Fighting Life’s Dragons 击败生命中的巨龙

[Dexu Xia]

Fighting Life’s Dragons

Having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Colossians 2:15

Have you ever fought a dragon? If you answered no, author Eugene Peterson disagrees with you. In A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, he wrote, “Dragons are projections of our fears, horrible constructions of all that might hurt us. . . . A peasant confronted by a magnificent dragon is completely outclassed.” Peterson’s point? Life is filled with dragons: the life-threatening health crisis, the sudden job loss, the failed marriage, the estranged prodigal child. These “dragons” are the supersized dangers and frailties of life that we’re inadequate to fight alone.

But in those battles, we have a Champion. Not a fairy tale champion—the ultimate Champion who has fought on our behalf and conquered the dragons that seek to destroy us. Whether they’re dragons of our own failures or the spiritual enemy who desires our destruction, our Champion is greater, allowing Paul to write of Jesus, “Having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:15). The destructive forces of this broken world are no match for Him!

The moment we realize that the dragons of life are too big for us is the moment we can begin to rest in Christ’s rescue. We can confidently say, “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

What “dragons” are you facing in life? How can Christ’s victory on the cross provide encouragement as you deal with them?

Father, thank You for being more than enough for the threats I will face today. Give me the wisdom and strength to walk with You, trusting You for the grace I need.

击败生命中的巨龙

既将一切执政的、掌权的掳来，明显给众人看，就仗着十字架夸胜。—歌罗西书2章15节

你有和龙打斗的经验吗？如果你觉得没有，毕德生牧师（Eugene Peterson）一定不会同意。在《天路客的行囊：恒久专一的顺服》一书中，他写道：“龙是我们恐惧的投射，泛指所有可能伤害我们的恐怖事物……面对可怕的巨龙，凡夫俗子根本毫无胜算。”毕牧师想表达什么？人生处处有巨龙，诸如威胁生命的健康危机、突然失业、失败的婚姻，或叛逆浪荡的儿女。这些“巨龙”是生命中极大的危险和破口，我们无力独自应付。

但在这些争战中，我们有一位得胜者。这得胜者不是童话故事里的白马王子，而是替我们争战而最终得胜一切的君王主耶稣，祂能胜过一切试图摧毁我们的“巨龙”。无论是我们的失败或是渴望摧毁我们的属灵敌人，我们的主耶稣都远远超越这些巨龙，正如保罗将耶稣描述为“既将一切执政的、掌权的掳来，明显给众人看，就仗着十字架夸胜”（歌罗西书2章15节）。这堕落世界中任何造成破坏的力量都不能胜过祂！

当我们明白人生的巨龙是自己无力单独面对时，正是学习倚靠基督拯救的时刻。届时我们能充满信心地说：“感谢上帝，使我们藉着我们的主耶稣基督得胜。”（哥林多前书15章57节）

你正面对哪些“巨龙”呢？
基督在十字架上的胜利，如何激励你面对这些困境？

天父，感谢祢远大于我今天遭遇的困难。
求祢赐我智慧和力量，使我能与祢同行，
相信祢能赐给我一切所需的恩典。