（Matt太15:21-28）

In this season of Lent,在这个大斋节期间， we’re talking about faith. 我们要继续谈信心We all know that without faith it’s impossible to please God. 我们知道，人非有信，不能得神的喜悦。Where your faith level is determines how free you are. 你的信心程度决定了你有多自由。Now let me give you a test. 现在让我给大家做个测试。What if God asks you, 如果上帝问你： “Do you believe me?” “你相信我吗？”“Will you give me your wallet?” “你会把钱包给我吗？” “What is in your wallet?” “你钱包里是什么？” “Your money? Your reputation? Your future? Your treasure?”“你的钱？你的名声？你的未来？ 你的财宝？” One day when you suddenly realise that what was in your wallet was just trash有一天，当你突然意识到你藏在钱包里的东西只是垃圾， not treasure compared to knowing and gaining Jesus,跟认识和得着耶稣比根本就不是财宝， and when you start putting faith and victory in your wallet, 当你开始把信心和得胜藏在钱包里时，then you won’t get offended so easily, 你就不会那么容易被冒犯了。and your cup will start to run over. 你福杯就开始满溢出来。Faith is more precious than gold or silver. 信心比金银更宝贵。And we’re called to be rich in faith, 我们被呼召要成为信上富足，so that we can reign with Christ when He returns.这样我们就可以在基督再来的时候与祂一同作王。 Last Sunday, we looked at an example of little faith.

上周日，我们看了一个小信的例子。Today, we’re looking at an example of great faith 今天我们要看一个大信心的榜样Let’s read Matt 15:21-28, 让我们读一读 马太福音 15:21 21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.  耶稣离开那里，退到推罗、西顿的境内去。22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, 22 有一个迦南妇人从那地方出来，喊着说：“Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! “主啊，大卫的子孙，可怜我！My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 我女儿被鬼附得甚苦。”23 Jesus did not answer a word. 23 耶稣却一言不答。 So his disciples came to him and urged him,门徒进前来，求他说： “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” “这妇人在我们后头喊叫。请打发她走吧！”24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” 24 耶稣说：“我奉差遣，不过是到以色列家迷失的羊那里去。” 25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. 25 那妇人来拜他，说：“主啊，帮助我！”26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” 26 他回答说：“不好拿儿女的饼丢给狗吃。” 27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” 27 妇人说：“主啊，不错，但是狗也吃它主人桌子上掉下来的碎渣儿。” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. 28 耶稣说：“妇人，你的信心是大的，照你所要的，给你成全了吧！”从那时候，她女儿就好了。

1, Our initial faith may not help our prayers get answered. V21-23a 起初的信心并不能使我们的祷告都得到回应。 V21-23a

This story begins with a woman whose daughter was tortured by demons so much that no one could really help her. 这故事始于一个妇人，她的女儿被鬼折磨得很痛苦，没有人能真正帮到她。She was a Canaanite,  她是一个迦南人，not a Jewess, 不是犹太人，a woman who wasn’t in a covenant relationship with God. 是一个与神盟约没有关系的妇女。But she had faith in Who Jesus was, 但她对耶稣是谁有信心， she came to Jesus and cried out, 她来到耶稣面前喊道：“Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me.” “主啊，大卫的子孙，可怜我。Immediately this was in contrast to the Jewish religious leaders. 这正好与犹太宗教领袖形成鲜明对比。In the same chapter verses 1-20,  在同一章第1-20节中， the teachers of the law and the Pharisees hadn’t believed Jesus was the Messiah,律法师和法利赛人不相信耶稣是弥赛亚， and they had been offended by what Jesus said (v.12).他们被耶稣的话冒犯了（12节）。 But this Canaanite woman came to Jesus and laid her request before God, 但这个迦南女人来到耶稣面前，despite the long history of hatred between the Jewish people and the Gentiles, 尽管犹太人和外邦人之间有着悠久的仇恨历史，她向耶稣祷告， “Lord, Son of David, Have mercy on me.”“主，大卫的子孙，可怜我。” She had faith to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One. 她信耶稣是弥赛亚，基督，那位受膏者。  But surprisingly, 但令人惊讶的是， Jesus did not answer a word. V.23a耶稣却一言不答。 V.23a What? That’s unfair! 什么？ 这太不公平！It must have taken a lot of courage for this Canaanite woman to come to Jesus这个迦南女人必定鼓起很大勇气，才能来到耶稣面前，and also prayed in front of the Jewish people who were her enemies.才能在她的仇敌犹太人面前祷告。She had the faith to pray, 她有信心祷告，but Jesus didn’t say a word. 但耶稣却一言不答。Are you offended when you take courage to pray but Jesus doesn’t give a word in reply? 当你鼓起勇气祷告时，但耶稣却一句话也不回答？你会不会被冒犯而感到生气，“well, prayer is useless. I won’t pray anymore.” “祷告没用的。我不祷告了。”

