全班只有你是基督徒，办公室只有少数人信主，左邻右舍都是无神论或异教徒，社会风气败坏，主流言论和圣经的教导背道而驰。身为基督的门徒，你该怎么办？
你该认识到在敌区生活是你的宿命，更是你的使命。是你的宿命，因为这是主的旨意。耶稣对门徒说「我差你们出去，如同羊羔进入狼群」（路10:3），圣经说「全世界都卧在那恶者手下」（约一5:19）。门徒是主从世界中分别出来的人，不属于世界（约17:14），与那恶者为敌。我们是在敌区生活的人，孤军深入，羊入狼群。
这也是我们的使命，因为主要我们进入世界，将人从里面带出来。主对保罗说：「我差你到他们那里去，要叫他们的眼睛得开，从黑暗中归向光明，从撒但权下归向神。」（徒26:18）弟兄姊妹，主给我们的使命是进入敌区，将人带出来，迁入神爱子的国度（西1:13），从黑暗归向光明，从撒但的权下归向神。这样看来，我们周围的风气败坏，敌人很多，岂非是正常现象？因为我们是在敌区。
耶稣是世界的光，光来到世间，世人不爱光倒爱黑暗（约3:19），甚至将他钉死。亲爱的弟兄姊妹，我们所遭遇的，主都遭遇过了。可是主耶稣却爱世人，甘心为他们死，好叫一切信他的不至灭亡，反得永生。我们也当奉主差遣，领人归向光明。
去，住在那里！Go, and Stay There!
西顿地，撒勒法，一寡妇，在拾柴。
只见一男子逐渐走近，看样子是个行远路的。从他的衣着来看，应该是个以色列人。以色列人怎么会来到西顿？
当时的西顿王名叫谒巴力（王上16:31），是巴力教的祭司。巴力教是个淫邪的宗教，盛行于迦南地。西顿王的女儿名叫耶洗别，从小耳濡目染，深陷于邪教之中。耶洗别长大之后，嫁给了以色列的王亚哈。亚哈受到耶洗别的影响，去事奉敬拜巴力。他在首都撒玛利亚为巴力建庙，并设立其他的偶像，使全国百姓远离真神，陷入拜偶像的狂热之中。
在撒玛利亚建造巴力的庙，在庙里为巴力筑坛。亚哈又做亚舍拉，他所行的惹耶和华以色列神的怒气，比他以前的以色列诸王更甚。（王上16:32-33）
耶和华差遣先知以利亚去见亚哈，告诉他大旱将至，几年不会下雨。亚哈听了先知的警告并不害怕，继续拜巴力。黑暗笼罩着以色列，邪灵的势力不断增强。就在这时候，耶和华的话临到了以利亚：
你起身往西顿的撒勒法去，住在那里；我已吩咐那里的一个寡妇供养你。（王上17:9）
西顿是谒巴力管辖之地，耶洗别从小长大的地方。神叫以利亚起身往西顿去，深入敌区，在那里接受一个寡妇的供养。以利亚遵命前往，来到了目的地。他远行辛苦，又渴又累，只见一个妇人在城门口拾柴，就呼喊她说：「求你用器皿取点水来给我喝！」妇人看见这是个远行的旅客，身上没带器皿，就去取水给他喝。正当她去的时候，没想到那人又说：「也求你拿点饼来给我。」（王上17:10-11）
撒勒法的寡妇 The Widow of Zarephath
她不是以色列人，这个以色列人却来向她要水喝。她穷得家里只剩下一把面，这个以色列人却来向她要饼吃。她说，不，我只剩下一把面，是我和我儿子最后的粮食，吃完了我们就准备饿死。他居然说，你先做个小饼给我吃，剩下的再为你和你的儿子做饼（王上17:12-13）。哪有如此厚颜的人？我们只剩下这么一点粮食，自己活命都不够，还要我先做饼给你吃？一股怒气从妇人的心底升起，正待拒绝，没想到他接着说：
耶和华以色列的神如此说：坛内的面必不减少，瓶里的油必不缺短，直到耶和华使雨降在地上的日子。（王上17:14）
有这种事？降雨的事她不知道，但「坛内的面必不减少，瓶里的油必不缺短」她却听懂了。妇人以疑惑的眼光望着以利亚：我该相信他吗？听说耶和华的仆人能行神蹟，莫非此人是耶和华的仆人？反正我们都快饿死了，或许这是个生机。妇人决定一试。
权能生活 Power Living
西顿王的女儿将巴力传入以色列，以色列的神差遣他的仆人进入西顿。以利亚向一个穷困的寡妇提出一个不合理的要求，寡妇决定听从他的话，于是神蹟就发生了：
妇人就照以利亚的话去行。她和她家中的人，并以利亚，吃了许多日子。坛内的面果不减少，瓶里的油也不缺短，正如耶和华藉以利亚所说的话。（王上17:15-16）
从妇人接待以利亚的第一天开始，神蹟每日都发生。如同从天降下的吗哪，面和油静悄悄地、信实地、日常地，在器皿中出现，彰显出神的权能。耶和华以色列的神，因着他的名，照着他的话语，让神蹟每日在敌区发生！这虽然不像分开红海那么壮观，但却是一个持续性的神蹟。一天又一天，饼与油总是安静地来到。如同一线曙光穿过重重的乌云，神的能力在敌区突破，与他的仆人同在。
耶稣差派门徒出去，如同羊羔进入狼群。吩咐他们无论到了何处，「人若接待你们，给你们摆上甚么，你们就吃甚么。」（路10:8）门徒完成任务之后，欢欢喜喜地回来，说：「主啊，因你的名就是鬼也服了我们！」（路10:17）那些奉差遣的门徒经历到神的供应和权能，正如以利亚一样。
门徒在魔鬼掌权之地收割庄稼，以利亚在巴力掌权之地过著权能生活。那时他们还不知道，有一个更大的神蹟，正在等待着发生：
有妇人得自己的死人复活。（来11:35）
以利亚的经历告诉我们：
- 神差遣人去住在敌区
- 神的供应与权能与奉差遣的人同在
【Life is a song】Living Beyond the Enemy Line
In the entire classroom, you are the only Christian. In the office, there are but a handful of believers. You are surrounded by atheists and non-believers. Society’s ethical and moral standards are shifting further away from the biblical worldview, and mainstream culture is moving in a direction that directly opposes biblical teaching. What should you do as a Christian?
