In 2020, the "pandemic" year, no one can feel strong in the face of the global pandemic, but rather weak. Speaking of weakness and falling, the most representative in the Bible is Peter. He denied the Lord for three times. And finally, he came out of weakness and fall, renewed his strength in the Lord, and became a great apostle.
During the coronavirus pandemic, we all went through a spiritual valley and our relationship with the Lord seemed to have been frozen, just like Peter denying the Lord three times. In such a moment, we need to repent like Peter and rely more closely on God, asking him to give us the strength to come out of the situation, renew our strength, and have the life to soar on wings like eagles. Peter's failure to recognize the Lord is a lesson for us. However, his victory in the Lord also sets a good example for us.
Peter, who had been following the Lord for three years, was so frustrated on the night of the Lord's arrest that he disowned the Lord three times before a young servant girl. In fact, before he had denied the Lord in his words, he had already denied him in his heart.
We say that we are followers of the Lord, and yet deny him in our spirit and in our actions. What weakness and a falling it is. During the pandemic, the physical church has been temporarily suspended, and family members accuse and complain to each other at home. Because of the fear of facing the virus and the lack of spiritual companion, none of us dared to boast, and the state of our spirituality was at its worst.
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” I suppose, if the temptation had come like it did to Peter, who could say if he or she would confess his faith in the Lord with his heart and with his words?
“Whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” It is a sad thing for a man who believes in God all his life but is finally denied by the Lord.
When I was young, I used to laugh at Peter because I thought if I had been in Peter's situation, I would not have been weak and fallen like Peter did. Some pastors who are spiritually more mature and who have experienced spiritual highs and lows, were able to put themselves in Peter's shoes and use his weaknesses and failings as lessons. Peter did in fact follow the Lord to the high priest's court, and it shows that he was brave when compared to the other disciples who fled the scene at this point.
Wang Ming-Dao, God's old servant, was once weak for a time, and later he confessed that he was like Judas, denying the Lord and betraying him. He however became spiritually free when he held on to the true faith.
Peter, who from being very weak, became the one who ascended like an eagle. In the book of Acts it says he preached to between three and five thousand who welcomed the salvation message. His victory ought to be our victory. Peter once said, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” In fact, he really did fall.
The principle of God's way is that his grace is perfect when men are weak. When Peter realized his weakness and failings, he repented and returned to the Lord to renew his strength. Therefore, when one knows one's weakness and one's failings, if one returns to the Lord, the Lord will renew his or her strength.
We can do nothing without the Lord. When we look to him, we are renewed. During the pandemic, we have experienced weakness. We have not been able to help ourselves, and others have been busy enough with their own affairs. At this time, we can only fix our eyes on the Lord, who is responsible and strengthens us. The precious blood of the Lord is very effective. There is no sin so great that he cannot forgive. The Lord is almighty, and his omnipotence helps all those who look to him. It matters not whether we are weak, but whether we are continually following and looking to the Lord.
Peter's life, spreading his wings like an eagle, is also based on the prayer of the Lord and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
“But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.”
Our Lord is the high priest, who in heaven daily prays for the believers. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. He also anoints us and gives us strength. Spiritually, we are not alone in the pandemic, for the Holy Spirit is with a true believer. The Lord will pray for those who love him as much as he prayed for Peter to strengthen them. The Holy Spirit is especially with those who are suffering, because God promises the glorious Spirit to be with believers when they suffer for the name of Christ during the pandemic.
Peter's life rose like an eagle's in the sight of the risen Lord. “The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.” It is also same for us. No matter how dangerous the situation is, we should not lose heart, because we have experienced the resurrection of the Lord, and this resurrection power has been placed in us by faith, giving us hope and confidence.
For a time, Martin Luther was so weak and miserable, and his wise wife said to him, “Is Christ really dead? The risen Lord is our hope. What are we afraid of when we think of the resurrection? The Lord has risen, and so will we who believe in him. The Bible tells us, ‘Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’.”
Peter preached once and three to five thousand people were saved, showing that this great power was not from Peter, but the Lord. In contrast to the three times that Peter denied the Lord, Judas, another disciple, also sinned greatly and spiritually entered the darkest hours. However unlike Peter, he was paid a bribe to appease his conscience and was brought to ruin by not returning to the Lord.
“Who is weak, and do I not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and do I not inwardly burn?” Paul's words in 2 Corinthians advance Christ's voice. Physical meetings in churches have not yet resumed, and so believers are weak, fail and stumble. I wish we would consider the Lord's mind. Be like Peter. Repent, pray for the Holy Spirit's presence, and see the risen Lord in faith. Then shall we renew our strength, as Peter, and mount up with wings as eagles. Amen!
