(Psa 诗21）

How do you feel when you get something expensive at a half price? 要是你半价买了一个昂贵的东西，你感觉怎样？ Happy. 高兴啊Last Monday上周, I was full of joy我很喜乐because God guided me to get an appliance 4 times cheaper than the one I tried to buy. 因为神引导我去买一个电器比我自己想买的那个便宜了4倍God was there神在那里, If God is with us, 如果神与我们同在，how can we not shout for joy? 我们怎能不喜乐欢呼呢?Let’s look at today’s message让我们来看今天的信息 “live in the joy of the King.” “活出王的喜乐” 。Psalm 21: 1,The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give! ….

This is a messianic psalm of David the king of Israel. 这是出自以色列王大卫的一篇弥赛亚诗篇。He tells of the joy and the glory of the King. 他讲述了王的喜乐和荣耀。From verse 1, 从第1节开始，he shows how the king celebrates joyfully the victories God has granted him, 他描写了王如何欢喜庆贺神所赐的得胜。to verse 8-12, 到第8-12节，when the king celebrates the certainty of his victories over all his enemies. 王庆贺他战胜了所有的仇敌。 David seems to talk about his own experiences. 大卫似乎在描述他自己的经历。But in the last verse, 但在最后一节， the psalm powerfully moves on to the praise of the King of kings and the Lord of Lords. 诗歌有力地转到对万王之王万主之主的歌颂。The themes of kingship and kingdom run throughout the Bible. 王和国度的主题贯穿了整本圣经。As the king of Israel found his joy in Yahweh God the King, 如同以色列王在耶和华神这位王身上找到喜乐，we too find our joy in the eternal King Jesus Christ.我们也在永恒的王耶稣基督身上找到喜乐。

1, The source of joy (v.1-2) 喜乐的源头（1-2节）

1,The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give! 1耶和华啊，王必因你的能力欢喜；因你的救恩，他的快乐何其大！It explains where the joy of the king comes from? 这里解释了王的喜乐从何而来?Joy comes from God. 喜乐从神而来。 in the bible, Joy means rejoicing, gladness, and delight. 圣经中“喜乐”的意思是欢喜、欢乐、喜悦。Joy is not happiness. 喜乐不是指“高兴”。When you get a new car or a new house, 当你得了一辆新车或一栋新房，you’re happy. 你会很高兴。When you get it at a cheaper price, 你如果以便宜的价格买到它，you’re happier. 你就更高兴。Happiness is dependent on our circumstances or the situation, 是否高兴取决于我们所处的环境或状况， when the situation improves and worsens, 随着环境的改善或恶化，our happiness comes and goes. 我们的高兴来来去去飘忽不定。

But joy is imparted by the Holy Spirit.但喜乐却是圣灵所赐的。 “the joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10b” 【尼8:10下】…靠耶和华而得的喜乐是你们的力量。”In the days of Nehemiah, 在尼希米的日子，the people of Israel were facing tremendous hardship, 以色列民正面临极大的困境，but the joy of the Lord gave them the strength to face the day. 但靠耶和华而得的喜乐给他们力量去面对艰难的日子。 So joy gives us strength to overcome hard situations.所以喜乐可以给我们力量去战胜困境。 Psa 35:9. My soul shall be joyful in the Lord, it shall rejoice in His salvation. 【诗35:9】我的心必靠耶和华快乐，靠他的救恩高兴。It tells why joy encourages us and gives us strength  这告诉我们为什么喜乐可以鼓励我们并给我们力量?

