【01 神是信实的——必定要守约，达到祂的目的】　

 

我们已经看见创世记二章的那个女人，是说到神永远的旨意是要得着怎样的人来荣耀祂自己的名。到以弗所五章，另有一个女人，就是创世记二章那一个女人的实际。那是讲到人堕落以后，神怎样工作来达到祂当初的目的。现在我们要来看启示录十二章，在这里又有一个女人，也是说到教会，说到神要借着教会来成就祂永远的旨意。
  启示录这卷书是说到末后的事的。从十二章起，是说到怎样世上的国成了我主和主基督的国，怎样神使祂的儿子作王，一直到永永远远。我们所说的这一个女人就是出现在第十二章的起头。
  首先，我们先来看启示录第十二章之前的两个异象。在启示录里有许多异象，在这许多异象之中，有两个中心的异象是其他异象的根据：（一）宝座的异象（四2），（二）殿的异象（十一19）。

（一）宝座的异象：在四章里，约翰看见神的宝座，又有虹围着宝座。这就是说，四章以后的事，都是根据于宝座的能力，同时也记念神与地上一切有血肉的活物所立的约。虹就是神与地上一切有血肉的活物立约的记号。我们今天不能看见圆的虹，至多只能看见一半，但是在宝座那里虹是围着宝座，没有一个破角，没有一个漏洞；神是信实的，神要保守那一个约，神要记念祂和地上一切有血肉的活物所立的约。神对于人所做的事，都要凭着祂所立的约。

（二）殿的异象：到了十一章末了，另有一个异象，就是神的殿。在神的殿里现出神的约柜。当初神吩咐以色列人照着山上指示的样式造了约柜，放在会幕的至圣所里。后来所罗门建造圣殿，约柜就放在圣殿里。等到以色列人被掳到巴比伦之后，约柜就失去了。虽然地上的约柜失去了，但是天上的约柜还在。地上的约柜是照着天上的约柜造的，地上的影子失去了，天上的本物还在。到启示录十一章末了，神再一次把约柜现给我们看。
  什么是约柜？约柜就是表现神自己，就是说神对自己要作一位信实的神。宝座是神掌权的地方，殿是神住的地方。宝座是向外的，是对于世界的，是对于人的；殿是对于神自己的。有虹围着宝座，是说神不做一件对不起人的事；有约柜在殿中，是说神不做一件对不起自己的事。神定规了一件事，就必定要成全。神要做一件事，就必定要做到。约柜不只为着人，约柜也是为着神自己。神不能背乎祂自己，神不能反对祂自己。神在永世里定规要有一班荣耀的人，神定规世上的国要成为我主和主基督的国。

虽然我们看看教会的情形，难免要说，神的目的怎能达到，但是，我们知道神绝不半途而废，因为神有约柜，神自己已立了约。公义的神，不只不能对人不义，公义的神，也不能对自己不义。人做事不能背乎他自己，因为人有人格；神做事也不能背乎祂自己，因为神也有祂自己的性格。神把约柜现出来给我们看，就是说祂所要做的事必定要做。

在这里我们看见一件事：凭着什么能使祂自己和祂的基督掌权一直到永永远远？凭着什么能使世上的国成为我主和主基督的国？凭着神的性格。神要凭着祂的性格来成功这件事。没有什么可以拦阻神。我们要学习知道神的不能被拦阻。那个约柜还是在那里，那个约柜是表明神自己，表明神的约。神凭着祂自己，必要成功这件事。我们感谢神，从十二章起，要告诉我们，神怎样凭着祂自己的信实来成功祂自己在永世里所定规的一切事。

 

（未完待续 * 摘自《荣耀的教会》第四章 妇人生了一个男孩子 * 08-01）

【02 异象中的妇人】

  启示录十二章一节：“天上现出大异象来；有一个妇人，身披日头，脚踏月亮，头戴十二星的冠冕。”这一个妇人是谁？这是许多解经家所一直争辩的。有人说她是指主耶稣的母亲马利亚说的，有人说她是指以色列国说的。但是，凭着圣经来看，这个妇人不可能是指主的母亲马利亚，也不可能是指以色列国（详细论证参见原著第4章）。
  那么这个妇人是谁呢？在旧约圣经中只有一个妇人是与蛇发生关系的，就是创世记三章的夏娃。在新约圣经中也只有一个妇人是与蛇发生关系的，就是这一个妇人。这是圣经前后相合的地方。并且神特地在这里说大龙就是那古蛇，就是从前的那一条蛇。神已经指清楚了，是那一条独一的古蛇，特别是那一条，注重在“那”字。所以这一个妇人就是那一个妇人。

日、月、星，怎样在创世记一章里，日、月、星也在这里；蛇怎样在创世记三章里，蛇也在这里；女人的后裔怎样在创世记三章里，女人的后裔也在这里；在创世记三章里提到生产之苦，这里也提到。把这两处圣经合起来看，我们就能断定说，这一个妇人，就是在神永远旨意里所定规的那一个女人，到了末后的时候所要碰着的情形。创世记二章的女人，是说到神永远的目的；以弗所五章的女人，是说到教会的地位和前途；启示录十二章的女人，是显出末后的事。还有一个女人，是说到在永世里的事，那是以后要看的。
  这个妇人在异象中现出的时候，圣经首先记载她是“身披日头，脚踏月亮，头戴十二星的冠冕”，（启十二1，）这是有时代上的意义的：
  （一）这个妇人身披日头－日头，是指主耶稣。她身披日头，就是当日头照得最亮的时候，是照在她的身上。神在这一个时代中借着她显出自己。所以这是她与基督的关系，与恩典时代的关系。
  （二）这个妇人脚踏月亮－这里的“踏”，不是践踏的意思，在希腊文的意思是伏在她的脚下。月亮的光是反照的，不是自己的。律法时代里面的东西，都是反照出恩典时代里面的东西，律法不过是预表。圣殿、约柜是预表，圣所里的香和饼、祭司所献的祭也都是预表，连牛羊的血也是预表。这个妇人脚踏月亮，意即律法里面的东西，都伏在她的下面，都是附属于她的。所以这是说到她与律法时代的关系。
  （三）这个妇人头戴十二星的冠冕－列祖时代里最重要的人物可以说是从亚伯拉罕起到十二个支派的产生。这个妇人头戴十二星的冠冕，就是说到她与列祖时代的关系。
  这样看来，这个妇人不只与恩典时代有关，也与列祖时代和律法时代有关，不过她与恩典时代的关系比较多；她包括了恩典时代的人，也包括了列祖时代和律法时代的人。换句话说，这个妇人就是表征神所有的子民。

 

（未完待续 * 摘自《荣耀的教会》第四章 妇人生了一个男孩子 * 08-02）
 

【03 妇人生了一个男孩子——得胜者的产生和被提】

  启示录十二章五节：“妇人生了一个男孩子，是将来要用铁杖辖管万国的。她的孩子被提到神宝座那里去了。”这个男孩子是指着教会中的得胜者说的。这个男孩子就是教会中有一部分人，这一部分人是得胜的。

三节：“天上又现出异象来；有一条大红龙，七头十角，七头上戴着七个冠冕。”这一条蛇隔了几千年，和从前两样了，本来是一条蛇，现在大了，变作龙了。四节：“它的尾巴拖拉着天上星辰的三分之一，摔在地上。”这是指天上有三分之一的天使，受了龙谎言的欺骗，跟它一同堕落了，一同被摔下来了。
  四节接下去：“龙就站在那将要生产的妇人面前，等她生产之后，要吞吃她的孩子。”有一个妇人是神的旨意所定规的，有一个男孩子是神所要得着的。这龙一直拦阻神在妇人身上所要得着的，它知道这个妇人将要生产一个孩子，所以它就站在这个妇人面前，等她生产之后要吞吃她的孩子。
  五节：“妇人生了一个男孩子。”这一个妇人生了一个男孩子，是一个异象，是一种表号。这里的“生”，不是说从她而出，乃是说在她里面有这样一个人。“妇人生了一个男孩子”的意思，就是有一班人包括在这一个妇人里面。

所有神的子民，在神永远的计划中，在神的目的里，都是有分的；但是，他们没有负起他们所该负的责任，所以神在他们中间拣出一班人来。这一班人是许多人中间的一部分，是神拣出来的，这就是男孩子，这就是这个妇人所生的男孩子。

全体的就是母亲，少数的就是男孩子。这里的男孩子，就是十一节里的“弟兄们”。（原文。）这就是说男孩子并不是一个人，而是有相当数目的人，是多少人合起来成功一个男孩子。不过和母亲比起来，这一个男孩子是小的意思，就是这班人和全体来比，数目是小的，但是，神的计划是在他们身上，神的目的是在他们身上。
  五节：“妇人生了一个男孩子，是将来要用铁杖辖管万国的。”在启示录里，有三次说起用铁杖辖管万国。第一次是在二章二十六至二十七节，“那得胜又遵守我命令到底的，我要赐给他权柄制伏列国；他必用铁杖辖管他们，”这很明显也是指着教会中的得胜者说的。所以，五节这里的“男孩子”是指着教会中的得胜者说的。这个男孩子就是教会中有一部分人，这一部分人是得胜的。

五节接下去：“她的孩子被提到神宝座那里去了。”为什么提到宝座那里去？因为已经有一个人在那里了，教会的头已经在宝座上了。神的目的不只是要一个人在宝座上，乃是要许多人在宝座上。神起初的目的，就是要许多人到宝座上去，要许多人掌权。神要基督和教会一同来成功祂的目的，但是，教会中多数的人这时还不能到宝座那里去，只有一班少数的人，他们被称为得胜者，他们能到神宝座那里去。他们达到了神的目的，所以他们被提到神宝座那里去了。
 

（未完待续 * 摘自《荣耀的教会》第四章 妇人生了一个男孩子 * 08-03）

 

【04 得胜者的工作】

  启示录十二章五节：“妇人生了一个男孩子，是将来要用铁杖辖管万国的。她的孩子被提到神宝座那里去了。”这个男孩子是指着教会中的得胜者说的。男孩子一被提，在天上就有了争战，换句话说，天上所以有了争战，就是因为男孩子的被提。由此可见，被提不光是个人的问题，被提更是为着要了结历世历代以来的那一个争战，就是那古蛇几千年来与神为敌的那一个争战。天上一有了争战，米迦勒同他的使者就与龙争战。龙就是那古蛇。它是一条蛇变成一条龙，它的能力越过越大了。但是，男孩子一被提，就不只不让它再大下去，并且要把它从天上摔下去。所以被提是一种工作，使撒但在天上再没有地位了。
  米迦勒同他的使者与龙争战，龙也同它的使者去争战，结局怎样？八至九节：“并没有得胜，天上再没有它们的地方。大龙就是那古蛇，名叫魔鬼，又叫撒但，是迷惑普天下的；它被摔在地上，它的使者也一同被摔下去。”这一场争战的结局，龙失败了，天上再没有它们的地方了，它们都被摔下去了。

