7月30日

標　　題：無力

經　　節：大利拉說：「參孫哪，非利士人拿你來了！」參孫從睡中醒來，心裡說：「我要像前幾次出去活動身體」；他卻不知道耶和華已經離開他了。（士師記十六章20節）

心遠離神的其中一個記號，是缺乏屬靈能力。如果你像參孫，你不會馬上知道神的能力已經離開你。只有在參孫想打敗敵人時，參孫才知道事情不對勁。他像從前一樣起來對付非利士人，期待他們像從前戰敗，抱頭鼠竄。然而，他們輕易地打敗他。

如果你允許罪躡手躡腳地進入生命，如果你拒絕順服你的主，如果你不肯與傷害你的對頭和解，你的屬靈生命力是虛弱無力的。你可能以為每件事都很順利，但是，你的禱告卻似乎沒有回應。你曾經正面影響你身邊的人，然而，你現在的影響力極微，甚至於造成別人的傷害。你的生命曾經勸慰有紛爭的人，使他們和解，如今你卻有人際關係的問題。你身邊原本倚靠你力量的人，發現你不再像從前能夠幫助他們。你並沒有為失去屬靈能力而痛心疾首，反而無視於自己的靈性及與神的關係有所改變。

如何讓自己的靈性停止走下坡路呢？你一定要定期為自己的罪悔改，一定要求神鑒察，你的生活中是否有必要除去的態度、人際關係或其他作為。你一定要熱切地順服祂的旨意。如果以這種態度與神同行，你的屬靈能力會成長，並且可以被神重用。

Powerless

And she said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" So he awoke from his sleep, and said, "I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!" But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. (Judges 16:20)

One of the signs of a heart that has shifted from God is the absence of spiritual power. If you are like Samson, you will not be immediately aware that God’s power has left you. Only after he tried to defeat his enemies did Samson recognize that something was wrong. He went against the Philistines as before, expecting their swift defeat. But this time the Philistines easily prevailed over him.

If you allow sin to creep into your life, if you refuse to obey your Lord, if you do not reconcile with those who have hurt you, your spiritual vitality is waning. You may assume everything is fine, but when you pray, answers do not come as they once did. You once had a positive effect on those around you, but now your influence is negligible or even harmful. Your life once brought reconciliation, but now you experience problems in your relationships. Those around you who have relied upon your strength are discovering that you are not as helpful to them as you once were. Your lack of spiritual power is not crying out for attention; but you are seeing subtle changes in your spirit and in your relationship with God.

How can you stop this spiritual decline? You must regularly repent of any sin. You must invite God to search your life to see if there are attitudes, relationships, or activities that need to be removed. You must fervently obey His will. If you walk with God in this manner, you will grow in spiritual strength and be used mightily by Him.