8月23日
标 题：一步步得胜利
经 节：耶和华─你神必将这些国的民从你面前渐渐赶出；你不可把他们速速灭尽，恐怕野地的兽多起来害你。（申命记七章22节）
当神带领祂的百姓进入应许之地，祂是一步步地带领。倘若神允许他们一举彻底击败所有的敌人，那块土地将会变得难以治理。所以，祂允许一些敌人仍然存在一段时间，好能维护那块土地，抑制野兽漫生。借着这样的安排，神教导祂的百姓要一步步地信任祂。神每一次只给他们所能担当的责任。
当神带领你在属灵的生命上成长，祂给你的挑战，是合适于你的性格及你与神的关系。当你成为基督徒时，神不会一次就改变你的性格。祂会引导你经历一段过程，让你变得更像祂的儿子。祂会不断地在你生命某方面作工，直到你生命的那个部分，被圣灵完全掌管才罢休。你可能非常渴望在自己性格上的每个方面都能成熟，然而，稳定且渐进式的成长更能持久。神在训练你更像基督的成长过程中，是从不走快捷方式的。祂以永恒的角度来看你的生命，并且让你体会必要的经历，好帮助你灵性的成长。
当神要培养你拥有像耶稣一样的生命时，不要没耐性。不要担负超过祂要给你的责任。顺服祂所有的旨意，祂会照着当前最合适你的性格，及合于祂在你身上的计画之步调，领你前进。
Victory One Step at a Time
And the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you little by
little; you will be unable to destroy them at once, lest the beasts of the
field become too numerous for you. (Deuteronomy 7:22)
When God led His people into the Promised Land, He did so step by step.
If He had allowed them to annihilate their enemies at once, the land would have
been too difficult to manage. So He allowed some of the enemies to remain for a
time in order to maintain the land and suppress the wildlife. In doing so, God
taught His people to trust Him step by step. He gave them only as much
responsibility as they could handle at one time.
As God leads you in your Christian growth, He will allow challenges that
match your character and relationship to Him. God will not totally change your
character at once when you become a Christian. Rather, He will lead you through
a process to become more like His Son. He will keep working in an area in your
life until it is controlled by the Holy Spirit. You may eagerly desire maturity
in every area of your character, but steady, gradual growth is more lasting.
God will not take shortcuts in His process of making you like Christ. He sees
your life from eternity and will take as long as necessary to produce lasting
spiritual growth in you.
Do not become impatient while God is producing Christlikeness in you. Do
not seek more responsibilities than those He has given you. Obey all that you
know He has asked, and He will lead you at a pace that fits your present
character and His purposes for you.