In Matt 11:6 Jesus says, and blessed is the one who isn't offended by me.在太11：6耶稣说，凡不因我跌倒的(不被我冒犯的)就有福的 in other word换句话说, if you aren’t offended by the way God does things, you’ll be blessed.  也就是说，如果你不被神做事的方式冒犯, 你就会被祝福。We can be offended by the way God does things神做事的方式会冒犯我们. Why?为什么我们会被冒犯？Because The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.光照在黑暗里，黑暗却不接受（直译：理解，明白）光（John约1：5）when we don’t understand the way God does things,当我们不明白神做事的法则，and when things don’t go our way we can get angry当事情不照我们的意思发展，我们就生气被冒犯了。

In the story, 在这个故事中，I believe that Jesus knows there’s great faith in the woman, 我相信耶稣知道这个妇人有很大的信心，He just used this way to draw her faith out, 祂只是用这种方式把她的信心显明出来，so that everyone could see and learn from it. 让每个人都能从中看见和学习。God’s way is higher than ours.    神的道路高过我们。 Isa 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 以赛亚书 55:8 耶和华说：“我的意念非同你们的意念，我的道路非同你们的道路。 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.55:9 天怎样高过地，照样，我的道路高过你们的道路，我的意念高过你们的意念。This Canaanite woman showed us a great example of faith, 这个迦南妇女向我们展示了一个有大信心的榜样，even though she didn’t understand why Jesus kept silent, 尽管她不明白耶稣为什么不坑声，she still didn’t harbour offense or a sense of rejection but persisted in faith to pray 但她心里仍然没有接受被冒犯或被拒绝感，而是持守在信心里祷告。

2, Faith must be refined and be proved genuine.信心需要被熬炼和证实(v.23b-28)

Why doesn’t Jesus answer our prayers immediately sometimes? 为什么耶稣有时不立刻回应我们的祷告呢？ The word of God tells us in神的话如此说： 1 Peter 1:7, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 【彼前1:7】叫你们的信心既被试验，就比那被火试验仍然能坏的金子更显宝贵，可以在耶稣基督显现的时候，得着称赞、荣耀、尊贵。 It says, 这里说，gold is purified by fire, but gold can be destroyed, 金子被火试验仍然能坏， the purity of faith through trials can bring eternal value. 但被试验过的纯净的信心却有永恒的价值。 The Canaanite woman came to Jesus with faith. 迦南妇人带着信心来见耶稣。She believed Who Jesus was, 她信耶稣是谁，the Christ and the Deliverer. 是基督，是拯救者。

