创世记生命读经 · 第114篇

约瑟得释放并高举的秘诀

The secret of joseph’s release and exaltation

1本篇信息是一段插进的话，论到约瑟得释放并高举的秘诀。

1This message is a parenthesis covering the secret of Joseph’s release and exaltation

１约瑟在两年进一步的苦难之后，年龄已彀格

I. Joseph becoming qualified in age after the further suffering of two years

2有些人读到四十章，也许想要替约瑟向主说话，问主为甚么把约瑟留在监里这么久。约瑟刚下监时约十七、八岁，为狱中两个同伴解梦时约二十八岁。他的同伴得释放以前，他在监牢中至少已经十年之久，但他自己的梦还没有应验。也许你说，『主，这太过分了。你已经试验约瑟十年了。为甚么你释放他的两个同伴时，不释放他呢？约瑟为酒政解梦之后，求酒政记念他。但酒政忘了约瑟，没有甚么事情发生。主，人容易忘记。但你是神，你不会忘记。为甚么你又把约瑟留在监里两年？』有一天，我蒙了光照，看见约瑟又留在监里整整两年，（创四一1，）是因为他需要达到三十岁。（创四一46。）今天许多青年人盼望一到十八岁，就从他们的笼中得释放。但照著圣经，我们需要达到三十岁，不是十八岁，甚至也不是二十八岁。那些作祭司事奉神的人，到三十岁才开始充分的供职。（民四3。）三十岁以下的人是学徒，不是充分尽功用的祭司。（民八24。）主耶稣开始尽职时，也是三十岁。（路三23。）因此，约瑟若在二十八岁登上宝座，就不会在这件事上豫表基督。他必须是三十岁。当我看见这点，我确信这多加的两年是使约瑟合格所需要的。他若没有在那里多留两年，年龄就不彀。

2When some read chapter forty, they may have the desire to speak to the Lord on Joseph’s behalf and ask the Lord why He kept Joseph in prison for such along time. Joseph was seventeen or eighteen years of age when he was first put into prison, and he was about twenty-eight years of age when he interpreted the dreams of his two companions in prison. Although he had been in the dungeon for at least ten years prior to the release of his companions, his own dreams still had not yet been fulfilled. Perhaps you would say, “Lord, this is too much. You have tested Joseph for ten years already. Why didn’tY ou release him when You released his two companions? After Joseph had interpreted the dream of the cupbearer, he asked the cupbearer to remember him. But the cupbearer forgot Joseph, and nothing happened. Lord, it is easy for men to forget. But You are God, and You cannot forget things. Why did You keep Joseph in prison for another two years?” One day I was enlightened to see that Joseph remained in prison for another two full years (41:1) because it was necessary for him to reach the age of thirty (41:46). Today many young people expect to be released from their cage as soon as they turn eighteen. But according to the Bible, we need to reach the age, not of eighteen or even twenty-eight, but of thirty. Those who served God as priests began to do so in a full way at the age of thirty (Num. 4:3). The ones under thirty were apprentices, not fully functioning priests (Num. 8:24). When the Lord Jesus began to minister, He also was thirty years of age (Luke 3:23). Thus, if Joseph had come to the throne at the age of twenty-eight, he would not have typified Christ in this matter. He had to be thirty years of age. After I saw this, I was convinced that these further two years were necessary for Joseph to be qualified. If he had not stayed there for two additional years, he would have been under age

3青年人，无论你的试炼多长，总不要灰心。你需要承认你的试炼是出于神。没有人不受试炼和试验就能登宝座。虽然我们喜欢立刻登宝座，但神要说，『时候还没有到。不要对我说登宝座的事。你需要下在监里。』你若寻求主，主要把你下在监里。也许在你周围所有的人－你的妻子、儿女、长老和弟兄姊妹－都想要尊重你；然而，他们所作的，不过把你下在监里。我们对此无话可说。没有监牢，我们无法登宝座。不要作个逃狱的人；要留在狱中，直到你毕业得著冠冕。你需要这末后的两年。

3Young people, no matter how long your trial may be, do not be disappointed. You need to recognize that your trial is of God. No one can be enthroned without being tried and tested. Although we like to be enthroned immediately, God would say, “The time is not yet. Do not talk to Me about enthronement. You need to be put into the dungeon.” If you seek the Lord, the Lord will put you into a dungeon. Perhaps all who are around you— your wife, your children, the elders, and the brothers and sisters—intend to respect you; however, whatever they do only serves to put you into a dungeon. We have nothing to say about this. Without the dungeon, we cannot ascend to the throne. Do not be a dungeon dropout; stay in the dungeon until you graduate and receive the crown. You need the last two years.

