4. Manna issue 65 - Spiritual Experiences in the Philippines 菲律賓的屬靈體驗
Lemuel Leong—Sabah, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 Lemuel Leong
It is the experience of the True Jesus Church in many places that,
as the church grows,
Satan will use every wile to hinder and destroy the work of the church.
Between 2005 and 2008,
a series of spiritual battles took place in the True Jesus Church of the Philippines.
Preacher Lemuel Leong from Sabah recounts a personal experience of one of these,
which took place in July 2005.
真耶穌教會許多地方所有的經驗是，
隨著教會的成長，
撒但會利用一切詭計阻礙和破壞教會的工作。
從 2005 年到 2008 年之間，
菲律賓真耶穌教會發生了一連串的屬靈爭戰。
沙巴傳道 Lemuel Leong 回想陳述其中一件個人經歷，
這件事發生在 2005 年 7 月。
BATTLE BEGINS: HERESY 戰爭開始：異端
My fellow preacher and I were on a pastoral trip to Manila,
the capital of the Philippines located in Northern Philippines
when we received very disturbing news.
Influenced by churches of other denominations,
one of the Filipino church workers of our church in Samar Island in the Eastern Philippines
had started teaching the believers that the name of God was the Hebrew Yehoshua.
He expressly forbade the use of Jesus as he claimed
that all translations of God’s name were ineffective.
我和同工傳道正前往馬尼拉進行信徒牧養之旅，
菲律賓首都位於菲律賓北部，
當時我們接收到非常令人憂心的消息時。
由於受其他教派的影響，
菲律賓東部薩馬島上，我們菲律賓教會的工人者之一，
已經開始教導信徒，神的名字是希伯來語的約書亞。
他明確禁止使用他聲稱的耶穌
一切神名字的翻譯都是無效的。
We were extremely concerned about this heresy and the deep unease it was causing the members,
so we made a last-minute change to our original pastoral visit plan to include a detour to Samar.
We also asked God to personally guide us in addressing this heresy effectively.
我們非常關心這種異端，以及它會引起許多信徒深感不安，
所以我們在最後一刻，改變了最初的牧養訪問計劃，包括加入繞道去薩馬島。
我們還請求神親自指導我們，能有效地處理這次的異端。
Our first stop, Laoang church, was in the north of Samar Island,
located on a small island just across the northeastern tip of the main island.
As we were waiting to cross the strait to Laoang,
both of us suddenly felt an urge to visit newly-baptized Sister A.
Since she lived in a nearby village,
we thought she would be able to shed some light on the events in Samar Island.
我們的第一站，Laoang 老昂島教會，在薩馬島的北部，
越過主島東北角，位於一個小島上。
當我們等待越過海峽去老昂島的時候，
我們兩人突然有股衝動，想去看望剛受洗的 A 姊妹。
因為她住在附近的村莊，
我們認為，她將能夠對薩馬島的事件有所了解。
BATTLE INTENSIFIES: DEMON-POSSESSION 戰情加劇：魔鬼附身
Sister A had once been a pastor in another church.
We knew her to be diligent in studying the Bible
as well as zealous in serving God and receiving guests.
But on that occasion, when we arrived at her house,
we found her uncharacteristically burdened, gloomy and extremely weary.
Entering her house, we saw a young lady
—Sister A’s daughter
—pinned to the ground by three men;
screaming, struggling and glaring balefully at us.
This had been going on for about a month,
leaving the family extremely distressed and exhausted.
A姊妹曾經是另一間教會的牧師。
我們知道她很努力學習聖經，
同時熱心事奉神和接待客人。
但那次，當我們到達她家的時候，
我們發現她一反常態的背負著重擔、心情憂鬱、 並且極度疲倦。
走進她家，我們看到了一位年輕女士
— A姐妹的女兒
— 被三個人按在地上；
尖叫，掙扎和惡意瞪著我們。
這種情況已經持續了大約一個月，
讓家人極度痛苦和疲憊。
Devil’s Foothold #1: Leaving the Fold of God 給魔鬼留地步：離開神的羊圈
We knelt down to pray and cast out the evil spirit in Jesus’ name.