本来，主耶稣的死已经对付了撒但在人的堕落中所得到的地位，换句话说，救赎破坏了撒但那个合法的地位。教会的工作，就是要在神的国度里执行主耶稣在救赎里所已经成功的，了结撒但因人堕落所得着的那个合法地位。救赎是基督对于堕落的对付，国度是教会对于堕落的对付。审判的工作是在基督身上，执行的工作是在教会身上。撒但是在救赎里受审判，在国度里受刑罚。

龙和它的使者从天上被摔下去之后，十节就说：“我听见在天上有大声音说，我神的救恩、能力、国度、并祂基督的权柄，现在都来到了，”这就叫做国度。撒但被摔下去，撒但的使者被摔下去，天上再没有它们的地方，这就叫做神的救恩、能力、国度、并基督的权柄。
  再把十一章十五节和十二章十节合起来读。十一章十五节说，“第七位天使吹号，天上就有大声音说，世上的国，成了我主和主基督的国；祂要作王，直到永永远远。”这是题目。十二章十节说，“我听见在天上有大声音说，我神的救恩、能力、国度、并祂基督的权柄，现在都来到了。”这是题目已经实现了，已经成功了。这个成功的关键，是在男孩子的被提。是男孩子的被提，使天上有了争战，使撒但被摔下去。撒但被摔下去的结局，就是我主和主基督的国来到了。得胜者的被提，使撒但被摔下去，把国度引进来。得胜者的工作，就是为着引进神的国度。主的工作已经成功了，主已经坐在宝座上了，得胜者就是要把这个带进来。
  在路加十章，也有和这里相合的地方。十七节说，“那七十个人欢欢喜喜的回来说，主啊，因你的名，就是鬼也服了我们。”这里是说他们出去赶鬼。十八节说，“耶稣对他们说，我曾看见撒但从天上坠落，像闪电一样。”这是说撒但从天上坠落。这件事到什么时候应验呢？是应验在启示录十二章。怎样才能使撒但坠落呢？十八节的根据是在十七节，是因为教会赶鬼的缘故，撒但才从天上坠落。十七节给我们看见，不是一次的赶鬼，乃是教会在地上一直赶鬼，才使撒但从天上坠落下来。有一次因为主耶稣的死，撒但的权柄被打破了。至于使撒但失去他的权柄，失去他天上的权柄，了结他所有的权柄，那是因为神的儿女们在地上一直对付他。多次因着主耶稣的名鬼服了，所以撒但就被摔下来了。
  比方，在这里有一个天平。天平这一边有一个撒但，我们不知道他有多少重。我们在天平那一边加东西，一直加，一直加，多一次对付，就是多加一点，等到末了一点加上去，这边就动起来了。起先在那边一直加，好像是没有用处的，实在每一个都是有用处的，等到末了一个一加上去，天平的这一边就动了。末了的一个，不知是谁加上去的，但以先所加上去的每一个，和这末了的一个都起了作用。教会的工作就是我们大家抵挡撒但的工作，我们大家赶鬼。

赶鬼不是碰着鬼才赶，赶鬼乃是凡是鬼魔的工作、鬼魔的权柄，都得把它赶出去。我们把主的权柄抓牢，坚持在那里，一个弟兄加上一点，另一个弟兄又加上一点，到有一天，撒但就要从天上坠落下来。使撒但从天上坠落，不是神的手直接去做的。如果是神自己做的话，那容易得很。但是神不做，神是要教会来做。可惜教会失败了不能做，所以必须有得胜者出来站在教会的地位上作。得胜者站住教会的地位做了她所该做的，结果就是“我神的救恩、能力、国度、并祂基督的权柄，现在都来到了”。启示录十二章的男孩子就是站在教会的地位上的得胜者，所以这个男孩子一被提，撒但就从天上被摔下来，国度就来到了。

 

（未完待续 * 摘自《荣耀的教会》第四章 妇人生了一个男孩子 * 08-04）

【05 男孩子的原则】

  圣经说这男孩子“是将来要用铁杖辖管万国的”，神的目的就是在这里。教会的工作，就是要使撒但失去权柄，就是要把神的国带进来。神所要的教会是要有亚比该的性质的，是要有与基督合作的性质的。但是，教会并没有达到神的目的，甚至连神的目的是什么都不知道。那么，神怎样作呢？神就拣选一班得胜者，他们能达到神的目的，他们能成功神的要求。这就是男孩子的原则。
  这一个原则，在圣经中有许多例子。神在旧约的时候，拣选以色列人做什么？出埃及十九章告诉我们，神拣选以色列人作祭司的国度。什么叫祭司的国度呢？意思就是全国的人都事奉神，都作祭司。可是以色列人没有全体都作祭司，因为他们拜了金牛犊，他们不事奉神，反而去拜偶像。后来摩西对以色列人说，“凡属耶和华的，都要到我这里来。”于是利未的子孙都到他那里聚集。摩西对他们说，“耶和华以色列的神这样说，你们各人把刀跨在腰间，在营中往来，从这门到那门，各人杀他的弟兄、与同伴、并邻舍。”（出三二26～27。）拜偶像是最大的罪，神要他们用刀去杀弟兄。利未的子孙照摩西的话行了。（28。）

利未人肯事奉神，肯不顾人情，神就拣选利未人作祭司。从此以后，不是全体以色列人作祭司，乃是利未一个支派作祭司。全体以色列人从此是借着利未人来亲近神。本来是全体以色列人事奉神，但是因全体失败了，神就从失败的全体中，拣选一班人代替以色列人，这一班人就叫做得胜者。

我们要记得，利未人不是为着自己事奉神，不是自命为得胜者，不是自以为比谁都好；如果这样，利未人就完了。利未人被神拣选作祭司，乃是替全体以色列人作祭司。本来是以色列人所当献上的，现在利未人来替他们献上。利未人在神面前的事奉，就算作以色列人在神面前的事奉。作祭司的是利未人，得着好处的是全体以色列人。所以，得胜者的工作，是替教会做。工作是他们做的，得着工作好处的是教会。得胜者的荣耀就是在这里：事情是他们做的，荣耀是全体有分的；工作是他们做的，好处是全教会都得着的。
  到了士师的时候，以色列人被米甸人所压制，落在十分艰难的情形之下。后来神就从一个支派的一个家里面兴起一个基甸来，领导一班人把仇敌赶出去，全国就得着自由。争战本来是全国的事，但有的人惧怕、偷懒，于是就有一班人起来争战，结果使全体得着益处。
  以色列人回国的时候，也有同样的原则。本来神应许以色列人被掳七十年后都要回来，都要复兴。但是以色列人没有完全回来，只有少数人在以斯拉、尼希米、所罗巴伯、约书亚等人的领导之下回来，盖造圣殿，修建耶路撒冷。他们在那里做，就算以色列全国做，就算以色列全国复兴，就算以色列全国归回。
  所以，得胜者的原则，不是有一个特别好的人将来要得着冠冕，得着荣耀，（这不是说，将来个人不会得着冠冕，得着荣耀，乃是说，虽然他们是要得着的，但是他们不是为着那一个，）得胜者所以作得胜者，不是为着自己得荣耀，得冠冕，乃是站在教会所当站的地位上，替教会做事情。教会在神的面前，有她所当是的情形，所当做的工作，所当负的责任，所当站的地位。但是教会失败了，没有是所当是的，没有做所当做的，没有负所当负的，没有站所当站的。惟有一班人站在那个地位，来替教会做那些事情，负那个责任，这一班人就是得胜者。得胜者所做的，就算是全教会所做的。只要有人在那里作得胜者，神就算是已经得着了。这就是男孩子的原则。
  我们要读男孩子的事，就是因为在神永远的旨意中需要有一班得胜者。我们不得不承认，教会在历史上是失败的。神就是要呼召得胜者来替教会站住。这里的男孩子，特别是指着末后的得胜者说的。男孩子一产生，被提到神宝座那里去，立刻天上就发生了事情，撒但就被摔下来。这就是说，神的难处因着男孩子的被提就解决了，好像男孩子一出来，神的目的就非得着不可了。这是今天神所呼召、所注意的，神要得着这样的人来达到祂当初的目的。

 

（未完待续 * 摘自《荣耀的教会》第四章 妇人生了一个男孩子 * 08-05）

 

 

【06 得胜者的根据和态度——羔羊的血】

 

启示录三章里有一句话说，“得胜的，我要赐他在我宝座上与我同坐。”（21。）可见男孩子的到宝座上去，是因为他已经得胜。我们现在要来看，他们是怎样得胜的；同时也要看，他们有什么态度。

启示录十二章十一节：“弟兄胜过他，是因羔羊的血，和自己所见证的道；他们虽至于死，也不爱惜性命。”

“弟兄胜过他，”他，就是撒但。他们是胜过撒但的，他们使撒但在他们的身上不能做什么。他们所以能得胜，第一是因羔羊的血，第二是因自己所见证的道。另一面，他们还有一个态度，就是他们虽至于死，也不爱惜自己的性命。

第一，“弟兄胜过他，是因羔羊的血，”属灵争战得胜的根据是在于羔羊的血。血不光是为着赦免，血不光是使人在神面前能得救，血并且是胜过撒但的根据。也许有人以为血在一班长进的基督徒身上没有多大用处，好像说他们长进到一个地步可以越过血。我们要说，没有这件事，没有一个人能长进到一个地步是可以越过血。神的话是说，“弟兄胜过他，是因羔羊的血。”

撒但对基督徒所做的主要的工作就是控告。撒但是不是一个凶杀者？是。撒但是不是一个撒谎者？是。撒但是不是一个诱惑者？是。撒但是不是一个攻击者？是。但是，还不只这些，撒但还有一件主要的工作，就是控告。在十二章十节有一句话说，“因为那在我们神面前昼夜控告我们弟兄的，已经被摔下去了，”可见撒但是昼夜控告弟兄的。他在神的面前作控告者，也在我们的良心里作控告者。撒但的控告能使人软弱无力。撒但就是把人控告到一个地步，使人想象自己是一个毫无用处的人，使人失去和他争战的地位。我们不是说基督徒不需要对付罪。基督徒对于罪是应该有感觉的，但是，基督徒不需要接受撒但的控告。

神的儿女一接受撒但的控告，就一天到晚都觉得自己不对。早晨一起来，就觉得自己不对，跪下去祷告，又觉得自己不对，不相信自己的祷告会得着神的答应。上台讲道，又觉得这没有用，因为觉得自己不对。把钱奉献给主，又觉得这又何必呢，因为恐怕神不悦纳这样的人奉献。这些基督徒主要的思想，不是想到主耶稣是何等的荣耀，主耶稣是何等的得胜；他们主要的思想，却是想到自己不好，自己什么都不好，一天到晚总是想自己不好，工作的时候觉得自己不好，休息的时候觉得自己不好，走路的时候觉得自己不好，读圣经的时候觉得自己不好，祷告的时候觉得自己不好，没有一个时候觉得自己是好的。这就是撒但的控告。