But Jesus didn’t answer her prayer. 但耶稣却没有回应她的祷告。How could you feel? 是你会感觉怎样？King David said this in大卫王在诗篇中说道： Psa 28:1b, if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit. 【诗28:1下】倘若你向我闭口，我就如将死的人一样。In other words换句话说, When we pray and nothing seems to happen. 当我们祷告了好像什么也没发生，When we pray and nothing seems to change. 祷告了好像什么都没改变， We can be discouraged. 我们就感到灰心。That’s the most difficult thing in our Christian walk when God keeps silent. 神向我们沉默闭口，是基督徒人生道路中最难熬的事。But In this story, 但在这个事件中，we see that silence doesn’t mean God is saying no, 我们看到神的沉默不代表祂拒绝我们，it’s just God’s timing. 只是凡事有神的定时。There are testings of our faith in the silence that we need to pass, 在这沉默中，我们需要经过信心的试验。Someone said this曾有人这样说:“Great faith is the product of great fights. 大信心是奋勇争战的产物， Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. 大的见证之先必有大的试验，Great triumphs can only come out of great trials.” 大的得胜之前必经大考验。” That’s very true. 这是真的。 This Canaanite woman had great faith, 迦南妇人有大信心，and she ended up with a great testimony 她活出大见证，about receiving healing for her demon-possessed daughter through her great faith, 因她的信，她被鬼附的女儿得了医治， and great triumph came out of great trials. 经历了大试验，得了大得胜。

In the story, we see that, 这个事件中，我们看到，initially, Jesus didn’t give a word of reply to her (v.23a). 起初，耶稣对她一言不答(23节上)。Afterwards, the disciples tried to send her away (v.23b). 然后，门徒们想打发她走(23节下)。 Jesus kept silent. 保持沉默。People rejected her. 人们都拒绝她。Then, v.24, 接着24节， it seems that Jesus clearly refused her request, and said, 耶稣似乎明确拒绝了她的恳求，说： “I was sent ONLY to the lost sheep of Israel…” “我奉差遣，不过是到以色列家迷失的羊那里去。” In other words, 换句话说，“you aren’t God’s covenantal people, “你不是神立约的子民， I can’t do it for you”. 我不能帮你。” How would you have felt if you had heard that? 如果是你听到这话，你会作何感想? “ok, I’ll just leave.” “好吧，我这就走。”

Instead of felling offended and rejected, 可是迦南妇人没有接受被冒犯和拒绝， the Canaanite woman kept persisting in faith. 而是持守在信心里。V. 25, the woman came and knelt before Him, “Lord help me.” 【太15:25】那妇人来拜他，说：“主啊，帮助我！”Now, it came a severe test, 现在来了一个严峻的考验， instead of answering her prayer, Jesus said, 耶稣没有回应她的祷告，却说：“It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “不好拿儿女的饼丢给狗吃。” What! “Am I a dog?”什么你说我是狗？The Jews called the Canaanites “dogs.” 犹太人一般称迦南人为“狗”。 In most cases in the Bible, “dogs” refers to “wild dogs” or “unclean people”, 《圣经》中大多数所提及的“狗”是指“野狗”或“不洁净的人”，which was translated from the Greek word “Kuon”. 是从希腊单词Kuon翻译过来的。But Jesus here used a Greek word “kunarion”, 但耶稣在这里用的是希腊单词kunarion，which meant “pet dog” 意思是“宠物狗”，which is different from ‘wild dogs’.和“野狗”不同。The woman had the right attitude, 这个妇人的心是对的，she didn’t open the door of her heart to any offensive thoughts, 她的心没有向任何冒犯的意念开门，so that she got angry with Jesus and the people around him and misinterpreted Jesus, 以至于向耶稣和祂身边的人发怒、误解耶稣，说： “You, Jewish people are racially prejudiced! “你们犹太人种族歧视！I shouldn’t have come to plead with you…”我就不该来求你……”