Because joy comes from God’s salvation. 因为喜乐从神的救恩而来 Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. 喜乐是圣灵的一种果子。 Joy doesn’t depend on what is happening outside of us.喜乐不受外界环境左右。In Psa.16:11, In your presence is fullness of joy. 【诗16:11…在你面前有满足的喜乐…That’s very true. 这是何等真实。 I still remember what my mum told me years ago after a church service, 我还记得许多年前一次主日聚会后妈妈对我说的话， she said, 她说: “why am I full of joy? “为什么我这么喜乐呢? I didn’t get any good things from the visible world我并没有从现实世界中得到什么好处， but just from the worship 只是因为敬拜神”Because joy comes from God’s salvation 因为喜乐从神的救恩而来。Proverbs 17:22, A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. 【箴17:22】喜乐的心，乃是良药；忧伤的灵，使骨枯干。This’s serious. 这话是何等严重。 It says, 它说， when your heart is full of joy, 当你的心充满喜乐，it leads to a healthy life. 它就会带出健康的生命。But when it lacks joy, 但是，当它缺乏喜乐， or constantly fills with bitterness or negativity or grief, 或常被苦毒、负面或悲伤所填满， it lacks good medicine for your health. 就缺乏使你健康的良药。God gives Joy as a good medicine for health.神赐人喜乐为健康的良药。

 Pro 15:15, All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast. 【箴15:15】困苦人的日子都是愁苦，心中欢畅的，常享丰筵。A merry heart means a heart filled with joy. 充满喜乐的心。It says, 这里说， if there’s joy in our hearts, 如果我们心中有喜乐，no matter what hard situation we’re facing in our lives, 无论我们生活中面临怎样的困境，we’ll still have positive attitudes in the midst of hardship, 我们在艰难中仍可保持积极的态度，because true joy can only be found in true intimate relationship with God.因为真正的喜乐只在与神真正的亲密关系中才能找到。

In Luke 10:17-22在路10:17-22， when the seventy-two returned with joy, 当这七十二个门徒欢欢喜喜地回来，celebrating that even the demons were subject to them, 庆祝连鬼也服了他们，our Lord Jesus challenged the focus of their joy.主耶稣却要更新他们欢喜的焦点。 “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). 【路10:20】然而不要因鬼服了你们就欢喜，要因你们的名记录在天上欢喜。”He points out 祂指出，that we often rejoice in our achievements. 我们常为事做成功而感到高兴。Even in ministry, 即便在福音事工上，we rejoice in the things that can be seen. 我们也因那眼所能见的而欢喜。Demons are driven out, 鬼被赶出来了，sermons are well delivered, 道讲得很好，the number of people growing, and so on. 人数增加了，等等。But Jesus says, 但主耶稣说， no, no, no, 不，不，不，that’s what God does for you as you ask in His name, 这是当你奉主的名祈求时，神为你成就的，you’ve gotta rejoice in your Father Himself, 你当为神是你的父而喜乐，because He made you His children. 因祂使你成为祂的孩子。 Look at Christ the Son, 看看基督神的儿子，the ultimate example of faith, 信心的终极榜样，the joy that fed and sustained Jesus himself was not in the sermons he gave, 那喂养和使耶稣站立的喜乐不是来自于他的讲道，or in the sick he healed, 不是来自于他医治的病人，or even in the dead he raised, 甚至不是来自于他使死人复活，but in the united relationship he had with his Father. 而是来自于他与天父合一的关系。

The core of his joy was not in what he did, 祂喜乐的核心不在于他做了什么， but was in who he was, 而在于他是谁，and the relationship he had with his Father. 以及他与天父的关系。Do you rejoice in who you are in Christ? 你因你在基督里的身份而欢喜吗? Do you celebrate your identity in Christ every day by praising Him joyfully? 你每天以喜乐的赞美来庆祝你在基督里的身份吗？“the joy of the Lord is your strength. 靠耶和华而得的喜乐是你们的力量。joy comes from God’s salvation 因为喜乐从神的救恩而来 And God is the Source of joy.神就是喜乐的源泉。

