Rev Xi An Poon
親愛的家人，平安。
創世記20章讓我們看見一個很真實的生命光景。亞伯拉罕的名字已經從亞伯蘭改為亞伯拉罕，神的約已經立下，撒拉要生以撒的應許也已經宣告。可是，當他來到基拉耳，面對陌生環境和未知危險時，他又一次回到從前的舊模式，稱撒拉為妹子，正如他在創世記12章下埃及時所做的一樣。
這提醒我們，人的外在身份可以改變，屬靈經歷可以增加，但若內心深處的懼怕沒有真正被神觸摸，當壓力來到時，舊有的反應仍然會再次出現。
然而，這章最寶貴的地方，不只是亞伯拉罕再次軟弱，而是神仍然守約施慈愛。神親自介入，保護撒拉，攔阻亞比米勒犯罪，也保守祂對亞伯拉罕家的應許。神的應許不是因為人完全才成就，而是因為神自己信實。
一、把懼怕帶到神面前
創世記20:2「亞伯拉罕稱他的妻撒拉為妹子；基拉耳王亞比米勒差人把撒拉取了去。」
亞伯拉罕再次稱撒拉為妹子，背後真正的根源是懼怕。他害怕這地方的人不敬畏神，害怕自己因撒拉的緣故被殺。
我們也可能如此。當我們害怕失去，就開始抓緊；當我們害怕受傷，就開始防衛；當我們害怕事情失控，就開始用自己的方法安排一切。
神今天不是要我們假裝沒有懼怕，而是邀請我們誠實把懼怕帶到祂面前。當懼怕被帶進神的光中，它就不再能暗中控制我們。
二、讓信實成為我們倚靠
創世記20:6「我也攔阻了你，免得你得罪我，所以我不容你沾著她。」
在整件事中，最主動的是神。亞伯拉罕沒有處理好，撒拉陷入危機，亞比米勒也不知道自己正走向危險；但神親自介入，親自攔阻，親自保護。
這讓我們看見，神的信實大過人的軟弱。亞伯拉罕雖然再次跌回舊模式，但神沒有讓他的錯誤破壞祂的應許。
今天，我們也要學習，不是倚靠自己的穩定，不是倚靠自己的表現，而是倚靠那位在我們軟弱中仍然守約的神。當神的信實成為我們的倚靠，我們就不需要被羞愧困住，也不需要被恐懼推動。
三、在恩典中重新祝福人
創世記20:7「因為他是先知，他要為你禱告，使你存活。」
這節經文很特別。亞伯拉罕剛剛才因懼怕使事情陷入危機，但神仍稱他為先知，仍讓他為亞比米勒一家禱告。
創世記20:17「亞伯拉罕禱告神，神就醫好了亞比米勒和他的妻子，並他的眾女僕，她們便能生育。」
亞伯拉罕沒有停留在羞愧裡，也沒有被失敗定義。他在神的恩典中重新站起來，回到神給他的身份和位置，成為別人得醫治、得恢復的祝福。
今天，神也要把我們從「我不配」、「我又失敗了」、「我還是老樣子」的控告中扶起來。祂不是要我們停留在舊模式裡，而是要我們在恩典中重新站起來，成為祝福人的器皿。
總結
創世記20章讓我們看見，亞伯拉罕雖然有新的名字、新的身份和神清楚的應許，但在壓力中仍然可能落入舊有的懼怕模式。
然而，神沒有因此放棄他。神親自保護撒拉，保守應許，也重新扶起亞伯拉罕，使他站在代求的位置上，成為亞比米勒一家的祝福。
今天，神也要帶領我們從懼怕走進祝福。祂要我們把懼怕帶到祂面前，讓祂的信實成為我們的倚靠，並且在恩典中重新站起來祝福人。
追求
今天，讓我們安靜在神面前，思想自己是否仍有一些地方被懼怕影響。
也許我們一遇到壓力，就回到舊有的方法。
也許我們一感到不安全，就想控制、逃避、防衛或隱藏。
也許我們心裡仍有很多「我以為」：我以為神不會保護我，我以為我必須靠自己，我以為如果我不抓緊就會失去。
也許我們曾經因自己的軟弱而羞愧，不敢再站起來祝福人。
今天，讓我們把這些懼怕帶到神面前。神的信實大過我們的軟弱，神的恩典能扶起我們，使我們不再被舊模式定義，而是重新走進祂的祝福。
禱告
親愛的天父，我們感謝祢。
祢是守約施慈愛的神。即使亞伯拉罕在壓力中再次落入舊有的懼怕模式，祢仍然沒有放棄他。祢親自介入，保護撒拉，攔阻亞比米勒犯罪，也保守祢所應許的道路。
主啊，今天我們承認，在我們生命中仍有一些地方被懼怕影響。當我們面對壓力、未知和不安全時，我們常常想靠自己的方法保護自己。
求祢光照我們，使我們看見懼怕背後更深的不信。幫助我們不再被「我以為」帶領，而是重新被祢的話語、祢的應許和祢的信實帶領。
主啊，謝謝祢的信實大過我們的軟弱。求祢把我們從羞愧和控告中扶起來，使我們在恩典中重新站起來，回到祢給我們的位置，成為祝福別人的人。
求祢今天帶領我們從懼怕走進祝福，不再被過去定義，不再被舊模式捆綁，而是被祢的信實恢復，被祢的恩典建立。
奉主耶穌基督的名禱告，阿們。
創世記 20
1 亞伯拉罕從幔利遷往南地，住在加低斯和書珥之間。在基拉耳寄居期間， 2 他稱妻子撒拉是自己的妹妹。基拉耳王亞比米勒派人帶走了撒拉。
3 晚上，上帝在夢中對亞比米勒說：「你的死期到了，因為你帶來的那個女人是別人的妻子。」 4 亞比米勒還沒有親近撒拉，因此他說：「主啊，難道你要毀滅一個無辜的國家嗎？ 5 那人親口對我說這女人是他妹妹，她也說那人是她哥哥。我問心無愧，沒有做錯。」 6 上帝在夢中對他說：「我知道你問心無愧，所以我才阻止你，不讓你親近她，免得你得罪我。 7 現在你要把那人的妻子還給他，他是個先知，他會為你禱告，使你活命。要知道，如果你不這樣做，你和你的人民都必死。」
8 亞比米勒清早起來召來他的臣僕，把這件事情告訴他們，他們聽了都十分害怕。 9 亞比米勒召見亞伯拉罕，對他說：「你為什麼要害我們？我什麼地方得罪了你？你竟使我和我的人民陷入大罪！你不該這樣做。」 10 又說：「你為什麼這樣做？」 11 亞伯拉罕回答說：「因為我想這裡的人不敬畏上帝，他們必為了奪我妻子而殺我。 12 況且，她真是我的妹妹，與我同父異母，後來做了我的妻子。 13 上帝吩咐我離開家鄉到外面漂泊的時候，我對她說，『無論我們到哪裡，你都要說我是你哥哥，這就是你對我的恩情。』」
14 於是，亞比米勒帶來牛、羊和男女僕婢送給亞伯拉罕，並把他妻子撒拉還給他， 15 又對他說：「我的國土就在你面前，你想住在哪裡都可以。」 16 亞比米勒對撒拉說：「我給你哥哥十一公斤銀子，在你家人面前證明你是清白的，你沒有做錯什麼。」