Holding offences and grudges is like drinking poison. 心怀冒犯和怨恨就如同喝毒药。 It destroys our faith, and our relationships! 它毁坏我们的信心和人际关系！Because Satan is often behind offence 因为撒但常隐藏在冒犯的背后，telling lies and increasing sorrows, 说谎、使人痛苦加增， if we hold onto feelings of injustice, 若我们怀揣不公平感， he will distort what we hear 牠就来歪曲我们所听到的话，to destroy our relationships with God and with others. 破坏我们与神与人的关系。 But the Canaanite woman held fast to her faith, 但迦南妇人持守在信心里，she listened to Jesus’ words carefully, 她仔细听耶稣的话，so she immediately noticed that Jesus didn’t call her a “wild dog”, 所以立刻注意到耶稣并没有称呼她“野狗”， but a pet dog. 而是宠物狗。So she immediately responded to the Lord and said, 所以她立刻回应主，说：“even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. “但是狗也吃它主人桌子上掉下来的碎渣儿。” 28耶稣说：“妇人，你的信心是大的，照你所要的，给你成全了吧！”从那时候，她女儿就好了。 You know what? 你知道吗？The hint behind the words was, 这话隐含的意思是: “Yes, You’ve been sent to the sheep of Israel, “是的，你奉差遣去以色列的羊那里， because Israel are in the Master’s house. 因为以色列人属于主人的家，But a pet dog is also of the Master’s house, 但宠物狗也是属于主人家的，and the Master provides for his pet dog.” 主人也供养他的宠物狗。” When I was writing this, 当我写到这里，my heart was so moved, 我的心被大大地感动， and I had tears in my eyes. 眼里充满了泪水。 What a great faith it is! 这是何等大的信心！The Canaanite woman willingly put herself in the position of a pet dog, 迦南妇人愿意把自己放在宠物狗的位置， in order to save her demon possessed daughter, 为了救她被鬼附的女儿， The mother didn’t become grumpy because of the child’s bizarre behaviour. 这位母亲没有因孩子的怪异行为而变得脾气暴躁。Rather she had faith to believe that it’s spiritual warfare, 她却有信心相信这是属灵争战，and in love she laid down her dignity before the Lord to save her child. 并且来到主面前，她放下自己的尊严来救她的孩子。Jesus praised this woman of great faith! 耶稣称赞这妇人的信心是大的! Why? 为什么？

Because this represents the heart of God! 因为这预表了神的心! In love, Jesus came to save His children, 因着爱耶稣来拯救祂的儿女，he laid down his life, 祂舍弃了生命，he was like a wild dog driven away 如同一只野狗被人赶、and rejected and crucified by the people, 被人拒绝并钉在十字架上，but he didn’t get offended 但祂没有愤恨，but entrusted himself to the Father, 而是把自己交托天父， and the Father exalted him forever! 天父就高举祂直到永远！This great faith beats prejudice; 这大的信心胜过了偏见; it beats pride; 胜过了骄傲;it beats offence; 胜过了冒犯; it beats exclusion; 胜过了排斥感; this great faith shows humility; 这大的信心彰显出谦卑;it shows perseverance; 彰显出坚忍; it shows persistence; 彰显出坚持; it shows love; 彰显出爱;it overcomes!彰显出得胜！

3, How can we develop great faith?怎样才能大有信心？

Great faith leads us to receive great blessings from God. 大信心带给我们大祝福。The woman’s daughter received healing and deliverance because of her mother’s great faith. 那妇人的女儿因着母亲的大信心得了医治和拯救。Do you want your children to get delivered?你要你的孩子得释放吗？ Do you want your spouse to get changed?你要你的配偶得改变吗？ Don’t look at people so that you get offended不要看人，你就跌倒， but seek to develop great faith and pray persistently要追求培植大信心，不住的祷告，the example tells us that their changes come from God.因为他们的改变是从神而来。 How to develop great faith？怎样培植大信心？