撒但如果把我们留在这一种情形中，他就已经得胜了。有这一种情形的人，在撒但面前是软弱的。没有一个接受撒但控告的人，是能够在他面前作得胜者的。许多时候，我们一直在那里想自己的不好，还以为是基督徒的谦卑，岂知道这正是受了撒但控告的害。不错，如果我们有罪，我们要承认，我们要对付；但是，另外有一个功课要我们学习的，就是我们不要看自己，只要看主耶稣。一天到晚在那里觉得自己的，是一种病态，这种病态是因为受了撒但的控告而产生的。

有些神的儿女的良心缺少对于罪恶的感觉，这样的人没有什么属灵的用处。但是，也有许多神的儿女，良心软弱到连主耶稣的工作都不知道了。如果我们问他到底有什么特别的罪，他说不出有什么特别的罪。但是，他总有一个觉得自己不对的感觉，总觉得自己是软弱的，是没有什么用处的。他摸摸自己，就觉得不平安，就觉得不快乐。这就是接受了撒但的控告。每一次撒但给我们这样的感觉，我们就软下来，就不能抵挡他。

所以我们不要轻看撒但的控告。撒但有一个主要的工作，就是控告。他昼夜不息地在那里控告。他在神的面前控告，又在我们的良心里控告，使我们的良心软弱下来，刚强不起来。在基督徒的生活和工作中，良心是十分要紧的东西，保罗在林前八章给我们看见，人的良心如果被破坏，他就沉沦了。这里所说的沉沦，不是指着永远灭亡说的，乃是说这个人建造不起来，变作软弱，没有用处。还有提前一章说，人丢弃良心，就在真道上如同船破坏了一般。船若破了，就不能行驶。所以一个基督徒在神的面前站得住或站不住，就看他的良心有亏或无亏。他如果接受撒但的控告，他的良心就立刻有亏；良心一亏，工作就做不动，就不可能为着神争战。所以我们要知道，撒但有一件主要的工作叫做控告，是我们必须胜过的。

怎样胜过撒但的控告呢？天上的声音告诉我们说，“弟兄胜过他，是因羔羊的血。”（启十二11。）血是得胜的根据，血是胜过撒但的工具。撒但可以控告，但是我们能够说，祂儿子耶稣的血，洗净我们一切的罪。（约壹一7。）“一切的罪”，无论是大的罪，小的罪，任何的罪，祂儿子的血都洗净了！撒但说我们不对，但是我们有主耶稣的血。主耶稣的血洗净我们许许多多的罪。这是神的话：祂儿子耶稣的血，洗净我们一切的罪。

我们不只是拒绝没有原因的控告，就是有原因的控告，我们也不接受。神的儿女即使做错了事情，也只需要祂儿子耶稣的血，不需要撒但的控告。罪所需要的是宝血，不是控告。神的话语并没有说，有了罪就用得着控告。问题只在这里：我们有了罪，我们承认不承认？如果我们承认了，还有什么话说？有罪而不承认，那才用得着控告。没有罪，就没有控告的理由；有了罪而承认了，就也用不着控告。

如果你有罪，你可以低下头来向神认罪，主耶稣的血就立刻洗净你。不要以为我们多想一点自己有罪，就更圣洁一点；不要以为我们多觉得一点自己有罪，就更圣洁一点。我们应当问自己一句话：我如何对待主耶稣的血？不错，我们有罪，但是，祂的血洗净了我们一切的罪。“一切”，是这样解释的：无论是大的罪、小的罪、记得的罪、不记得的罪、看见了的罪、没有看见的罪、以为能够蒙赦免的罪、以为不能够蒙赦免的罪，一起都包括在里面了，所有的罪都包括在里面了。祂儿子耶稣的血不是洗净一件两件的罪，也不是洗净许多的罪，乃是洗净一切的罪。

我们说我们是有罪的，我们不是说我们没有罪，但是，我们不接受撒但的控告，我们在神面前还是洁净的，因为我们有宝血。我们不能相信控告过于相信宝血。犯罪已经是不荣耀神的了，不相信宝血就更不荣耀神；犯罪是羞耻的事，不相信宝血是更羞耻的事。我们要学习相信羔羊的血。

罗马五章九节说，“我们既靠着祂的血称义…。”为什么许多人来到神面前的时候，一直心里不平安，觉得自己不好，自己不对？这是因为他们的盼望错了。他们盼望有积极的东西献给神，但是，他们发觉自己并没有积极的东西可以献给神，所以控告就来了。那个控告就是说，你总是这样的人，你不会有什么好的献给神。但是我们要记得，我们自己在神的面前原没有积极的好，我们自己原没有什么好的可以献给神。我们只能把一件东西－血－摆在神面前，我们只能借着血称义。我们自己没有积极的义，我们只有因救赎而得的义。

我们每一次来到神施恩的宝座前，是仰望得着恩典，因为这是施恩的宝座，不是公义的宝座。我们每一次来到神面前，第一个资格就是我们是蒙救赎的，不是因我们作基督徒作得进步了。没有一个基督徒能够到一个地步说，我这两天很好，所以我有胆量祷告。我们每一次来到神的面前，我们的地位，我们的根据，都是在乎血。我们要知道，所有属灵的长进，不能代替血的功效，所有属灵的经历，不能代替血的工作。即使有人属灵的程度和使徒保罗、使徒约翰、使徒彼得一样，他站在神的面前还是需要血。

有的时候我们有罪，撒但来控告；有的时候我们没有罪，撒但也来控告；有的时候不是因为有罪没有罪的问题，乃是因为我们没有积极的义献给神，撒但也来控告。但是，我们是因着血来到神的面前，并不是因着其他任何的东西。我们的洗净是因着血，我们的称义也是因着血。我们绝不接受撒但的控告。

宝血是属灵争战的根据。我们如果不知道血的价值，我们就不能争战；我们的良心一软弱，我们就不能争战。我们如果不保守自己有一个无亏的良心，有一个清洁的良心，我们对于撒但就无法对付。他能用成千成万的理由对我们说话，我们一接受，我们就倒了。他有成千上万的理由对我们说话，我们惟一的回答就是用血。没有一个撒但的理由是血所不能回答的。属灵的争战，需要一个无亏的良心，只有血能给我们一个无亏的良心。

希伯来十章二节说，“良心既被洁净，就不再觉得有罪了。”基督徒的良心，能够不再觉得有罪，因为有血。你一站住这一个地位，你一相信血，撒但在你身上就不能做工了。我们是想说，我们犯了罪，所以我们就不能打仗；但是，主知道我们有罪，所以祂预备了血。对于一个有罪的人，主有办法，因为主有血；对于一个一直接受控告的人，主没有办法，因为人接受了撒但的控告，就否认了血的能力。没有一个相信宝血的人，同时又接受撒但的控告的。总有一个要出去，接受控告，血就得出去；相信血，控告就得出去。

主耶稣为我们作大祭司，作中保。（来二17～18，四14～16，七20～28，八6，九15，约壹二1。）祂是一直在那里作祭司，祂是一直在那里作中保。祂所以如此，就是要保守我们不受控告。因为人接受祂作救主，是很快的事，但是人受撒但的控告是一生一世的。“中保”这个辞，在希腊文的意思，就是受委任作辩护者。主是我们的中保，主是我们的辩护者，主替我们说话。我们是站在控告者的一边呢，还是站在中保的一边？如果作中保的替我们辩护的时候，我们竟然相信控告者的话，你想这岂不可笑？辩护者一直证明被告是没有罪的，但是，被告一直相信控告者的话是对的，这岂不可笑么？让我们看见主耶稣作我们的中保，主耶稣为我们辩护。让我们看见血是对付撒但的根据。我们如果知道血的价值，就不知道在地上要增加多少平安快乐的基督徒。

“弟兄胜过他，是因羔羊的血，”这句话是何等宝贵。弟兄胜过他，不是因为他们的长处，不是因为他们的长进，不是因为他们的经历；弟兄胜过他，乃是因为羔羊的血。撒但一有控告的时候，我们就得用血去对付。我们一接受血，撒但的能力就消灭了。我们的一切都是靠着血，我们天天需要血。我们得救的那一天如何靠着血，相信血，以后每天我们也要如何靠着血，相信血。血是惟一的根基。神要拯救我们脱离许多无谓的控告。神要打破这一个锁鍊。我们不要以为天天受控告是谦卑，我们要学习胜过控告。我们如果不胜过控告，就不能作得胜者。得胜者必须知道血的价值。我们虽不能知道血的价值到底有多大，但是我们可以对主说，“主啊，按着你所知道的血的价值，来成功在我们身上。”不是按着我们所知道的，乃是按着主所知道的血的价值，去对付撒但的能力。

 

（未完待续 * 摘自《荣耀的教会》第四章 妇人生了一个男孩子 * 08-06）

 

 

【07 得胜者的根据和态度——自己所见证的道】

 

启示录三章里有一句话说，“得胜的，我要赐他在我宝座上与我同坐。”（21。）可见男孩子的到宝座上去，是因为他已经得胜。我们现在要来看，他们是怎样得胜的；同时也要看，他们有什么态度。

启示录十二章十一节：“弟兄胜过他，是因羔羊的血，和自己所见证的道；他们虽至于死，也不爱惜性命。”

“弟兄胜过他，”他，就是撒但。他们是胜过撒但的，他们使撒但在他们的身上不能做什么。他们所以能得胜，第一是因羔羊的血，第二是因自己所见证的道。另一面，他们还有一个态度，就是他们虽至于死，也不爱惜自己的性命。

第二，“弟兄胜过他，是因…自己所见证的道。”（启十二11。）良心无亏，口里就有见证，良心一有亏，口里就什么话都说不出，好像越说声音越小。这里的见证是对人说的，不只是对自己。你在神的面前有血，你在神的面前就有胆量，你在人的面前也就有见证。不只见证罪人能得赦免，不只见证人能因着基督蒙悦纳，并且见证神的国。“见证”就是告诉人说，到底在基督里有些什么。见证的话是要说出来的。得胜者要多多的宣告基督的得胜，把这一个事实说了再说，这是撒但最怕的事。

有一个事实就是说，天国必定要降临。有一个事实就是说，主要作王。有一个事实就是说，基督是得胜的，基督是永远得胜的。有一个事实就是说，撒但是失败的。有一个事实就是说，那一个壮士已经被捆绑起来了，那一个壮士在律法上已经被定罪了。有一个事实就是说，基督在十字架上拆毁了撒但所有的作为。把这些事实宣告出来，这就是见证。宣告说基督是这样的，宣告说基督是那样的，这就是见证。