- Translated by Sophia Chen
后疫情时代，愿我们像彼得一样如鹰展翅上腾
2020，“疫”年“疫”月，面对世界大疫，没有人能自恃坚强，反倒会感觉软弱之至。说到软弱和跌倒，圣经中比较有代表性的人物是彼得，他曾三次不认主,但最后从软弱、跌倒中走出来，靠主重新得力，成为主所重要的大使徒。
疫情期间，我们不约而同经历了灵性的低谷，落到一种荒凉的境地，与主的关系似乎到了冰点，像当初彼得三次不认主一样。此时，我们需要像彼得一样认罪悔改，更紧的依靠神，求祂赐下力量带我们走出这种状况，重新得力，有鹰的生命，如鹰展翅上腾。彼得不认主失败的经历可作我们的鉴诫，彼得靠主得胜的经历，可作我们的榜样。
跟随主三年之久的彼得，在主被抓的当夜，灰心失望到了极点，面对着小小的使女竟出现三次不认主的行为。其实，在他行为上不认主之前，他心灵中却先不认主。
跟随主，却在心灵和行为上不认主，这是何等的软弱、跌倒呀！疫情期间，我们没有人敢自夸，实体教会暂时关闭了，家庭成员宅在家里又会互相指责、抱怨；缺少属灵的同伴，内心又因病毒而恐惶，此时，灵性状况糟糕到了极点。
“你们所遇见的试探，无非是人所能受的。神是信实的，必不叫你们受试探过于所能受的。”我想，此时若真有彼得一样的试探临到，谁敢说自己一定对主口认心信呢？
“凡在人面前不认我的，我在我天上的父面前也必不认他。”信主一生，最后竟被主不承认，这是多么可悲的事。灵命幼稚不成熟时我曾自恃坚强，嘲笑过彼得，若自己处于彼得一样的境况下，必不会像彼得那样软弱、跌倒。倒是一些灵性较高的传道人，经历过灵性的高潮和低谷，能设身处地体谅彼得，以彼得的软弱、跌倒为鉴诫。且彼得也不是最坏的，相较于其他门徒纷纷逃跑，彼得跟随着到了大祭司的院里，反倒是勇敢了。
神的老仆人王明道也曾一度软弱之至，此后认罪悔改说自己是犹大，不承认主，卖了主。从灵性看他已进入了灵性的自由，因为他实在是持守了真信仰。
从软弱至极的彼得，到《使徒行传》中如鹰展翅上腾的彼得，一次讲道有三千人、五千人得救，他的得胜应当成为我们的得胜。彼得曾说过：“众人虽然为你的缘故跌倒，我却永不跌倒。”实际情况却是真真实实跌倒了。
神作工的原则是在人的软弱上恩典显得完全，当彼得认识到自己的软弱、跌倒，他认罪悔改，重新到主面前得力了。可见，认识到自己软弱和跌倒，仰望主，主就必赐力量使他重新得力。
离开主，我们什么都不能作，但人什么时候仰望主，什么时候就会重新得力。疫情中我们经历软弱、跌倒，自己不能帮助自己，别人也自顾不暇，此时惟有仰望主，主必负责，必加力量。主的宝血是大有功效的，没有一个罪大到主不能赦免，主是全能者，他的全能帮助一切仰望他的人。问题不在于我们是不是软弱、跌倒，乃在于我们是不是一直持续跟随主，仰望主。
彼得如鹰一样展翅上腾的生命，还在于主对他的祈祷及圣灵的恩膏：
“但我已经为你祈求，叫你不至于失了信心，你回头以后，要坚固你的弟兄。”
“但圣灵降临在你们身上，你们就必得着能力。”、
我们的主是大祭司，他天天在天上为信徒祈祷，圣灵也用说不出的叹息替我们祈求，恩膏我们，赐力量给我们。从属灵的实际看，疫情中我们并不孤单，而是孤“双”。因为，一个真信主的人，必有圣灵与他同在，孤而不孤了。对深爱主的信徒来说，主当日如何为彼得祈求，也会为他们祈求，让他们一起重新得力，坚固众门徒，因教会本是一体的。圣灵特别与受苦的人同在，因为疫情中，信徒若是为基督的名受苦，神应许荣耀的灵与他们同在。
彼得如鹰一样展翅上腾的生命，还在于亲眼见到了复活的主。“门徒见到主，就喜乐了。”对我们也是这样，疫情中不管环境多么凶险，我们也不必丧胆，因为我们眼见到了复活的主，并且这种复活的能力也因信加在我们身上，让我们充满盼望，充满信心。
马丁路得曾一度软弱至极，愁眉苦脸，他智慧的妻子相劝：难道基督真死了吗？复活的主是我们的希望，一想到主复活了，我们又怕什么呢？主复活了，我们信他的人也要复活。圣经告诉我们，“你们不要忧愁，因信耶和华而得的喜乐是你们的力量。”
从彼得三次不认主到成为主所用的大使徒，一次讲道有三千人、五千人得救，显出了这莫大的能力，不是出于彼得，乃是出于主。相较于彼得三次不认主，另一个门徒犹大卖主，也是犯了大罪，灵性进入至暗时刻。但是和彼得不一样，他贿赂自己的良心，没有到主这里来，结果就沉沦了，真是咎由自取。
“有谁软弱，我不软弱呢？有谁跌倒，我不焦急呢？”保罗在《哥林多后书》中的这话预表了主基督的心声。实体教会还未开放，信徒无力、冷淡、软弱、失败、跌倒，此时，巴不得我们能体贴主的心意，大家一起来效法彼得，认罪悔改，蒙主祈求和圣灵同在，从信心里见到复活的主，这样，我们必能如彼得一样重新得力，如鹰展翅上腾。阿们。
In 2020, the "pandemic" year, no one can feel strong in the face of the global pandemic, but rather weak. Speaking of weakness and falling, the most representative in the Bible is Peter. He denied the Lord for three times. And finally, he came out of weakness and fall, renewed his strength in the Lord, and became a great apostle.