A, Believe who Jesus is (v.22a).信耶稣是谁（22节上） This woman had heard lots of things about Jesus, 这妇人听说过很多耶稣的事迹，who he was and what he did, 听说过耶稣是谁，耶稣做了什么，so she received faith to see Jesus.她得了信心来见耶稣。 Romans 10:17, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 17可见，信道是从听道来的，听道是从基督的话来的。（罗10：17） We come to hear the messages of God, 我们来听神的话，and we read the word of God, 我们来读神的话，we’re to receive faith from doing that我们从中得信心，to believe who He is and what he has done for us and what He is able to do for us.信祂是谁、他为我们做了什么、他能为我们做什么。B, In the silence of God, 在神未回答的时候，we’ve gotta to seek and believe that God’s ways is better than ours当寻求神，并信神的旨意比我们自己的意思更美好 (v.23a)  Does God always work in our lives the way we expect? 神总是按照我们期望的那样做工在生命中吗？No. 不， In the bible, John the Baptist was a great prophet,圣经记载的施洗约翰是大先知，he was the first person on earth to recognise Jesus was the son of God. 全世界他第一个认出耶稣是神儿子。But when he was put in a prison hearing what Jesus was doing, 但他被下到监里，听到耶稣所行的preaching the gospel and healing the sick. 只是传讲福音医治病人，He sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 就差门徒问耶稣， “Are you the one that we expected?” “你就是我们要等的人吗？”In other words, 换句话说，“when the one we expected comes, “我们等的人来了，he should establish a glorious Kingdom on earth, 他应该在地上建立神荣耀的国度，and shouldn’t be doing what you’re doing just for the poor.” 而不是老做帮助穷人的那些事。” Then Jesus said, 于是耶稣说，blessed is the one who isn't offended by me. 6凡不因我跌倒的就有福了！”（太11：6） See? How easy it is for people to be offended, when things aren’t going their way? 看，当不如自己意时，人是何等容易生气跌倒？We’ve gotta always adjust our thoughts and minds in line with God’s Word, 我们当常常调校我们的心思意念，与神一致，and pray persistently instead of giving up and becoming disappointed. 恒切祷告不灰心。

C, Embrace humility rather than offence. 拥抱谦卑，不拥抱冒犯感 “yes, Lord, even the dogs eat the crumbs.” V.27 27“主啊，不错；但是狗也吃它主人桌子上掉下来的碎渣儿。”  “Woman, you have great faith.” 28“妇人，你的信心是大的！ Humility brings a soul to nothing before God. 谦卑是在神面前的无有。Humility empties a soul before God by not trusting himself but trusting God alone. 谦卑是在神面前倒空自己，不信自己而单单信神。 Humility removes every hindrance to faith in God. 谦卑除去信靠神的一切拦阻。Christ Jesus showed an example of humility and faith to us耶稣基督是赐给我们的谦卑信靠的榜样，when He made himself nothing祂把自己打造成什么也不是，but only entrusted himself to the Father, 只将自己交托给天父，so that he didn’t get offended by the people who rejected and dishonoured him就不因人的拒绝和羞辱受伤， but received honour from the Father forever. 他只受从永在之父而来的荣耀。 The woman made herself nothing but a pet dog before God and people这妇人在神和人面前把自己看做不过是只宠物狗，and she received a great blessing and praise from Jesus.因而得着耶稣极大的祝福和赞扬。Psa 37:11, but the meek (the lowly, the humble谦卑人) will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. 11但谦卑人必承受地土，以丰盛的平安为乐。（诗37：11） Inheriting the Land and great peace follows on from humility. 承受地土和丰盛的平安从谦卑而来，Anger, bitterness and strife follow on from offence.生气、苦毒、纷争从受冒犯而来。

In Luke 17:1, Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come. 1耶稣又对门徒说：“绊倒人的事（直译：得罪人的事）是免不了的；但那绊倒人的有祸了。 （路17：1） Jesus said, offence must come. 耶稣说得罪的事是必然的，No one can avoid it. 没有人能避开，It’s just a part of life. 这是生命的一部分。 People offend us, we offend people. 人得罪我们，我们得罪人。James 3:2, For in many things we offend all. 原来我们在许多事上都有过失（直译：我们都得罪神得罪人）