4虽然我无意把你下在监里，你也无意把我下在监里，但事实上，我们彼此把对方下在监里。当你在结婚的时候，你有意把妻子下在监里么？当然不会。但这正是你所作的。无意之间，不知不觉，我们就把别人下在监里了。我的儿女曾这样对待我。有时候他们告诉我，他们多么爱我，但我在里面说，『你们的爱把我下在监里。』然而，我们需要说，『为著监牢，阿利路亚！虽然我已经在这里十年了，但我需要再留两年。』我再说，不要逃狱。要留在那里，要荣耀的留在那里，要向主赞美，不要咬牙切齿。盖恩夫人是能在狱中赞美主的人。她甚至写过一首诗，在诗中把自己比喻为一只笼中的小鸟。这首诗的第一节乃是这样:

4Although I may have no intention of putting you in a dungeon and although you may have no intention of putting me in a dungeon, what actually happens is that we put one another into a dungeon. When you were married, did you intend to put your wife into a dungeon? Surely you had no such intention. But this is just what you have done. Unintentionally and unconsciously, we put others into a dungeon. My children have done this to me. Sometimes they tell me how much they love me, but within myself I say, “Your love puts me into a dungeon.” Nevertheless, we need to say, “Hallelujah for the dungeon! Although I have been here for ten years, I need to stay another two years.” Again I say, do not drop out of the dungeon. Stay there and stay there gloriously, with praises to the Lord, not with the gnashing of teeth. Madame Guyon was one who could praise the Lord in her dungeon. She even wrote a poem in which she likened herself to a bird in a cage. Here is the first stanza

5『我是一只笼中小鸟，远离天空、旷阔野地；是祂将我安置于此，我愿向祂歌颂不已；如此被囚，我甚欢欣，因这，我神，使你称心。』

5A little bird I am, Shut from the fields of air, And in my cage I sit and sing To Him who placed me there; Well pleased a prisoner to be, Because, my God, it pleaseth Thee

6盖恩夫人喜爱她的笼子，这笼子就是她的监牢。

6Madame Guyon grew to love her cage, which was her dungeon

7倘若约瑟没有留在监牢中十二年，他就不彀格治理埃及地。为此，他必须到三十岁。在监牢中那十二年，为他成就了许多的事，这不是藉著客观的教育，乃是藉著主观的受苦和管教。要忍耐；最终你会有治理的资格。但要彀格，你需要再留在监里一段期间。

7If Joseph had not stayed in the dungeon for twelve years, he would not have been qualified to rule over the land of Egypt. For this, he had to be thirty years of age. Those twelve years in the dungeon accomplished a great deal for him, not through objective education, but through subjective suffering and discipline. Be patient; eventually you will be qualified to rule. But in order to be qualified, you need to stay in the dungeon for another period of time.

2 约瑟间接藉著为酒政解梦，从监狱中得释放

II. Joseph released from prison indirectly through his interpretation of the cupbearer’s dream

8现在我们来到我在本篇信息中的负担。我的负担是要指出，约瑟藉著凭信说话，从监狱中得释放。约瑟曾梦见他是站著的禾捆，他的哥哥们向他下拜。十年过去了，他的梦还没有应验。倘若这事发生在我们身上，我们会灰心至极，并且说，『把这梦忘了罢。我不再是作梦的人，不再听关于梦的事。』约瑟若这样作，可能永远不会从监牢中得释放。他是凭著说话从监牢中得了释放。然而，约瑟不是在为两个同伴解梦的时候得释放。他凭著在信心里说话，为他们解梦。倘若我是为别人解梦的人，我会害怕他们问起我自己的梦，因为我有过异象，却没有异象的经历或应验。因此，我不敢说甚么，害怕有人会说，『你在说甚么？你自己的梦若没有应验，就不要谈梦。我不相信你。』但约瑟不管自己的梦应验与否，他凭信放胆说话。倘若有人问他，他也许说，『不错，我有过两个梦。这些梦还没有应验，但我仍然相信。也许明天这些梦就要应验了。』最终，约瑟凭著说话从监狱中得了释放。他若没有对酒政说话，就没有人会向法老题起约瑟。乃是酒政告诉法老狱中有人能解梦。（创四一9～13。）所以，约瑟是间接藉著为酒政解梦，从监狱中得著释放。

