诗歌：大本560首

读经：可十一20~24

Scripture Reading: Mark 11:20-24

　　太六9~10　　…你们要这样祷告：我们在诸天之上的父，愿你的名被尊为圣，愿你的国来临，愿你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。

　　犹20　　亲爱的，你们却要在至圣的信仰上建造自己，在圣灵里祷告。

　　弗六17~18　　…借着各样的祷告和祈求，…时时在灵里祷告，并尽力坚持，在这事上儆醒，且为众圣徒祈求。

　　祷告的意义是什么？许多人一听见祷告这一个辞，马上就领会说，祷告就是人来求告神，祷告就是因为人这里有了缺乏，需要物质的供应；或者有了疾病，需要医治；或者有了其他的难处，需要解决，所以就到神面前去求告，求神供应，求神医治，求神解决。人以为说，这些就叫作祷告。…这个定义虽然不敢说错，但是太浅显，不够深刻，也不够准确。

　　祷告不光是人来接触神，祷告乃是人和神彼此的接触。神、人接触的这一件事是圣经里一个太大的题目。…人活着乃是为着作神的器皿。在宇宙中，神是人的内容，人是神的器皿。若是没有人，神就没有地方安放祂自己，神就是一位无家可归的神。我不懂得为什么这样，我只知道事实是这样。在宇宙中神最需要的就是人。就着神自己来说，祂本身是完全的；但是就着神在宇宙里的故事来说，祂自己还需要人来配合（祷告，七至九页）。

　　Matt. 6:9-10 …Pray in this way: Our Father who is in the heavens, Your name be sanctified; Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth.

　　Jude 20 But you, beloved, building up yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

　　Eph. 6:18 By means of all prayer and petition, praying at every time in spirit and watching unto this in all perseverance and petition…

　　What is the meaning of prayer? Many people, upon hearing the term prayer, immediately think that it means man coming before God to make supplication. Because man is in want and needs material supply, or is sick and needs healing, or has other problems and needs some solution, he goes before God, asking Him to supply his needs, heal his sickness, and solve his problems. Men consider these as prayers… We dare not say that such a definition is wrong, but it is too superficial and lacks both depth and accuracy.

　　Prayer is not just man contacting God; it is the mutual contact between man and God. This matter of the contact between God and man is a very great subject in the Bible… The purpose of man’s living is to be God’s vessel. In the universe God is man’s content, and man is God’s container. Without man, God has no place to put Himself—He becomes a homeless God. I do not understand why this is so, but I know that it is a fact. In the universe God’s greatest need is man. God as an entity in Himself is complete, but as far as His operation in the universe is concerned, He still needs man to fulfill that operation. (CWWL, 1959, vol. 4, “Lessons on Prayer,” pp. 17-18)

　　神…在人的深处给人造一个灵…，就是要叫人能接受祂这位是灵的神。这正如神要人接受食物，就给人造一个胃一样。请你想想看，假使神不给人造一个胃，我们怎样能接受食物呢？食物所以能接受到我们里面，给我们享受，并且消化作我们的成分，就是因为我们有一个胃。同样，…我们里头有了一个灵，所以就能把神接受到我们里面，吸取神作我们的成分。

　　创世记头两章里面，神创造人，要人作祂的器皿，就是作了这两步的准备。一步是叫人像祂，一步是叫人里头有一个灵来接受祂。等这两步都准备好了，祂就把自己以一棵生命树的方式摆在人的跟前，好叫人接受祂，得着祂作生命。弟兄姊妹，就在这里需要一个神、人接触的故事。神、人一接触，神就进到人里面作人的内容，人也就作了祂的一个器皿，在外面彰显祂，神永远的心意在人身上就达到了。

　　请大家记得，真实的祷告，就是神人二者互相的接触。祷告不光是人来接触神，也是神来接触人。任何一个祷告，若没有人碰着神，和神接触，也没有神碰着人，和人接触，这一个祷告就不是一个够得上水平的祷告。每一个够得上水平的祷告，定规是神人二者交流，互相接触的祷告。神和人就如同电流一样，是彼此交流的。你很难说祷告是单方面的神在人里面，或者是单方面的人在神里面。按着事实和经历说，祷告就是神人交流。一个真实够得上水平的祷告，定规会有一种光景，神人二者互相交流，叫人触着神，也叫神触着人；叫人和神有联结，叫神也和人有联结。所以祷告最高、最准确的一个定义，就是神人互相接触（祷告，一○至一一页）。

　　参读：祷告，第一篇。

　　God create[d] a spirit for man in the depths of his being… because God wants man to receive Him, who is Spirit. In the same way, He created a stomach for man because He wants man to take in food. Consider this: suppose God did not create a stomach for man—how could we take in food? Because we have a stomach, we can receive food into us, enjoy it, digest it, and assimilate it into our being, making it our constituent. In the same manner, since we have a spirit within us, we can receive God into us and assimilate Him, making Him our very constituent.

