第十篇　灵里祷告与脱离形式规条

　　读经：使徒行传二章四十一至四十二节，四章二十三至三十一节，十二章五节，十二节。

　Scripture Reading: Acts 2:41-42; 4:23-31; 12:5, 12

　　在使徒行传里，我们可以看见，当初的召会实在是祷告的召会。他们的聚会没有一定的时地，也不拘任何形式，只要一来在一起，他们就在灵里祷告事奉主。这在行传里，有很多的记载，就如二章四十一至四十二节，四章二十三至三十一节，十二章五节、十二节等，都是一些证明。

　　这段时间，我们受主带领，清楚看见，若是要叫召会在主的灵里同被建造，就必须每一位弟兄姊妹，特别是在事奉上担负责任的人，常常进到灵的至圣所里祷告，一同供祭司的职分。因为只有这样的祷告，才能使我们实际的成为活石，同被建造。彼前二章五节所说的活石，乃是指我们这些重生得救，灵活过来的人，其意思完全重在灵活过来，并且灵在神的灵里活泼起来，所以完全是灵里的故事。

　　主已经清楚给我们看见，若是一个弟兄或姊妹，盼望灵能活泼、刚强，只有一条路，就是常常回到灵里，在灵的至圣所里，随着灵的感觉祷告，运用灵，操练灵。我们都知道，我们全人那一部分操练得最多，那一部分定规特别强，功能也特别显明。我们的灵如果要特别强，特别显明，自然需要操练。

　　你我今天已经蒙恩，里面的灵已经活过来，神的灵也住在我们灵里了，这些都是事实。可是从我们的经历中知道，一个圣徒尽可以灵活过来，也尽可以有圣灵住在他的灵里，但他这个人的灵还可能非常软弱。他可以一点不凭灵活着，他一切的行事为人，都是在他的体和魂里，而他的灵完全是枯萎的。当你和他接触的时候，你发现在他身上，不仅平常与人的交往谈话摸不着灵，即使是他在那里读圣经，交通几句属灵的话，或是和你一同祷告，你也一点摸不着他的灵。

　　这样的弟兄，不管他的个性多好，为人多温柔，多和平，多与人合得来，他在召会中还是没有办法被建造。因为召会建造的路只有一条，就是众人都学习活在灵里。这就如同用水泥砌石头造房子，必须用水调和一样。不管石头多好，多完整，多平滑，若是没有水和水泥调和，总没有办法和别的石头联在一起。照样，弟兄姊妹在一起，若要配搭得合式，联络得坚固，就必须活在灵里。

　　所以，彼得前书说到我们同被建造，成为属灵的殿的时候，一面说我们是活石，一面又说我们是君尊的祭司体系（彼前二5，9）。这给我们看见，我们若要同被建造，就必须是一块活石，也必须是一个供职的祭司。什么叫作供职的祭司？就是常回到灵里，操练灵，运用灵，而受灵的支配，活在灵的管治之下。你这样活在灵里，我这样活在灵里，我们众人都活在灵里，就在这一个灵里同被建造了。

　　在每一个重生得救的人里面的灵，不单是人自己的灵，也是神的灵与人的灵调成一灵的灵。所以，我们说活在灵里，不仅是活在人自己的灵里，也是活在神的灵里。当我们祷告释放灵的时候，我们不仅是释放人自己的灵，也是释放调在我们灵里神的灵。众圣徒若都在这一个灵里，自然的就配搭在一起，联络得合式，结合得坚固，召会自然就能得着建造。

　　自从我们释放建造召会的信息以后，我们在神面前曾经过长时间的寻求，并且多方的摸神的感觉，到底实际建造的路在哪里？我们求问神说，是不是我们众人在外面彼此配搭，联络，一同事奉，这就是建造？感谢神，当我们读祂话语时，祂就很清楚地给我们看见，真实建造的路，乃是众圣徒都活在灵里，让灵释放出来。若是每一个事奉的人，都学习在灵里事奉神，众人的灵都出来了，我们很自然的就调成一灵，很自然的就在一个灵里，配搭联络在一起。这一个配搭，这一个联络，不是人群中的一个组织，乃是众人在神人相调的灵里调和为一。这一个调和，就是真实地建造。