2, The reasons for joy (v2-12)喜乐的缘由（第2-12节）

V.2, 第2节，King David said, 大卫王说， God granted the desire of his heart, 神赐给他心里所愿的。and He didn’t withhold the request of his lips. 他嘴唇所求的，祂未尝不应允。 It’s saying God’s answered his prayers. 意思是说神回应了他的祷告。When God answered his prayers, 当神回应了他的祷告，his joy was great, 他的喜乐是何等的大， no matter what dangerous situation he was in. 无论他正处于何等危险的境地。We know that King David was in great danger from the day he was anointed to be the king of Israel.我们知道，自从大卫王受膏作以色列王的日子以来，他就一直处于极大的危难之中。 Don’t think since God anointed him as the king of Israel 不要以为既然神膏他作以色列的王，so his life would be easy. 他的日子就会安逸。 The same for us, 对我们也是一样， David is one of the great cloud of witnesses God has set before us. 大卫是神摆放在我们面前、如同云彩般的见证人之一。Don’t think we’re invited to reign with Christ in the end, 不要以为我们被邀请在末后与基督一同作王，and so we just wait for it to happen by doing nothing.我们现在就可以坐等其成了。

No, 不是的。the promise of God came to David 神的应许临到大卫的同时，and brought wars into his life. 也给他的生命带来争战。We are also in spiritual warfare. 我们也正处在属灵争战中。 The Kingdom of darkness is waging war against the Kingdom of Light. 黑暗之国正向光明之国发起争战But God’s promised us peace and victories, if we trust in Him.但我们若信靠神，祂应许了我们平安和得胜In David’s story, 在大卫的经历里，he was chased by King Saul in the desert at least ten years or more.他在旷野被扫罗王追杀了至少十多年。 When he killed Goliath the Giant, 当他杀死巨人歌利亚时，he was just a youth (see 1 Samuel 17:33), 还只是个少年人(见撒上17:33)， but when he became the King of Hebron, 但当他作希伯伦王时，he reached his 30’s. 已经30岁了。 During these ten years or more, 在这十多年的时间里， David didn’t stop being chased 大卫一直没有停止被追杀、and facing the danger of losing his life. 一直面临丧命的险境。 But God saved his life. 但是神拯救了他的生命。In the meantime, 与此同时，his relationship with God was getting deeper and stronger.他与神之间的关系越来越深厚、越来越坚定。David faced war from the Philistines (2 Sam 5:21-25). 大卫面对与非利士人的争战(撒下5:21-25)、David was treated shamefully by the Ammonites (2 Sam 10), 被亚扪人凌辱 (撒下10章)、and he faced troubles in his own house, 面对自己的家遭遇患难，trouble after trouble, 一个又一个的患难临到，but in the midst of troubles,然而在这些患难的日子，David wrote this大卫如此写道： 1,The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give! 2 You have granted him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. 3 You came to greet him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head. 4 He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—length of days, for ever and ever. 5 Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty. 6 Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. 1耶和华啊，王必因你的能力欢喜；因你的救恩，他的快乐何其大！2他心里所愿的，你已经赐给他；他嘴唇所求的，你未尝不应允。3你以美福迎接他，把精金的冠冕戴在他头上。4他向你求寿，你便赐给他，就是日子长久，直到永远。5他因你的救恩大有荣耀，你又将尊荣威严加在他身上。6你使他有洪福，直到永远，又使他在你面前欢喜快乐。There are six aspects showing where the king looks for joy. 这里描述了王从五个方面找到喜乐。 1, In relying on God’s strength. (v.1a). 1，在倚靠神的能力里。(1节上)。 2, In the victories God gives (v.1b). 2，在神所赐的得胜中(1节下)。3, In God’s answers to prayer (v.2). 3，在神对祷告的应允中(2节)。4, In God’s rewards (v.3). 4，在神的赏赐中(3节)。 5, In the joy of salvation - eternal life (v.4) 5，在救恩—永生的喜乐中(4节)。 6, In His blessings and the joy of God’s presence (v.5-6). 6，在神的祝福和同在的喜乐中(5-6节)。

Overall, the king rejoices in God’s powerful salvation. 总之，王因神大能的救恩而欢喜。 In verse 1 and 5在第1和第5节中， the NIV uses the word ‘victories’ to point us to the concept of a military victory. NIV使用“得胜”一词为表示军事胜利的概念. While NKJV and ESV translated it as ‘salvation’而NKJV和ESV则将其翻译为“救恩”. It is actually the word Yeshua实际的上它原文是Yeshua. Yeshua literally means God saves or God delivers.  Yeshua的字面意思是上帝拯救或释放。The name Jesus comes from the Greek form of the Hebrew word Yeshua. 耶稣的名字来自希伯来语Yeshua的希腊语形式。