　　In the first two chapters of Genesis, when God created man to be His vessel, He made these two steps of preparation: one step was to create man to be like Him, and the other was to put a spirit within man so that man might receive Him. After He had made these two preparations, He placed Himself before man in the form of the tree of life in order that man might receive Him and obtain Him as life. Brothers and sisters, it is in man’s spirit that the contact between God and man is made. Once there is such a contact between God and man, God enters into man to be his content, and man becomes God’s vessel to express Him outwardly. Thus, God’s eternal intention is fulfilled in man.

　　Please remember, real prayer is the mutual contact between God and man. Prayer is not just man contacting God but also God contacting man. If in prayer man does not touch or contact God, and God does not touch or contact man, that prayer is below the proper standard. Every prayer that is up to the standard is one which is a mutual flow and contact between God and man. God and man are just like electric currents flowing into one another. It is hard to say that prayer is solely God in man or solely man in God. According to the fact and experience, prayer is the flowing between God and man. Every prayer that is truly up to the standard surely will have a condition of mutual flowing between God and man so that man may actually touch God and God may actually touch man; thus, man is united with God, and God with man. Therefore, the highest and most accurate meaning of prayer is that it is the mutual contact between God and man. (CWWL, 1959, vol. 4, “Lessons on Prayer,” pp. 19-20)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1959, vol. 4, “Lessons on Prayer,” ch. 1

　　罗八26~27　　…那灵也照样帮同担负我们的软弱；我们本不晓得当怎样祷告，只是那灵亲自…为我们代求。那鉴察人心的，晓得那灵的意思，因为祂是照着神为圣徒代求。

　　雅五17　　以利亚是与我们性情相同的人，他恳切祷告…。

　　一个真实的祷告，也是人来呼吸神，如同呼吸空气一样。当你这样呼吸神的时候，自然地就得着神，如同呼吸空气，得着空气一样；…你祷告越多，你充满神就越多；同时你降服神，归向神，给神得着也就越多。倘若你一周不祷告，甚至一个月不祷告，你这个人离神就相当远了。…就是你得不着这位神，神也得不着你这个人。你若要再得着神，并且再给神得着，除了祷告之外没有别的路。你祷告三两分钟还不够，必须祷告再祷告，一直祷告到呼吸着神，这个人给神得着了，神也给你得着了。…一个…祷告，虽然可能求一件事也得到成全，但最终的结果乃是叫这一个祈求的人更摸着神，也让神更得着他（祷告，一一至一二页）。

　　Rom. 8:26-27 …The Spirit also joins in to help us in our weakness, for we do not know for what we should pray as is fitting, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us… But He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to God.

　　James 5:17 Elijah was a man of like feeling with us, and he earnestly prayed…

　　A real prayer is also man breathing in God just as he breathes in air. While you are thus breathing in God, spontaneously you are obtaining God, just as when you breathe in air, you receive air… The more you pray, the more you will be filled with God, and the more you will surrender yourself to God and be gained by Him. If you do not pray for a week or, even worse, a month, then you will be quite far from God,… [which] means that you cannot obtain God and be obtained by Him. The only remedy for this situation is to pray. And it is not enough to pray for only two or three minutes; you must pray again and again until you have actually breathed God and are actually obtained by God, and God by you… The ultimate result of a prayer should be that the intercessor gains more of God and is gained more by God, although the thing which he has asked of God may also be fulfilled. (CWWL, 1959, vol. 4, “Lessons on Prayer,” pp. 20-21)

　　一个弟兄或是姊妹，若真学会了…祷告的秘诀，自然…他这一个祷告的人定规是和神合作，与神同工的，也定规让神从他里面，借着他把神自己和神的心意发表出来，最终成功了神的旨意。这就是罗马八章二十六至二十七节所说的，我们本不晓得当怎样祷告，乃是圣灵照着神的旨意为我们代求。真的，我们本不晓得当怎样祷告。我们顶多只懂得人平常所说的求告，圣经里头所说的祷告我们一点不懂得。…够水平、摸着神心意的祷告，我们…不晓得，这就是我们的软弱。

　　真实的祷告，都是双层人物的祷告。…不是人自己在那里祷告神，乃是圣灵调在人里头、穿着人、带着人和人一起来祷告。从外面看是人祷告，从里面看却又是圣灵祷告。这就是两层的人物在同一个时候发表同一个祷告。

　　〔雅各书五章十七节〕里的恳切祷告，希腊原文的意思是他用祷告来祷告，或者说他在祷告里来祷告。这是圣经里一个很特别的说法。…当以利亚在那里祷告的时候，他是用一个祷告来祷告，或者说他是在一个祷告里来祷告。换句话说，他是用圣灵在他里面的那个祷告来祷告。因此以利亚的祷告，可以说就是神在以利亚里面求告祂自己。慕安得烈弟兄曾说过，一个真实的祷告，乃是住在我们里面的基督，祷告那坐在宝座上的基督。这句话听起来很特别，好像是基督求告基督自己，但在我们的经历中的确是这样。

