Ministry in Word

Divine Petition – Part 5
神的祈求 – 第五篇

(Partially based on Charles Spurgeon’s “Morning and Evening” devotional)
(部份根据查理斯.司布真的「早晨与傍晚」灵修作品)

Luke 22:31-32
路加22:31-32

“Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail.”

「西门！西门！撒但想要得着你们，好筛你们像筛麦子一样；但我已经为你祈求，叫你不至於失了信心。」

Continued from Part 4
上接第四篇

Jesus is Proactive
耶稣是积极主动的

Even before Satan had started to tempt us Jesus hindered him, providing us a way out. Beside his intervention of Satan’s temptation, he also entered a plea in heaven for us,interceding for our sins. His mercy outruns the malice of the evil one.

什至在撒但开始试探我们以前耶稣就拦阻他，为我们准备了出路。他除了干预撒但的试探，他也在天上为我们提出一个请求，为我们的罪代求。他的怜悯超越恶者的恶念。

He did not say, “Satan has sifted you and I will pray.” To have Jesus prayed for us after the fact would have been good. He is the perfectly righteous man and so His prayer is most powerful and effective. But He said, “Satan has asked for you.” That means that Jesus countered Satan’s wicked desires and he cut them off early on. Therefore Apostle James said, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) When we resist Satan he will flee from us because Jesus had nipped in the bud Satan’s evil desires concerning us and his wicked deeds against us.

他并没有说，「撒但已经筛了你们而我会祈求」。有耶稣为我们事後祷告也是好的，他是完全的义人所以他的祷告是大有功效的。但他说，「撒但想要得着你们」。那就表示耶稣对抗了撒但的恶念，一早就除掉它们。因此使徒雅各说，「务要抵挡魔鬼，魔鬼就必离开你们逃跑了。」〔雅4:7〕当我们抵挡魔鬼，魔鬼就必离开我们逃跑了，因为耶稣曾经把魔鬼对我们的邪意和恶行一早就剪除了。

Jesus did not say, “I have desired to pray for you,” or “I have planned to pray for you,” or “I have intended to pray for you.” It is good for us that Jesus has a strong desire to pray for us, or a good intention to pray for us. But if it is not carried out or if it is carried out late, it is useless. But Jesus did not say so. He said, “I have prayed for you. I have
already done it. I have gone to the heavenly court and entered a counterplea before an accusation is made.” Yes, Jesus has prayed for us. Unlike some of us who sometimes have good intention but little action, Jesus is proactive concerning our situations. He prays for us and intercedes for us all the time at the right time.

耶稣不是说，「我曾想要为你祈求」，或者「我曾计划为你祈求」，或者「我曾立意为你祈求」。耶稣很想为我们祈求或有好意为我们祈求对我们是好的，但如果没有实行或是太晚实行就没用了。但耶稣没有这样说。他说，「我已经为你祈求，我已经做了。我已去了天上的法庭和在控诉之前送上一份对抗的请求」。是的，耶稣已经为我们祈求。不像我们有些人有时有好意但没有行动，耶稣对我们的情况是积极主动的。他经常在适当的时刻为我们祈祷和代求。

Jesus prays for us so that our faith should not fail. He prays so that we will come through Satan’s sifting victoriously, so that we will be able to see the faithfulness of God in sustaining us, and as a result it will strengthen our stand for God.

耶稣为我们祈求，叫我们不至失去信心。他祈求使我们会在被撒但筛的时候可以得胜，使我们可以看到神信实地在支持我们，因此坚固我们为神所站的立埸。

Conclusion
後语

What a comfort to know that Jesus has pleaded our cause against our unseen enemy the devil, that He has nullified the accusations against us by the accuser, that He has identified his attack and neutralized it. That should give us great joy, gratitude, hope, and confidence in our daily walk with Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

是多安慰知道耶稣已经为我们对抗我们看不见的敌人魔鬼的事申辩，他粉碎了控诉者对我们的控诉，而他也认出他的攻击而使之失效了。那在我们每天与我们的主和救主耶稣同行上该给我们带来莫大的喜乐、感谢、盼望和确信。

Tom and Tehwan Tso
仲谋与德菀

“The outcome of your faith is the salvation of your souls.” 1Peter 1:9
“信心的果效， 就是灵魂的救恩” 彼得前书1：9