You must understand that living in enemy territory is not only God’s plan for you, but it is God’s mission for you. It is God’s plan, because this is the will of God. Jesus told his disciples “I am sending you out like lambs among wolves” (Luke 10:3), and the Bible says “the whole world is under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Jesus’ disciples have been set apart from the world, and do not belong to the world (John 17:14). Consequently, we are now enemies of the evil one, living in enemy territory, like lambs among wolves.
This is also our mission, because God wants us to go into the world so that we can bring others out of it. The Lord said to Paul, “I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God” (Acts 26:18). Brothers and sisters, God has given us a mission to enter the enemy’s land so that we can bring others out of it, that they may be rescued from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, and be brought into the kingdom of the Son He loves (Colossians1:13) Now that we look at it from this perspective, it no longer seems unusual that we are surrounded by enemies with opposing beliefs and worldviews, because we are in fact living behind enemy lines.
Jesus is the light of the world. This light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light (John 3:19), so much so that they nailed Him to a cross. Dear brothers and sisters, our Lord has gone through everything we are going through. But He loved the world and willingly gave His life up for them, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. We must follow in His footsteps and be on mission for God, to lead others to the light.
Go, and Stay There!
In the land of Zarephath of Sidon, there was a widow gathering sticks for firewood. A man approaches, someone who has journeyed from afar. From his attire, he seems to be an Israelite. But why would an Israelite come to Sidon?
The king of Sidon at that time was Ethbaal (1 Kings 16:31), who served the pagan god Baal. The worship of Baal was prevalent throughout Canaan, and their practices were evil and detestable. The king of Sidon had a daughter named Jezebel who grew up immersed in the Baal religion, and later married Ahab king of Israel. Influenced by Jezebel, Ahab began to worship and serve Baal. He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria, and set up other idols as well. He turned the people into an idol-worshipping nation and led them to walk astray from the one true God.
He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him. (1 Kings 16:32-33)
The Lord sent Elijah to warn Ahab that there will be a drought and no rain for several years. Ahab did not heed Elijah’s warning and continued to worship Baal. Israel was shrouded in darkness, and the forces of evil continued to strengthen. It was then that the word of the Lord came to Elijah:
“Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.” (1 Kings 17:9)
Sidon was King Ethbaal’s domain, and also the place where Jezebel grew up. God told Elijah to go to Sidon, directly into enemy territory, in order to receive food from a widow. Elijah obeyed and set off on a long journey. When he arrived, he was tired and thirsty, so he called to the widow who was gathering sticks there, and asked her “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” The woman saw that this was a traveler from afar, without a jar to carry water, and so she went to get him some water. Just as she was going to get water, Elijah called out again, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” (1 Kings 17:10-11)
The Widow of Zarephath
She was not an Israelite, yet this Israelite asked her for water. She was so poor that there was only a handful of flour at home, yet this Israelite asked her for bread. She said, no, I only have a handful of flour, and it is our only source of food for myself and my son. We are ready to starve to death after we finish it. But he said, first make a small cake of bread for me, and then make something for yourself and your son with what’s left over (1 Kings 17:12-13). What an audacious request! We only have such little food left, not even enough for us to live by, and you want us to first make you bread? She was about to express her indignance and reject him when he said something surprising.
“For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.” (1 Kings 17:14)
Did he mean this? She may not have comprehended what he meant by “the day the Lord gives rain” but she sure understood “the jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry”. The woman looked at Elijah with puzzled eyes: should I trust him? I’ve heard that those who serve God can perform miracles. Perhaps this man is a servant of the Lord? Well, we are about to starve to death, and this may be a chance at life. The woman decided to do what Elijah said.
Power Living
Jezebel daughter of the king of Sidon spread the worship of Baal to Israel, but the God of Israel sent His servant into Sidon. Elijah made an absurd request to a poor, starving widow. When the widow decided to do as he said, a miracle occurred:
She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. (1 Kings 17:15-16)
From the moment that the widow gave food to Elijah, miracles occurred daily. Just like manna from heaven, the flour and oil silently and faithfully appeared in the jars, as a manifestation of the power of God. The Lord God of Israel, according to His name, and faithful to His word, let miracles occur daily in enemy territory! Although not as spectacular as the parting of the Red Sea, these miracles were ongoing and continuous. Day after day, there always appeared flour in the jar and oil in the jug. Just as a ray of light pierces the darkness, God’s power can break through the stronghold of the enemy’s land, and enable His servant to live powerfully behind enemy lines.
Jesus sent out his disciples like lambs among wolves, and gave them this instruction, “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you.” (Luke 10:8) When the disciples accomplished their mission, they returned joyfully and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” (Luke 10:17) These disciples experienced the supply and the power of God, just as Elijah did.
The disciples reaped a harvest in a land dominated by the devil, while Elijah lived by God’s power in a land dominated by Baal. They did not know it at that time, but there was an even bigger miracle waiting to happen:
Women received back their dead, raised to life again. (Hebrews 11:35)
The experience of Elijah teaches us:
- God sends us to live beyond the enemy line.
- God’s supply and power are with those whom He sends.