　　罗马八章二十七节…说，“那灵…照着神…代求。”意思就是圣灵在我们里面照着神来祷告，也就是神借着祂的灵在我们里面来祷告，所以这一个祷告定规是发表神自己，当然也发表神的心意。

　　真实的祷告定规是叫我们这个人和神完全调和…。你祷告就是祂祷告，祂祷告也就是你祷告。祂在你里面祷告，你就在外面祷告。祂和你里外完全合一，并且还同时祷告。在这时候你和神二者不能分开，已经调成一个了。结果你不光是与神合作，还是和神同工，叫神的自己和祂的心意借着你发表出来，最终叫神的旨意得着完成。这就是圣经中要有的真实祷告（祷告，一四至一六页）。

　　参读：祷告，第二篇。

　　If a brother or sister has really learned the secret of prayer,… spontaneously… such a praying one will certainly cooperate with God, work together with God, and allow God to express Himself and His desire from within him and through him, ultimately accomplishing God’s purpose. This is according to Romans 8:26 and 27, which tell us that we do not know for what we should pray as is fitting, but the Holy Spirit intercedes for us according to God’s purpose. Actually, we do not know how to pray. We know what people ordinarily call supplication, but we know little about the prayer that is spoken of in the Scriptures… We do not know those prayers that touch God’s desire and are up to the standard. This is our weakness.

　　Real prayers are prayers involving two parties. They are not simply man alone praying to God, but they are the Spirit mingling with man, putting on man, and joining with man in prayer. Outwardly it is man praying, but inwardly it is the Spirit praying. This means that two parties express the same prayer at the same time.

　　[In James 5:17] earnestly prayed in Greek means “prayed with prayer,” or “prayed in prayer.” This is a very peculiar expression in the Bible… When Elijah was praying, he was praying with, or in, a prayer. In other words, he prayed with the prayer of the Spirit within him. Thus, we can say that Elijah’s prayer was God praying to Himself in Elijah. Andrew Murray once said that a real prayer is the Christ who indwells us praying to the Christ who is sitting on the throne. That Christ would be praying to Christ Himself sounds strange, but in our experience this is really the case.

　　[In Romans 8:27] the Spirit…intercedes…according to God… means that the Holy Spirit prays in us according to God; that is, God prays in us through His Spirit. Thus, such a prayer certainly expresses God’s intention as well as God Himself.

　　Real prayers will certainly cause our being to be wholly mingled with God… When you pray, it is He praying, and when He prays, it is also you praying. When He prays within you, you express the prayer outwardly. He and you are altogether one, inside and outside; He and you both pray at the same time. At that time you and God cannot be separated, being mingled as one. Consequently, you not only cooperate with God but also work together with God so that God Himself and His desire may be expressed through you, thus ultimately accomplishing God’s purpose. This is the real prayer that is required of us in the Bible. (CWWL, 1959, vol. 4, “Lessons on Prayer,” pp. 22-23)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1959, vol. 4, “Lessons on Prayer,” ch. 2

　　太二一21~22　　…我实在告诉你们，你们若有信心，不疑惑，不但能行无花果树上所发生的事，就是对这座山说，你得挪开，投在海里，也必成就。你们祷告，无论求什么，只要信，就必得着。

　　第一个神人〔主耶稣〕在咒诅无花果树，而使其立刻枯干的事上，教导门徒如何凭信心祷告（太二一18~22，可十一20~24）。…没有多少人看见，主关于祷告的教训是与神的经纶有关，而神的经纶是借着祂忠信的子民遵行祂的旨意才得以完成。…神人基督…是唯一在神面前绝对是对的人。要有这样的祷告，我们这个人必须是对的，是遵行神旨意的。这是神的旨意，但不是在小事上，诸如我们该搬到哪里，乃是在祂大的旨意上，为着完成神的经纶。今天许多基督徒很肤浅、轻率地使用“神的旨意”这辞。我们应当是实行神旨意，以完成神经纶的人。神的经纶是要为着祂的喜悦产生一个生机体。以色列人在这事上使神失望，所以神临到召会，盼望召会能作祂的生机体。至终，一般地说，召会也使神失望了。什么是我们必须完成的神真实的旨意？乃是顾到产生并建造神的生机体，就是基督的身体，终极完成新耶路撒冷（李文集一九九四至一九九七年第三册，七二五至七二六页）。

　　Matt. 21:21-22 …Truly I say to you, If you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea, it will happen. And all that you ask in prayer, if you believe, you will receive.