见证的话是撒但所害怕的。撒但不怕你讲道理，撒但怕你宣告。撒但不怕你讲神学，撒但怕你宣告。撒但不怕你解圣经，撒但怕你宣告。撒但就是怕你宣告属灵的事实。有一个属灵的事实，就是“耶稣是主”。有许多人在那里讲耶稣是主，解释耶稣是主，撒但一点都不怕；但是，有人用信心在那里宣告耶稣是主，撒但就怕了。撒但所怕的，不是讲道，不是神学，乃是见证的话。

在这里有一个属灵的事实，就是耶稣的名是超乎万名之上的名。我们要用信心来宣告，不只对人说，更是对撒但说。许多时候，我们是说给撒但听的，是故意说给他听的，这是见证的话。你一个人在房间里，也可以出声说，你可以说耶稣是主，你可以说主耶稣是比壮士还要壮，你可以说神的儿子已经捆绑了撒但等等。这就是见证的话。

基督徒什么都得靠祷告，但是，有的时候，见证的话比祷告更有效力。马可十一章二十三节，主耶稣说，“无论何人对这座山说，你挪开此地投在海里；他若心里不疑惑，只信他所说的必成，就必给他成了。”主耶稣在这里不是说按着他所求的给他成就，乃是说按着他所说的给他成就。我们中国人有一句话说，“出口成章”；我们可以说在基督徒中间也有一句话，就是“出口成事”。神造天地是说一句话就成了。在马可十一章的那一件事，我们可以叫做对山说话。只要用信心说，就能成为事实。许多时候，祷告的力量不如宣告的力量。许多时候，我们要用见证的话来对付撒但。

我们读使徒行传，就要看见里面有许多见证的话。在三章，彼得、约翰在殿的门口看见那一个瘸腿的人，彼得所做的就是对他说话：“金银我都没有，只把我所有的给你，我奉拿撒勒人耶稣基督的名，叫你起来行走。”（6。）这就叫做见证的话。不是祷告神求神对付他，乃是奉主的名用宣告直接对付他。还有十六章，保罗赶出那个鬼，也是用宣告的话，他说，“我奉耶稣基督的名，吩咐你从她身上出来。”（18。）那鬼当时就出来了。

我们可以提起一件事实：有两个传福音的姊妹，有一次到一个乡村去住一些时候。在那地方有一个女人被鬼附，她家里的人请这两位姊妹去赶鬼。她们祷告了以后，觉得要去，就去了。到了那里，看见那一个女人衣服穿得好好的，什么都是好好的。她们想，这是被鬼附的人么？她们就讲道给她听，她很清楚。（其实鬼是不清楚的，不过是假装清楚。）她们觉得有点奇怪，后来就问她说，你相信不相信主耶稣？她说，我相信多年了。那两位姊妹给她弄糊涂了，不知道这是怎么一回事。她们又问她，你知道不知道耶稣是谁？她说，耶稣是谁，你们来看。她就从前面的大客堂带她们一直走到后面的一间，指着摆在那里的一个偶像说，这就是耶稣，我信它多年了。那时，有一位姊妹就觉得要作见证。请注意！她所说的，就是我们在这里所说的见证。

她拉着那女人的手说，（不是对人说，乃是对鬼说，）你记得不记得，在一千九百多年以前，神的儿子从天上下来作人，作了三十三年半，把你们这样的鬼赶出去不知有多多少少！你记得不记得，你们想要害祂，你们和属乎你们的都起来要杀害祂，果然后来你们把祂钉在十字架上，你们觉得顶欢喜。但是过了三天，祂从死里复活了！所有你们的能力都被祂打破了！你是撒但手下的一个邪灵，你记得不记得，祂从阴间走出来那一天，神从天上发出声音告诉所有的生物、所有的灵说，从今以后，耶稣的名是超乎万名之上的名，从今以后，每一次提起祂的名的时候，万口都得承认，万膝都得跪拜！我告诉你，我是奉着这一位耶稣的名叫你走！她这样一宣告，这一个鬼立刻把这个女人摔在地上，就出去了。

这一句话顶要紧－“你记得不记得！”她一直用这一句话，这就是见证。我们如果与撒但讲道，他的“道”多得很；我们如果与撒但讲理，他的“理”也多得很；但是我们如果讲事实，讲属灵的事实，他就没有办法。

我们要知道圣经里面的事实，要相信这些事实。我们要在血的底下蒙神保护，不受仇敌的害，然后对撒但说话。撒但所怕的，就是我们对他说见证的话。在基督徒的经历中，有时好像觉得软弱得很，连到神面前祷告都祷告不来。这时候，我们要记得属灵的事实，我们要记得得胜的事实，我们要对鬼魔宣告主耶稣的得胜，宣告主耶稣是主。宣告就是见证，见证就是宣告。我们宣告主耶稣是主，我们宣告主是得胜的，我们宣告撒但被践踏在主的脚底下，我们宣告主已经给我们权柄，可以践踏蛇和蝎子，又胜过仇敌一切的能力；这就是见证的话。见证的话，使撒但无法站住；见证的话，是给撒但的一个打击。主耶稣的工作所给我们的，不只是血，使我们能得着保护，并且给我们见证的话，能使撒但溃退。

 

（未完待续 * 摘自《荣耀的教会》第四章 妇人生了一个男孩子 * 08-07）

 

 

【08 得胜者的根据和态度——不爱惜性命】

 

启示录三章里有一句话说，“得胜的，我要赐他在我宝座上与我同坐。”（21。）可见男孩子的到宝座上去，是因为他已经得胜。我们现在要来看，他们是怎样得胜的；同时也要看，他们有什么态度。

启示录十二章十一节：“弟兄胜过他，是因羔羊的血，和自己所见证的道；他们虽至于死，也不爱惜性命。”

“弟兄胜过他，”他，就是撒但。他们是胜过撒但的，他们使撒但在他们的身上不能做什么。他们所以能得胜，第一是因羔羊的血，第二是因自己所见证的道。另一面，他们还有一个态度，就是他们虽至于死，也不爱惜自己的性命。

上面是说得胜的根据，至于得胜者自己的遭遇是怎样呢？他们自己还是受试炼，还是遇见许多难处。不过，“他们虽至于死，也不爱惜性命。”（启十二11。）这是得胜者在争战中的态度。这里的“性命”有两个意思：一个意思是指着肉体的生命说的，还有一个意思是指着魂的能力说的。（“性命”也可译作“魂”。）我们先看关于魂的能力－天然的能力。

撒但对付我们最好的办法，就是使我们用自己的力量来做事。撒但是要我们自己动，就是要我们用自己天然的能力，血气的能力来为神工作。

什么叫做天然的能力？天然的能力，就是我们原有的，从未经过十字架对付的能力，也就是在我们的人格里所带来的东西。有的人，他天然的能力是他的聪明，他什么都是靠自己的聪明；有的人，他天然的能力是他的口才，他不必特别得着圣灵的能力，就很会说话。但是，人不能借着没有经过十字架对付的天然的能力来事奉神。教会的失败就是在于人把他天然的力量带到教会里来。我们总得被神带到一个地步，变成一个战兢恐惧的人，变成一个离了主不能做什么的人，（不是口里说说，乃是的确如此的人，）才能在神的手里有用处。

我们不是要人装作一个圣人，那没有用处，那不是出于基督的。我们是说神要把人一切出于天然的都打破，把一切出于人自己的那些东西都除掉，才能彰显基督，我们总得让神借着十字架除掉这个“己”，总得让神有一天把我们天然生命的背脊骨打断了才行。我们不要零零碎碎地在那里对付。零零碎碎的对付外面的事情，而让里面天然的生命仍旧原封不动，那就不但没有用处，反而使我们更骄傲，以为自己很好，我们里面的情形就变得更难对付。

总得有一天，我们那一个能够做得好，能够事奉神的力量被打断了，使我们在神的面前和人的面前承认我们不能做什么了，然后基督才能在我们的身上彰显祂的能力。我们总得被神带到一个地步，看见我们不能用天然的力量在教会里做什么。许多人以为只要目的对就可以了，但是不。你说你做工，主要问说，你用什么做工？你说你热心，主要问说，热心从那里来的？你说你有能力，主要问说，能力从那里来的？问题不是你做什么，而是你用什么来做；问题不是好不好，而是这个好是从什么地方出发的。

我们要学习认识十字架。十字架就是对付我们，使我们不敢凭着自己动。我们光是讲十字架的道理没有用，光是听十字架的道理也没有用。神所需要的，是经过十字架，受过十字架对付的人。你所传的信息对了还不够，还要问你这个人是谁。保罗说，“我…在你们中间不知道别的，只知道耶稣基督，并祂钉十字架。我在你们那里，又软弱，又惧怕，又甚战兢。我说的话讲的道，不是用智慧委婉的言语…。”（林前二2～4。）前面是说出他的信息，后面是说出他是怎样的人。我们想，像保罗这样的人，上讲台是绰绰有余了。但是保罗自己呢，他传的信息是十字架，他自己是又软弱，又惧怕，又甚战兢。我们什么时候认识十字架，我们什么时候就又软弱，又惧怕，又甚战兢。如果我们受过了十字架的对付，我们就没有把握，就不敢夸口。如果我们骄傲，以为自己能，我们就根本不认识什么是十字架。

从我们这一方面来看，十字架就是除去一切不是出于神的，十字架就是只留下从神出来的。十字架不能摇动从神出来的东西，但是从人出来的东西，一碰着十字架就没有办法。有的弟兄说，我从前这样救人，那样救人，现在学习受十字架的对付，这样对付，那样对付，被它对付完了，好像没有事情可做了。这就是证明他从前的一切都是出于他自己的。因为凡出于神的，都是十字架所杀不死的，如果是十字架杀得死的，那一定是出于人自己的。经过十字架还爬得起来的，就是出于神的；经过十字架爬不起来的，就是出于人的。主耶稣是出于神的，祂经过了十字架能起来。所有魂的生命，血气的生命，我们要不爱惜它，一直到死的地步，我们不让这一个生命留在身上。我们得胜的根据就是羔羊的血和见证的话，我们的态度是：我们不凭着自己作人，我们不能作一个自以为有本领，自以为有把握的人，我们要战战兢兢的作人，我们知道自己是一个软弱的人。

“不爱惜性命”的另一个意思，就是不爱惜身体的生命。我们就是死的话，我们就是丧失性命的话，我们也要为神站住。约伯记二章，撒但在神面前说，人是以皮代皮，人情愿舍去一切所有的保全性命。（4。）撒但说人看重性命过于一切。但是神说，得胜者并不爱惜自己的性命。得胜者的态度是，不管撒但在我身上做什么，就是要我的性命也可以，但我总不向撒但屈服，我总要向神忠心。得胜者的态度就是向主说，主啊，我为着你，没有一样是不能舍弃的，甚至于我的性命。

 

（分享完毕 * 摘自《荣耀的教会》第四章 妇人生了一个男孩子 * 08-08）

【01 GOD IS FAITHFUL- HE MUST KEEP HIS COVENANT AND ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSE】

 

We have already seen the woman in Genesis 2 and how she speaks of the man whom God in His eternal will desires to obtain to glorify His name. Then in Ephesians 5 we saw another woman, who is the reality of the woman in Genesis 2. This woman shows how God is working to restore everything to His original purpose after man’s fall. Now let us look in Revelation 12 at yet another woman, also speaking of the church, about God desiring to accomplish His eternal purpose through the church.

