太十八18~19 ……凡你们在地上捆绑的，必是在诸天之上已经捆绑的；凡你们在地上释放的，必是在诸天之上已经释放的。我又实在告诉你们，你们中间若有两个人在地上，在他们所求的任何事上和谐一致，他们无论求什么，都必从我在诸天之上的父，得着成全。

　　〔马太十八章十八节〕的特点是说，地上的举动，在天上的举动之先；不是天上先捆绑，乃是地上先捆绑，不是天上先释放，乃是地上先释放。是在地上已经捆绑了，天上也捆绑；是在地上已经释放了，天上也释放。天上的举动，受地上的举动的支配。一切和神相反的都需要捆绑，一切和神相合的都需要释放；所有的事，不管它该受捆绑也好，不管它该被释放也好，那一个捆绑，那一个释放，是从地上起头的。地上的举动是在天上的举动之先，是地上支配天上（倪柝声文集第二辑第二册，一五二至一五三页）。

　　Matt. 18:18-19 …Whatever you bind on the earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on the earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Again, truly I say to you that if two of you are in harmony on earth concerning any matter for which they ask, it will be done for them from My Father who is in the heavens.

　　The special thing [about Matthew 18:18] is that there must be a move on earth before there is a move in heaven. It is not heaven that binds first but the earth that binds first. It is not heaven that looses first but the earth that looses first. After the earth binds, heaven binds; after the earth looses, heaven looses. The move in heaven is controlled by the move on earth. Everything contrary to God has to be bound, and everything in harmony with God has to be released. Everything, whether it is something to be bound or loosed, should have its binding or its loosing originate from the earth. The move on the earth precedes the move in heaven. The earth controls heaven. (CWWN, vol. 22, “The Prayer Ministry of the Church,” p. 138)

　　我们从几个旧约里的例子，来看地上如何支配了天上。……摩西在山顶上，他何时举手，以色列人就得胜；何时垂手，亚玛力人就得胜（出十七9~11）。山下的胜败，到底是谁定规的呢？是神出的主意呢，或者是摩西出的主意？……你要看见神工作的原则，神举动的秘诀：神所要作的，人如果不要作，神也不能作。你不能叫神作祂所不要作的，但你能拦阻神作祂所要作的。胜败，在天上是神定规的，但是在人面前是摩西定规的。在天上神要以色列人得胜，但在地上的摩西如果不举手，以色列人就失败，如果举手，以色列人就得胜。是地上支配了天上。

　　神有一个目的，就是要加增以色列家的人数，叫以色列人多起来如羊群一样。不认识神的人要说，神要加增以色列家的人数如羊群那么多，神要加就加好了，谁能拦阻祂呢？但是，在〔以西结三十六章三十七节〕有一句话，就是神说，祂要在这件事上被他们求问之后，才给他们成就。这一个原则是顶清楚的：神有一个旨意，神已经定规好了，但是神不能立刻作，神要等以色列人为这件事向神求问之后，神才替他们成就。神要地上来支配天上。

　　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！……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的。

　　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。……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！（倪柝声文集第二辑第二册，一五三至一五四、一五八页）

　　参读：教会祷告的职事，第一篇；倪柝声文集第一辑十一册，一四○至一四四页。

　　We can see how the earth controls heaven from a few cases in the Old Testament. When Moses was on the mountain, the Israelites won every time he raised his hands, and the Amalekites won every time he lowered his hands (Exo. 17:9-11). Who decided the victory at the bottom of the mountain? Did God decide or did Moses decide?.. We have to see God’s principle of work and the key to His move. God cannot do what He wants to do unless man wants it. We cannot make God do what He does not want to do, yet we can stop God from doing what He wants to do. The victory was decided by God in heaven, but the victory was decided by Moses before men. Truly, God in heaven wanted the Israelites to win, but if Moses had not raised his hands on earth, the Israelites would have lost. When he raised his hands, the Israelites won. The earth controls heaven.

　　God has a purpose to increase the number of the house of Israel so that the Israelites would increase like a flock. Those who do not know God will say, “If God wants to increase the number of the Israelites like a flock, He could go ahead and do it. Who could stop Him?” But Ezekiel 36:37 says that God must be inquired of first before He will accomplish it for them. This is a clear principle: Even though God decides on a matter, He will not do it immediately. He would increase the house of Israel only after they inquired of Him. He wants the earth to control heaven.

　　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! 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….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! (CWWN, vol. 22, “The Prayer Ministry of the Church,” pp. 138-139, 142)

　　Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 22, “The Prayer Ministry of the Church,” ch. 1; CWWN, vol. 11, pp. 774-777