　　In cursing the fig tree so that it instantly dried up, the first God-man taught His disciples how to pray by faith (Matt. 21:18-22; Mark 11:20-24). Not many see that the Lord’s teaching on prayer is related to God’s economy, which is to be accomplished by His faithful people doing His will… The God-man, Christ,… is the only One who is absolutely right before God. To pray such a prayer we must be right persons doing God’s will. This is God’s will not in small matters, such as where we should move, but His great will for the accomplishment of God’s economy. Many Christians today use the term the will of God in a very shallow and light way. We should be those who are carrying out God’s will to accomplish God’s economy. God’s economy is to produce an organism for His good pleasure. Israel disappointed God in this matter, so God came to the church, hoping that the church would be His organism. Eventually, the church, generally speaking, has also failed God. What is the real will of God that we have to carry out? It is to take care of the producing and building up of God’s organism, which is the Body of Christ that will consummate the New Jerusalem. (CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 3, “The God-man Living,” p. 578)

　　无花果树是以色列国的象征（耶二四2、5、8）。…以色列国由于腐败，失去了她完成神经纶的性能。在启示录二章，在主给以弗所这第一个召会的头一封书信里说，因为在那里的召会失去了照耀出耶稣之见证的性能，所以主要把她的灯台挪去（5）。在古时，同样的事发生在以色列国身上。事实上，以色列国原是灯台，由神所设立，站立在全地照耀出神的见证（亚四2），但由于以色列国的腐败，她失去了这性能。…因着…以色列人…的光景…是不结果子，只有叶子，所以神定意要放弃他们（太二一33~43）。主在他们中间尽职事三年半。…但这职事对神所拣选的国民并没有果效，所以神定意要放弃他们。…主耶稣在神眼中是对的，知道神的心，所以祂对无花果树的咒诅，乃是照着祂对神要完成祂经纶之旨意的认识，祂知道神要放弃腐败的以色列国（19）。…根据这个背景，第一个神人〔主耶稣〕教导门徒凭着信心祷告，好按照神的经纶，执行祂的旨意（21~22）。

　　因此，祷告者能在神里面有信心，毫不疑惑，并且信他所求的已经得着了，就必得着（可十一24）。祷告者现在与神是一，与神联结。他与神一直调和，所以神成了他的信心。这就是按照主在马可十一章二十二节的话，在神里面有信心的意思。

　　如果我们求主，要得着一些满足我们愿望的东西，我们就不会得着什么。这是因为我们的祷告不是按照神的旨意，以完成神的经纶；我们也不是一个对的人。第一，我们必须是对的人，完全与神是一。…然后我们才能有神作我们的信心，并且能按着我们对神旨意的认识祷告，以完成祂的经纶。我们的祷告若是照着我们的意愿，而不是照着神的旨意，为着达到我们的目的，而不是完成神的经纶，我们就绝不会在神里面有信心，相信我们已经得着我们所求的（李文集一九九四至一九九七年第三册，七二六至七二八、七三一页）。

　　参读：神人的生活，第十六篇；马可福音生命读经，第三十五篇。

　　The fig tree is a symbol of the nation of Israel (Jer. 24:2, 5, 8)… The nation of Israel lost her capacity in fulfilling God’s economy because of her rottenness. In Revelation 2 the Lord’s first epistle to the first church, at Ephesus, says that because the church there lost her capacity to shine forth the testimony of Jesus, the Lord would remove her lampstand (v. 5). The same thing occurred to Israel in the ancient time. Actually, Israel was a lampstand, established by God to stand on the whole earth to shine forth God’s testimony (Zech. 4:2), but she lost this capacity because of her rottenness. Because the people of Israel’s condition of not bearing fruit but having only leaves still remained after the first God-man’s ministry among them, God intended to give them up (Matt. 21:33-43). The Lord ministered among them for three and a half years,… but [His ministry] had no effect on this nation chosen by God, so God intended to give them up. The Lord Jesus, who is right in the eyes of God, knows God’s heart, so His cursing the fig tree was according to His knowledge of God’s will in the fulfillment of God’s economy to give up the rotten Israel (v. 19). Based upon this background, the first God-man taught His disciples to pray for executing God’s will according to His economy by faith (vv. 21-22).

　　Thus, the praying one could have faith in God without doubting but believing that he had received what he asked for, and he would have it (Mark 11:24). The praying one is now one with God, in union with God. He is mingled with God, so God becomes his faith. This is what it means to have faith in God, according to the Lord’s word in Mark 11:22.