 

Revelation is a book which reveals the things of the end time. Beginning with chapter twelve we are told how the kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ and how God will make His Son King forever and ever. The woman we are referring to is the one who appears at the beginning of Chapter 12.

 

First, let us take a look at the two visions that come before Revelation 12. The book of Revelation contains many visions, but two central visions serve as the basis for all the others. The first is the vision of the throne (Rev. 4:2). The second is the vision of the temple (Rev. 11:19).

 

(1)  The vision of the throne: In chapter four, John saw a vision of the throne of God with a rainbow around it. This signifies that from this chapter forward, everything is based upon the authority of the throne and the remembrance of the covenant which God made with every living creature on the earth. The rainbow is the sign of God’s covenant which He made with all living things. At the present time we cannot see a complete rainbow. At most we see only half of it. But there is a rainbow that fully surrounds the throne. It is complete; there is no break in it. God is faithful; He will remember and keep His covenant. God will remember His covenant with every living creature on the earth. In everything that God desires to do toward man, He must abide by the covenant He has made.

 

(2) The vision of the temple:  At the end of chapter eleven, John saw another vision—a vision of the temple of God. Within the temple the ark of the covenant could be seen. God originally told the Israelites to build the ark according to the pattern which was given on the mount and to put the ark into the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle. Later, when Solomon built the temple, the ark was put into it. When Israel was taken captive to Babylon, the ark was lost. But even though the ark on earth was lost, the ark in heaven still remained. The ark on earth was made according to the ark in heaven. The shadow on earth disappeared, but the substance, the reality, in heaven still remains. At the end of Revelation 11, God once again shows us the ark.

 

What is the ark? The ark is the expression of God Himself. It signifies that God must be faithful to Himself. The throne is the place where God exercises authority, and the temple is the place where God dwells. The throne is something outward toward the world and mankind, but the temple is something for God Himself. The rainbow around the throne signifies that God will not do anything harmful to man, while the ark in the temple signifies that God will not do anything that comes short of Himself. What God has purposed, He must accomplish. What God desires to do, He is able to successfully perform. The ark was not only for man, but also for God Himself. God cannot deny Himself; He cannot contradict Himself. God purposed in eternity to have a glorified people, and He determined that the kingdom of this world would become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

 

When we see the situation of the church today, we cannot help but ask, “How can God accomplish His purpose?” Yet we know that God will never stop halfway. He has the ark, and He Himself has made the covenant. The righteous God cannot be unrighteous with man. Furthermore, the righteous God can never be unrighteous to Himself. Man never does anything to contradict himself, for each man has his own character. Neither can God deny Himself in His work because of His own character. When God unveiled the ark to us, He meant that what He desires to do He must accomplish.

 

Here we must see one point. What is the basis upon which God and His Christ will reign forever and ever? What is the basis upon which God will cause the kingdom of this world to become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ? His character is the basis. God will accomplish all of these things because of His own character. Nothing can hinder Him. We must learn that whatever is of God can never be frustrated. The ark still remains, representing God Himself and His covenant. God will accomplish this matter by means of Himself. We thank God that from chapter twelve to the end of the book we are shown how God will accomplish all that He purposed in eternity through His own faithfulness.

 

(To Be Continued  * From THE GLORIOUS CHURCH By WATCHMAN NEE CHAPTER FOUR—— AND SHE BROUGHT FORTH...A MAN-CHILD * 08-01)

 

 

【02 THE WOMAN IN THE VISION】

 

Revelation 12:1 says, “And a great sign was seen in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon underneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” Who is the woman described here? She is a woman over whom many Bible students have had much dispute. Some have said that she signifies Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus. Others have said that she stands for the nation of Israel. However, according to the Scriptures this woman can neither be Mary, the mother of the Lord, nor the nation of Israel. (For a detailed argument, please see Chapter 4 of the original work.)

 

Who then is this woman? The Old Testament shows that only one woman encountered the serpent—Eve in Genesis 3. In the New Testament there is also only one woman who encounters the serpent. Here we see the correspondence and correlation of the Scriptures, the beginning with the end. Furthermore, God particularly points out that the great dragon is the old serpent. This means that He is referring to the serpent who had been mentioned once before. God makes the point clear that it was that one and only old serpent. The emphasis is on the word “the”—the old serpent. Therefore, the woman mentioned here must also be that woman.

 

The sun, moon, and stars mentioned in Genesis 1 are mentioned in Revelation 12 in the same principle. As the serpent was in Genesis 3, so the serpent is here also. The seed of the woman mentioned in Genesis 3 is also mentioned here. Furthermore, the travail of birth is in Genesis 3, and it is also here. If we put these two portions of Scripture together, we can surely see that the woman in Revelation 12 is the woman whom God purposed in His eternal will. Everything that will happen to her at the end time is clearly stated here. The woman in Genesis 2 speaks of God’s eternal purpose; the woman in Ephesians 5 speaks of the position and future of the church; and the woman in Revelation 12 reveals the things at the end time. In addition to these three women, there is another woman who shows forth the things in eternity.

 

When the woman appeared in the vision, the Scriptures pointed out firstly that she was “clothed with the sun, and the moon underneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (12:1). These facts are very meaningful in reference to the ages.

 

(1) The woman was clothed with the sun. The sun refers to the Lord Jesus. Her being clothed with the sun means that when the sun shines the brightest, it is shining upon her. In this present age, God is revealing Himself through her. This shows her relationship with Christ and the age of grace.

 

(2) The woman had the moon underneath her feet. This phrase “underneath her feet” does not mean that she is treading upon it. According to the Greek, it means that the moon is subject at her feet. The light of the moon is a reflecting light; it has no light of its own. All the things in the age of the law merely reflected the things in the age of grace. The law was but a type. The temple and the ark were types. The incense, the showbread in the Holy Place, and the sacrifices offered by the priests were all types, as well as the blood of the sheep and oxen. The moon underneath the feet of the woman means that all things pertaining to the law are subordinate to her. This speaks of her relationship to the age of the law.

 

(3) The woman had a crown of twelve stars upon her head. The chief figures in the age of the patriarchs were from the time of Abraham to the twelve tribes. The crown of twelve stars upon her head speaks of her relationship to the age of the patriarchs.

 

In this way, we see that the woman is not only related to the age of grace, but also to the age of the law and the age of the patriarchs. However, she is more closely related to the age of grace. She includes all the saints in the age of grace, as well as all the saints from the ages of the law and the patriarchs. In other words, this woman represents all of God's people.

 

(To Be Continued  * From THE GLORIOUS CHURCH By WATCHMAN NEE CHAPTER FOUR—— AND SHE BROUGHT FORTH...A MAN-CHILD *  08-02)

 

 

【03 SHE GAVE BIRTH TO A MALE CHILD- THE PRODUCTION AND RAPTURE OF THE OVERCOMERS】

 

Revelation 12:5, “She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,” the man-child refers to the overcomers in the church. It is the portion of the people in the church who are the overcomers.

 

Verse 3 says, “And another sign was seen in heaven; and behold, there was a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.” That serpent after several thousand years is completely different. Originally it was a serpent, but now it has been enlarged to become a dragon.

 

Verse 4 begins, “And his tail drags away the third part of the stars of heaven, and he cast them to the earth.”  This means that one third of the angels in heaven were deceived by the dragon, and they fell and were cast down with the dragon.

 

Verse 4 continues, “And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth, so that when she brings forth he might devour her child.” Here is a woman whom God has purposed in His will and a man-child whom He desires to obtain. But the dragon is hindering what God is after in the woman. The dragon knows that this woman is about to bear a man-child; therefore, it stands before the woman and waits to devour her child as soon as she delivers.

 

Verse 5 says, “And she brought forth a son, a man-child.” The man-child delivered by this woman is a wonder and a sign. The words “bring forth” do not mean that the child had his origin with her and was then separated from her, but merely that within her there is such a being. “She brought forth a son, a man-child” simply means that a group of people is included in this woman.

 

All of God’s people have a part in His eternal purpose, but not all assume their rightful responsibility. Therefore, God chooses a group of people from among them. This group is a portion of the whole, a part of the many chosen by God. This is the man-child brought forth by the woman.

 

As a whole it is the mother; as a minority it is the man-child. The man-child is the “brothers” in verse 10 and “they” in verse 11. This means that the man-child is not a single individual, but a composition of many persons. All of these persons added together become the man-child. In comparison with the mother, the man-child appears to be small. When the group is compared with the whole, their number is in the minority. But God’s plan is fulfilled in them and His purpose rests upon them.

 

Verse 5 says, “She brought forth a son, a man-child, who is to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod.” This speaks of the millennial kingdom. The overcomers are the instrument that enables God to achieve His purpose. Revelation mentions shepherding “the nations with an iron rod” three times. First, 2:26-27 says, “And he who overcomes and he who keeps My works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; and he will shepherd them with an iron rod.” This passage also quite obviously refers to the overcomers in the church. Therefore, the man-child in verse 5 refers to the overcomers in the church. It is the portion of the people in the church who are the overcomers.

 

Revelation 12:5 continues, “And her child was caught up to God and to His throne.” The man-child was caught up to the throne because someone is already on the throne. The Head of the church is on the throne. God’s purpose is not just to have one man upon the throne, but many men upon the throne. His original desire was to have a group of men on the throne to exercise His authority. God desires that Christ and the church together bring His purpose to fulfillment. However, the majority of the people in the church at that time will still not be able to attain the throne. Only a minority, called the overcomers, can go to the throne of God. They will be caught up to His throne because they will achieve God’s purpose.

 

(To Be Continued  * From THE GLORIOUS CHURCH By WATCHMAN NEE CHAPTER FOUR—— AND SHE BROUGHT FORTH...A MAN-CHILD *  08-03)

 

 

【04 THE WORK OF THE OVERCOMERS】

 

Revelation 12:5, “She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,” the man-child refers to the overcomers in the church. Immediately after the man-child is caught up, there is war in heaven. In other words, the cause of the war in heaven is the rapture of the man-child. From this we see that the rapture of the man-child is not just a matter of some individuals being caught up, but more than that, it is to bring to an end the warfare which has been going on for ages and generations. The old serpent, the enemy of God, has been fighting against God for several thousand years. When this warfare takes place in heaven, Michael and his angels fight against the dragon, who is the old serpent. Formerly he was a serpent, but now he has changed in form to a dragon. He has steadily increased his power. However, once the man-child is caught up, not only is the dragon unable to be enlarged any further, but he is cast down from heaven. The rapture of the man-child is a transaction which causes Satan to have no more position in heaven.

