The Compelling Majesty of His Power

The love of Christ compels us . . . —2 Corinthians 5:14

Paul said that he was overpowered, subdued, and held as in a vise by “the love of Christ.” Very few of us really know what it means to be held in the grip of the love of God. We tend so often to be controlled simply by our own experience. The one thing that gripped and held Paul, to the exclusion of everything else, was the love of God. “The love of Christ compels us . . . .” When you hear that coming from the life of a man or woman it is unmistakable. You will know that the Spirit of God is completely unhindered in that person’s life.

When we are born again by the Spirit of God, our testimony is based solely on what God has done for us, and rightly so. But that will change and be removed forever once you “receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you . . .” (Acts 1:8). Only then will you begin to realize what Jesus meant when He went on to say, “. . . you shall be witnesses to Me . . . .” Not witnesses to what Jesus can do— that is basic and understood— but “witnesses to Me . . . .” We will accept everything that happens as if it were happening to Him, whether we receive praise or blame, persecution or reward. No one is able to take this stand for Jesus Christ who is not totally compelled by the majesty of His power. It is the only thing that matters, and yet it is strange that it’s the last thing we as Christian workers realize. Paul said that he was gripped by the love of God and that is why he acted as he did. People could perceive him as mad or sane-he did not care. There was only one thing he lived for— to persuade people of the coming judgment of God and to tell them of “the love of Christ.” This total surrender to “the love of Christ” is the only thing that will bear fruit in your life. And it will always leave the mark of God’s holiness and His power, never drawing attention to your personal holiness.

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無以抗拒的大能

原來基督的愛激勵我們。 （林後五14） 

保羅說他被基督的愛統管支配，如同給鉗子鉗住一樣。很少人知道被神的愛抓緊是怎麼一回事，因我們往往被自己的經歷所約制。但約制保羅的只有一件，就是神的愛，除此便別無所見。 [基督的愛激勵我們]，信徒身上有沒有這個音符，一聽便知。在這些人的生命裡，聖靈通行無阻。 

當聖靈重生了我們，我們作見證的重點在神為我作了什麼，這是對的。但受了聖靈的洗，這些就成為過去的經驗，我們才開始了解耶穌說[你們是我的見證]的意思了。不是見證耶穌能夠做什麼，那是初步的見證，而是[見證我]。我們要視所有的事，都是發生在他身上，不論是稱許或指責，是逼迫或讚賞。人若未曾被他能力的威嚴所感召，絕不能為他站立。只是最要緊的事，而奇怪的，這卻是基督工人最忽略的。保羅說他被神的愛抓住了，就成了他一生行事的動力。

人說他瘋狂，說他拘謹，他也毫不介意。他只為一件事而活，就是叫人相信神的審判和基督的愛。這種為基督的愛丟棄萬事的人生，才可以結出生命的果子，將神聖潔與大能的形象刻在人心裡。這是神的聖潔，絕不是我們個人的聖潔。 

祈禱◆﹝在柱頂上刻著百合花。 ]噢，主啊，這句話在我的腦海中，尤其是我對那粗糙、不起眼的[百合花]是何其無知。願我藉著表達和經歷你的恩典，能屬於你。