　　If we ask the Lord for things that satisfy our desire, we will not receive anything. This is because our prayer is not according to God’s will for the fulfillment of God’s economy, and we are not the right persons. First, we must be the right persons, absolutely one with God… Then we can have God as our faith and pray according to our knowledge of God’s will for the fulfillment of His economy. If we pray for something according to our desire, not according to God’s will, to fulfill our purpose, not to fulfill God’s economy, we can never have the faith in God to believe that we have received what we asked for. (CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 3, “The God-man Living,” pp. 579-580, 582)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 3, “The God-man Living,” ch. 16; Life-study of Mark, msg. 35

　　可十一22~24　　耶稣回答说，你们要信神。我实在告诉你们，无论谁对这座山说，你得挪开，投在海里，他若心里不疑惑，只信他所说的成了，就必给他成了。…凡你们祷告祈求的，无论是什么，只要信已经得着了，就必得着。

　　〔马可十一章二十四节〕的应许非常包罗。这是圣经中最大的经节之一。约翰三章十六节有“一切…的”，指所有人；这里有“凡…的”，指所有事。约翰福音说，“一切信入祂的…得永远的生命”；这里说，“凡你们祷告祈求的，…就必得着。”所以这是非常包罗的经节；“凡”包括一切事。但这节有一个条件：我们必须相信。我们若没有信心，就得不着所祈求的。这一节不仅告诉我们信心的必需，也告诉我们信心的性质（倪柝声文集第二辑第二十六册，一○六页）。

　　Mark 11:22-24 And Jesus answered and said to them, Have faith in God. Truly I say to you that whoever says to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says happens, he will have it… All things that you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and you will have them.

　　The promise of Mark 11:24 is very comprehensive. It is one of the biggest verses in the Bible. John 3:16 speaks of “everyone,” but this verse speaks of “all things.” John 3:16 tells us that “everyone who believes into Him… would have eternal life”; Mark 11:24 tells us that “all things that you pray and ask… you will have them.” This is a very comprehensive verse; “all things” includes everything. But this verse has a condition: we must believe. If we do not have faith, we cannot have what we ask for. This verse not only tells us of the necessity of faith but also the nature of faith. (CWWN, vol. 46, p. 1211)

　　信心的性质…不是…信心的必需—那是显而易见的。但问题乃是如何相信，〔马可十一章二十四节〕是回答这问题唯一的经节。“信已经得着了，就必得着。”我们要怎样信？“信已经得着了。”…相信的路不是相信我要得着，或我能得着，或我将要得着，乃是我已经得着。这就是信心—我已经得着了，不是我有一天将要得着。我用全心相信，说我能得着，或我将要得着，这是…盼望，不是信心。…将来的事总是盼望，不是信心。我们的主不是说，你必须相信你要得着，乃是你必须相信你已经得着了。这是神已经作成的，是神赐给我的。每当我们的信心放在将来，这就不是信心，而是盼望（倪柝声文集第二辑第二十六册，一○六至一○七页）。

　　我们就来看，何谓活的信心。你知道何谓活的信心，才能用活的信心去信。…“信”这个字谁都知道，但是好多人的信并不是信，他们的信一点也不发生效力。圣经告诉我们说，旧人已经死了。好多人说，我信；但他们的信不发生效力，他们不见得已经死了。

　　好多人的信不过是头脑的赞成，并非心中的相信。他们头脑赞成这是对的，是有道理的。弟兄姊妹，千万别把这个当作信心，这只是头脑的信而已。你听了道理以后，就说，这道理好得很，真有理。但你知道道理好，未必是信道理。

　　马可十一章二十四节…是全部圣经里唯一的一处，告诉人信是信在哪里。…信心就是信我是已经得着了。…只有一种的信心，是神所接受的。马可十一章二十四节的“已经”，是一个最紧要的字眼。信“已经”得着，就必得着。假若你盼望要得着，这并非信心。

　　信…乃是〔罪人〕在祷告之后，回答你说，“感谢神，我的罪因主的缘故，都赦免了！感谢神，我已经得救了！”也许他的眼泪跟着掉下来了。这就是信心。…不是信罪能赦免，也不是信罪将得赦免，乃是信罪已得赦免了。…许多人在得救时知道何谓信心，就是信已经得救了，不是将要赦免，将要得救。但是等到以后，听到第二步的真理时，却把以前的信心，又掉了一个头。在得救时，知道相信已经得救；但是第二步的真理，却信将要。…得救了之后，对于基督其他方面的工作，却把信心调走了（倪柝声文集第二辑第二十三册，一一九至一二二页）。

　　参读：倪柝声文集第二辑第二十六册，第一百七十九至一百八十篇；第二十三册，第七十四篇；第一辑第六册，信心的根源；第二辑第二十一册，第十一篇。

　　The nature of faith… [is not] the necessity of faith—this is apparent. The question is about how to believe, and [Mark 11:24] is the only verse which answers this question. “Believe that you have received them, and you will have them.” How should we believe? “Believe that you have received.” The way to believe is not that we will receive or can receive or that we are able to receive or are going to receive, but that we already have received. Faith is that we have received, not that we will receive one day… Believing with all our heart that we can receive or that we are going to receive… is hope, not faith… What is in the future is always hope, not faith. Our Lord did not say, “You must believe that you are going to receive.” On the contrary, He said, “You must believe that you have already received.” It is something already done by God, something given to us by God. Whenever our faith is in the future, it is not faith but hope. (CWWN, vol. 46, p. 1211)

　　Let us consider the meaning of a living faith. Only after we know what a living faith is can we exercise this faith… Everyone knows the word faith, but the faith of many people is not truly faith; their faith does not produce any effect on them. The Bible tells us that the old man is dead. Many people say that they believe this, but their faith is not effectual. They do not seem to have died at all.