8Now we come to my burden in this message. My burden is to point out that Joseph was released from prison through his speaking by faith. Joseph dreamed that he was a sheaf rising up and that his brothers were bowing down to him. Ten years went by, and still this dream had not been fulfilled. If this had happened to us, we would have been disappointed to the uttermost and said, “Forget about this dream. I’mt hrough with being a dreamer and with hearing about dreams.” If Joseph had done this, he probably would never have been released from prison. He was released from the dungeon by speaking. However, Joseph was not released at the time he interpreted the dreams of his two companions. He interpreted their dreams by speaking in faith. If I had been the one interpreting dreams for others, I would have been afraid they would ask about my own dreams, because I would have had the vision, but not the experience or the fulfillment of the vision. Thus, I would not have dared to say anything for fear that someone might say, “What are you talking about? Don’t talk about dreams until your own dreams have been fulfilled. I don’t believe in you.” But no matter whether his dreams had been fulfilled or not, Joseph spoke boldly by faith. If he had been questioned, he might have said, “Yes, I have had two dreams. Although they have not been fulfilled, I still believe in them. Perhaps tomorrow they will be fulfilled.” Eventually, by his speaking Joseph was released from prison. If he had not spoken to the cupbearer, there would have been no one to tell Pharaoh about Joseph. It was the cupbearer who brought the news to Pharaoh that there was someone in prison who could interpret dreams (41:9- 13). Therefore, Joseph was released from prison indirectly through his interpretation of the cupbearer’s dream

9我自己曾经历这事。一九五七年，因著台湾众召会产生一些难处，我多少有几分受困扰。但有一天主给我看见，我该忘掉难处，说国度与新耶路撒冷，告诉人今天的召会生活是新耶路撒冷的小影。因此，我开始放胆说话，先在台北说，后在马尼拉说。一位年长的英国传教士参加马尼拉的聚会，听见我的信息。在一次聚会后，他来对我说，『李弟兄，按你的意思，这些事是为著今天，还是为著将来？』我说，我的意思是二者。他回答说，『新耶路撒冷定规是在将来，我今天在这里无法看见。你怎么能说又是现今，又是将来呢？』然而，我还说是二者。他不相信，但我相信。最终，他离开了召会生活。这指明你越对异象说不，就越在异象之外。你也许说，『没有召会生活这回事；这不过是李弟兄的梦。让我们把牠忘记罢。』你越这样说，就越在今天的召会生活之外。我们需要说，『阿利路亚！赞美主！我相信召会生活今天就在这里。』你越这样说，就越在其中。这是作梦之人的异象。

9I have experienced this myself. In 1 9 5 7 I was somewhat troubled by a problem that had arisen in the churches in Taiwan. But one day the Lord showed me that I should forget about the problem and begin to speak concerning the kingdom and the New Jerusalem, telling people that the church life today is a miniature of the New Jerusalem. Thus, I began to speak boldly, first in Taipei and then in Manila. An elderly British missionary attended the meetings in Manila and heard my messages. After one of the meetings, he came to me and said, “Brother Lee, do you mean these things to be for today or for the future?” When I said that I meant both, he replied, “The New Jerusalem will certainly be in the future, but I cannot see it here today. How can you say that it is both present and future?” Nevertheless, I continued to say that it was both. He would not believe it, but I did. Eventually, he left the church life. This indicates that the more you say no to the vision, the more you will be out. You may say, “There is no such thing as the church life; this is simply Brother Lee’s dream. Let’s forget about it.” But the more you say this, the more you will be out of today’s church life. We need to say, “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! I believe that the church life is here today.” The more you say this, the more you will be in it. This is a dreamer’s vision.

10我们都需要像作梦的人一样说话。不要等到你有了经历才说话。要先说话。你看见异象之后，要立刻说话，然后你就会有经历。慕安得烈曾说，好的话语执事所说的，总是超过他所经历的。在某种意义上，好的话语执事必须是夸口的人。我在美国的这些年间，放胆说到召会生活，有些人以为我在夸口。关于召会生活，有些人来问我，『李弟兄，这行得通么？』我回答说，『为甚么行不通？』对那些说不可能有召会生活的人，召会生活就不可能。一九六二年，我们在美国举行第一次特会。过了那次特会，我应邀到一位住在惠蒂尔的弟兄家里。有一天，我的主人问我：『李弟兄，你的意思是说，你所讲的道真行得通么？』我回答说，『我能保证行得通。我甚至愿意为这件事签一张保单。』，异象行不行得通，在于你的口。你若说『不，』你就行不通。你若说『是，』即使别人行不通，你也行得通。这全在于你说『是』或『不。』你若说不，就是不；你若说是，就是是。关于梦，异象，我们说『是』或『不，』关系非常重要，因为我们的是或不，都要成为真的。