For us, Jesus is our deliverance and our salvation对我们来说，耶稣是我们的拯救和救恩. He is our strength, our King and our victory祂是我们的力量，我们的王和得胜. He has been given the name above all names. 耶稣的名超乎万名之上 But before receiving glory, there is scorn但是在得荣耀之前，有藐视; before rewards, there’s patient endurance得赏赐之先，有坚忍; before the resurrection, there’s the cross复活之先，有十字架; before triumph, there’s testing of faith得胜之前，有信心的考试 before great joy, there’s sorrow.在大喜乐之前，有忧伤 That’s inevitable这是不能避免的. “A student is not above his teacher.”  “学生不能高过老师。”

In the garden在客西马尼园, the night before the crucifixion耶稣在被钉十字架的前一天晚上, Jesus was “sorrowful and troubled”主耶稣忧愁起来，极其难过, he prayed他祷告说, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death”我心甚是忧伤，几乎要死 (Matth 太 26:38). Exceedingly means extremely or very much. Exceedingly的意思是极度的，非常 Overwhelmed with sorrow被忧伤充满. In the agony of his betrayal by a disciple whom he had lived with for 3 years 因与他住3年的一个门徒要出卖他；in the agony of denial by his disciples他的门徒们要不认他； mocked and flogged by the sins of the world 要被全世界人的罪嘲笑和鞭打, forsaken by the Father on the cross被天父弃绝在十字架上。

How was he sustained? 是什么力量使他可以熬过来？ By joy喜乐的力量. “For the joy that was set before him endured the cross” (Heb 12:2).  他因那摆在前面的喜乐，就轻看羞辱，忍受了十字架的苦难 The suffering, the sorrow, the cross was despised, 他轻看了苦楚，忧伤，和十字架 because of the joy in the hope of victory that was set before him to give him the strength to overcome!因盼望那前面得胜的喜乐， 他从中得了力量去胜过环境 How great is his joy in the victories you give! 直译：因你所赐的得胜，他的喜乐何其大！ The joy in the hope of victories also gives us strength to overcome if we trust in God like Christ did. 若我们也行基督所行的，这得胜盼望的喜乐也会赐我们力量去胜过。

3, live in joy by trusting in Jesus. (v.7)信靠神，活出喜乐（7节）

7 For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken. 王倚靠耶和华，因至高者的慈爱必不摇动。Our King Christ Jesus trusted in his Father’s unfailing love, 基督我们的王依靠父的慈爱，and his joy was complete.因此他的喜乐就满足了。 And Jesus says this to us,耶稣这样教导我们说 “John 15:10-11, If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” 你们若遵守我的命令，就常在我的爱里，正如我遵守了我父的命令，常在他的爱里。“这些事我已经对你们说了，是要叫我的喜乐存在你们心里，并叫你们的喜乐可以满足。(约 15:10-11)   In other words, Joy is our inheritance in Christ. 换句话说，喜乐是我们在基督里的产业，But this’s conditional. 但带有条件。If we wanna remain in His love and joy, 如果我们愿意一直住在祂的爱和喜乐中， we need to keep His commands. 就要遵守祂的命令。Obedience is required for us to live in the joy of the King. 要住在王的喜乐中，就要顺服。 “Obedience is hard, “顺服太难了 I just wanna do things that I feel comfortable doing... 我只想做我自己觉得舒服的事…if someone hurts me, 要是谁伤害了我，I’ll tell others how bad he is, and give him a black eye or turn my back on him…我就要让大家都知道他的不好，给他白眼或不理他……if I feel I’m not as good as her, 我要是不如她，I’ll try to do better to beat her next time…”我会再努力一点，争取下次打败她……”If you do so, 你要是这样做，you allow your joy to be stolen. 你的喜乐就被偷走了，Sin and disobedience steal your joy.罪和不顺服会偷走喜乐。

