Vision and Darkness

When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him —Genesis 15:12

Whenever God gives a vision to a Christian, it is as if He puts him in “the shadow of His hand” (Isaiah 49:2). The saint’s duty is to be still and listen. There is a “darkness” that comes from too much light-that is the time to listen. The story of Abram and Hagar in Genesis 16 is an excellent example of listening to so-called good advice during a time of darkness, rather than waiting for God to send the light. When God gives you a vision and darkness follows, wait. God will bring the vision He has given you to reality in your life if you will wait on His timing. Never try to help God fulfill His word. Abram went through thirteen years of silence, but in those years all of his self-sufficiency was destroyed. He grew past the point of relying on his own common sense. Those years of silence were a time of discipline, not a period of God’s displeasure. There is never any need to pretend that your life is filled with joy and confidence; just wait upon God and be grounded in Him (see Isaiah 50:10-11).

Do I trust at all in the flesh? Or have I learned to go beyond all confidence in myself and other people of God? Do I trust in books and prayers or other joys in my life? Or have I placed my confidence in God Himself, not in His blessings? “I am Almighty God . . .”— El-Shaddai, the All-Powerful God (Genesis 17:1). The reason we are all being disciplined is that we will know God is real. As soon as God becomes real to us, people pale by comparison, becoming shadows of reality. Nothing that other saints do or say can ever upset the one who is built on God.

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異象與黑暗

忽然有驚人的大黑暗落在他身上。 （創十五12） 神什麼時候把異像給信徒，就什麼時候把他放在他手的陰影底下。聖徒那時的責任，是要安靜聆聽。在極度強烈的光線下，會產生一種黑暗，那時就得洗耳恭聽。創世紀十五章就是個好例子。在黑暗中，人只會尋求人的指示，卻不等候神的光照。每逢神賜下異象，黑暗卻接踵而來的話，就要等候。只要等候神的時間，他會按照給你的異象成就。切勿自告奮勇的幫助神成就他的應許。亞伯拉罕有十三年在靜默中度過，在那些年日里，一切自己的辦法都行不通，故不能憑頭腦理智去解決問題。那段寂靜的日子是操練的日子，而不是愁苦的日子。不必故意製造喜樂和勇氣，只要心堅依靠神。 （賽五十10-11） 

我對肉體還有所倚恃麼？還是我已經脫離了對自己、對神的兒女、對書本、對禱告、及興奮感覺的信賴，甚至是他的祝福，而把信心完全放在神身上，[我是全能的神]——是作為父母的神。我們受操練的目的，是要認識神是真實的。一旦看見神是真實的，其他人就成為影子了。其他信徒無論說什麼，做什麼，再也無法影響一個建造在神裡面的人。 

祈禱◆噢，主啊，我在重重的黑暗中靠近你，求你為我驅散黑暗，並以你的臉光照我。