10We all need to speak like dreamers. Do not wait until you have the experience before you speak. Speak first. Speak immediately after you have seen the vision and then you will have the experience. Andrew Murray once said that a good minister always speaks more than he has experienced. In a sense, a good minister must be a boaster. During the years I have been in this country, I have spoken so boldly about the church life that some might have thought that I was boasting. Regarding the church life, some asked me, “Brother Lee, does this work?” I answered, “Why not?” For those who have said that it was impossible to have the church life, it has been impossible. In 1962 we had our first conference in the United States. Immediately after that conference, I was invited to a brother’sho me in Whittier. One day my host asked me, “Brother Lee, do you intend to say that what you minister actually works?” I replied, “I can assure you that it does. I would even sign a guarantee to this effect.” Whether or not the vision works depends upon your mouth. If you say, “No,” it will not work for you. But if you say, “Yes,” it will work for you, even though it does not work for others. It all depends on whether you say yes or no. If you say no, it will be no; and if you say yes, it will be yes. Concerning the dream, the vision, it matters a great deal whether we say yes or no; for either our yes or our no will come true

3 约瑟直接藉著为法老解梦，

III. Joseph given authority directly

11得著权柄约瑟的说话不仅使他从监狱中得释放，并且把他引到宝座。约瑟把自己说到宝座上去。他是直接藉著为法老解梦，得著了权柄。（创四一25～44。）倘若我是为法老解梦的人，我会非常小心，惟恐法老问起我自己的梦。我害怕法老会说，『你没有甚么经历，我怎能听你的解释？你的梦还没有应验，那么我的梦怎能应验？离开我去罢。』然而，约瑟放胆说话，为法老解梦，就藉著说话得著了权柄。你要得著释放么？你要得著权柄么？倘若要，你就需要说话。你越说话，就越得释放。不要说你没有资格说话，因为你越说没有资格，越说你在监牢中，就越留在监牢中。但你越说话，就越得释放。释放要藉著你的说话而来。我们在经历中发现，我们越说话，就越得释放。我无法告诉你，我藉著说话得著何等的释放。我在聚会中说了话，回到家里又喜乐又舒畅。我的说话将我从各种监禁中释放出来。我不在意许多事情，因为我把自己从监牢中说出来。要学习把你自己从监牢中说出来。得释放上好的路就是说话。倘若你要权柄，你就需要说话。给约瑟权柄的，就是说话。他的说话不仅使他登宝座，也使他得著权柄治理全地。你越说话，就越有权柄。释放和权柄都是藉著说话而来。无论你在家里，在学校，或在工作中，你都需要说话。每次你来到聚会中，都该说话。我们该一直说话。我们越说话，就越享受释放，越得著权柄。

11through his interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams Joseph’s speaking not only released him from prison, but also ushered him to the throne. Joseph spoke himself to the throne. He was given authority directly through his interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams (41:25-44). If I had been the one interpreting dreams for Pharaoh, I would have been very cautious, fearing that Pharaoh would ask me about my own dreams. I would have been afraid that Pharaoh might say, “You don’t have any experience. How can I listen to your interpretation? Your dreams have not been fulfilled. How then can my dreams be fulfilled? Go away from me.” Joseph, however, was bold to speak, to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, and through his speaking he was given authority. Do you want to be released? Do you want to receive authority? If you do, then you need to speak. The more you speak, the more you will be released. Do not say that you are not qualified to speak, for the more you say that you are not qualified and that you are in the dungeon, the longer you will remain in the dungeon. But the more you speak, the more released you will be. Release will come through your speaking. In our experience we have found that the more we speak, the more released we are. I cannot tell you how released I am through my speaking. When I return home after speaking in the meeting, I am happy and refreshed. My speaking releases me from every kind of imprisonment. I do not care about so many things, for I speak my way out of the dungeon. Learn to speak yourself out of your dungeon. The best way to be released is to speak. If you want authority, you need to speak. Speaking is what gave Joseph his authority. His speaking not only put him on the throne, but it secured for him authority overall the land. The more you speak, the more authority you will have. Release and authority both come through speaking. Whether you are at home, at school, or at work, you need to speak. Every time you come to the meeting, you should speak. We should be speaking all the time. The more we speak, the more release we shall enjoy, and the more authority we shall receive.