In John 16:22b Jesus says, I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 但我要再见你们，你们的心就喜乐了；这喜乐也没有人能夺去。(约 16:22) It says, no one can take your joy from you.这里说，没有人可以夺去你的喜乐。for the kingdom of God is…righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit Romans 14:17. 因为 神的国……只在乎公义、和平，并圣灵中的喜乐(罗 14:17) Joy is in the Holy Spirit. 喜乐是在圣灵里的。When we’re born again, 我们一重生，the Holy Spirit comes in, 圣灵就进入我们里面， the same joy which dwelt in Christ and enabled him to overcome also dwells within us. 那住在基督里面、使他可以得胜的喜乐，也住在我们里面。When we submit to God, the Holy Spirit gives us joy. 我们若顺服神，圣灵就赐给我们喜乐。But when we act according to the flesh, 但我们若照着肉体行事，and grieve the Holy Spirit, 让圣灵担忧，joy is stolen from us. 喜乐就被偷走了。 Joy cannot be taken without your permission. 你若不允许，喜乐就不能被拿走； No one can take it away unless you allow it to be stolen.除非你允许，否则喜乐是拿不走的。What can steal your joy?什么会偷走喜乐？ Circumstances! 环境！People!人！ The enemy of course. 仇敌（当然是）！When you’re unhappy with people当你对某些人看不惯, and you blame them你责怪他们, and allow the feelings of unforgiveness并让不饶恕, or rejection拒绝感, or fear惧怕, or anxiety焦虑, or anger恼怒, or whatever to control you. 等等来辖制你。 When the enemy approaches you当仇敌靠近你，and speaks negative words to you, 对你说些负面的话，and you don’t recognise that’s the enemy, 你没有认出那是从仇敌来的you start conversations with him in the heart, 你心里开始和他说话 “I tell you you’re wrong…“我告诉你他不对……you’re arguing in your heart…”你心里和他争辩…” you’re allowing your joy to be stolen! 你就在允许你的喜乐被偷走！Sin and disobedience steal our joy. 罪和不顺服偷走了喜乐。We need to fix our eyes on Jesus.我们需要定睛在耶稣身上。

God’s provision for us is joy in the Holy Spirit. 神给我们的供应是圣灵里的喜乐， Our goal is to overcome by the yielding to the Holy Spirit我们的目标是借着顺服圣灵得胜，and not to the circumstances or people’s words or actions. 不是去被环境、人言人做的牵着走，Because the rewards God set before us are great if we overcome. 若我们得胜，神摆放在我们前面的赏赐是大的。 “be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. Re 2:10.” 你务要至死忠心，我就赐给你那生命的冠冕。(启 2:10)Do you want a chocolate from the lolly jar every Sunday at church?想不想每个星期天来教会都可以从糖盒里得到巧克力？It’s given for a reason. 你得讲个理由。The crown of life is bestowed as a reward or as an honour, 生命的冠冕是当成赏赐或荣耀赐下， it is given for a reason. 是由原因的。 be faithful, even to the point of death你务要至死忠心 (启 2:10上) Christ as the King of kings overcame and was given many crowns. 基督万王之王得胜了，得着许多冠冕。 David as a king was given a crown of gold, because he trusted in God and lived a life of praise in the midst of hardship. 大卫王因信靠神，在困境中活出了赞美的生命，神就赐给他精金冠冕。We’re also promised a victorious crown if we trust in God and overcome. 我们若信靠神并得胜，也有得胜的冠冕为我们预备。The Crown set before us as a prize to win is incorruptible. 神摆放在我们前面的赏赐是永不朽坏的冠冕， It can never perish and continues on forever! 它永不衰残、存到永远！Don’t let your joy be stolen so that you lack the strength to overcome. 不要让喜乐被偷走，使你失去得胜的力量。You are the one who is responsible for joy to be kept within you or to be stolen. 或保管好你心里的喜乐，或让它被偷走，是你自己要对此负责。