　　因此，我们一直注意这件事，盼望众圣徒都作活石，同被建造，并且作祭司供圣职，回到灵的至圣所里，与神接触。只有在这一个灵的至圣所，就是神人调和的灵里，我们才能和众圣徒同被建造，除此之外，没有第二条路。

　　在这一件事上，神已经给我们开了一个美好的头，我们应当低头敬拜祂。但是我们仍然觉得，我们里面的灵释放得不够多；我们大家回到灵里，在幔内过至圣所的生活还不够多。换句话说，我们回到灵里祷告还不够多。特别是所有同工、长老，及各分家聚会的负责人，以及各项事奉带头的人。当你们来在一起的时候，你们回到灵里的祷告不够多，你们的灵出来的不够多，你们的灵汇合的也不够多。因此，我们需要再一次着重注意这件事。我们不能光注意对一般弟兄姊妹的带领，我们每一位在事奉里带头的人，都得回到神面前，看自己在灵里的光景。这不是劝大家分析自己，太多的分析是没有用处的。这意思是要问问你，每一次当你和众圣徒聚集在一起时，你的灵是高昂的，还是下沉的？是殷勤的，还是懒惰的？是释放的，还是受压的？你我都得郑重地来看这事。相信我们若肯接受主这一点的光照，我们就会承认我们灵里的情形不够强，还有许多缺欠。

　The above verses from Acts show that the early church was a praying church. The believers did not have a fixed place or time for their meetings, nor did they adhere to any form. When they came together, they simply prayed and served the Lord in spirit.

　In order for the church to be built up, it is necessary for every saint, especially those who bear the burden in various services, to enter into the Holy of Holies and carry out their priestly service, that is, to pray in their spirit. Only by praying in our spirit can we become living stones that are being built together. The living stones spoken of in 1 Peter 2:5 refer to regenerated believers; hence, this is a matter in the spirit.

　The only way to be enlivened is to turn to our spirit, where the Holy of Holies is, and pray according to the sense in our spirit. Whichever part of our being that we exercise the most will become our strongest part, and its function will be manifested. In order for our spirit to be strong, it needs to be exercised.

　We have been saved, our spirit has been enlivened, and the Spirit of God is dwelling in our spirit. These are facts. However, it is still possible for our spirit to be weak. If a brother does not live according to his spirit but instead conducts himself according to the needs of his body and his soul, his spirit will become weak. Then those who contact him will discover that he does not exercise his spirit in his dealings and conversations with others, nor does he exercise his spirit when he reads the Bible, fellowships, or prays.

　No matter how meek or amiable such a brother might be, he cannot be built into the church. The only way to be built into the church is to learn to live in the spirit. In order to build a concrete house, we must mix cement with water and then add stones into the cement. No matter how beautiful or how smooth the stones may be, without a mixture of cement and water, there would not be a way for the stones to be joined together. Likewise, in order for the saints to be fitly joined and knit together, they must live in the spirit.

　Concerning our being built up as a spiritual house, 1 Peter says that we are both living stones and a royal priesthood (2:5, 9). If we would be built together, we must be living stones as well as ministering priests. To be ministering priests means that we constantly exercise our spirit and live under the control and ruling of the spirit. When every saint lives in the spirit, we will be built together in spirit.

　Every believer possesses not merely a human spirit but a mingled spirit, which is the mingling of the divine Spirit and the human spirit. Therefore, to live in spirit is to live not only in our human spirit but also in the divine Spirit. When we release our spirit in prayer, we do not merely release our human spirit; we also release the Spirit of God, who is mingled with our spirit. If all the saints were in such a spirit, we would spontaneously be coordinated, being fitly joined and knit together, and the church would be built up.

　After we released the messages on building the church, we spent a long period of time seeking the Lord and touching His feeling concerning the practical way to build the church. The genuine way to build the church is for the saints to live in spirit and to release the spirit. The serving ones must learn to serve God in spirit. When our spirit is released, we will be blended together to become one spirit. We will also be joined and knit together in one spirit. This knitting together is not an organization in a community; it is the saints being blended as one in the mingled spirit. This blending is genuine building.