4 约瑟藉著解梦供应人粮食

IV. Joseph ministering food to people through his interpretation of dreams

12约瑟藉著说话，也成了粮食的供应者。他藉著解梦，供应别人粮食。你也许说，你很贫穷。你贫穷就是因为你沉默。为甚么你在学校里，在邻舍中，或在聚会中这么沉默？为甚么你不说话？你也许说，『哦，我没有足彀的经历来说甚么。我已经在召会生活中多年了。起初，我听见召会生活是荣耀的，但如今我不觉得十分荣耀。因此，我没有把握说到荣耀的召会生活。』然而，你越少说到荣耀的召会生活，就越不在这样的召会生活中。你需要说和你感觉相反的话。要说一些话，不照著你的感觉，乃照著你的异象。当你宣告召会生活是荣耀的，你就在你所说荣耀的召会生活中。你若说『我没有，』你就没有。但你若说话，你就供应别人粮食。凭著你的说话，你就得著释放、权柄和粮食。阿利路亚，这一切都是藉著说话而来！

12Through his speaking Joseph also became a supplier of food. He ministered food to others through his interpretation of dreams. You may say that you are poor. You are poor because you are silent. Why are you so silent at school, in your neighborhood, or in the meetings? Why do you not speak? You may say, “Oh, I don’th ave enough experience to speak anything. I’ve been in the church life for many years. At the beginning, I heard that the church life would be glorious. But now I don’t feel that it is very glorious. Thus, I don’th ave the assurance to speak anything about the glorious church life.” However, the less you speak of the glorious church life, the less you will be in such a church life. You need to speak contrary to your feeling. Say something that is not according to your feeling, but that is according to your vision. When you declare that the church life is glorious, you will be in the glorious church life you are speaking into being. If you say, “I don’th ave it,” then you will not have it. But if you speak, you will supply others with food. By your speaking you will have the release, the authority, and the food. Hallelujah, this all comes through speaking

13多年来，一次又一次，有些人说，『李弟兄，你如何得著这么多生命？每次我看见你，你总是舒畅的，并且满了生命。』我回答说，我是凭著说话得著舒畅，并且得著生命。我若到一个地方去不说话，我就是豫备要埋葬了。然而，当我说话的时候，我就得著了释放，我就得著了权柄，并且有粮食供应别人。我能对众人作见证，因为我说话最多，我就更多得著释放，更多得著权柄，也更多得著粮食。哦，我们都必须学习说话！不要照著你的经历说话－要照著你的异象说话。

13From time to time over the years, certain ones have said, “Brother Lee, how do you get so much life? Every time I see you, you are refreshed and full of life.” I answer that I am refreshed and receive life by speaking. If I were to go to a certain place and were not to speak, I would be ready for burial. However, when I speak, I am released, I receive authority, and I have the food to supply others. I can testify to all that because I do the most speaking, I am more released, I have more authority, and I have more food. Oh, we all must learn to speak! Do not speak according to your experience—speak according to your vision

5 约瑟的生活是梦的生活

V. Joseph’s life being a life of dreams

14约瑟真是个作梦的人，他的生活是梦的生活。一个得胜的基督徒总是个作梦的人。你需要有梦，你也需要为别人解梦。一天又一天，让我们都照著我们的异象，照著我们的梦说话。不仅如此，我们必须解释别人的异象，也必须照著我们的异象生活。我们不该照著我们的感觉说话，乃该照著异象说话。我们是异象人。因为我们是异象人，我们就照著异象作每件事。虽然一件事还没有发生，但我们照著对这件事所看见的说话，我们的异象就要逐渐应验。我们将约瑟和创世记里其他杰出的人相比，就看见他在作梦和受苦的事上是独一的。其他七大人物，没有一个有约瑟那样多的梦；约瑟总是与梦牵连在一起。他的生活在受苦方面也是惟一的。