　　To many people, faith is merely a mental consent; it is not a genuine believing in the heart. In their mind they agree that something is good and logical. Brothers and sisters, never consider this as faith; this is merely a mental reckoning. After one hears a doctrine, he may appreciate its excellence and logic. But knowing a good doctrine does not mean that one has faith in the doctrine.

　　Mark 11:24… is the only place in the entire Bible that tells us what faith is… Faith is believing that we have already received… Only one kind of faith is acceptable to God. The word have in Mark 11:24 is a very important word. If we believe that we have received something, we will have it. If we hope that we will receive it, whatever we have is not faith.

　　[Faith] is saying, after [a sinner] prays, “Thank God, my sins have all been forgiven by the Lord! Thank God, I am already saved!” Perhaps he will say this with tears in his eyes. This is faith… It is not believing that our sins can be forgiven or will be forgiven but believing that our sins are forgiven. Many people are clear at the time of their salvation what faith is. They believe that they are already saved, not that they will be saved or forgiven. But when they hear the next step of the truth, they give up the faith that they had before. At the time they are saved, they believe that they have already received. But when it comes to the next step of the truth, they can only believe that they will receive… After they are saved, they have no faith concerning Christ’s work in the other areas. (CWWN, vol. 43, pp. 628-631)

　　Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 46, chs. 179-180; CWWN, vol. 43, ch. 74; CWWN, vol. 6, pp. 879-885; CWWN, vol. 41, ch. 14

　　太十八18　　…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。

　　弗六12~13　　…我们并不是与血肉之人摔跤，乃是与…管辖这黑暗世界的、…邪恶的属灵势力摔跤。…要拿起神全副的军装，使你们在邪恶的日子能以抵挡，并且作成了一切，还能站立得住。

　　在圣经中有一个最高…最属灵的祷告，…就是“权柄的祷告”。…权柄的祷告就是吩咐的祷告。这一种祷告乃是圣经中最紧要、最属灵的祷告。这一种祷告乃是权柄的代表，乃是权柄的命令。

　　你如果要学习作一个祷告的人，就必须学习权柄的祷告。这一种祷告，就是主在马太十八章十八节所说的。…这里有一种的祷告是捆绑的祷告，又有一种的祷告是释放的祷告。天上的举动，是凭着地上的举动，天上是听地上的话的，是听地上的吩咐的。在地上所捆绑的，在天上也要捆绑；在地上所释放的，在天上也要释放。不是地上祈求，乃是地上捆绑；不是地上祈求，乃是地上释放。这就是权柄的祷告。

　　以赛亚四十五章十一节有一句话说，“你们可以吩咐我。”…我们怎么敢吩咐神呢？这真是太胆大了。但这是神自己说的。…按神看，我们是可以吩咐神的，是可以发命令的。这种祷告，是每一个专一学习祷告的人都需要学习的（倪柝声文集第二辑第二册，二二四至二二五页）。

　　Matt. 18:18 …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.

　　Eph. 6:12-13 …Our wrestling is not against blood and flesh but against…the world-rulers of this darkness,… the spiritual forces of evil… Take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

　　The Bible contains a most lofty and spiritual prayer… It is the “prayer of authority.”… A prayer of authority is a commanding prayer. This is the most crucial and most spiritual prayer in the Bible. This kind of prayer is a sign of authority and a declaration of authority.

　　If you want to be a man of prayer, you have to learn to pray with authority. This kind of prayer is described by the Lord in Matthew 18:18… In this verse, there is a prayer that is called a binding prayer and a prayer that is called a loosing prayer. The move in heaven is dependent on the move on earth. Heaven listens to the earth and obeys the command of the earth. Whatever the earth binds will be bound in heaven, and whatever the earth looses will be loosed in heaven. The earth does not pray; it binds and looses. This is to pray with authority.