　We hope that all the saints will be living stones that are built together and also priests who serve together by contacting God in the Holy of Holies, the mingled spirit. Only when we are in our mingled spirit, the divine Spirit mingled with our human spirit, can we be built together with other saints. There is no other way to be built together.

　We have seen the vision, but we do not release our spirit enough; we do not spend enough time living in the Holy of Holies, within the veil. In other words, we do not spend enough time to pray in our spirit. This word is especially needed by the co-workers, elders, and responsible ones who take the lead. When we come together, we do not spend enough time to pray in spirit, our spirit is not released, and we are short of blending in spirit. Hence, we need to stress this matter. We cannot take care of the saints in a general way. As those who take the lead in the churches, we must go before the Lord and consider how much time we spend in the spirit. I am not encouraging self-analysis, which is useless. But I am asking whether our spirit is uplifted and released when we meet with the saints. We need to consider this matter seriously. If we are willing to be enlightened by the Lord, we will confess that our spirit is not strong enough.

　　因此从这时候起，我们应当注意两面的事。

　We must spend more time to exercise our spirit in individual prayer. We must learn and practice this even when we are very busy. The brothers should exercise their spirit both when they are on their way to work and while they are at work. The sisters should exercise their spirit while they are doing their chores at home and while they are buying groceries. This is our urgent need. If we cannot learn to exercise our spirit, the Lord will not gain a way to build His church among us.

　The Lord has achieved much among us. In Taipei alone, there are over two hundred elders, co-workers, and responsible ones. We must admit that we have a considerable amount of building material. However, this material has not been sufficiently blended in spirit. We are not able to meet the Lord’s requirement or afford Him a way to spread, because our spirit is still not strong or living. We need to focus on exercising our spirit when we pray individually.

　　第一面，我们个人必须多祷告操练灵，就是在百忙中也要学习操练。弟兄们坐在车上，或者在办公室上班的时候，都要操练灵；姊妹们在家里烧饭，作整洁，或者上市场买菜时，也要操练灵。今天没有一件事，比这一个再迫切、再需要了。你我若不能把这件事操练得练达，叫我们里面的灵释放出来，神就绝无办法得着一条亨通的路，来建造祂的召会。

　　这些年间，神已经作了许多的准备。光是台北这里，长老、同工、家负责、以及负事奉责任的人，就有二百多位。我们总得承认，建造的材料是相当不少了；但是我们这些材料在灵里相调得还不够，我们还构不上神的要求，不能让神有一条出路。直到今天我们的灵还是不够强，不够活。我深深觉得，我们必须从这时候起，在这一点上有很厉害的觉悟。

　We must also consider the condition of our meetings. Christian meetings in both Catholicism and Protestantism have fallen into rituals and regulations. According to Acts, the early saints did not have forms, rituals, or regulations when they met together. They met and served in spirit. They did not meet on a fixed date or at a fixed time. It seems as if they were always meeting. When the apostles Peter and John were released from prison in chapter 4, they went immediately to their own people (v. 23) and had a meeting. On another occasion, after the apostle Peter was released from prison, “he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, who was surnamed Mark, where there was a considerable number assembled together and praying” (12:12). We should not think that this was the only group of saints who assembled together and prayed. We should believe that many other groups of saints were assembled together in other places. Their meetings were not bound by time, date, or place, nor did they have rituals or regulations.

　The situation in Christianity, however, has degraded. Catholicism and Protestantism have fallen into rituals and rules. We have to admit that we too have been affected by Christianity. Unconsciously, our meetings have fallen into rituals and regulations.

　We must consider the condition of our meetings. On the Lord’s Day there is a message in the morning, and we break bread in the evening; the prayer meeting is on Tuesday evening, and there is another message meeting on Thursday evening. We know that these meetings are on fixed days and are conducted in a particular way. The new believers might feel that the meetings are fresh and rich in supply, but the saints who have been meeting for five to ten years feel that the meetings are wearisome and even burdensome. If a meeting is scheduled to begin at seven o’clock in the evening, these saints will arrive at half past seven. On the way to the meeting they talk freely with their companions, but once they step into the meeting hall, their spirit is closed, and their whole being is locked. It seems as though they have made up their mind not to open their mouth in the meeting. Everyone knows the procedure for the Lord’s Day morning meeting. First, the brother who accompanies the speaker to the podium selects a hymn for the saints to sing. After the congregation sings, he offers a prayer. After the prayer the speaker reads the Scriptures and then gives a message. After the message there are announcements, and then the meeting is dismissed. At this point everyone can relax.

