2月4日 撒但攻击领袖
撒但攻击领袖
撒但也瞄准了在教会中担任圣职的人。若想让全城的人都染上瘟疫，还有什么比在众人取水的蓄水池里投毒更有效的呢？
撒但专门挑出那些有名望、有权势的人下手；他们可能身处政界，也可能在教会之中。只要可能，撒但会试图同时夺取王座与讲台，将这两处视为指挥全军的统帅地位。一个国家的领袖足以左右成千上万人的心；因此，当以吕马试图阻挠方伯信主时，保罗对他直言：“你这充满各样诡诈奸恶，魔鬼的儿子，众善的仇敌！”（徒13:10）。保罗仿佛在说：“你这套正是从你父魔鬼那里学来的——专门出没在君王的宫廷，利用你的影响力去左右当权者。”
撒但若能将这类领袖拉拢到自己的阵营，牠的破坏力就会倍增。第一，领袖有能力引诱他人步其后尘。将领若是败坏，随行的士兵也必被带偏。耶罗波安一设立偶像崇拜，全以色列很快就陷入了网罗。第二，即便罪行仅止于宫廷，并未向外扩散，举国上下仍可能为领袖的罪付出沉重的代价。大卫虽是因中了撒但的试探去数点百姓，但整个国家都因他一同受罚，遭遇了瘟疫（代上 21）。
除了渗透政府官僚，撒但也瞄准了在教会中担任圣职的人。若想让全城的人都染上瘟疫，还有什么比在众人取水的蓄水池里投毒更有效的呢？撒但特别乐于败坏传道人的心。牠若能钻进牧者的心，就能披着牧人的外衣在神的群羊中随心所欲，而不被察觉——这在本质上是一只披着牧人外皮的魔鬼。谁能诱使亚哈去拉末基列阵亡呢？撒但会说：“我去，要在他众先知口中作谎言的灵”（王上 22:22）。罪人是如何在罪中变得心地刚硬的呢？只要传道人在他们的良心下垫上靠垫，哼唱着“平安了，平安了”的摇篮曲，事情就成了。如何让神的敬拜遭人藐视呢？只要让世人看到传道人那声名狼藉的行为，那么无论是谁，都会因为他那充满谎言的生命，而拒绝福音的真理。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：创37章，可7章，
个人灵修：伯3章，罗7章
FEBRUARY 4, WENDESDAY
SATAN ATTACKS LEADERS
Satan also aims at those in office in the church. What better way to infect the whole town than to poison the cistern where they draw their water?
Satan singles out persons of prominence and power. They may be either in the state or in the church. If he can, he will secure both the throne and the pulpit, as the two generals that command the whole army. A head of state may influence thousands; therefore, Paul said to Elymas, when he tried to dissuade the deputy from the faith, “O full of all subtlety and mischief, thou child of the devil” (Acts 13:10). As if he had said, “You have learned this from your father the devil—to haunt the courts of princes and wield your influence over rulers.”
Satan doubles his leverage in gaining such leaders to his side. First of all, they have the power to draw others to their way. Corrupt the captain, and he will bring his troops with him. Let Jeroboam set up idolatry, and all Israel is soon in a snare. Second, should the sin stay at court and the infection go no further, yet a whole kingdom may pay dearly for the sin of its leader. David succumbed to Satan’s temptation to number the people, but the entire nation suffered the plague of punishment with him (1 Chronicles 21).
Besides trying to infiltrate the ranks of government, Satan also aims at those in office in the church. What better way to infect the whole town than to poison the cistern where they draw their water? He takes special delight in corrupting the heart of a minister. If he can wiggle into a pastor’s heart, then he is free to roam among God’s flock undetected—a devil in shepherd’s clothing. Who will persuade Ahab to go to Ramoth-Gilead and fall? Satan can tell: “I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all [God’s] prophets” (1 Kings 22:22). How shall sinners be hardened in their sins? Let the preacher place cushions under their consciences and sing a lullaby of “Peace, peace,” and it is done. How may the worship of God be discredited? Let the world observe the scandalous conduct of a minister, and many, both good and bad, will reject the truth of the Gospel on the strength of the lie his life tells.