At last, I’ll tell you a true story from history. 最后，我和大家讲个历史故事。 I know our people love stories. 我们喜欢听故事，Our God is a story-teller. 神是讲故事的神 The gospel is telling the story of His Son. 福音说的就是神儿子的故事。Every year the Jewish people joyfully celebrate Purim festival. 每年，犹太人都会欢庆普珥节Purim 2021 will begin in the evening of 25th February and ends in the evening of 26th February. 2021年的普珥将节从2月25日夜晚持续到26日晚， Purim festival celebrates the courage of a Jewish girl called Esther who saved the Jewish people living in Persia from being killed 2000 years ago. 它纪念2000多年前犹太女子以斯帖拯救将被灭族的、在波斯的犹太民族的英勇事迹。 The book of Esther correctly records the origin of Purim以斯帖书真实记载了普珥节的由来，and its relation to Esther’s faith in God in times of danger.以及它与以斯帖在危难中的信心这二者的关系。

At that time, the Jewish people lived scattered throughout Persia after the Babylonian exile. 那是在被掳巴比伦后，那时的犹太人分散在波斯四境。 Esther lived in exile. 以斯帖也过着流亡的生活，She was an orphan. 她是个孤儿， She was raised by her older cousin, Mordecai (Esther 2:7). 由堂兄末底改抚养长大（斯2：7）。She was young and pretty, 以斯帖容貌俊美， but she was taken into the Persian King’s palace and raped. 却被送到波斯王宫，被强奸了。Are you shocked at what I said? 我这样说是不是让你感到震惊？In Esther 2, 以斯帖记2章提到，we see because the queen of the Persian’s King had been banished, 王后被波斯王所废之后，young girls were taken one by one for the King to sleep with, 年青貌美的女子们被带进宫，供波斯王同寝；until the King found someone to become a new queen. 直到王找到喜爱的女子可以立为新的王后。Esther was among those young girls, 以斯帖就是这些女子当中的一个。 In Esther 2:14b, after being slept with,斯2：14下所记，在与波斯王同寝后，“she would not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and called for her by name. Esther 2:14b” 除非王喜爱她，再提名召她，就不再进去见王。(斯 2:14下) 

If the King had no longer called her, 如果王不再召她， she wouldn’t have been allowed to have a husband all her life. 她只能终身不嫁。Mordecai told Esther to hide her nationality as a Jew, 末底改嘱咐她不可叫人知道她的犹太人的籍贯，otherwise, she would have been in danger. 否则可能面临生命危险。Think about it, 想想看，if you were an orphan, 若你是这个孤儿，you were living in exile, 你过着流亡生活， you were taken captivity physically, 你成了俘虏， you had to hide your nationality from people, otherwise, you would be killed, 你为保命不得不隐藏自己的国籍，and you were forced to sleep with the ruler, 你又被迫陪掌权者睡觉，and you didn’t know what would happen next.  并你更不知道接下来会发生什么。 What pressures, challenges, difficulties and uncertainty Esther faced! 以斯帖面对的是何等压力、挑战、艰难和不确定性！What do you do with your faith then? 你会如何对待你的信仰？ Be fearful? 害怕？ Complaining? 抱怨？ Murmuring? 叽里咕噜心里埋怨？ Disappointed? 失望？or joyfully trust in God? 还是你会欢喜信靠神？

Despite all these dilemmas and the uncertainty, 尽管有那么多的困境和不确定性，Esther didn’t live like an orphan full of fear, 以斯帖却不像一个充满惧怕的孤儿，but like a woman of faith. 而是活出一个充满信心的女子的样式。Esther was favoured by the King and she became the new queen.以斯帖得了波斯王的喜爱，并立她为新王后。What do you think about the life of a queen? 你觉得王后的生活会是怎样？We’ve gotta believe that everything serves a purpose! 我们相信万事都有神的旨意！The position of being a queen serves a purpose. 王后的位置也有神的旨意。Where we’re placed by God serves a purpose. 我们身所处的位置都有神的旨意。Trial comes to Esther the queen again. 试炼再次临到王后以斯帖。 Haman, one of the king’s nobles, 王的臣仆哈曼， tried to wipe out the race of Israel. 想要灭绝通国的所有犹太人。Mordecai sent a message to Esther,于是末底改托人告诉以斯帖，“Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”「你莫想在王宫里强过一切 犹大 人，得免这祸。 此时你若闭口不言， 犹大 人必从别处得解脱，蒙拯救；你和你父家必致灭亡。焉知你得了王后的位分不是为现今的机会吗？」(斯 4:13-14)

