10月2日

標　　題：當祂禱告時

經　　節：眾百姓都受了洗，耶穌也受了洗。正禱告的時候，天就開了，聖靈降臨在祂身上，形狀彷佛鴿子；又有聲音從天上來，說︰「你是我的愛子，我喜悅你。」（路加福音三章21∼22節）

基督徒最偉大的時刻，是經由禱告而來的。當耶穌禱告時，天開了，聖靈降在祂的身上。在五旬節那一天，門徒群集在一起禱告，聖靈降臨在他們身上（使徒行傳一：14，二：1）。五旬節過後，門徒在一起禱告，他們禱告的地方大大被震動，他們放膽在整個城市宣告福音（使徒行傳四：31）。

禱告並不是努力工作的代替品──禱告本身就是工作！要讓神在我們的生命中或藉著我們的生命作工，禱告是惟一的辦法。當我們禱告並且全心注意神的時候，我們會變得願意讓自己的生命更合乎神的心意。當我們匆忙地投入下一個任務時，神不會以祂的大能裝備我們！如果對神的話不以為意，聖靈不會給我們足夠能力的。在祂以祂的靈，大能地同在、充滿我們時，祂需要我們全心注視祂。

若要學習如何禱告，當以基督為榜樣。耶穌的禱告不見得都被應允，然而，祂每個禱告總是蒙垂聽，並且總是蒙回應（馬可福音十四：36；希伯來書五：7）。如果不能感受到聖靈在你身上的大能，你可能花在禱告的時間不夠長。也許你正追求自己行事曆上的活動，而不是尋求天父的旨意。也許你在神的回答臨到之前，就放棄了禱告。如果你願意持續地禱告，求神的國降臨。神會在你身上作工，誠如祂在耶穌和門徒身上所作的工。

While He Prayed

When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased." (Luke 3:21-22)

The greatest moments in a Christian’s life come through prayer. When Jesus prayed, heaven opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. The Spirit came upon the disciples as they gathered to pray on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:14; 2:1). When the disciples prayed together after Pentecost, their gathering place was shaken, and they were emboldened to proclaim the gospel throughout the city (Acts 4:31).

Prayer is not a substitute for hard work—prayer is the work! God does things in and through our lives by prayer that He does in no other way. As we pray and as our attention is turned toward God, we become more receptive to aligning our lives with His will. God will not equip us with His power while we are racing off to our next appointment! His Spirit will not empower us if we are oblivious to what He is saying. He requires our complete attention before He will fill us with the powerful presence of His Spirit.

If you want to learn how to pray, use Jesus as your model. Jesus did not always receive what He asked for, but His prayers were always heard and always answered (Mark 14:36; Heb. 5:7). If you do not sense the Holy Spirit’s power in your life, you may not be spending adequate time in prayer. Perhaps you are pursuing your own agenda rather than seeking the Father’s will. You may have abandoned the place of prayer before God’s answer came. If you will commit yourself to spend sustained time in prayer, asking for God’s kingdom on earth, God will work in your life just as He did in the lives of Jesus and His disciples.