How we respond to offence affects our faith. 我们如何应对冒犯影响我们的信心。You may think an offence is: 你可能认为冒犯是“he hurts me…“他伤害我……he causes me to feel bad…他让我很不舒服……he has done this to upset me…”他这样做让我不开心……” see? 看到吗？When we get offended, 当我们被冒犯，we shift our focus onto others. 我们的焦点就放在他人身上。 “he did that to me…”“他对我做了什么……” like Adam when he listened to his own desires and the enemy’s voice, 像亚当当他顺从自己的欲望，听从仇敌的声音，and he sinned against God, 犯罪得罪神后，he shifted his own responsibility onto his wife, 他将自己该担的责任转嫁给妻子， “She caused me to eat.” “是她让我吃的。”The bible says,经上说，“Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. Pro 4:23” 23你要保守你心，胜过保守一切（或作“你要切切保守你心”），因为一生的果效（直译：生命中的问题）是由心发出。（箴4：23） The truth doesn’t say the issues of life are because of others who offend us. 真理没有说生命中的问题是他人的过犯所致， It says, 而是说，something upset you because you allowed it to. 有些事情让你生气是你接受生气。Christ didn’t allow it to, 基督没有接受生气，so he kept faith and love to the end. 他从始至终地持守信心和爱心。The Canaanite woman didn’t allow it to, 迦南妇人也没有接受生气，so she kept her faith through severe trials, 虽经过严峻的试炼，and received praise from God. 她的信得着了神的称赞。

Feeling offended isn’t just a feeling, 感觉被冒犯生气不止是个感觉，but a choice. 它是一个选择。And being offended isn’t always another’s problem. 被冒犯而生气也不总是别人的问题。 In Genesis 4. There’s a man called Cain. 创世纪4章记载了一个叫该隐的人，He got offended and was very angry with his brother. 他感到弟弟冒犯了他而十分恼怒，Why? 为什么？ Because God accepted his brother’s offering and didn’t accept his offering. 因神悦纳了弟弟的献祭，不悦纳他的。Without resolving his own problem, 该隐没有对付自己的问题， Cain harboured offence at his brother, 就对弟弟怀恨在心，and then he killed his brother. 他于是杀死了弟弟。He was offended起初他只是被冒犯，but he ended up in a murderous rage and became an offender. 最终却成了愤怒的杀人犯。

In Gen 37, 创世纪37章，Joseph was loved by his father more than his other 11 brothers, 约瑟的父亲爱约瑟胜于其余11个弟兄，and the brothers were offended. 那些弟兄因感冒犯而生气。 One day, 有一天， Joseph had a dream from God. 约瑟从神那里得了一个梦，It seemed he would get something greater in his life from God. 说神要赐给他更大的事。His brothers were even more offended, 他的弟兄更加生气了。why? 为什么？Jealousy. 嫉妒。 They didn’t want him to be greater than them. 他们不愿意约瑟强过自己，They decided to kill him. 于是就想要杀他。When people become offended, it can end up in murder. 被冒犯而生气可导致杀人。 There’s another example in 1 Samuel 18, 撒母耳记上18章， Saul was offended just because David seemed more popular. 扫罗因为大卫更受爱戴被感冒犯生气，Saul then sought to kill David over many years in the desert. 于是多年在旷野里追杀大卫。Harbouring offence at others results in strife and killing. 怀揣怒气导致争竞和杀人。 Actually, we see this in God’s church everywhere in very subtle ways. 实际上，在教会里也四处可见这些小缩影。“He is doing very well…他过的好好哟…” you walk away你走开了, Why为什么？You get offended when you hear that he is doing better than you.你感到被冒犯了，你不想他比你好That’s not another’s problem, 这不是别人的问题， that’s an issues of our own hearts which we need to deal with. 这是我们要对付自己的心。