　Can we expect the saints who attend such meetings to take the initiative to exercise their spirit? We admit that some saints are able to meditate and fellowship with the Lord in spirit, but only a few saints practice this. However, even if all the saints practiced this, their spirit would still not be sufficiently released. We simply cannot believe that this was the situation of the early church.

　A situation that does not involve the release of the spirit is abnormal and improper. In a normal situation every child of God should use his spirit, exercise his spirit, and fellowship with the Lord in spirit. Furthermore, when there is the opportunity, he should gather other saints together, not to gossip but to pray in spirit, read the Scriptures, fellowship, and exhort one another or to preach the gospel to their relatives and friends. If it is inconvenient to meet in their homes, they can go to a nearby meeting hall. They should not be bound by time, location, or formalities. The ministry of the word should also be done in a flexible way. When there is a burden, the brothers can give a message, just as the saints did in Acts 20. On the first day of the week, while the saints were gathered together to break bread, the apostle Paul rose up and gave an extended message (v. 7). This shows that their meeting did not have a set time to begin or to end.

　In order for the Spirit to have a free course among us, we must learn to exercise our spirit in private prayer, and our meetings must break away from formalities and regulations, not being bound by time, place, or form. The church in Taipei has thirty-five districts. When it is convenient, the saints should gather in the nearest district for prayer and fellowship. The saints should be able to meet at any time, from morning to evening, in the meeting hall seven days a week in order to pray, read the Word, sing hymns, fellowship, and preach the gospel.

　Furthermore, we need to be flexible. It is not necessary for everyone who comes to the meeting hall to do the same thing. Perhaps three or five saints would pray and sing in one corner, while seven or eight saints would read the Bible and fellowship in another corner. Perhaps in still another corner some saints would fellowship concerning preaching the gospel to their schoolmates, relatives, or friends. This means that the saints are exercising their spirit to serve God in whatever they do.

　Our meetings must have a radical change. In the past the Lord’s Day morning message meeting began at ten o’clock. A brother would release a message, then everyone would pray silently, and the meeting would be dismissed. This meeting does not have to begin at ten o’clock. Early in the morning some saints can come to the meeting hall to pray in groups, and other saints might come to clean the hall. Some saints might remain in the hall until it is time for the message, but others might leave to take care of personal matters and then return later for the message. Then at around ten o’clock all the groups of saints can stop what they are doing and listen to the message. After the message there is no need to dismiss the meeting, because some saints might remain in the meeting hall to pray and have thorough fellowship.

　Likewise, the bread-breaking meeting does not have to begin at seven-thirty in the evening, because we spend only about forty-five minutes to remember the Lord and worship the Father. Some of the brothers who are in the military service might come to the meeting hall by five-thirty and pray, read the Word, and praise. A group of sisters might come after six o’clock. Most of the saints should arrive by seven o’clock and form groups to pray, sing hymns, read the Word, or fellowship with one another. As a result, everyone will be released and living, and they will be able to focus on remembering the Lord and worshipping the Father. The praise in such a meeting will be fresh and uplifted.

　The prayer meeting on Tuesday should not be bound by time or form. If necessary, the leading brothers should fellowship concerning some of the items for prayer so that the saints can pray concerning these items in their group meetings. The meeting on Thursday should be conducted in the same way as the Lord’s Day morning meeting. A brother should spend about forty minutes to release the Lord’s word, but the saints do not need to arrive or leave at a specific time.

　The saints should not be bound by time or formalities; they need only to serve the Lord in spirit. The way we serve may vary every week; it all depends on the move of the Spirit. Some saints may feel to “burn the incense” through prayer, others may feel to “light the lamps” by reading the Scriptures, and still others may feel to sing and praise. Some saints might bring unbelieving relatives, friends, or schoolmates, and other saints might preach the gospel to them. This is the way for us to break away from formalities and regulations in our meetings. The building of the church is without formalities; it depends on our using and exercising our spirit in our daily living so that we can serve and coordinate with others with a living spirit.