But why did the devil possess this young believer?
Realizing that it was critical for us to get to the root of the problem,
I stopped the prayer and questioned the family.
Sister A confessed that she had lost faith
and had left the church with great disappointment
because the believers had been forced to use the name Yehoshua instead of Jesus.
On the first Sabbath after she stopped attending church,
the evil spirit began to disturb her daughter.
我們跪下來禱告，奉主耶穌的名趕走邪靈。
但是為什麼魔鬼會附身在這個年輕的信徒身上呢？
意識到找到問題的根源，對我們來說至關重要，
我停止了禱告，並詢問了這個家庭。
A姊妹承認失去信仰，
因為極度的失望而離開教會，
因為許多信徒被迫使用約書亞這個名字，而不是耶穌。
在她停止去教會後的第一個安息日，
邪靈開始騷擾她的女兒。
So this was the breach that had allowed Satan’s invasion!
Leaving the church
—God’s fold
—is tantamount to leaving the scope of God’s grace.
We then become highly vulnerable to the devil’s wiles and fiery arrows.
So we admonished the sister to defend the truth courageously
instead of leaving the church in times of crisis.
We then encouraged her to repent in prayer.
所以這就是給撒旦入侵的突破口！
離開教會，
—神的羊圈
—等同於離開了神恩典的範圍。
然後我們變得非常軟弱，會受到魔鬼詭計和火箭的攻擊。
所以我們勸勉這位姐妹，要勇敢捍衛真理，
而不是在危機時刻離開教會。
然後我們鼓勵她在禱告中悔改。
Devil’s Foothold #2: Sorcery 給魔鬼留地步：巫術
During the second prayer,
both my co-worker and I inexplicably opened our eyes at the same time.
To our astonishment,
we saw the father of the possessed girl surreptitiously take some unknown objects from her
and pass them to his wife.
Immediately, I stopped the prayer again to find out what they were trying to hide.
It turned out to be amulets
that the non-believer father had obtained to try to cure his daughter.
Sister A was aware of his actions but had
—in her despair
—consented to such use of sorcery.
So we sternly told the family that light has no communion with darkness,
Christ has no accord with Belial
and that believers must keep themselves holy.
Consequently, we burnt all these charms in Jesus’ name.
第二次禱告時，
我和同工莫名地同時睜開了眼睛。
令我們驚訝的是，
我們看到魔鬼附身女孩的父親，偷偷從她身上拿走一些不知名的東西，
並將他們傳給他的妻子。
我立刻再次停止禱告，以找出他們試圖隱藏的東西。
原來是護身符，
原來是沒信的父親求來的護符，試圖治好他的女兒。
A姊妹知道他的行為，但
—在她的絕望中，
—同意使用巫術。
所以我們嚴厲的告訴這家人，光明與黑暗是不相通的，
基督與彼列不相和，
並且信徒必須保持自身聖潔。
接著，我們奉主耶穌的名焚燒這一切的符咒。
Devil’s Foothold #3: Impurity 給魔鬼留地步：不聖潔
After our third prayer,
we inquired about the identity of the man
who had been standing next to the possessed lady all the time.
Sister A introduced him as her son-in-law;
she added that the couple had yet to register their marriage
but it was evident that they were already cohabiting.
We had found yet another loophole for the devil to enter
because such impurity before marriage constituted disrespect towards God and His commandments.
We exhorted this family with biblical principles on marriage
and asked them to repent.
We also instructed the young couple to register their marriage as soon as possible.
我們第三次禱告之後，
我們詢問該男子的身份，
他一直站在魔鬼附身女孩的旁邊。
A姐妹介紹他是女婿；
她又補充說，這對夫妻還沒登記結婚，
但很明顯地，他們已經同居了。
我們又發現一個讓魔鬼進入的漏洞，
因為這種婚前不潔的行為，已經成為對神和誡命的不尊重。
我們用聖經婚姻的原則勸誡這個家庭，
並請他們要悔改。
我們還指示這對年輕夫婦，要盡快登記結婚。
BATTLE WON 戰爭得勝
The fourth prayer was an earnest prayer of repentance by the whole family.