During the coronavirus pandemic, we all went through a spiritual valley and our relationship with the Lord seemed to have been frozen, just like Peter denying the Lord three times. In such a moment, we need to repent like Peter and rely more closely on God, asking him to give us the strength to come out of the situation, renew our strength, and have the life to soar on wings like eagles. Peter's failure to recognize the Lord is a lesson for us. However, his victory in the Lord also sets a good example for us.
Peter, who had been following the Lord for three years, was so frustrated on the night of the Lord's arrest that he disowned the Lord three times before a young servant girl. In fact, before he had denied the Lord in his words, he had already denied him in his heart.
We say that we are followers of the Lord, and yet deny him in our spirit and in our actions. What weakness and a falling it is. During the pandemic, the physical church has been temporarily suspended, and family members accuse and complain to each other at home. Because of the fear of facing the virus and the lack of spiritual companion, none of us dared to boast, and the state of our spirituality was at its worst.
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” I suppose, if the temptation had come like it did to Peter, who could say if he or she would confess his faith in the Lord with his heart and with his words?
“Whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” It is a sad thing for a man who believes in God all his life but is finally denied by the Lord.
When I was young, I used to laugh at Peter because I thought if I had been in Peter's situation, I would not have been weak and fallen like Peter did. Some pastors who are spiritually more mature and who have experienced spiritual highs and lows, were able to put themselves in Peter's shoes and use his weaknesses and failings as lessons. Peter did in fact follow the Lord to the high priest's court, and it shows that he was brave when compared to the other disciples who fled the scene at this point.
Wang Ming-Dao, God's old servant, was once weak for a time, and later he confessed that he was like Judas, denying the Lord and betraying him. He however became spiritually free when he held on to the true faith.
Peter, who from being very weak, became the one who ascended like an eagle. In the book of Acts it says he preached to between three and five thousand who welcomed the salvation message. His victory ought to be our victory. Peter once said, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” In fact, he really did fall.
The principle of God's way is that his grace is perfect when men are weak. When Peter realized his weakness and failings, he repented and returned to the Lord to renew his strength. Therefore, when one knows one's weakness and one's failings, if one returns to the Lord, the Lord will renew his or her strength.
We can do nothing without the Lord. When we look to him, we are renewed. During the pandemic, we have experienced weakness. We have not been able to help ourselves, and others have been busy enough with their own affairs. At this time, we can only fix our eyes on the Lord, who is responsible and strengthens us. The precious blood of the Lord is very effective. There is no sin so great that he cannot forgive. The Lord is almighty, and his omnipotence helps all those who look to him. It matters not whether we are weak, but whether we are continually following and looking to the Lord.
Peter's life, spreading his wings like an eagle, is also based on the prayer of the Lord and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
“But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.”
Our Lord is the high priest, who in heaven daily prays for the believers. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. He also anoints us and gives us strength. Spiritually, we are not alone in the pandemic, for the Holy Spirit is with a true believer. The Lord will pray for those who love him as much as he prayed for Peter to strengthen them. The Holy Spirit is especially with those who are suffering, because God promises the glorious Spirit to be with believers when they suffer for the name of Christ during the pandemic.
Peter's life rose like an eagle's in the sight of the risen Lord. “The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.” It is also same for us. No matter how dangerous the situation is, we should not lose heart, because we have experienced the resurrection of the Lord, and this resurrection power has been placed in us by faith, giving us hope and confidence.
For a time, Martin Luther was so weak and miserable, and his wise wife said to him, “Is Christ really dead? The risen Lord is our hope. What are we afraid of when we think of the resurrection? The Lord has risen, and so will we who believe in him. The Bible tells us, ‘Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’.”
Peter preached once and three to five thousand people were saved, showing that this great power was not from Peter, but the Lord. In contrast to the three times that Peter denied the Lord, Judas, another disciple, also sinned greatly and spiritually entered the darkest hours. However unlike Peter, he was paid a bribe to appease his conscience and was brought to ruin by not returning to the Lord.
“Who is weak, and do I not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and do I not inwardly burn?” Paul's words in 2 Corinthians advance Christ's voice. Physical meetings in churches have not yet resumed, and so believers are weak, fail and stumble. I wish we would consider the Lord's mind. Be like Peter. Repent, pray for the Holy Spirit's presence, and see the risen Lord in faith. Then shall we renew our strength, as Peter, and mount up with wings as eagles. Amen!
- Translated by Sophia Chen
In Post-pandemic Era, May We Soar on Wings as Eagles
