1月5日後來的生命能力

我所去的地方，你現在不能跟我去，後來却要跟我去。（約十三36）

“說了這話，就對他說，你跟從我吧。”三年前，耶穌曾說：“來跟從我”，那時彼得很輕易就跟從了他。彼得是被耶穌所吸引而自動跟隨，幷不需要聖靈來幫助。然而後來，他却落到否認耶穌的地步，心碎欲絕。不過，他受了聖靈，耶穌又再一次對他說：“來跟從我。”這時除了主耶穌基督以外，再沒有別人了。第一次的“跟從”幷沒有什麽可引起驚奇的，那只是外表上的跟從；如今却是殉道者的跟從（約二十一18）在這期間，彼得曾發咒起誓否認耶穌。此時，他已來到自己的盡頭，所有的自滿自恃不足倚仗。就在這絕境中，他符合了接受復活主賜與的條件。“他向他們吹一口氣說：『你們受聖靈』”因此，無論神在你身上做了什麽改變，都切勿倚仗這些改變，只要建立在主耶穌身上和他所賜的聖靈。

我們縱有誓言與决心，到頭來還是否認主，因爲我們沒有能力實行出來。惟有當我們真正來到自己的盡頭，這才能領受聖靈不是幻想出來的。“你們受聖靈”意思是受聖靈的征服。如今在你生命中只有一顆北斗星（意即引導方向者），就是主耶穌基督。

祈禱◆噢，主啊，以你偉大的能力來堅立我，印著耶穌的救贖，我相信自己有權利這樣祈求。令我的身體盡獻己力，以致你的光輝可以在我身上彰顯。

January 5 The Life of Power to Follow

Jesus answered him, 'Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward' —John 13:36

"And when He had spoken this, He said to him, 'Follow Me' " (John 21:19). Three years earlier Jesus had said, "Follow Me" (Matthew 4:19), and Peter followed with no hesitation. The irresistible attraction of Jesus was upon him and he did not need the Holy Spirit to help him do it. Later he came to the place where he denied Jesus, and his heart broke. Then he received the Holy Spirit and Jesus said again, "Follow Me" (John 21:19). Now no one is in front of Peter except the Lord Jesus Christ. The first "Follow Me" was nothing mysterious; it was an external following. Jesus is now asking for an internal sacrifice and yielding (see John 21:18).

Between these two times Peter denied Jesus with oaths and curses (see Matthew 26:69-75). But then he came completely to the end of himself and all of his self-sufficiency. There was no part of himself he would ever rely on again. In his state of destitution, he was finally ready to receive all that the risen Lord had for him. ". . . He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit'" (John 20:22). No matter what changes God has performed in you, never rely on them. Build only on a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, and on the Spirit He gives.

All our promises and resolutions end in denial because we have no power to accomplish them. When we come to the end of ourselves, not just mentally but completely, we are able to "receive the Holy Spirit." "Receive the Holy Spirit"— the idea is that of invasion. There is now only One who directs the course of your life, the Lord Jesus Christ.