We entreated the heavenly Father to set the possessed girl free from her bondage to the evil spirit.
Amazingly, after this prayer,
she got up from the ground where she had been writhing on;
she cleaned herself and was even able to go into the kitchen to prepare a light meal for us.
第四次禱告, 是全家人非常認真悔改的禱告。
我們懇求天父，把被附身的女孩從邪靈的捆綁中解救出來。
很奇妙的是，在這次祈禱之後，
她從地上一直扭動爬起身來；
她自己整理一番，甚至可以進入廚房為我們準備一頓便餐。
God’s compassion is truly great,
especially when we humbly turn back to Him.
Very importantly,
the entire incident allowed the unbelieving father in this family
to experience God for himself.
He personally witnessed how the demon was cast out
through the wondrous power of Jesus’ name.
Hence, when we went back to visit the family the next day,
he requested to be baptized into the true church.
So we decided to conduct baptism on the following Sabbath day.
神的慈憐真的很寬大，
特別是我們謙卑地轉向祂的時候。
非常重要的是，
整個事件讓這個家庭不信的父親，
親身體驗神。
他親眼目睹如何趕出惡魔，
藉著耶穌聖名的奇妙權能。
因此，當我們隔天再回去探望這家人的時候，
他請求要受洗進入真教會。
所以我們決定在接下來的安息日進行洗禮。
Satan’s Final Attempts 撒旦最後的試探
However, Satan is a patient and persistent foe.
On the Sabbath morning of the baptism,
just as Sister A and family were setting off for church,
the evil spirit started to work again.
But the family persevered.
And it was an amazing effort:
a group of people carried the possessed girl all the way through the paddy fields,
took the trishaw to the jetty,
took the ferry to the other shore
and finally sent her to church on another trishaw.
然而，撒旦是一個耐心頑固的敵人。
在洗禮的安息日早晨，
正當 A 姊妹和家人出發前往教會的時候，
邪靈又開始工作了。
但這家人堅持了下來。
這是一次了不起的努力：
一群人背著被附身的女孩，一路穿過稻田，
乘三輪車到碼頭，
搭乘渡輪到對岸，
最後用另一輛三輪車送她去教會。
When they finally arrived at the church,
the whole congregation interceded for the possessed sister with one accord.
Subsequently, a group of believers went to the baptismal site,
while another group remained in church to pray earnestly for the sister,
relying on the Holy Spirit to fight this battle.
當他們終於到達教會時，
全體會眾同心為被附身的姊妹代禱。
隨後，一群信徒前往洗禮地點，
而另一群人留在教會裡，為這位姊妹迫切禱告，
依靠聖靈來進行這場戰鬥。
Our God is a faithful God.
He soon personally stepped in.
As the believers prayed, the possessed sister saw a vision of a river.
The river water was foul and fetid;
an evil spirit dressed completely in black
and covered with maggots stood on the other bank beckoning her to join him.
Then, a man in a shining white garment called out to her to stop her from following the evil spirit.
He also informed her that there were still charms in their family home,
which had to be destroyed before she could be completely healed.
我們神是信實的神。
祂很快親自介入。
當信徒禱告時，被附身的姊妹看到一條河流的異象。
河水又髒又臭；
有一個全身黑衣的惡靈，
佈滿蛆站在對岸，招喚她加入他的行列。
然後，一個身穿發光白衣的男子呼喚她，阻止她跟隨邪靈。
祂還告訴她，他們家還有符咒，
在她完全康復之前，必須要摧毀。
The sister’s family quickly returned home and followed the directions of the man dressed in white.
Another amulet was found and brought back to church to be burnt by the preachers.
Consequently, the sister was completely freed.
這位姐妹一家人很快回家，遵照白衣男子的吩咐。
找到另一個護身符，並帶回教會給傳道焚燒。
結果，這位姐妹就徹底解脫了。
Still Satan did not give up.