 

What is the result of the fight between Michael and his angels and the dragon and his angels? Verses 8 and 9 say, “And they [the dragon and his angels] did not prevail, neither was their place found any longer in heaven. And the great dragon was cast down, the ancient serpent, he who is called the Devil and Satan, he who deceives the whole inhabited earth; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.” The dragon’s defeat is the outcome of this battle. There was no place for him in heaven; he and his angels were all cast down to the earth.

 

The death of the Lord Jesus has already dealt with the position which Satan gained by man’s fall. In other words, redemption has destroyed the legal position of Satan. The work of the church is to execute in the kingdom of God what the Lord Jesus accomplished in redemption and, consequently, to completely bring to an end the legal position of Satan gained by man’s fall. Redemption is Christ’s solution for the fall; the kingdom is the church’s solution for the fall. The work of judgment was Christ’s, while the task of executing this judgment rests upon the church. The overthrow of Satan is our work. God is trying to end this age. He needs overcomers. If there is no man-child, there will be no way to overthrow Satan’s work. Satan has already been judged by redemption; now the punishment must be executed by the kingdom.

 

After the dragon and his angels were cast down from heaven, verse 10 says, “And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ.” This is the kingdom. When Satan is cast down, when his angels are cast down with him, and when there is no place in heaven for them, this is the salvation, power, and kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ.

 

Let us read two verses in Revelation together. “And the seventh angel trumpeted; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever” (11:15). This is the subject. “And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ” (12:10). This is the successful fulfillment of the subject. The key to success is the rapture of the man-child. Because the man-child is caught up, there will be warfare in heaven and Satan will be cast down. The result of Satan being cast down is the coming of the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ. The rapture of the overcomers causes Satan to be cast down and introduces the kingdom. The work of the overcomers is to bring in God’s kingdom. The Lord’s work has been accomplished, and He is on the throne. Now the overcomers bring this into realization.

 

There is corresponding passage in Luke 10 which says, “And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name” (v. 17). The disciples had been casting out demons. Then the Lord said, “I was watching Satan fall like lightning out of heaven” (v. 18). This is a reference to Satan being cast down from heaven. But when does this event occur? It occurs in Revelation 12. What causes Satan to be cast down? According to Luke 10:18, which is based upon verse 17, Satan is cast down from heaven because the church casts out demons. Verse 17 also shows that casting out demons is not a once for all matter; rather, the church should continue to cast out demons on the earth so that Satan will be cast down from heaven. When the Lord Jesus died, all the power of Satan was destroyed. But what can actually cause Satan to lose his power in heaven? All of his power can be brought to an end by God’s children on earth repeatedly dealing with him, instance after instance. When the demons have been subdued many times in the name of the Lord Jesus, Satan will be cast down.

 

Suppose that we have a balance that is used for weighing. On one side of the balance there is Satan. Since we do not know how much Satan weighs, we must keep adding weight on the other side of the scale. Each time we deal with Satan we add more weight to the other side. When the weight is increased to a certain point, Satan will be moved. In the beginning, as we continue to add weight to the other side, it is seemingly of no use. But each addition of weight is valuable. Finally, when the last amount of weight is added, the balance will start to move. We do not know who will add the last amount of weight, but all the weight, that which is added in the beginning and that which is added at the end, produces the effect. The work of the church is to resist the work of Satan so that together we can cast out the demons. This is why Satan will do anything in his power to hinder us from being overcomers.

 

Casting out demons does not necessarily mean that when we encounter a demon we should confront him. Casting out demons means that we cast out all the work and power of the demon. We lay hold of the authority of the Lord and stand fast in our position. One brother adds a little weight, and another brother adds a little more weight. Then one day Satan will be cast down from heaven. God does not work directly by His own hand to cause Satan to fall from heaven. It would be very easy for Him to do this work, but He does not. He has entrusted this work to the church. Oh, how pitifully the church has failed in this matter and been unable to do it! This is why there must be the overcomers standing in the position of the church to do God’s work. When the overcomers stand in the church’s position and do the work which the church should have done, the result will be: “Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ.” The man-child in Revelation 12 consists of the overcomers who stand on behalf of the church. Therefore, as soon as the man-child is caught up, Satan is cast down from heaven and the kingdom comes.

 

(To Be Continued  * From THE GLORIOUS CHURCH By WATCHMAN NEE CHAPTER FOUR—— AND SHE BROUGHT FORTH...A MAN-CHILD *  08-04)

 

 

【05 THE PRINCIPLE OF THE MAN-CHILD】

 

The Scripture says that this man-child will “shepherd all the nations with an iron rod.” This is God’s purpose. The work of the church is to cause Satan to lose his power and bring in God’s kingdom. The church which God desires must have the characteristic of Abigail—that of cooperation with Christ. Since the church, however, has not attained to God’s purpose, nor does she even know God’s purpose, what can God do? He will choose a group of overcomers who will attain His purpose and fulfill His demand. This is the principle of the man-child.

 

There are many examples of this principle in the Bible. What was God’s purpose in choosing the people of Israel in the Old Testament time? Exodus 19 tells us that He chose them to be a kingdom of priests. What does a kingdom of priests mean? It means that the whole nation was to serve God and be His priests. However, not all of the people of Israel became priests, because they worshipped the golden calf. Instead of serving God, they worshipped an idol. Therefore, Moses charged the people of Israel, saying, “Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me” (Exo. 32:26). Then all of the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto Moses. Then Moses said to them, “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor” (v. 27). The worshiping of idols is the greatest sin, so God required these men to slay their own brothers with the sword. “And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses” (v. 28).

 

They were willing to serve God above all their human affection, so God chose them to be the priests. From that time forward, only those of the tribe of Levi were priests among all the people of Israel. The whole body of the Israelites henceforth approached God through the Levites. Originally, all of the Israelites were chosen to serve God, but they failed Him; therefore, God chose from among the whole body of failures a group of people who would stand in their place. This group of people is the overcomers.

 

We must remember that the Levites did not serve God for themselves, nor were they overcomers by their own selection. Much less did they claim superiority over the others. If this had happened, they would have been finished. The Levites were chosen by God to be the priests as representing the whole body of the people of Israel. What the children of Israel should have offered unto God, the children of Levi offered for them. The service of the Levites before God was counted as the service of the whole nation of Israel. Only the children of Levi were priests, but the whole nation of Israel benefited from their priesthood. In the same manner, the work of the overcomers is for the whole church. The work belongs to the overcomers, but the church receives the blessing of the work. This is the glory of the overcomers. The business is theirs, but their accomplishments bring glory to the whole church; the work is theirs, but the whole church derives the blessing.

 

During the time of the Judges, the people of Israel were oppressed by the Midianites and were in great desperation. Out of one of their tribes, God raised up Gideon to lead a contingent of men and chase away the enemy. The whole nation was set free because of this group. The responsibility rested on the whole nation, but some were afraid and some were slothful; therefore, a group of them went forth to the battle and brought benefit to the whole nation.

 

The same principle is seen when the people of Israel returned from captivity. God originally promised that after the seventy years of captivity, the people of Israel would return and be restored to the land. However, not all returned; only a minority led by Ezra, Nehemiah, Zerubbabel, and Joshua came back to build the temple and the city of Jerusalem. But what they did counted for the whole nation of Israel. It was reckoned as the recovery and returning of the whole nation.

 

The principle of the overcomers is not that an individual who is especially spiritual will have a crown and glory waiting for him. This is not to say that individuals will not be rewarded with crowns and glory in that day. These they may obtain, but they are not for these; this is not their main purpose. The reason for the overcomers to be the overcomers is not to receive glory or crowns for themselves, but simply to take the position which the whole church should take and do the work for the church. Before God, the church should be in that condition which He desires; she should be responsible to Him, fulfilling the work committed to her and standing in her proper position. The church, however, has failed and is still failing today. She has not become what she was originally purposed to be; she has not done her work, taken up her responsibility, nor stood in her proper position. She has not gained the ground for God. There is only a group of people left to do that work for the church and to take up the church’s responsibility. This group is the overcomers. What they do is counted as the work of the whole church. If there are those who will be the overcomers, God’s purpose is attained and He is satisfied. This is the principle of the man-child.

 

The reason we are considering this matter of the man-child is because in God’s eternal purpose He needs a group of overcomers. According to history, we have to admit that the church has failed. Therefore, God is calling the overcomers to stand for the church. The man-child spoken of in this passage of Revelation refers particularly to the overcomers at the end time. Once the man-child is brought forth, he will be caught up to the throne of God. Then things will immediately happen in heaven and Satan will be cast down. God’s difficulty is removed by the rapture of the man-child; His problem is solved. It seems that once the man-child is born, God’s purpose can no longer be hindered. This is what God is calling for today; this is what interests Him today. God needs a group of people to attain His original goal.

 

(To Be Continued  * From THE GLORIOUS CHURCH By WATCHMAN NEE CHAPTER FOUR—— AND SHE BROUGHT FORTH...A MAN-CHILD *  08-05)

 

 

【06 THE BASIS AND ATTITUDE OF THE OVERCOMERS- THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB】

 

In Revelation 3:21 the Lord Jesus said, “He who overcomes, to him I will give to sit with Me on My throne.” The reason the man-child can be upon the throne is because he has overcome. Now we will see how they overcome and what is their attitude.

 

Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they loved not their soul-life even unto death.”

 

“They overcame him.” “Him” refers to Satan. They overcame Satan by rendering him unable to do any of his work upon them. They overcame him (1) because of the blood of the Lamb, (2) because of the word of their testimony, and (3) because they had an attitude of not loving their soul-life even unto death.

 

First, “they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb.” Victory in spiritual warfare is based upon the blood of the Lamb. The blood is not only for forgiveness and salvation, it is also the basis by which we overcome Satan. Some people may think that the blood is not of much value to those who have grown in the Lord. They suppose that some may grow to the extent that they go beyond the need of the blood. We must emphatically say that there is no such thing! No person can grow to the extent that he surpasses the need for the blood. God’s Word says, “They overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb.”

 

The major activity of Satan against Christians is to accuse them. Is Satan a murderer? Yes. Is he a liar and a tempter? Yes. Is he one who attacks us? Yes. But this is not all. His chief work is to accuse. Revelation 12:10 says, “The accuser of our brothers has been cast down, who accuses them before our God day and night.” We see here that Satan accuses the brothers day and night. Not only is he the accuser before God, but he is also the accuser in our conscience, and his accusations can cause us to become weak and completely powerless. He likes to accuse people to such an extent that they consider themselves useless and thus lose all their ground for fighting with him. We are not saying that there is no need for us to deal with sin. We must have a keen sense toward sin, but we should not accept the accusations of Satan.