14Joseph was truly a dreamer, and his life was a life of dreams. A victorious and overcoming Christian will always be a dreamer. You need to have dreams, and you need to interpret the dreams of others. Day by day, let us all speak according to our vision, according to our dreams. Furthermore, we must interpret the visions of others, and we must live according to our vision. We should not speak according to our feelings, but according to the vision. We are visionaries. Because we are visionaries, we do everything according to the vision. Although a certain thing has not yet come to pass, we speak according to what we have seen of it, and we find that our vision is being fulfilled. When we compare Joseph with the other outstanding men in Genesis, we see that he is unique in dreams and in suffering. None of the seven other great men had as many dreams as Joseph had; Joseph was always involved with dreams. His life was also unique with respect to suffering

15梦需要解，而解梦就是说话。所以，约瑟一直说话。藉著他的说话，所有的梦都应验了。首先，约瑟把自己说到难处里。倘若他没有说他的梦，他就不会陷入难处。他的哥哥们恨他，把他卖为奴隶，只因为他说他的梦。约瑟作了这些梦以后，若是保持沉默，就不会有难处。他的受苦来自他的说话。

15Dreams require interpretation, and interpretation is a matter of speaking. Therefore, Joseph was constantly speaking. Through his speaking, all the dreams were fulfilled. Firstly, Joseph spoke himself into trouble. If he had not spoken about his dreams, he would not have gotten into trouble. His brothers hated him and sold him into slavery simply because he spoke about his dreams. If after having these dreams Joseph had been silent, there would have been no problem. His sufferings came from his speaking.

16在拳匪之乱以后，英国有许多圣徒为广大的中国迫切祷告。主答应了他们的祷告，在全国的大学中作了奇妙的工作。成千的学生被主得著，包括好些优秀的人在内，他们许多人看见了异象。我就是其中的一个，我非常熟悉那个情况。倪弟兄不是惟一看见关于召会之事的人。许多人也看见了。然而，他们害怕说到关于召会的梦。这些学生害怕传教士；传教士的目标是要推广他们的布道工作，推广他们的差会。这些学生惟恐自己说了和传教士所作不同的事，会陷入难处。倪弟兄因著放胆说话，被人出卖。一九二○年代，他出版了二十期『基督徒报。』在这分报上，倪弟兄照著他的梦说话。结果，人讥笑他，使他陷入难处。那些比他年长的传教士、教师和神学家都轻视他，反对他。倪弟兄看见了在全中国每个城市都有地方召会这异象。四分之一世纪以后，他的梦应验了。一九四八年，在中国各省约有五百处地方召会。然而，倪弟兄在他的梦应验以前，受了许多苦，不仅因著外人，甚至也因著召会里面的人所激起的骚扰。由于这种骚扰，他的职事停了好些年。倪弟兄曾告诉一位弟兄，他的职事不可能恢复了。这指明倪弟兄所受苦难的严重。他非常受苦，以致觉得不可能恢复他的职事。但大大出乎他的意料，主在一九四八年作了一些事，恢复了他的职事。倪弟兄恢复职事的结果，有数百处召会在中国的城市兴起来。这是由于倪弟兄的说话，由于他的吹号，也由于一些忠于他的同工们的说话。

16After the Boxer Rebellion, many saints in England prayed desperately for the vast country of China. The Lord answered their prayers by coming in and doing a marvelous work in the colleges throughout the country. Thousands of students, including a good number of brilliant ones, were captured by the Lord, and many of them saw a vision. I was one of these students, and I was very familiar with the situation. Brother Nee was not the only one to see something concerning the church. Many others did also. However, they were afraid to speak of their dream concerning the church. These students were afraid of the missionaries, whose goal was to advance their mission work, their mission church. They were fearful that if they spoke something different from what the missionaries were doing, they would get into trouble. Because of his bold speaking, Brother Nee was betrayed. In the middle 1920she published twenty issues of a paper called The Christian. In the articles in this paper Brother Nee spoke according to his dream. As a result, people laughed at him, and he got into trouble. The missionaries, teachers, and theologians, all of whom were older than he, disregarded him and opposed him. Brother Nee had seen a vision of local churches in every city throughout China. A quarter century later, his dream was fulfilled. By 1948 there were about five hundred local churches in the provinces of China. Before Brother Nee’s dream was fulfilled, however, he suffered a great deal, not only from outsiders, but even from turmoil stirred up by insiders. Due to this turmoil, his ministry was set aside for a number of years. Brother Nee once told a certain brother that there was no possibility to ever resume his ministry. This is an indication of the severity of Brother Nee’s sufferings. He suffered so intensely that he felt that it was impossible for him ever to resume his ministry. But, much to his surprise, the Lord did something in 1948 to restore his ministry. In the forthcoming biography of Brother Nee now in preparation all this will be made clear. As a result of the restoration of Brother Nee’s ministry, hundreds of churches were raised up in the cities of China. This was due to Brother Nee’s speaking, to his sounding of the trumpet, and to that of a few co-workers who were faithful to him.

