第一週•週六

w01d06-ch

晨興餧養

弗六10 ～ 11『末了的話，你們要在主裏，靠着祂力量的權能，得着加力。要穿戴神全副的軍裝，使你們能以站住，抵擋魔鬼的詭計。』

在我們基督徒的經歷裏，我們可能對這裏所說的屬靈爭戰沒有多少看見。當我們想到屬靈的爭戰，可能想到是我們的靈與肉體之間的爭戰，或者對罪和世俗的抵擋。然而，對抗罪、世界和肉體，乃是屬靈爭戰的較低部分。屬靈爭戰的較高部分乃是在屬靈界裏對抗邪靈和鬼。

在靈界裏有一個領土是被撒但和他的跟從者所篡竊並霸佔的。保羅對這事有很好的領會，也說了很多。現在我們需要學習認識這屬靈的實際，就是撒但的國，黑暗的國。在這國裏面有墮落的天使和鬼。墮落的天使是在空中，而鬼是在水裏。天使和鬼都是撒但的跟從者，在墮落的人身上作工，使他們成爲撒但國裏的百姓。空中墮落的天使—撒但之國執政的、掌權的、以及有權勢的—管治了整個世界，鬼是他們的助手，幫助墮落的天使霸佔人。因此，撒但的國包括了邪惡的天使、鬼、以及墮落的人。（民數記生命讀經，二七六頁。）

信息選讀

在民數記二十一章一至三節，以色列人戰勝亞拉得王。…『以色列人向耶和華許願說，你若將這民交付我們手裏，我們就要把他們的城邑盡行毀滅。』（2。）以色列人許願，不僅要毀滅亞拉得人，更要毀滅他們的城邑。這指明我們需要與邪靈爭戰，擊敗牠們，佔領牠們的領土。我們需要對空中的權勢，運用基督給我們的權柄。

『耶和華聽了以色列人的呼聲，把迦南人交付他們，他們就把迦南人和迦南人的城邑盡行毀滅。』（3。）這指明亞拉得王，第一個守門者，被以色列人擊敗了。盼望這裏的景象會幫助我們看見召會對抗空中邪靈這爭戰的異象。

在二十一章二十一至三十二節，以色列人戰勝亞摩利人的王西宏。（創十五16。）…『西宏不准以色列人從他的境界經過，就招聚他的眾民出到曠野，攻擊以色列人；他到了雅雜，與以色列人爭戰。』（民二一23。）這描繪在屬靈界裏實際上可能發生的事。我們可能向邪靈說話，求牠們給我們一條路，經過牠們的境界，這卻挑起牠們來攻擊我們。

以色列人擊殺西宏，得了他的地，就住在亞摩利人之地。（24 ～ 32。）這指明我們從事屬靈的爭戰抵擋邪靈之後，撒但空中領土的一部分就成了我們的。歷世紀以來，有些聖徒曾這樣與空中邪惡的權勢爭戰。…〔此後，〕以色列人也戰勝了巴珊王噩。〔33 ～ 35。〕

我們若明白這些論到三個守門者的經文，乃是豫表召會對抗空中邪靈的屬靈爭戰，就會從這些經文得着許多益處。…我們必須與邪靈爭戰，並擊敗牠們，叫我們能爲着神的國得更多領土。

新約告訴我們，神派定祂的子民去對抗撒但的國。祂已經派定他們從事屬靈爭戰的責任。以色列人與迦南人爭戰的歷史，是今天我們與墮落天使並鬼之間所進行這場爭戰的豫表，圖畫。我們若從這觀點來讀民數記二十一章，就會看見關於屬靈爭戰的異象。（民數記生命讀經，二七二至二七六頁。）

參讀：約翰一書生命讀經，第十篇。

WEEK 1 — DAY 6

Morning Nourishment

Eph. 6:10-11 Finally, be empowered in the Lord and in the might of His strength. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil.

In our Christian experience we may not have much realization concerning the spiritual warfare about which we have been speaking. When we think of spiritual warfare, we may have in mind the warfare between our spirit and our flesh or the struggle against sin and worldliness. However, the war against sin, the world, and the flesh is the lower part of the spiritual warfare. The higher part of the spiritual warfare is the fighting in the spiritual realm against evil spirits and demons.

In the spiritual world there is a territory usurped and occupied by Satan and his followers. Paul had an excellent understanding of this and spoke much concerning it. Now we need to learn about this spiritual reality, which is Satan’s kingdom, the kingdom of darkness. Within this kingdom there are the fallen angels and the demons. Whereas the fallen angels are in the air, the demons are in the water. Both the angels and the demons, as followers of Satan, are working on fallen human beings to make them subjects in Satan’s kingdom. The fallen angels in the air—the rulers, powers, and authorities of the kingdom of Satan—rule the entire world, and the demons are their helpers, helping the fallen angels to usurp human beings. Thus, the kingdom of Satan comprises evil angels, demons, and fallen human beings. (Life-study of Numbers, pp. 243-244)

Today’s Reading

In Numbers 21:1-3 the children of Israel defeated the king of Arad… ”Israel made a vow to Jehovah and said, If You will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities” (v. 2). Israel vowed to destroy not only the people of Arad but also their cities. This indicates that we need to fight against the evil spirits, defeat them, and take over their territory. We need to exercise our Christ-given authority over the  aerial powers.

“Jehovah listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites, and they utterly destroyed them and their cities” (v. 3). This indicates that Arad, the first of the gate guards, was defeated by the children of Israel. I hope that the scene here will help us to see the vision of the church’s warfare against the evil spirits in the air.

In 21:21-32 the children of Israel defeated Sihon king of the Amorites (Gen. 15:16)…”Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. And Sihon gathered all his people together and went out against Israel into the wilderness, and he came to Jahaz and fought against Israel” (Num. 21:23). This portrays something that actually may take place in the spiritual realm. We may speak to the evil spirits, asking them to give us a way through their territory, but this stirs them to fight against us.

Israel slew Sihon, took possession of his land, and dwelt in the land of the Amorites (vv. 24-32). This indicates that after we engage in spiritual warfare against the evil spirits, part of the territory of Satan in the air becomes ours. Throughout the centuries, some of the saints have fought in such a way against the evil powers in the air. Israel also defeated Og, the king of Bashan [vv. 33-35].

If we understand these verses regarding the three gate guards as typifying the church’s spiritual warfare against the evil spirits in the air, we will obtain much that is profitable from these verses…We must fight against the evil spirits and defeat them so that we may gain more territory for God’s kingdom.

The New Testament tells us that God has appointed His people to fight against the kingdom of Satan. He has assigned them the responsibility of engaging in spiritual warfare. The history of Israel’s fighting against the Canaanites is a type, a picture, of the warfare raging today between us and the fallen angels and the demons. If we read Numbers 21 from this perspective, we will see a vision concerning spiritual warfare. (Life-study of Numbers, pp. 241-244)

Further Reading: Life-study of 1 John, msg. 10