In the NT, 新约中，the Prodigal Son came back, 浪子回到家中， the Father welcomed him effusively, 父亲热情拥抱欢迎他，the elder brother was offended. 哥哥却生气了。Why? 为什么？ Because “I’m better than him, he doesn’t deserve it”. 因为“我比他好，他不配。”The elder brother was offended by the grace the Father showed to his brother. 哥哥因父亲向弟弟施恩而被冒犯了， “I’ve worked hard, “我整天劳力， but you didn’t give me these things…”你并没有给我什么……”when offence, jealous, and comparison come into our hearts, 当生气、嫉妒、比较进来了，humility, faith, and grace are driven out of our hearts. 谦卑、信靠、恩典就被赶出去了；When offence grows in our hearts, 当冒犯感生气在里面扩大， we ourselves are hurt, 我们自己就受伤了， our own relationships are broken, 关系也破坏了，and our own blessings and peace are stolen. 我们的祝福和平安也被偷走了。

Offence comes to each of us, 每个人都会被冒犯，we offend others我们冒犯人, others offend us人冒犯我们, how we handle it determines our destiny. 但怎样处理决定我们的命运。Harbouring offence steal our faith, peace, joy and blessings! 心里怀恨偷走我们的信心、平安、喜乐和祝福！ The Canaanite woman showed us that great faith must overcome offence and rejection. 迦南妇人的见证表明，伟大的信心要胜过冒犯和被拒绝。Forgiveness and blessing others defeat pride and jealousy. 饶恕和祝福他人打败骄傲和嫉妒。

In the story of Joseph, 约瑟的故事里， he was hated by his brothers and sold into slavery. 哥哥们因恨把他卖作奴隶， He was rejected and suffered the pain of being taken away from his family as a young man.  他被弟兄们拒绝，年纪轻轻就承受从家里被带走的痛苦， Then, he was falsely accused by his master’s wife and put into prison.之后又因被主人的妻子诬告而坐监。 He could have said他本可说 ‘I’ve been mistreated, “我被恶待，unjustly sold into slavery, 被不公平地卖为奴隶， rejected by my brothers, 被哥哥们狠心拒绝，now I will revenge.’ 现在我要报复。” NO, 没有， he refused to hold offence in his heart, 他拒绝怀恨， but kept his eyes on God’s vision and the dream he had, 而是定睛在神所赐的异象，he remained forgiving. 持守饶恕。

God was looking at his heart! 神在看他的心！Then, 后来，Joseph was promoted in the land where he had been sold into slavery. 约瑟在为奴之地被提拔，He kept humble. 他仍然谦卑自己， He was put in a key position to bless others. 官居祝福他人的重要职位。 He refused to get back at his brothers when he was able to do that. 尽管他可以，他却不去报复哥哥们。Rather, 相反，he went into his room wept and wept, 他回到房间里去哭，并痛哭，he wept loudly, 大声哀哭， he chose to forgive and bless his brothers who had offended him. 他选择饶恕，选择祝福伤害他的人。His tears were such precious in God’s eyes, 他的眼泪在神眼里何等宝贵，because they were not the tears of self-pity因他不是因自卑自怜而哭 but of forgiveness and turning to God,而是为饶恕和转向神而哭。God was looking at his heart! 神看他的心！Joseph overcame offence by keeping his heart on the vision that God had given him when he was a young man.  凭着信而持守年幼时神所赐的异象，约瑟胜过罪， He returned good for evil. 他以善报恶，He reached his destiny. 他成就了命定， He reigned. 他得胜了。

Brothers and sisters, 弟兄姊妹，is that the great faith you are pursuing?这是你追求的大信心吗？Great faith is the product of great fights. 大信心是奋勇争战的产物， Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. 大见证之先必有大试验，Great triumphs can only come out of great trials.” 大得胜之前必经大考验。