　　Isaiah 45:11 has the phrase, “Command Me.” How can we command God? This appears too presumptuous. But this is God’s own word.… As far as God is concerned, we can order Him, and we can command Him. Everyone who endeavors to learn to pray must learn this kind of prayer. (CWWN, vol. 22, “The Prayer Ministry of the Church,” p. 191)

　　〔吩咐的祷告〕是从主升天起头的。升天，在我们每一个基督徒的生活中是顶有关系的。…〔升天〕要叫你得胜。因为基督的死是解决我们在亚当里的旧造，复活是领我们进入新造。…在神面前的新地位，是借着主的复活得着的。在撒但面前的新地位，乃是借着基督的升天得着的。以弗所一章二十至二十二节说，基督升天，神叫祂坐在自己的右边，就是要叫基督“远超过一切执政的、掌权的、有能的、主治的、以及一切受称之名，不但是今世的，连来世的也都在内”。不只这样，神又“将万有服在祂的脚下”。基督升天的时候，从空中打出了一条路一直通到天上，从此叫祂的召会也能从地上上到天上。我们知道，那属灵的仇敌是住在空中的；今天基督既已升到天上，所以从地上到天上就开了一条新路。这一条路本来是被撒但所包围了的，现在基督来开了一条路到天上，就远超过一切执政的、掌权的、有能的、主治的以及一切受称之名，不但是今世的，连来世的也都在内。这是基督今天的地位。换句话说，神叫撒但和他的部属都服在基督的脚下，连万有也服在基督的脚下了。

　　二章说“坐”（6）；六章就说“站立得住”，就是站在天上的地位上，“…并且作成了一切，还能站立得住。”（13）我们的争战是与鬼魔争战，所以是属灵的争战。…十八至十九节说，“时时在灵里祷告，并尽力坚持，在这事上儆醒，且为众圣徒祈求，也替我祈求。”这是属灵争战的祷告。这一种的祷告，与普通的祷告大不相同。普通的祷告是从地上祷告到天上去；这里的祷告，不是从地上祷告上去，乃是站在天上的地位，从天上祷告到地上来。权柄的祷告，乃是以天上为起点，以地上为终点的（倪柝声文集第二辑第二册，二二六至二二八页）。

　　参读：教会祷告的职事，第四篇。

　　[Commanding] prayer began from the time the Lord ascended to the heavenlies. Ascension is very much related to our Christian life… Ascension makes us victorious. The death of Christ dealt with the old creation in Adam, while resurrection brought us into the new creation… A new position before God was secured through the Lord’s resurrection, while a new position before Satan was secured through the Lord’s ascension. Ephesians 1:20-22 says that when Christ ascended, God caused Him to sit at His right hand and made Him “far above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” Furthermore, God “subjected all things under His feet.” When Christ ascended, He opened up a way through “the air” to the heavenlies. From that day on, His church has been able to go from the earth to the heavenlies. We know that spiritual enemies dwell in “the air.” But today Christ has ascended to the heavenlies. A way from the earth to the heavenlies is now opened. This way was originally blocked by Satan. Now Christ has opened up a way to the heavenlies and has transcended far above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come. This is Christ’s position today. In other words, God has put Satan and his subjects under Christ’s feet; all things are under His feet.

　　Ephesians 2 mentions sitting, while chapter 6 mentions standing; we stand in our position in the heavenlies:… “and having done all, to stand” (Eph. 6:13). Our warfare is against the demons. Hence, it is a spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6:18-19 says, “By means of all prayer and petition, praying at every time in spirit and watching unto this in all perseverance and petition concerning all the saints, and for me.” This is a prayer concerning spiritual warfare. This kind of prayer is different from ordinary prayer. Ordinary prayer is directed from earth to heaven. But the prayer here is not from earth to heaven; it begins from a heavenly position and goes from heaven to earth. A prayer with authority has heaven as its starting point and the earth as its destination. (CWWN, vol. 22, “The Prayer Ministry of the Church,” pp. 192-194)

　　Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 22, “The Prayer Ministry of the Church,” ch. 4

　　可十一23~24　　我实在告诉你们，无论谁对这座山说，你得挪开，投在海里，他若心里不疑惑，只信他所说的成了，就必给他成了。所以我告诉你们，凡你们祷告祈求的，无论是什么，只要信已经得着了，就必得着。

　　权柄的祷告…就是马可十一章里的祷告。…二十四节的话…是与二十三节连起来的…，可见二十三节也是说到祷告的事。希奇的就是在这里不像普通的祷告，这里不是对神说，“神啊，求你把这座山挪开此地投在海里。”…主不是叫我们对神说，乃是叫我们面向山，…直接对山说，“你得挪开，投在海里。”主恐怕我们以为这不是祷告，所以在二十四节就来解释说，这也是祷告。…这就是权柄的祷告。权柄的祷告，不是求神作什么，乃是用神的权柄，把神的权柄拿来直接对付难处，直接对付那该除去的事。这种祷告，是每一个得胜者所必须学习的。每一个得胜者必须学会如何直接对山说话（倪柝声文集第二辑第二册，二三○页）。

　　Mark 11:23-24 Truly I say to you that whoever says to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says happens, he will have it. For this reason I say to you, All things that you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and you will have them.