17我可以为我们在台湾的经历作个见证。当我们刚到台湾的时候，发现台湾是个落后原始的岛屿。然而，我们开始照著我们的异象说话。那里有许多传教士，大多来自南浸信会。中国大陆沦陷了，他们投资大量金钱在台湾岛的工作上。我们人数不多，但我们照著我们的异象说话。这种异象的话引起了难处，因为这种话激起了反对。有些人说，『只有你们是召会么？你们说你们有召会生活，我们没有，这是甚么意思？』我们说的话很强。我们出版了书籍，和一分叫作『话语职事』的小刊物。藉著这些书刊，我们吹号。我们说的话引起了难处，使我们遭受许多反对。然而，无论传教士赞同或不赞同，最终他们被征服，并且承认，我们的工作是台湾最好的工作。单单在台北的召会，就有二万三千多人。我们的梦开始在台湾应验以前，我们受了许多苦。我们遭受批评和毁谤，但我们从来没有停止说话。别人越想阻止我们说话，我们说得越多。我们把自己说到难处里去。

17Let me give a testimony of our experience in Taiwan. When we first arrived in Taiwan, we found it to be a backward, primitive island. Nevertheless, we began to speak according to our vision. There were many missionaries there, especially those from the Southern Baptist denomination. With the mainland of China lost, they invested a great deal of money in their work on the island of Taiwan. Although we were small in number, we spoke according to our vision. This speaking of the vision caused trouble, for it stirred up opposition. Some said, “Are only you the church? What do you mean that you have the church life and that we don’t?” Our speaking was strong. We published books and a little magazine entitled The Ministry of the Word, which has had more than three hundred issues. Today, through this magazine, we are still sounding the trumpet. During the past twenty - eight years, we have done a great deal of speaking. Our speaking has caused trouble, and we have suffered much opposition as a result. However, whether the missionaries agreed with us or not, they eventually were subdued and had to admit that ours was the best work in Taiwan. In the church in Taipei alone there are more than twenty - three thousand members. Before our dream began to be fulfilled in Taiwan, we suffered a great deal. Although we suffered criticism and defamation, we never stopped speaking. The more others tried to keep us from speaking, the more we spoke. We kept on speaking ourselves into trouble.

18我们已经看见，约瑟首先是把自己说到难处里。但后来他把自己从难处里说出来，并且说到梦的应验里。这一切都是藉著他的说话而发生的。难处和应验都是凭著说话而来的。今天我们也是这样。当我们说到荣耀的召会生活，有些人也许摇头不信，怀疑这事在美国能否行得通。有些人甚至说，这是不可能的。但这事的确行得通。在已过的十五年间，这梦在美国已经应验了。我在五十年前初次看见这异象，然后无论我在那里－中国大陆、台湾或美国－我都照著这异象说话。无论谁对这异象说不，对他这异象就不可能应验。但那些对异象说可能的人，对他们这异象就是可能的。我们越说召会是荣耀的，召会就是荣耀的。我坚信在安那翰的召会是荣耀的，因为我们要把自己说到这荣耀里。要豫备好，首先把你自己说到难处里，然后把你自己从难处里说出来，并且说到梦的应验里。这三件事要发生在我们众人身上。

18As we have seen, Joseph firstly spoke himself into trouble. But later he spoke himself out of trouble and into the fulfillment of his dreams. All this happened through his speaking. Both the trouble and the fulfillment came by speaking. It is the same with us today. When we speak about the glorious church life, some may shake their heads in unbelief and wonder whether this can be worked out in the United States. Some have even said that it is impossible. But it did work. During the past fifteen years in the United States, this dream has been fulfilled. I first saw this vision fifty years ago, and wherever I have been — in China, in Taiwan, or in the United States — I have spoken according to it. Whoever has said no to this vision, to him it has been impossible for it to be fulfilled. But to those who have said, “Yes, it is possible,” to them it has been possible. The more we say that the church is glorious, the more glorious it is. I believe strongly that the church in Anaheim will be glorious, for we shall speak ourselves into this glory. Be prepared first to speak yourself into trouble and then to speak yourself out of trouble and into the fulfillment of your dreams. These three things will happen to us all.