 

Once a child of God accepts Satan’s accusations, he will feel that he is wrong all day long. When he rises early in the morning, he will feel that he is wrong. When he kneels down to pray, he will feel that he is wrong and does not even believe that God will answer his prayer. When he wants to speak a word in the meeting, he will feel that it is no use, because he is not right. When he wants to give an offering to the Lord, he wonders why he should offer anything, because God would surely not accept an offering from such a person as he. The main concern of Christians like this is not how glorious and victorious the Lord Jesus is, but how evil and worthless they are. From morning to evening they are consumed with the thought of their own worthlessness. Whether they are working, resting, walking, reading the Scriptures, or praying, a single moment does not pass without their consideration of how worthless they are. This is the accusation of Satan.

 

If Satan can keep them in such a condition, he was won the victory. People in this state are powerless before Satan. If we accept these accusations, we can never be an overcomer. Often when we are engrossed with the thought of our own evil, it is easy for us to mistakenly consider this as Christian humility, not realizing that we are suffering the harmful effect of Satan’s accusations. When we sin, we must confess and deal with it. But we must learn another lesson; we must learn to not look upon ourselves, but only gaze upon the Lord Jesus. Being conscious of our self every day from morning until evening is a sickly condition. It is the result of accepting the accusations of Satan.

 

In the consciences of some of the Lord’s children there is little feeling toward sin. This kind of people are not of much spiritual use. However, there are many of God’s children whose consciences are so weak that they have no real awareness of the work of the Lord Jesus. If we ask them if they have the sense of a particular sin, they cannot point to any. Yet they always have the feeling that they are wrong. They always feel that they are weak and worthless. Whenever they think of themselves, they lose all of their peace and joy. They have accepted the accusations of Satan. Whenever Satan gives us this kind of feeling, we are weakened and can no longer resist him.

 

We must not, therefore, lightly esteem the accusations of Satan. His chief work is to accuse us, and he does it day and night without ceasing. He accuses us in our conscience as well as before God until our conscience becomes so weak that it cannot be strengthened. In the daily life and work of a Christian, the conscience is of great importance. The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 8 that if one’s conscience is defiled, he is destroyed. Being destroyed does not mean eternal perishing but that a person can no longer be built up. He has been so weakened that he has become worthless. First Timothy 1 says that a man who thrusts away his conscience is shipwrecked regarding the faith. A ship which is wrecked cannot sail. Therefore, whether or not a Christian can stand before God depends upon whether he has any offense in his conscience. Once he accepts the accusations of Satan, his conscience is offended, and once his conscience is offended, he cannot proceed in his service nor fight for God any more. We must realize, therefore, that Satan’s main work is to accuse us, and this is the work we must overcome.

 

How can we overcome the accusations of Satan? The voice from heaven tells us, “They overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb.” The blood is the basis of victory, and it is the instrument to overcome Satan. He may accuse us, but we can answer that the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses us from every sin (1 John 1:7). “Every sin” means any sin, whether it is great or small. The blood of God’s Son cleanses us from all of them. Satan may tell us that we are wrong, but we have the blood of the Lord Jesus. The blood of the Lord Jesus can cleanse us of our many sins. This is the Word of God. The blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses us from every sin.

 

We must not only reject the accusations which are without cause, but we must also reject all the accusations which have cause. When God’s children have done something wrong, we need only the blood of Jesus, His Son, not the accusations of Satan. The precious blood is needed for sin, not accusation. God’s Word never speaks of the need for accusation after we have sinned. The only problem is whether or not we have confessed our sin. If we have confessed, then what more can be said? If we have sinned and do not confess, then we deserve to be accused. But where there is no sin, there is no cause for accusation. If we have sinned and have confessed, we should not be accused.

 

If you have sinned, you can bow and confess to God. Immediately the blood of the Lord Jesus will cleanse you. Do not think that you will be a little more holy if you consider how sinful you are, or that you will be more holy if you have more feeling toward your sin. No. You only must ask yourself one thing: How do I treat the blood of the Lord Jesus? We have sinned, but His blood cleanses us from every sin. “Every sin” means great sin or small sin, recollected sin or forgotten sin, visible sin or invisible sin, sin which we think can be forgiven and sin which we do not think can be forgiven— every kind is included in “every.” The blood of Jesus, God’s Son, does not wash us of one or two sins, or even many sins, but it cleanses us from every sin.

 

We admit that we have sin. We do not say that we are without sin. But regardless of this, we do not accept the accusations of Satan. Before God we are clean because we have the precious blood. We should not believe in the accusations more than we believe in the precious blood. When we commit sin, we do not glorify God, but when we do not trust the precious blood, we dishonor Him even more. It is a shameful thing to sin, but not to believe in the precious blood is even more shameful. We must learn to trust in the blood of the Lamb.

 

Romans 5:9 says, “...having now been justified in His blood.” When many people come into the Lord’s presence, they have no peace in their heart. They also have a feeling of worthlessness and of being wrong within. This is because they have a false hope. They expect that they will have something positive in themselves to offer to God. When they discover that they do not have anything positive to offer in themselves, the accusations come. An accusation is like this: “A person like you will never have anything good to offer to God.” But we must remember that we originally possessed no positive goodness before God. There was nothing good in ourselves that we could offer to God. We could only present one thing to Him—the blood. We could only be justified by the blood. We do not have any positive righteousness in ourselves. We become righteous only because of the righteousness which we receive through redemption.

 

Every time we come to the throne of grace, we can look to Him for grace. It is a throne of grace, not a throne of righteousness. Every time we come before God, our only qualification is that we have been redeemed, not that we have advanced in our Christian life. No Christian can ever reach the stage where he can say, “I have been doing pretty well recently; now I have the boldness to pray.” No. Every time we come before God, our only ground, our only position, is based upon the blood. We must realize that no amount of spiritual growth can substitute for the effectiveness of the blood. Not one spiritual experience can ever replace the work of the blood. Even if someone should become as spiritual as the apostle Paul, the apostle John, or the apostle Peter, he would still need the blood to stand before God.

 

Sometimes when we have sinned, Satan comes to accuse us, and sometimes when we have not sinned, Satan still comes to accuse us. Sometimes it is not a problem of whether or not we have sinned, but a problem of not having a positive righteousness to offer to God; so Satan accuses us. However, we must be clear: We can come into God’s presence only because of the blood, not because of anything else. Since we have been cleansed by the blood and justified by the blood, we are under no obligation whatsoever to accept the accusations of Satan.

 

The precious blood is the basis for spiritual warfare. If we do not know the value of the blood, we cannot fight. Once our conscience is weakened, we are finished. Therefore, if we do not maintain a blameless and clean conscience, we will have no way to deal with Satan. Satan can use thousands of reasons in his accusations against us. If we accept them, we will fall. But when Satan speaks to us, we can reply to all his reasons with the one answer of the blood. There is not a single reason which cannot be answered by the blood. Spiritual warfare requires a conscience without offense, and the blood alone can give us such a conscience.

 

Hebrews 10:2 says, “Because those worshipping, having once been purified, would have no longer had the consciousness of sins...” When a Christian’s conscience no longer has the sense of sin, it is because of the blood. Once we stand on the ground of the blood, once we believe in the blood, Satan can no longer work upon us. We often like to reason that we can no longer fight because we have sinned. But the Lord knows that we are sinful, so He has prepared the blood. The Lord has a way for sinful man, because the Lord has the blood. But He has no way for one who willingly receives Satan’s accusations. Anyone who accepts the accusations of Satan denies the power of the blood. No one who believes in the precious blood can receive Satan’s accusations at the same time. Either one or the other must go. If we accept the accusations, the blood has to go; if we accept the blood, the accusations have to go.

 

The Lord Jesus is the High Priest and Mediator for us (see Heb. 2:17-18; 4:14-16; 7:20-28; 8:6; 9:15; 1 John 2:1). He is always serving in this position—the High Priest and the Mediator. The purpose of His serving is to keep us from Satan’s accusations. It takes only a moment of time for man to receive Him as Savior, but it is a lifelong matter to face the accusations of Satan. The word mediator in Greek means “an appointed defender.” The Lord is our Mediator, our Defender. The Lord speaks for us. But do we stand on the side of the Mediator or on the side of the accuser? It would be ridiculous if we believed the words of the accuser while our Mediator is in the very act of defending us. If an attorney continually proved that a defendant was not guilty and defendant persisted in believing the accuser, would that not be quite absurd? Oh, may we see that the Lord Jesus is our Mediator and that He is defending us. May we see that the blood is the basis for us to deal with Satan. We should never answer Satan’s accusations with good conduct, we should answer with the blood. If we realized the value of the blood, there would be a great increase of peaceful and joyful Christians on the earth today.

 

“They overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb.” How precious are these words! The brothers overcame him not because of their merit, their advancement, or their experience. They overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb. Whenever accusations come from Satan, we need to deal with them by the blood. Once we accept the blood, Satan’s power will be nullified. All that we are depends on the blood, and we need the blood every day. Just as we depended upon the blood and trusted in the blood on the day we were saved, we must continue to depend upon the blood and trust in the blood from that day forward. The blood is our only foundation. God desires to deliver us from many senseless accusations. He wants to break these chains. We must never feel that we are being humble by receiving accusations day after day. We must learn to overcome these accusations. If we do not overcome accusations, we can never be the overcomers. The overcomers must know the value of the blood. Although we do not know the immense value of the blood, we can still say to the Lord, “O Lord, apply the blood on my behalf according to Your evaluation of it.” We should deal with the power of Satan according to God’s valuation of the blood, not according to our valuation of the blood.

 

(To Be Continued  * From THE GLORIOUS CHURCH By WATCHMAN NEE CHAPTER FOUR—— AND SHE BROUGHT FORTH...A MAN-CHILD *  08-06)

 

 

【07 THE BASIS AND ATTITUDE OF THE OVERCOMERS- THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY】

 

In Revelation 3:21 the Lord Jesus said, “He who overcomes, to him I will give to sit with Me on My throne.” The reason the man-child can be upon the throne is because he has overcome. Now we will see how they overcome and what is their attitude.

 

Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they loved not their soul-life even unto death.”

 

“They overcame him.” “Him” refers to Satan. They overcame Satan by rendering him unable to do any of his work upon them. They overcame him (1) because of the blood of the Lamb, (2) because of the word of their testimony, and (3) because they had an attitude of not loving their soul-life even unto death.

 

The second thing is that the brothers overcame him “because of the word of their testimony.” When our conscience is without offense, then our mouth can give testimony. When there is an accusation in our conscience, we can utter nothing. It seems that the more we speak, the lower our voice becomes. The meaning of testimony here is to testify to others, not to one’s self. When you have the blood before God, you will have boldness before God, and you will have a testimony before man. Not only will you testify that sinners can be forgiven and man can be accepted because of Christ, but you will further testify of God’s kingdom. “Testimony” means to tell others what there is in Christ, and the word of testimony is something which must be spoken forth. The overcomers must frequently proclaim the victory of Christ. Satan fears the most when this fact is repeated again and again.

 

 It is a fact that the kingdom of heaven will come; it is a fact that the Lord is King; it is a fact that Christ is victorious and forever victorious; it is a fact that Satan is defeated; it is a fact that the strong man has been bound and legally condemned; it is a fact that Christ has destroyed all the work of Satan on the cross. When we declare all of these facts, we have the testimony. When we proclaim that Christ is this and Christ is that, this is the testimony.