　　Praying with authority… is praying the prayer of Mark 11… Verse 24 is joined to verse 23. Verse 24 mentions prayer. This proves that verse 23 must also concern prayer. The strange thing is that verse 23 does not sound like an ordinary prayer. The Lord did not tell us to pray, “God, please move the mountain and cast it into the sea.”… The Lord… did not tell us to speak to God; He told us to turn to the mountain and to speak to the mountain… directly…, telling it to be cast into the sea. Since the Lord was afraid that we would not consider this to be a prayer, He pointed out in the following verse that it is a prayer… This is a prayer with authority. A prayer with authority does not ask God to do something. Rather, it exercises God’s authority and applies this authority to deal with problems and things that ought to be removed. Every overcomer has to learn to pray this kind of prayer. Every overcomer has to learn to speak to the mountain. (CWWN, vol. 22, “The Prayer Ministry of the Church,” pp. 195-196)

　　我们有许多软弱的地方，像脾气、污秽的思想，或者身体的病痛等等，如果去对神说，好像不容易见效，但你如果把神的权柄拿来，对山说话，它立刻就跑掉了。…山，就是那些拦阻你的，叫你的道路走不通的。…许多人当他在他的生命中、工作中遇见山的时候，都是去祷告神，求神挪开这座山。但神要对你说，你自己去对山说吧，只要你去吩咐山说，“你得挪开，投在海里”，就够了。…权柄的祷告是你要对那拦阻你的说，“离开我！”你要对你的脾气说，“离开我！”你要对你的疾病说，“离开我！我要靠着主复活的生命仍然起来。”不是对神说，是直接对山说，“你得挪开，投在海里。”这就是权柄的祷告。

　　如果我们在神面前清楚知道了神的旨意是什么，一点不疑惑，大胆地对山说，“你得挪开，投在海里，”事情必定成就。在这里神派定我们作一个发命令的人，我们命令神所已经命令的事，我们吩咐神所已经吩咐的事，这就是权柄的祷告。权柄的祷告不是直接向神求，乃是直接用神的权柄来对付难处。

　　权柄的祷告是与作得胜者有关系的。基督徒如果不知道这个，就不能作得胜者。我们要记得，坐在宝座上的是神，是我们的主耶稣，服在宝座下面的是仇敌。唯有祷告能转动神的能力。神的能力没有一个能够转动它，只有祷告。所以祷告是顶需要的。如果不祷告的话，就不能好好地作得胜者。知道什么是权柄的祷告，才知道什么是祷告。得胜者最要紧的工作，就是把宝座上的权柄带到地上来。今天只有一个宝座—神的宝座—是掌权的，是远超过一切的。要有分于那权柄，就必须祷告；所以祷告是十分需要的。凡能动宝座的，就必定能动一切。我们必须看见基督升天是远超过一切的，我们必须看见万有都服在祂的脚下，因此我们可以用这宝座的权柄来管理一切，因此我们每一个都必须学会这权柄的祷告（倪柝声文集第二辑第二册，二三○至二三三页）。

　　参读：教会祷告的职事，第四篇。

　　We have many weaknesses, such as temper, evil thoughts, or physical illnesses. If we plead with God concerning these problems, it seems that there is not much result. However, if we apply God’s authority to the situation and speak to the mountain, these problems will go away… A mountain is something that blocks the way and stops us from going on… When many people encounter a mountain in their life or in their work, they pray to God to remove the mountain. But God tells us to speak to the mountain ourselves. All we have to do is issue a word of command to the mountain: “Be taken up and cast into the sea.”… A prayer with authority is one in which we tell the things that are frustrating us to go away. We can say to our temper, “Go away.” We can say to sickness, “Go away. I will rise up by the resurrection life of the Lord.” This word is not spoken to God but directly to the mountain. “Be taken up and cast into the sea.” This is a prayer with authority.

　　If we have no doubts and are clear about God’s will, we can speak boldly to the mountain, “Be taken up and cast into the sea,” and the thing will be done. God has commissioned us to be those who issue the command. We command what God has commanded, and we give orders to what God has given orders to. This is a prayer with authority. A prayer with authority is not asking God directly. Rather, it is dealing with problems by directly applying God’s authority.

　　Prayer with authority has much to do with the overcomers. If a Christian does not know this, he cannot be an overcomer. We have to remember that God and the Lord Jesus are on the throne, while the enemy is under the throne. Only prayer can activate the power of God. Nothing can activate God’s power except prayer. This is why prayer is indispensable. If one does not pray, he cannot be an overcomer. Only after one knows to pray with authority will he know what prayer is. The most important work of the overcomers is to bring the authority of the throne to earth. Today there is a throne, the throne of God. This throne is ruling, and it is far above everything. In order to have a share in this authority, one must pray. Hence, prayer is very necessary. Those who can move the throne can move everything. We must see that Christ’s ascension has made Him far above all things, and we must see that all things are under His feet. For this reason, we can rule over all things with the authority of the throne. All of us have to learn to pray with authority. (CWWN, vol. 22, “The Prayer Ministry of the Church,” pp. 196-198)

　　Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 22, “The Prayer Ministry of the Church,” ch. 4