《不僅僅是一位幫手》Day 04
以巴弗：從幫手到代禱者
7 正如你們從我們所親愛、一同作僕人的以巴弗所學的。他為我們作了基督忠心的執事，8 也把你們因聖靈所存的愛心告訴了我們。9 因此，我們自從聽見的日子，也就為你們不住地禱告祈求，願你們在一切屬靈的智慧悟性上，滿心知道神的旨意；10 好叫你們行事為人對得起主，凡事蒙祂喜悅，在一切善事上結果子，漸漸地多知道神；11 照祂榮耀的權能，得以在各樣的力上加力，好叫你們凡事歡歡喜喜地忍耐寬容⋯⋯ (歌羅西書一7-11)
12 有你們那裏的人，作基督耶穌僕人的以巴弗問你們安。他在禱告之間，常為你們竭力地祈求，願你們在神一切的旨意上得以完全，信心充足，能站立得穩。13 他為你們和老底嘉並希拉坡里的弟兄多多地勞苦，這是我可以給他作見證的。 (歌羅西書四12-13)
14 我們若照祂的旨意求甚麼，祂就聽我們，這是我們向祂所存坦然無懼的心。15 既然知道祂聽我們一切所求的，就知道我們所求於祂的，無不得著。（約翰一書五14-15）
7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience… (Colossians 1:7-11)
12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. 13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. (Colossians 4:12-13)
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him. (1 John 5:14-15)
12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. 13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. (Colossians 4:12-13)
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him. (1 John 5:14-15)
分享：以巴弗，一個不太熟悉的名字，但他可是保羅的幫手、基督的僕人，除了傳信、教導外，更是竭力的為教會代禱。
《腓立比書》中特別提到以巴弗曾病得要死，後來得神憐恤病好了。但當知道教會為他擔心，他極其難過，非常想念教會的眾人，使得保羅要急急的打發他回腓立比教會去報平安。(二25-30) 另外，《歌羅西書》中記以巴弗將教會在聖靈裡的愛心轉告保羅，又特別記保羅和他不住地為教會祈禱 (一7-11)；信末也再次提及以巴弗竭力地為教會祈求 (四12-13) 。以巴弗對教會有著熾熱的愛：為他們的憂心著急，為他們的愛心喜悅，為他們的成長著緊⋯⋯ 以巴弗的愛更反映於他不住地以禱告守望教會的需要。
在以巴弗和保羅的祈禱中，他們所求的都是以神的旨意為先：
1. 知識：求屬靈智慧悟性，知道神的旨意。
2. 信心：信心充足，能站立得穩。
3. 成聖：在神旨意上完全，行事為人對得起主、蒙祂喜悅。
4. 為主服務：在一切善事上結果子，照祂榮耀的權能在各樣的力上加力，凡事忍耐寬容。
正如神曾應許「我們若照祂的旨意求甚麼，祂就聽我們，這是我們向祂所存坦然無懼的心。既然知道祂聽我們一切所求的，就知道我們所求於祂的，無不得著。」(約翰壹書五14-15)
身處於屬靈爭戰的世代，要知道禱告是教會每一項事工的基礎，除了有前線的精兵，我們也要有作後援的代禱勇士。還記得以色列人面對亞瑪力人的爭戰，勝負的關鍵在「摩西何時舉手，以色列人就得勝，何時垂手，亞瑪力人就得勝。」(參出埃及記十七11) 就在燃點教會即將獨立之際，讓我們按著祂的旨意，從知識、信心、成聖和為主服務四方面為教會和弟兄姊妹懇切禱告，一同經歷神的恩典和保守。
行動：同來參與「燃亮禱告四十天」！
禱告：親愛的天父，感謝祢賜下禱告的權柄，使我們從中學習跟隨祢的旨意，與祢一同作工。就讓我們不要輕看禱告的力量，多番為教會和弟兄姊妹祈禱，經歷祢的引領和恩典。奉主名求，阿們。
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