19Some of you may be familiar with a slanderous book called The God-Men. The preface to this book was written by a man by the name of David Adeney, whom I met more than twenty years ago when he was engaged in a student work in the Far East. He appreciated our meetings, and he sometimes attended the Lord’stable meeting in Hong Kong. Once he came to Taiwan to carry out a work on the campuses. He came to realize that our work at National Taiwan University was better than the work of others. Because our gospel preaching was so prevailing, he admired it. One day he came to see me and told me that our work on the campuses was very good and that he wondered whether or not we could work together. I told him that I respected his work for the gospel and that, as far as the gospel was concerned, we could work together. However, I pointed out that his goal was different from ours. The goal of our preaching was to build up the local church, but his preaching eventually would help the denominations. In our conversation I was very frank with him. I said, “Brother, you need to see clearly where we are and where you are. We have two different goals. Our goal is to build up the local church as the Lord’s recovery; and your work would eventually help the denominations.” In our conversation, according to what he told me, I said to him that he was out of Babylon, but only halfway to Jerusalem. He was not yet in Jerusalem. Recently I received a note from a young brother telling me that this Brother Adeney had told him that in Taipei I once had said to him that he was out of Babylon, but not yet in Jerusalem. I was pleased to hear that he still remembered this word. It is difficult for me to believe that such a brother, who expressed himself to me in a very nice way, could write the preface to the slanderous book entitled The God- Men. If I were speaking with him face to face, I would say, “Brother Adeney, don’ty ou believe that we are God-men? How could you write a preface to a book defaming us in this matter?” In his preface he gave people a vague, ambiguous, negative impression about me. I feel very sorry for him that he became involved in such a defaming work

20假定酒政和膳长将他们的梦告诉约瑟，那时约瑟没有信心或胆量为他们解梦。约瑟也许说，『朋友，十二年多以前我作了两个梦。我解了这些梦，但直到现在还没有看见应验。现在我不知道那些梦是不是真的。我不敢说。』在已过的五十年间，有许多看见召会异象的人，持守与这类似的态度。有些人说，『李弟兄，我们不敢说你所作的是错的。我们也看见了这样的事，但我们没有把握。时间会证明。』约瑟若是对狱中同伴表现这样的态度，甚么事都不会发生。倘若约瑟对法老说话不确定，你看会发生甚么事？假定约瑟说，『法老，我有过一些梦，但这些梦还没有应验。我为酒政解的梦应验了，但我不知道我的梦会不会应验。不过，你若喜欢，我会为你解梦。』倘若约瑟的态度是这样，法老会把他送回监狱。他不会在约瑟身上浪费时间。虽然约瑟的梦还没有应验，但他放胆告诉法老，神必将平安的话回答法老。（创四一16。）我们都必须学习这样作。因著异象，我不能保持沉默。我说话的时候，就安息、喜乐并快活。我越说话，就越得著释放。

20All this trouble has come from my speaking. The opposition from Melodyland and the Bible Answer Man is the result of my speaking. Today I am still speaking myself into trouble. The more opposition there is, the more I speak. I am still speaking, and I intend to speak even more. I may speak myself into trouble, but the ones who oppose this speaking will suffer loss because of their opposition. Suppose when the cupbearer and the baker told Joseph about their dreams, he did not have the faith or the boldness to interpret them. Joseph could have said, “You know, friends, more than twelve years ago I had two dreams. I interpreted these dreams, but even now I still have not seen them fulfilled. Now I don’t know whether those dreams were real or not. I dare not say.” Many who saw the vision of the church during the past fifty years held an attitude similar to this. Some said, “Brother Lee, we dare not say that what you are doing is wrong. We also have seen something like this, but we’re not sure about it. Time will tell.” If Joseph had expressed such an attitude to his companions in prison, nothing would have happened. What do you suppose would have happened if Joseph had been uncertain in talking to Pharaoh? Suppose Joseph had said, “Pharaoh, I have had some dreams, but they have not been fulfilled. My interpretation of the chief cupbearer’s dream has been fulfilled, but I don’t know whether my dreams will ever be fulfilled. However, if you like, I will interpret your dreams for you.” If Joseph’s attitude had been like this, Pharaoh would have sent him back to prison. He would not have wasted his time with Joseph. But, although Joseph’s dreams had not been fulfilled, he was bold to tell Pharaoh that God would give him an answer of peace (41:16). We all must learn to do this. Because of the vision, I cannot remain silent. When I speak, I am restful, joyful, and happy. The more I speak, the more released I am.