong choices to end up where I am today.” Fortunately, thanks to the Lord, he accepted Jesus before dying from AIDS, and he peacefully slept in the arms of the Lord. Jesus will finally heal him because “Earth has no sorrow that heaven can’t heal” (Thomas Moore, 1779-1852, P. 206).

1. It showcases courage after frustration 

Due to a decision made without thoughtful prayer, Anita traversed through a phase of a tumultuous marriage that eventually ended in divorce. Following the dissolution, instead of engaging in a legal battle over property division with her then-husband, she chose humility, heeding the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and departed without confrontation. Unfortunately, six months post-divorce, her then-husband met a tragic death at home. No one knows the reason of his death. Subsequently, she encountered a period of homelessness. Nevertheless, she regarded this experience as a divine calling, and she believes it was the discipline or chastening of the Lord. This period allowed her to delve deeper into her understanding of God’s providence and the profound human yearning for love, respect, and dignity.

Anita talks about “a flower blooming on a cactus” in the book. She emerged from a broken family, unpleasant marriage, and life’s challenges, experiencing healing, comfort, and light from Jesus on the cross in various situations. People who have read her book say, “You don’t look like someone who has been through so much.” I asked her about her current life, and she summarized it in one word, “GRATEFUL”! She knows it is a gift from Heavenly Father God, and the Lord’s holy love has been watching over her. Let us continue to pray for Anita’s future ministry direction, asking the Heavenly Father to guide her onward!

The song “You Will Never Leave Me or Forsake Me” goes: “There’s no sorrow Jesus cannot bear, there’s no pain Jesus cannot share.” Anita is a sister who enjoys waking up at 4 o’clock for morning prayer. The title of the book “Rising Like the Sun” is derived from Isaiah 60:1, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” Imagine, at the break of dawn just before sunrise, a faint light rises from the horizon, gradually brightening from darkness to brilliance, unfolding before your eyes in splendid magnificence. This is precisely the process of the Holy Spirit shining within us. May all those in Christ rise and shine from the dust together! Amen!

“喜乐的守望者”：教会晨祷会更新

 哈2: 1 我要站在守望所，立在望楼上观看，看耶和华对我说什么话，我可用什么话向他诉冤 。

 

        圣经中常提到“守望者”（watchman）。在古代社会，守望者的任务就是负责在城楼上察看敌人在远方的举动，确保城内人的安全。 当他见到敌人带着刀剑来袭击，他们就要吹号，让城内的人及时反应，保存性命（结33:1-6）。 教会中需要有守望者，就是要有一批人借着祈祷在上帝面前警醒，为国家、教会、家庭及每位弟兄姐妹的灵命成长和复兴祷告。感谢天父在我们中间兴起许多守望者。自从1月2日起，教会早5点钟的晨更早祷会已经进行了两周，每次平均有十多位弟兄姐妹参加。其中包括一位奥克拉荷马的姐妹、一位特克萨卡纳的姐妹和一位西南浸信会神学院的神学生。上周六有16位弟兄姐妹。

          现在的形式基本是这样的：

1. 周一到周五早5: 00；周六早6: 00。每次一个小时。
2. 每天由一位弟兄或姐妹轮流带领。
3. 基本次序：
   • 一首诗歌
   • 一段经文
   • 3-5分钟简短分享
   • 分享代祷事项
   • （超过8个人后）分组祷告
   • 在早5:55返回到主会场，牧师作结束祷告大家同声说 “阿门” 后散会 。

        在过去十天中，我们深切感受到祈祷的力量。“以马内利”主与我们同在这句话变得更加真实。大家一起祈祷后，感觉心中有更多来自主的愛和火热去面对家庭、工作、生活和学习。我在这里分享两个祈祷蒙应允的小例子。小朋友第一天在学校不太听话、表现不太好。弟兄姐妹恳求为他代祷后，爸爸对待小朋友的态度有更多温柔，在愛心中讲真理，结果接下来的两天他在学校表现良好。另一件事是，教会VBS安排有困难，因为现在我们用的Building开始了Day Care每天下午6点放学。周三晨祷会11位守望者为此代祷。上帝垂听祷告。结果我一到教会，Arkansas Baptist Children & Family Ministries秘书Sherry就主动告诉我说：“我们的负责人Derek弟兄支持和鼓励你们教会举行VBS，只要时间从去年的下午5:00开始推迟5:30开始”。感谢主，上帝垂听祷告。

         关于晨祷会魏师母见证说：“赞美神回应了我们的祷告，让我们所有人都更加接近我们的天父，并感到更加平安和喜乐！ 谢谢主🙏❤️”

        詹姐妹说：“晨祷会真是太好了。我从前睡眠不好，现在睡眠可多了，能睡觉都是幸福的。自从参加晨祷后我心情特别好，而且一天都充满喜乐和平安！” 

        张弟兄说：“感恩圣灵的感召，带弟兄姐妹们一个一个的清晨来到主的宝座前支取主给我们的力量。求主继续保守我们下周的晨祷服侍蒙祂喜悦。”

        一位神学生说：“你们的热心服侍、恳切呼求对小弟兄是非常美好的祝福和激励！

谢谢你们！愿主赐下烈火来焚烧我们！炼净我们！使我们成为圣洁荣耀的器皿，一生为主，竭诚奉献，为主而活！愿主大大复兴小石城华人教会！膏抹每一位主的精兵！传扬福音，赢得灵魂！”

        参加晨祷会受益最大的是我们自己。我们越祷告越喜乐、越祷告越得释放、越祷告越得医治和自由。操练晨祷不是要改变别人，而是要改变自己。我们每次祷告不是要达成我们的目标，而是达成上帝的目标。我们不是问我们要怎样，而是要问上帝的旨意是什么，上帝要我们怎样。

         我们鼓励更多的弟兄姐妹加入到晨祷会的大军中来！如果你无法每天参加，欢迎你参加周六早六点的晨祷会；不用担心你的祷告词不够优美或动听，上帝喜悦的是心灵诚实的敬拜；不用担心你不会祷告，你参与的心就是讨上帝喜悦的最好祭物；不用担心你无法每天坚持，欢迎你随时参与！古人闻鸡起舞。今人效法大卫的榜样：“我趁天未亮呼求，我仰望了你的言语。我趁夜更未换，将眼睁，为要思想你的话语。求你照你的慈愛，听我的声音。耶和华啊，求你照你的典章将我救活”（诗119：147-9）。晨祷会唤醒自己、唤醒教会，带来复兴！愿上帝继续复兴和使用教会的晨祷会。