照着神公义的法则
亚伯拉罕向神挑战，乃是照着神公义的法则（创十八23-25）。亚伯拉罕对祂说，“你是审判全地的主。你要这样作么？这不是你公义的法则。”正确的代祷既不是照着神的爱，也不是照着神的恩，乃是照着神的义。我们必须照着神的义向神挑战，因为祂的义比祂的爱和恩更约束祂。神没有义务要爱人或施恩，但祂有责任要公义。没有甚么像神的义那样坚固的约束神。每一个好的代祷者都知道，约束神最有效的作法，乃是照着祂的义向祂挑战。
表达神的愿望
亚伯拉罕的代祷回应了神关于罗得的心愿。当他照着神的心代祷时，他的代祷自然而然表达了神的愿望。正确的代祷总是表达神的愿望。这是代祷的另一个原则。我们的代祷若是由我们在与神亲密的交通里，对神启示的看见所发起的，就我们在代祷中无论向祂说甚么，都是祂心愿的表达，祂心意的回应。真实的代祷不是表达我们的愿望，乃是表达神的愿望。不是照着我们的心意寻求甚么，乃是寻求神心意的完成。
完成神的旨意
代祷也必须完成神的旨意。虽然神有一个旨意要救罗得，但没有亚伯拉罕的代祷，神就无路完成祂的旨意。正确的代祷总是为着成就神的旨意铺路。它为属天的火车铺轨道。神想要将罗得从所多玛救出来，但祂必须找出一条路这样作。因此，祂访问亚伯拉罕，目的是要他为罗得代祷。亚伯拉罕很能体谅神的心，神也能向他敞开祂的心。亚伯拉罕立刻用挑战性的代祷向神回应祂的心愿。这个代祷乃是神愿望的表达，也是祂旨意的完成。
今天在教会生活中，迫切需要这种挑战性的代祷。我们许多人要照着神的心愿向神挑战而为教会代祷。我们知道，祂的心愿乃是要将祂的子民从邪恶的城里拯救出来，将今日的罗得从被定罪的光景中搭救出来。我们若是亲近神，与祂有亲密的交通，我们就能懂得祂的心，而在荣耀的代祷中向祂回应祂的心愿。
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A Glorious Intercession (3) – Gen. 18:25
According to God’s Righteous Way
Abraham challenged God according to God’s righteous way (Gen. 18:23-25). Abraham said to Him, “You are the Judge of all the earth. Are You going to do this? This is not Your righteous way.” Proper intercession is neither according to God’s love nor according to God’s grace, but according to God’s righteousness. We must challenge God according to His righteousness, because His righteousness binds Him more than His love and grace. God is not obligated to love people or to give grace, but He is bound to be righteous. Nothing binds God as much as His righteousness. Every good intercessor knows that the most effective way to bind God is to challenge Him according to His righteousness.
Expressing God’s Desire
Abraham’s intercession responded to God’s heart concerning Lot. When he interceded according to God’s heart, his intercession naturally expressed God’s desire. Proper intercession is always the expression of God’s desire. This is another principle of intercession. If our intercession is initiated by our seeing of God’s revelation in intimate fellowship with God, then whatever we say to Him in our intercession is the expression of His desire and the response to His intention. Genuine intercession is not to express our desire, but to express God’s desire. It is not seeking something according to our intention, but seeking the accomplishment of God’s intention.
Carrying Out God’s Will
Intercession must also carry out God’s will. Although God had a will to save Lot, without Abraham’s intercession, God had no way to carry out His will. Proper intercession always paves the way for the accomplishment of God’s will. It lays the tracks for the heavenly train. God wanted to save Lot from Sodom, but He had to find a way to do it. Therefore, He visited Abraham with the purpose that he would intercede for Lot. Abraham could sympathize with God’s heart, and God could open His heart to him. Abraham immediately responded to God’s desire with a challenging intercession. This intercession was the expression of God’s desire and the carrying out of His will.
Today in the church life, there is an urgent need for such challenging intercession. Many of us need to challenge God according to His desire and intercede for the church. We know that His desire is to save His people from the wicked city and to rescue today’s Lot from the situation of condemnation. If we are close to God and have intimate fellowship with Him, we will be able to understand His heart and respond to His desire in glorious intercession.