亚伯拉罕为亚比米勒的代祷，是羞惭的代祷。在这样羞惭的境况中，任何人都很难代祷。圣经没有充分的记载亚伯拉罕为亚比米勒的代祷，不像记载他为罗得的代祷那样。也许亚伯拉罕在灵里不是那样刚强。然而，他为亚比米勒代祷，并且他的代祷也得了答应。藉此我们看见，虽然我们在灵里也许不是那样放胆，但只要我们照着神的指示为别人代祷。我们的代祷就会得着答应。
我们都必须学习不照着自己的得胜祷告。我们得胜以后很容易祷告，但我们失败以后就不然。虽然我不鼓励人失败，但我确说，我们不该为自己的失败所困扰。神不看我们的失败，祂乃看我们的所是。在神面前，我们是新人。这是我们的所是，我们必须照着这个来祷告。因为我们仍在旧造里，我们会跌倒失败。但我们能忘记旧造里的失败，站在新造的地位上。当亚伯拉罕站在他是神申言者的地位上，他就能为亚比米勒祷告。
创世记二十章是非常宝贵的一章，我们需要花工夫来看其中的一切要点：寻求神的人隐藏的软弱；他怎样受亚比米勒责备，怎样暂时被神摆在一边；他为亚比米勒和他家人的代祷；以及神怎样答应他的祷告。本章教导我们，为别人代祷不在于我们的光景，乃在于我们的立场，我们的所是。我们是神的申言者，是新造，是基督身体的肢体。我们在教会生活中是基督身体的肢体，这给我们立场来为别人代祷。要忘掉你的环境和你的失败。你若固持自己的感觉，你的囗会被封住，撒但会胜过你，使你多日死沉。这是非常严肃的。我们必须忘掉我们的失败和我们的需要，采取正确的立场，照着神的指示为别人代祷，并为别人相信神。
我们也必须学习认识自己不要相信你老旧的自己。虽然你老旧的自己受了神的对付，甚至完全受了割礼，他仍是不可靠的；无论我们觉得不觉得，我们深处在跟随主的事上仍有保留。有一天这种保留，就是对我们天然软弱的保留，会暴露出来。当这事发生的时候，不要希奇。要豫备好接受恩典，忘掉你的失败和你的需要，并且为别人代祷。你是基督身体的肢体，是新人的一部分，你要站在这个地位上祷告。你的代祷也许是羞惭的，其中没有荣耀，但神仍要答应你的代祷，同时也要答应你先前为着自己的需要而未蒙答应的祷告。这是何等美妙！
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Shameful Intercession (2) – Gen. 20:18
Abraham’s intercession for Abimelech was a shameful intercession. In such a shameful situation, it is difficult for anyone to intercede. The Bible does not have a full record of Abraham’s intercession for Abimelech, unlike the record of his intercession for Lot. Perhaps Abraham was not that strong in his spirit. However, he prayed for Abimelech, and his intercession was answered. By this, we see that although we may not be that bold in our spirit, as long as we pray for others according to God’s instruction, our intercession will be answered.
We all must learn not to pray according to our own victory. It is easy for us to pray after we have a victory, but it is not so after we fail. Although I do not encourage people to fail, I do say that we should not be troubled by our failure. God does not look at our failure; He looks at what we are. Before God, we are the new man. This is what we are, and we must pray according to this. Because we are still in the old creation, we will stumble and fail. But we can forget the failure in the old creation and stand on the position of the new creation. When Abraham stood on the position that he was God’s prophet, he could pray for Abimelech.
Genesis chapter 20 is a very precious chapter; we need to spend time to see all the points in it: the hidden weakness of the one seeking God; how he was rebuked by Abimelech; how he was temporarily set aside by God; his intercession for Abimelech and his family; and how God answered his prayer. This chapter teaches us that interceding for others does not depend on our condition, but on our standing, on what we are. We are God’s prophets, we are the new creation, and we are members of the Body of Christ. In the church life, we are members of the Body of Christ, and this gives us the standing to intercede for others. Forget your environment and your failure. If you hold on to your own feelings, your mouth will be stopped, and Satan will prevail over you, causing you to be deadened for many days. This is very serious. We must forget our failures and our needs, take the proper standing, intercede for others according to God’s instruction, and believe God for others.
We also must learn to know ourselves and not trust in our old self. Although your old self has been dealt with by God, or even fully circumcised, it is still unreliable; whether we feel it or not, we still have reservations in our depths regarding following the Lord. One day this reservation, which is a reservation for our natural weakness, will be exposed. When this happens, do not be surprised. Be prepared to accept grace, forget your failure and your need, and intercede for others. You are a member of the Body of Christ, a part of the new man, and you must pray standing on this position. Your intercession may be shameful, with no glory in it, but God will still answer your intercession, and at the same time, answer the prayers you previously offered for your own needs that were unanswered. How wonderful this is!