　　另一面，我们必须注意我们聚会的光景。我们不能不承认，从已往的过程演变到今天，基督教的聚会，无论是天主教，或是更正教，都已经有相当的成分落到仪式和规条里。我们若仔细读使徒行传，就可以知道，初期的圣徒在一起聚会的时候，一点没有固定的形式、仪文或规条。他们实实在在是在灵里聚会事奉；他们的聚会没有定期，也没有定时。你能读出来，他们是常常聚会，可以说，几乎没有一个时候不聚会。当使徒彼得和约翰第一次从监里释放出来，就到自己的人那里去（徒四23）。他们一到那里，就看见一班人聚集在一起。另外一次，当使徒彼得从监里释放出来之后，他既明白过来，就往那称呼马可的约翰他母亲马利亚家去，那时在那里也有好些人聚集祷告（十二12）。请想想看，在耶路撒冷那里，仅仅是这班圣徒聚集祷告么？相信定规还有好多圣徒分在各处聚集。你看见他们的聚会都是不拘时间、日期、地方，也没有固定的仪式和规矩。

　　然而，今日基督教的光景已经走样了。无论是天主教，或是更正教，他们的聚会几乎都落到仪式和规矩里。你我不能不承认，我们这一班人乃是从基督教里出来的，我们不免受到周围基督教的影响。我们的聚会，不知不觉也是落到仪式和规条里了。

　　为着我们聚会的光景，我心里感觉非常难过，也感觉极其为难。请你们想看，我们已往每周的聚会，差不多都是主日上午讲道，晚上擘饼，周二晚上祷告，周四晚上又有一次讲道。久而久之，在弟兄姊妹的观念里，这些聚会都是定期的、定时的，并且有一定的方式。初蒙恩的人刚来聚会，还觉得聚会很新鲜，能给他们供应。然而对那些多年蒙恩的圣徒，聚会已经三年五年，十年八年了，这种刻板的聚会早就聚烦了，甚至把聚会当作重担。他们都算准了，若是晚上七点有聚会，总是挨到七点半才到会。在进会所大门之先，一路上还与人有说有笑，那时他们的灵好像比较自由释放，等到脚一踏进会所大门，灵就开始封闭起来了。再一坐到椅子上，全人里外就完全上了锁。他们已经拿定主意，在聚会中绝不开口。若是主日上午，大家更是清楚这个聚会只有一个方式，就是坐，坐着等站讲台的弟兄上台讲道。先是陪讲台的弟兄循例选一首诗，讲台底下的人就跟着唱。连这样的唱诗，也好像是没有睡醒一样。大家这样有口无心的唱完，陪讲台的弟兄就来一个公式化的祷告。祷告完了，讲道的人就先读圣经；读完了，讲一篇道；讲完了，再加上一个报告，就宣布散会，大家也就松了一口气，鱼贯而出，各自回家。

　　请想想看，这样来聚会的弟兄姊妹，会有多少人主动的运用灵？我们承认，有些弟兄姊妹来到聚会里，也能安静下来，在灵里有一点静默，与主有一点交通。这是相当好的一面，但究竟是少数，不是全体如此。即便是全体如此，众人的灵还是不够释放。我们无法相信，当初使徒时代，召会的聚会是这种光景。

　　那么我们要问，到底这种光景正常不正常？我要说，这是绝对不正常的，也是绝对不该有的。按正常的情形说，每一个神的儿女，平日都得运用灵，操练灵，常在灵里与主有交通。并且无论什么时候，一有机会，一有时间，就找弟兄姊妹来在一起，不是闲谈，乃是用灵祷告，或者读经，或者彼此交通劝勉，再就是找弟兄姊妹的亲友传福音。若是在弟兄姊妹家不方便，也可以约同到附近的会所。一点不拘时地，也不拘方式。若是在召会中有神的话语要释放，也是非常灵活，不需要呆板的定一个日期。就是当大家来在一起，到了一个时候，有作出口的人起来传一篇信息，如同行传二十章记载的一样。在七日的第一日晚上，圣徒们聚集在一起擘饼，到了时候，使徒保罗就起来对他们讲一篇话，这一讲就直讲到半夜（7）。可见他们的聚会，没有定准要在何时开始，或是一定要到何时结束。