Days later, the evil spirit returned to try to convince the family
that he would leave them if they offered a chicken to him.
My co-worker encouraged them to resist the devil with steadfast faith,
as well as to watch and pray
(1 Pet 5:9).
Moreover, he told them emphatically not to fear the devil’s threats
and never to compromise with him.
撒旦仍然沒有放棄。
幾天后，邪靈回來試圖說服家人，
如果他們獻祭一隻雞，他就會離開他們。
我的同工鼓勵他們以堅定的信心抵抗魔鬼，
以及警醒和禱告
（彼前 5：9）。
此外，他鄭重強調，他們不要害怕魔鬼的威脅，
並且永遠不要對魔鬼妥協。
Thank God, the series of spiritual battles finally came to a close after these events.
感謝神，一連串的屬靈爭戰，終於在這些事件後結束。
ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD 萬事都互相效力
In retrospect, it is clear that church growth in the Philippines had drawn Satan’s attention,
and inevitably, his attacks.
Unfortunately, some of the members were hurt
and a considerable number were even taken captive by the evil one and lost.
回想起來，很明顯的，菲律賓教會的增長，引起了撒旦的注意，
不可避免地，遭受了他的攻擊。
不幸的是，有一些信徒受到傷害了，
甚至還有相當多的人被惡者虜走，迷失信仰。
The Bible tells us that,
“all things work together for good to those who love God”
(Rom 8:28).
In fact, God often turns Satan’s attacks into a testimony of His power and glory.
The Holy Spirit led us to this family to show them His timely care and concern.
He then restored their faith
and also strengthened the faith of the whole congregation on Samar Island.
聖經告訴我們，
“萬事都互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處”
（羅 8：28）。
事實上，神常常把撒但的攻擊變成他能力和榮耀的見證。
聖靈帶領我們來到這個家庭，向他們展示神及時的照顧和關心。
然後祂恢復了他們的信仰，
也加強了薩馬島全體信徒的信心。
At the same time, the events were an effective refutation of the heresy regarding the name of Jesus.
The fact that we had cast out the evil spirit in Jesus’ name proved to the factious worker
that there is power in the name Jesus.
There is no added power from using the Hebrew rendition!
After all, Revelation 14:6 tells us
that the everlasting gospel will be preached to every nation, tribe, tongue and people.
It stands to reason then
that God would definitely allow nations all over the world
to call on His name and worship Him in their local language.
同時，這些事件有效反駁了關於耶穌名字的異端邪說。
我們奉耶穌的名趕出邪靈的事實，向分裂的工人證明，
耶穌的名有能力。
使用希伯來語翻譯沒有額外的力量！
畢竟，啟示錄 14：6 告訴我們，
將永遠的福音傳給各國家、各族、各方和各民。
那麼有理由認為，
神一定會允許世界各國，
用各地的語言呼求祂的名敬拜祂。
In addition, although the vigorous spiritual battles were disquieting experiences,
there is much to be thankful to God for.
此外，雖然激烈的屬靈爭戰是種令人不安的經驗，
卻因此有很多事情要感謝神。
First, His wondrous guidance and protection:
the Holy Spirit guided and protected our workers through this, and many other, trials.
一、祂奇妙的帶領和保護：
聖靈引導保護我們的工人，並通過這次及許多其他的考驗。
Second, the members themselves gained precious spiritual experiences
and received warnings to enhance their faith.
其次，信徒自己得到許多寶貴的屬靈體驗，
並得到警告以加強他們的信心。
In all,
“He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me”
(Ps 23:3–4).
總之，
3他使我的靈魂甦醒，為自己的名引導我走義路。
4我雖然行過死蔭的幽谷，也不怕遭害，因為你與我同在；你的杖，你的竿，都安慰我。
(詩 23：3-4)
May the Lord, our God, continue to guide and build up His flock in the Philippines,
and may all glory, honor and praise be given to Him.
Amen!
願主，我們的神，繼續在菲律賓帶導建立祂的羊群，
願一切榮耀、尊貴和讚美歸於祂。
阿們！
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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