主耶和華的靈在我身上．因為耶和華用膏膏我(賽61章)

主耶和華的靈在我身上．因為耶和華用膏膏我、叫我傳好信息給謙卑的人、〔或作傳福音給貧窮的人〕差遣我醫好傷心的人、報告被擄的得釋放、被囚的出監牢．報告耶和華的恩年、和我們神報仇的日子、安慰一切悲哀的人．(賽 61：1-2)

這是以賽亞先知傳達神將要降下聖靈的預言，他以第一人稱來說明承受這樣的恩膏，也就是聖靈時，他所領受的感動，藉以預告將來耶穌的靈，以聖靈的樣式降臨在每個神所愛的人身上時，也應當要有的感動、與相對應的行動作回應。

舊約時代，神的靈降在人身上，是「臨在」的靈，也就是因應工作性質的需求而賜下的，任務結束就會離開；自從西元三十年左右五旬節聖靈第一次降臨之後，得到的聖靈是「同住」的聖靈，是住在我們裡面直到生命結束的靈。神的靈在人身上，當然有用途，特別是今天在真教會中普降的聖靈，是要給人能力預備行善的。經上說：

但聖靈降臨在你們身上、你們就必得着能力．並要在耶路撒冷、猶太全地、和撒瑪利亞、直到地極、作我的見證。(徒 1：8)

這裡說得著聖靈，就「必」得著能力。對於今天的我們而言，此刻若還沒得到聖靈的人當然無法理解，但是已得到聖靈的人，我們有讓這樣的能力發揮出來嗎？記得在謝順道長老所著的《聖靈論》中，有一句話令人印象深刻：「真耶穌教會大部分的人都有得到聖靈，但很多人不會使用聖靈。」這句話，常常讓我自我提醒。

本章似乎就是「聖靈使用說明書」，詳細記載得聖靈的人該做的、也是應許會有能力去做的事。而這樣的事當中最重要的，就是去傳福音。主耶穌說：

耶穌又對他們說：「願你們平安．父怎樣差遣了我、我也照樣差遣你們。」說了這話、就向他們吹一口氣、說：「你們受聖靈。你們赦免誰的罪、誰的罪就赦免了．你們留下誰的罪、誰的罪就留下了。」(約 20：21-23)

耶穌這段話，告訴我們受聖靈的人都是「受神差遣的」，因為耶穌說了關於受差遣的概念之後，馬上吹了一口氣，接著就說：「你們受聖靈。」表示這之間是有關連性的。接著說：「你們赦免誰的罪、誰的罪就赦免了．你們留下誰的罪、誰的罪就留下了。」這句話的意思是要去傳福音。因為當我們傳給了誰，這個人接受了福音，也受洗歸入基督了，他的罪就得到赦免；這個人若不接受福音，罪就留下來。

信他的人、不被定罪．不信的人、罪已經定了、因為他不信神獨生子的名。(約 3：18)

甚至我們不想傳福音給某人，某人將因此得不到福音，沒有機會悔改，罪就因我們留下。因此，若我們不傳福音給人，就是留下某人的罪，這樣，我們如何無愧見主面？

除了傳福音之外，講道造就人、用神的話安慰人，並用神所賜的恩賜造就教會、興旺福音，這些都是聖靈的力量。今天我們得聖靈的人，都不可以私藏這樣的力量，應當將祂發揮出來才是。因為得聖靈是事實，是確實擁有的，就像領五千、二千、一千都是事實，不可以將恩賜埋在土裡。

深願我們人人都能得到聖靈，也都被聖靈所充滿，這時我們必因聖靈激勵，對聖經神的話感受到極度渴望，因為要用神的話去安慰人、造就人、造就教會，也為了使自己得力量，必會感受到極大的需求。當聖靈的力量從我發出時，因我而看見在教會中出現的神的榮美，那時的喜樂是不可言喻的！

我因耶和華大大歡喜、我的心靠神快樂．因他以拯救為衣給我穿上、以公義為袍給我披上、好像新郎戴上華冠、又像新婦佩戴妝飾。田地怎樣使百穀發芽、園子怎樣使所種的發生、主耶和華必照樣使公義和讚美在萬民中發出。(賽 61：10-11)

By Isaiah Kao

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord anointed me (Isaiah 61)

June 22, 2026

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord anointed me To bring good news to the humble; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim release to captives And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,” （Isaiah 61:1-2 NASB2020）

This is a prophecy by the prophet Isaiah conveying the coming of the Holy Spirit from God. He uses the first person narrative to describe the movement he received when receiving this anointing, that is, the Holy Spirit, thus foreshadowing the movement and corresponding actions that should be given when the Spirit of Jesus, in the form of the Holy Spirit, descends upon every person loved by God.

In the Old Testament time, the Spirit of God descended upon people as a "descended" spirit, given according to the needs of their work, and departed once the task was completed. Since the first descent of the Holy Spirit around Pentecost around 30 AD, the Holy Spirit we receive is a "dwelling" spirit, residing within us until the end of our lives. The Spirit of God has a purpose in people, especially the Holy Spirit who descends universally in the True Church today, to empower and prepare people for good works. The Bible says:

“but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”” （Acts 1:8 NASB2020）

Here it says that receiving the Holy Spirit means "will" receive power. For those of us today who haven't yet received the Holy Spirit, this is certainly incomprehensible. But for those of us who have received the Holy Spirit, have we made use of this power? I remember a sentence in Elder Xie Shundao's book "On the Holy Spirit" that left a deep impression: "Most people in the True Jesus Church have received the Holy Spirit, but many do not know how to use it." This sentence often reminds me.

This chapter seems to be a "user manual for the Holy Spirit," detailing what those who receive the Holy Spirit should do, and what they are promised to be able to do. Among these things, the most important is to preach the gospel. The Lord Jesus said:

“So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you; just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”” （John 20:21-23 NASB2020）

This passage tells us that those who receive the Holy Spirit are "sent by God." After explaining the concept of being sent, Jesus immediately breathed on them and then said, "Receive the Holy Spirit," indicating a connection. He then said, "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained." This means to preach the gospel. Because when we preach the gospel to someone, and that person accepts the gospel and is baptized into Christ, their sins are forgiven; if that person does not accept the gospel, their sins remain. 

"The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” （John 3:18 NASB2020）

So if we don't want to share the gospel with someone, that person will not receive the gospel, will not have the opportunity to repent, and will have their sins retained because of us. Therefore, if we don't share the gospel with someone, we are leaving that person's sin to themselves. How can we face the Lord without shame?

Besides preaching the gospel, sermon speaking edifies people, comforts people with God's word, and uses the gifts God has given us to build up the church and advance the gospel—these are all the power of the Holy Spirit. Those of us who have received the Holy Spirit today should not hide this power; we should use it to our advantage. Because receiving the Holy Spirit is a fact, a tangible possession, just like receiving five talents, two talents, or one talent—it is a fact. We cannot bury this gift in the ground.

I deeply desire that we all receive the Holy Spirit and be filled with Him. Then, moved by the Holy Spirit, we will feel an intense longing for the Word of God in the Bible, for we need to use His word to comfort, edify, and build up the church, and to strengthen ourselves. When the power of the Holy Spirit flows from me, and I see the glory of God appearing in the church through me, the joy at that moment is indescribable!

“I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, My soul will be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a groom puts on a turban, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth produces its sprouts, And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise To spring up before all the nations.” （Isaiah 61:10-11 NASB2020）

By Isaiah Kao