10月2日
标 题：当祂祷告时
经 节：众百姓都受了洗，耶稣也受了洗。正祷告的时候，天就开了，圣灵降临在祂身上，形状彷佛鸽子；又有声音从天上来，说︰“你是我的爱子，我喜悦你。”（路加福音三章21～22节）
基督徒最伟大的时刻，是经由祷告而来的。当耶稣祷告时，天开了，圣灵降在祂的身上。在五旬节那一天，门徒群集在一起祷告，圣灵降临在他们身上（使徒行传一：14，二：1）。五旬节过后，门徒在一起祷告，他们祷告的地方大大被震动，他们放胆在整个城市宣告福音（使徒行传四：31）。
祷告并不是努力工作的代替品──祷告本身就是工作！要让神在我们的生命中或借着我们的生命作工，祷告是惟一的办法。当我们祷告并且全心注意神的时候，我们会变得愿意让自己的生命更合乎神的心意。当我们匆忙地投入下一个任务时，神不会以祂的大能装备我们！如果对神的话不以为意，圣灵不会给我们足够能力的。在祂以祂的灵，大能地同在、充满我们时，祂需要我们全心注视祂。
若要学习如何祷告，当以基督为榜样。耶稣的祷告不见得都被应允，然而，祂每个祷告总是蒙垂听，并且总是蒙回应（马可福音十四：36；希伯来书五：7）。如果不能感受到圣灵在你身上的大能，你可能花在祷告的时间不够长。也许你正追求自己行事历上的活动，而不是寻求天父的旨意。也许你在神的回答临到之前，就放弃了祷告。如果你愿意持续地祷告，求神的国降临。神会在你身上作工，诚如祂在耶稣和门徒身上所作的工。
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.