In other words换句话说, Mordecai was telling Esther in his faith, 末底改在信心里对向以斯帖说，God would deliver Israel from the enemy’s hand, 神必会拯救以色列民脱离仇敌的手，because God would keep faithful to his eternal covenant with Abraham and David, 因神必坚立祂与亚伯拉罕和大卫所立的永约but you’re gonna be the person to pay the price for it to happen 但你以斯帖将是那为此付出代价的人which put Esther at risk of death. 这把以斯帖的生命置于危险之中。Because the King had announced if whoever wasn’t called to come in came in, they would be put to death.因王有命：若不蒙召，擅入内院见王的必被治死。

So Esther asked the people of Israel to fast and pray, 于是以斯帖吩咐以色列民禁食祷告，she herself didn’t eat and drink day and night and prayed for 3 days. 她自己也禁食三日三夜。She declared her faith,她宣告说， “If I perish, I perish.” 「我若死就死吧！」(斯 4:16) Esther trusted in God at a risky time and didn’t accept fear. 以斯帖在危难之中信靠神，不接受任何惧怕。There is nothing too hard for God to accomplish, 在神没有难成的事，and nothing too big for God to overcome. 没有什么困难大到神不能解决，God knows everything. 神知道万事。He is waiting for His people to put their trust in Him in times of trouble, 祂在等候神子民在患难中信靠祂， so that He can do something bigger to show that He is able to save.使祂可以做更大的事，显明祂足以拯救的大能 Yes 是的, God turned sadness to joy! 神使忧伤成为喜乐The nation of Israel was delivered以色列民族被拯救了 and Mordechai was raised to a high rank末底改被升高, and became the second highest person in rank to the Persian King并成为波斯国除国王以外的第二高官. The enemy was killed仇敌被杀. When God turned their sorrow into joy当神将他们的悲哀变成喜乐 and their mourning into a day of celebration并将伤悲变成庆祝的日子时, the bible tells us that they set two days aside and called it Purim (see Esther 9:26-27) 圣经告诉我们，他们就分别两天出来，并称其为普珥节（见斯9：26-27）for they and their descendants to celebrate every year because of God’s salvation to Israel. 让他们和他们的后代每一年都庆祝神对以色列的救恩。 “The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give!” 耶和华啊，王必因你的能力欢喜；因你的救恩，他的快乐何其大！7 For the king trusts in the Lord! 王倚靠耶和华！

Esther rejoiced in God’s strength. 以斯帖因神的能力而欢喜。 How great is her joy in the victory God gave! 因神赐的得胜，她的喜乐何其大 For Esther trusted in God.因以斯帖倚靠神

What’s next? 后面如何？God’s story is continuing on神的故事正在继续：we rejoice in God’s strength我们因神的能力而欢喜,how great will our joy be in the victories God gives 因神赐的得胜，我们的喜乐将何其大if we trust in God by following these footsteps in faith若我们也这样的信靠神，效法这信心的脚踪 – “if I perish, I perish死就死吧”. “Not my will, but Yours be done不求我的意思，只求你的旨意成就.” If we crucify the natural reactions and the feelings of the old self, 若我们也将天然人的反应和旧人的感受钉上十字架 and yield to the Spirit by keeping God’s commands顺服圣灵行神的命令, and don’t allow joy to be stolen不容喜乐被偷走, our joy in the King will be complete. 我们的喜乐就在王里面得全备的满足。Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength! We sing and praise Your power. 神啊，愿你因你的能力显为至高。这样，我们就唱诗歌颂你的大能。