　　因此，我们若要让神的灵在我们中间有一条亨通的路，能够一直流通，就必须注意上述两面的情形。一面，个人私下常学习随时随处祷告，操练灵。另一面，我们的聚会必须脱离形式规条，不拘时地和方式。譬如，今天我们有三十五个分家聚会，若是方便，弟兄姊妹一有工夫，就到附近分家聚会的地方，聚集在一起，祷告交通。若是不方便就到附近的会所。在会所里，一周七天的工夫，从早到晚，从晚到早，都可以自由的去祷告、读经、唱诗、交通，或是传福音等。

　　同时，作法可以非常灵活。不一定众人到会所里都是一致行动。很可能有三、五位在这个角落祷告唱诗，还有七、八位在那角落读经交通。也许在另外一个角落，还有几个在那里，对尚未信主的同学、亲友传福音。总而言之，无论作什么，都是操练用灵事奉神。

　　今后我们聚会必须有这种彻底的改变。已过主日上午的传信息聚会，都是从十点钟开始，到时候就有作出口的弟兄上讲台，释放一篇信息，之后就默祷散会。今后这样的聚会，不一定非等到十点钟才开始。很可能从早晨五点半起，就有人陆续来到会所，一组一组的，有的祷告，有的作整洁。有的来了就一直不走，有的来了有事情先走了。等到差不多十点钟了，就有弟兄释放一篇信息，长短不一。这时候，所有分组都暂时停下，来听信息。信息传过之后，并不报告散会，因为聚会并没有结束在这里。凡愿意的，仍然留在会所，大家再一起祷告，交通，直到祷告，交通透了，才自由散去。

　　主日晚上的擘饼也是这样，不一定准七时半开始。我们只能告诉弟兄姊妹，主日晚上七时半以后，大约有三刻钟的时间，是大家集中专一的在那里吃饼喝杯，记念主，敬拜父，但是聚会并不是从那时候开始。很可能有的在军中的弟兄们，五点钟就吃过晚饭，五点半来到会所，就先祷告，读经，赞美起来。也许过了六点，又有一批姊妹来了；到了七点，弟兄姊妹来得差不多了，大家很自然的先后分组祷告，唱诗，读经，交通，结果个个人的灵都是释放的、活泼的、自由的。这样，到了差不多七点半，大家就都安静在主的桌子面前，专一向着主自己，一同记念祂，敬拜祂。我们必须相信，这时候的赞美，定规是新鲜、高昂的。

　　到了周二晚上的祷告聚会，也是这样不拘时间和方式。必要时，负责弟兄们在各处聚会的地方，对大家交通一点应当为着召会祷告的事项，使弟兄姊妹带到各分组去祷告。周四晚上的聚会，实行上和主日早晨一样，也是在七点半与八点半之间，差不多有四十几分钟的时间，由作出口的弟兄释放一点主的话语。但聚会不一定在什么时候开始，也不一定在什么时候结束。

　　盼望我们的聚会能改变到这一个地步。圣徒来在一起时，都是不拘时间和方式，只知道用灵事奉神。我们事奉的方式，可以尽管不同，只看当时圣灵给大家的感觉如何。可能有的人感觉要烧香祷告，有的人感觉要点灯读经，还有的人觉得要歌唱赞美。另外有圣徒带了几位不信的亲友同学，请人和他们谈福音。相信唯有如此，才能叫我们的聚会脱开形式，因为建造召会的路，是没有形式的，完全在于众圣徒平日多运用灵，操练灵，叫灵活过来，而用这一个活的灵事奉，配搭。

　May the Lord grant us to not merely have a change in method. If the saints are enlivened, they will not be limited by time or methods when they pray, sing hymns, read the Bible, or minister the word.

　May we all bring this matter to the Lord in prayer. May the Lord have mercy on us and deliver us from the rituals and regulations of worship in Christianity. Then His church can be built up in spirit.