 

It is the word of testimony that gives Satan the greatest fear. Satan does not fear when we try to reason with him, but he does fear when we proclaim the facts. Satan does not fear when we talk theology or when we expound the Scriptures, but he does fear when we declare the spiritual facts. “Jesus is Lord” is a spiritual fact. Many people speak about Jesus as the Lord and explain how Jesus is the Lord, but Satan is not afraid in the least. However, when someone declares in faith that Jesus is Lord, Satan fears. He does not fear our preaching or theology, but the word of our testimony.

 

It is a spiritual fact that the name of Jesus is above every other name. We must declare it in faith, not only to men, but also to Satan. We often speak for Satan to hear; we purposely speak for him to hear. We call this the word of testimony. Even when we are alone in our room we can proclaim aloud, “Jesus is Lord.” We can say, “The Lord Jesus is stronger than the strong man,” or, “The Son of God has already bound Satan,” etc. This is the word of our testimony.

 

Christians must rely upon prayer in everything, but sometimes the word of our testimony is more effective than prayer. In Mark 11:23 the Lord Jesus said, “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.” The Lord Jesus did not say that what a person prays will come to pass, but that what a person says will come to pass. The Chinese have a proverb which says, “A composition can come immediately from one’s mouth.” But Christians can say, “An accomplishment can come immediately from one’s mouth.” God created the heavens and the earth by one word of His mouth. The incident in Mark 11 shows us that we can speak to the mountain. Only if we speak in faith will something be accomplished. Many times the power of prayer is not as strong as the power of proclamation. Many times we must use the word of testimony to deal with Satan.

 

When we read the book of Acts, we can see many words of testimony. In chapter three Peter and John saw the lame man at the gate of the temple, and what Peter did was to say to him, “Silver and gold I do not possess, but what I have, this I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene rise up and walk.” This is what is called the word of testimony. It is not beseeching God to deal with the situation, but dealing with it directly in the name of the Lord. In Acts 16, when Paul cast out the demon, he also used the word of proclamation: “I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” Immediately the demon came out.

 

Let us further illustrate by relating a certain event. There were two sisters who were engaged in preaching the gospel. One day they came to a certain village and stayed for a while. A woman who was possessed of a demon was there, and a member of her family invited the two sisters to go to her home to cast out the demon. After praying, they felt that they should go. When they arrived, they saw that the woman was properly dressed and that everything was in good order. They wondered if the woman was really demon-possessed. Then they preached to her, and she seemed to be quite clear. (Actually demons cannot be clear, but they pretend to be.) The two sisters felt very strange about the situation. They asked the woman, “Do you believe in the Lord Jesus?” She answered, “I have believed for many years.” Upon this reply, the two sisters were really confused; they did not know what to make of the situation. Then they asked her, “Do you know who Jesus is?” She said, “If you want to know who Jesus is, come and see.” Then she led them from the front room to a room at the rear of the house. Pointing to an idol, she said, “This is Jesus. I have believed in him for many years.” Then one of the sisters felt that she must give a testimony. Please note that what she said is the kind of testimony that we are talking about here.

 

The sister grasped the woman’s hand and said (not to the woman, but to the demon), “Do you remember that more than nineteen hundred years ago the Son of God came from heaven to become a man for thirty-three and a half years? He cast out demons like you many times. Do you remember that you desired to attack and harm Him? You and all of yours rose up to kill Him and nail Him to the cross. You were very happy at that time. You did not know that He would rise from the dead after three days and break all your power. You are but a wicked spirit under the hand of Satan. Do you remember that when the Son of God came out from Hades, God announced from heaven to all living creatures and to all spirits, ‘The name of Jesus henceforth is above every name. Whenever His name is mentioned, every tongue must confess and every knee must bow.’ So I command you in the name of Jesus to come out from her!” When the sister made this proclamation, the demon cast the woman to the floor and left.

 

The sister’s question, “Do you remember?” is of utmost significance. Her repeated urging of that question was her testimony. If we preach to Satan, he also can preach, and he can do quite a bit of it. If we reason with him, he has all kinds of reasonings. But if we speak the facts, especially the spiritual facts, Satan will be helpless.

 

We must know the facts in the Scriptures and believe them. We must be covered by the blood so that God may protect us from all the attacks of the enemy. Then we may speak to Satan. Satan fears when we speak the word of testimony to him. In our Christian experience, we sometimes feel so weak that we cannot even pray to God. At such a time we must remember the spiritual facts, the victorious facts. We must proclaim to Satan and his demons that the Lord Jesus is victorious and that Jesus is Lord. Such a proclamation is the testimony, and the testimony is the proclamation. What do we proclaim? We proclaim that Jesus is Lord, that the Lord is victorious, that Satan has been trodden under His feet. We further proclaim that the Lord has given us authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy. This is the word of testimony. The word of testimony causes Satan to lose his ground. When we give the word of testimony, we give Satan a blow. The work of the Lord has not only given us the blood to protect us, but also the word of testimony by which we can defeat Satan.

 

(To Be Continued  * From THE GLORIOUS CHURCH By WATCHMAN NEE CHAPTER FOUR—— AND SHE BROUGHT FORTH...A MAN-CHILD *  08-07)

 

 

【08 THE BASIS AND ATTITUDE OF THE OVERCOMERS- NOT LOVING OUR OWN SOUL-LIFE】

 

In Revelation 3:21 the Lord Jesus said, “He who overcomes, to him I will give to sit with Me on My throne.” The reason the man-child can be upon the throne is because he has overcome. Now we will see how they overcome and what is their attitude.

 

Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they loved not their soul-life even unto death.”

 

“They overcame him.” “Him” refers to Satan. They overcame Satan by rendering him unable to do any of his work upon them. They overcame him (1) because of the blood of the Lamb, (2) because of the word of their testimony, and (3) because they had an attitude of not loving their soul-life even unto death.

 

We have spoken of the basis of overcoming, but what is the experience of the overcomers themselves? They face trials and encounter many difficulties, yet Revelation 12:11 says, “They loved not their soul-life even unto death.” This is the attitude of the overcomers in the warfare. In this verse the word “life” has two meanings. One denotes the physical life, while the other refers to the power of the soul. (The word “life” can be translated as “soul-life.”) Let us consider the power of the soul or the natural ability.

 

The best way for Satan to deal with us is to cause us to act in our own strength. Satan wants us to move in ourselves. He wants us to exercise our own natural ability and fleshly energy in our work for God.

 

What is natural ability? Natural ability is the ability which we originally had and which has never been dealt with by the cross. It accompanies our character. The natural ability of one person may be his cleverness. In whatever he does, he draws upon his own cleverness. The natural ability of another may be his eloquence. He can speak well independent of any special power from the Holy Spirit. Man, however, cannot serve God with the natural ability that has never been dealt with by the cross. The failure of the church is due to man bringing in his natural ability. Oh, we all must be brought by God to the place where we are trembling and fearful lest we do anything without the Lord. We must become such persons—not merely speaking such things, but actually being such persons. Then we will become useful in the hand of God.

 

We are not encouraging anyone to pretend that he is holy. This is of no use, because it does not come from Christ. We are saying that God wants to break everything that is natural in a man. Only when we are cut off from all the elements that originate from our self will Christ be manifested. We must allow God to cancel the self through the cross. One day we must let God break the backbone of our natural life. We should not try to deal with this matter, piece by piece, item by item. For us to deal only with the outward things and leave the inward, natural life untouched is not only useless, but, on the contrary, it will make us proud. We will consider ourselves to be quite satisfactory, yet our inward condition will be even more difficult to deal with.

 

The day must come when our strength to do good and our ability to serve God are broken. Then we will confess before God and man that we can do nothing. Henceforth, Christ will be able to manifest His power upon us. We all must be brought by God to the place where we see that we can do nothing in the church with our natural strength. Many people think that as long as their motive is correct, it is good enough. But this is not the case. When you say you are working, the Lord will ask, “By what are you working?” If you say that you are zealous, the Lord will ask, “From where does your zeal come?” If you say that you have power, the Lord will ask, “What is the source of your power?” The question is not what you are doing, but with what you are doing it. The problem is not whether or not the matter is good, but what is the source of the goodness.

 

We must learn to experience the cross. The purpose of the cross is to deal with us, so that we will not dare to move by ourselves. It is useless merely to talk about the message of the cross or to listen to the message of the cross. God requires those who have gone through the cross and have been dealt with by the cross. It is not enough that our message is correct. We have to ask, “How about ourselves? What kind of persons are we?” The apostle Paul said, “For I did not determine to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and this One crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling; and my speech and my proclamation were not in persuasive words of wisdom” (1 Cor. 2:2-4). The first part of these verses refers to Paul’s message, and the last part refers to Paul’s person. We often think that when a person like Paul gets up to speak he must feel rich and full of his own resources. But Paul’s message was the cross, and he himself was in weakness, fear, and much trembling. Whenever we know the cross, we will be in weakness, fear, and much trembling. If we have been dealt with by the cross, we will not have any self-confidence, and we will not dare to boast. If we are proud, considering that we are quite capable, we know nothing of the cross.

 

The subjective work of the cross in us is to take away the things which do not originate with God. The cross leaves only the things which are of God. It cannot shake that which comes from God, but whatever is of man is powerless before it. Some brothers have said that in the past they had many ways to help people be saved, but after they began to experience the dealing of the cross, the cross has dealt with their various ways, and it seems as if they are not able to do anything. This proves that what they did previously came out from themselves, because whatever is of God cannot be slain by the cross. Anything that can be destroyed by the cross is certainly something of man. That which passes through the cross and rises up again is of God; anything which is not able to rise is of man. The Lord Jesus is of God, for after He passed through the cross, He was able to rise again. We should not love anything of the soulish life or of the life of the flesh, but let it all go into death. We must not allow anything of such a life to remain in us. The basis of our overcoming is the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Furthermore, our attitude is that we will not live by ourselves in any way; we will not value our own ability or have any self-confidence. We must live as men full of fear and trembling. We must realize what feeble creatures we are.

 

The other meaning of not loving our soul-life is that we do not love our physical life. We have to stand for God even at the cost of our life. In the book of Job, Satan told God: “Skin for skin! Indeed all that a man has he will give for the sake of his life” (2:4). Satan realizes that man values his life above everything else. But God said that the overcomers love not their lives. The attitude of the overcomer is that he does not care what Satan may do to him. Even though Satan would take his life away, he would never bow to Satan, but always remain faithful to God. The attitude of the overcomer is to be able to say to the Lord: “For Your sake there is not one thing that I would not forsake, even my life.”

 

(The end  * From THE GLORIOUS CHURCH By WATCHMAN NEE CHAPTER FOUR—— AND SHE BROUGHT FORTH...A MAN-CHILD *  08-08)