西一9　所以，我们自从听见的日子，也就为你们不住地祷告祈求，愿你们在一切属灵的智慧和悟性上，充分认识神的旨意。

　　四12　…以巴弗问你们安；他在祷告中常为你们竭力奋斗，要你们得以成熟，站立得住，在神一切的旨意上满有确信。

　　在将来的永世里，人的意志虽然是自由的，但人的意志都是合乎神的旨意，没有一个意志是不服神的权柄的。但是在时间里，神受人的限制；…神要作得大，人要作得小；神要作得小，人要作得大；神竟然没有自由！在时间里，神的动作受了人的支配。这里所说的人是指着召会说的。在时间里，神所有的动作，是受召会的支配的，因为召会是代表将来在第二个永世里的人。召会在今天是为着神的旨意站在地上的，所以，召会今天如果赶得上神的旨意，神就不受限制；召会今天如果赶不上神的旨意，神就要受限制。神是要借着召会来作祂所要作的。（教会祷告的职事，七页。）

　　Col. 1:9 Therefore we also, since the day we heard of it, do not cease praying and asking on your behalf that you may be filled with the full knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

　　4:12 Epaphras…[is] always struggling on your behalf in his prayers that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

　　In eternity future, although man’s will is free, it will be in conformity to God’s will, and there will be no will that is not subordinate to God’s authority. However, in time, God is limited by man….God may want something to be big, yet man may want it to be small. Or God may want something to be small, yet man may want it to be big. God has no freedom at all! God’s move is controlled by man in time. This speaking is in reference to the church. All of God’s moves are limited by the church in time because the church represents man in eternity future. The church is standing on the earth today for God’s will. If the church comes up to the standard of God’s will, He will not be limited. But if it does not come up to the standard of His will, God will be limited. God is doing what He wants to do through the church. (CWWN, vol. 22, “The Prayer Ministry of the Church,” pp. 141-142)

　　今天召会是预先站在永世里的人所站的地位上。那个时候人的意志虽然是自由的，但他是完全站在神永远的旨意一边的。召会今天是预先站在那个地位上。神在永世里怎样能够借着新耶路撒冷—羔羊的妻—来显明祂自己，神今天也能借着基督的身体来显明祂自己。召会虽然有一个自由的意志，但是召会是把她的意志服在神的权柄之下，好像在神的旨意以外没有另外一个自由意志一样，神要怎么作就怎么作。今天因着召会把她的意志完全摆在神的旨意之下，神就好像在永世里一样，好像在宇宙中没有第二个意志来反对祂一样。这是神的荣耀！

　　所以我们要看见召会在神面前所站的地位，我们不能把召会拉低到一个地步说，召会不过是聚会而已。不！召会是一班人蒙宝血所救赎，被圣灵所重生，同时将自己交在神的手里，乐意接受神的旨意，乐意遵行神的旨意，乐意为着神站在地上来维持神的见证。

　　我们必须看见，神今天作事有一个定律，就是因着地上有自由意志的缘故，神不肯用祂自己的旨意来抹煞人。弟兄姊妹，你不要以为奇怪，这是事实。神是在天上，而祂今天在地上所要作的一切事，都得先有地上的意志这样定规，这样赞成，然后祂才有所举动。祂不肯不顾地上的意志，祂不肯剥夺地上的意志而有单独的举动。所有和祂发生关系的事，都得有地上的意志来与神合作，神才作。是地上要作，所以神作；是地上定规，所以神作。神必须得着人的意志与祂的旨意和谐，这一种和谐的意志，是神极大的荣耀！

　　我们已经说了，一切的事，神都有祂的旨意，但是神自己并不单独有举动，并不单独来作。神有了旨意，还得有地上的自由意志响应神的旨意，神才有所举动。如果只有天上的，神就不举动；等到地上也要这个的时候，天上的举动就也成功在地上。这就是我们今天所说的召会的职事。弟兄姊妹，你要知道，召会的职事不只是传福音—不是说不要传福音，是说召会的职事不只是传福音—召会的职事是要将天上的旨意带到地上来。（教会祷告的职事，七至九页。）

　　参读：教会祷告的职事，第一篇。

　　Today the church is taking the position that man will take in eternity. Then, even though man’s will is free, it will stand completely on the side of God’s eternal will. The church is taking that position ahead of time. Just as God will express Himself in eternity through the New Jerusalem, the Lamb’s wife, He also is expressing Himself today through the Body of Christ. Although the church has a free will, it submits this will to God’s authority as if no other will existed. This allows God to do whatever He wants to do. When the church places its will under God’s will today, He will move in the same way that He will in eternity; He will move as if no other will were opposing Him. This is a glory to God!

　　Now we can see the church’s position before God. We cannot make the church so low by suggesting that it is merely a meeting. No, the church is a group of people who have been redeemed by the blood, who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, who have committed themselves to God’s hand, and who are willing to take God’s will, do His will, and stand for God on earth for the sake of maintaining His testimony.

　　We have to see that God works according to a law. Since there is free will on earth, God will not annul man by His own will. Brothers and sisters, do not think that this is a strange thing. This is a fact. God is in heaven. Yet all His works on earth can be accomplished only when there is a will on earth that agrees with and decides to do the works. He will not put aside man’s will on earth. He will not usurp man’s will on earth and act independently. Everything related to Him can be accomplished only when there is a will on earth that cooperates with Him. When the earth works, God works. When the earth decides, God acts. God must have man’s will in harmony with His will. This harmony in will is a great glory to God!

　　We have said that God has a will for everything. Yet God does not act independently; He will not do anything by Himself. Even though God has a will, He wants the free will on earth to echo His will before He does anything. If there is only a will in heaven, God will not move. The heavenly move is accomplished on earth only when the earth wants the same thing as heaven. Today this is called the ministry of the church. Brothers and sisters, the ministry of the church is not only the preaching of the gospel. This does not mean that we should not preach the gospel; it means that the ministry of the church is not merely the preaching of the gospel. The ministry of the church is to bring the will in heaven to earth. (CWWN, vol. 22, “The Prayer Ministry of the Church,” pp. 142-143)

　　Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 22, “The Prayer Ministry of the Church,” ch. 1