17 亞伯拉罕祈求上帝，上帝就治好了亞比米勒，也使他妻子和眾婢女恢復了生育能力。 18 原來耶和華因為亞伯拉罕的妻子撒拉這件事，使亞比米勒宮中所有的婦女都不能生育。
Dear family, peace to you.
Genesis 20 shows us a very real picture of human life.
Abraham’s name had already been changed from Abram to Abraham. God had already made His covenant with him. God had already promised that Sarah would give birth to Isaac. Yet when Abraham came to Gerar and faced an unfamiliar place, unknown danger, and pressure from a local king, he returned to an old pattern.
He said that Sarah was his sister, just as he had done in Genesis 12 when he went down to Egypt.
This reminds us that our outward identity may change, and our spiritual experiences may increase, but if the fears deep inside our hearts have not truly been touched by God, those old reactions may still appear again when pressure comes.
But the most precious message in this chapter is not only that Abraham became weak again. It is that God remained faithful to His covenant.
God personally intervened. He protected Sarah. He stopped Abimelech from sinning. He preserved His promise to Abraham’s household.
God’s promise is not fulfilled because people are perfect. His promise is fulfilled because He is faithful.
- Bring your fear before God
Genesis 20:2 “Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, ‘She is my sister.’ And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.”
Abraham called Sarah his sister again because fear was still operating deep inside him. He was afraid that the people of the land did not fear God. He was afraid that he might be killed because of Sarah.
We can be the same. When we fear losing something, we begin to hold tightly. When we fear being hurt, we begin to defend ourselves. When we fear things going out of control, we try to arrange everything by our own methods.
God is not asking us to pretend that we have no fear. He is inviting us to bring our fear honestly before Him.
When fear is brought into the light of God, it can no longer secretly control us.
- Let God’s faithfulness become your confidence
Genesis 20:6 “For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.”
In this whole situation, God was the One who took the initiative.
Abraham did not handle the situation well. Sarah was placed in danger. Abimelech did not know that he was walking into serious trouble. But God intervened. God stopped him. God protected Sarah.
This shows us that God’s faithfulness is greater than human weakness. Although Abraham returned to an old pattern, God did not allow Abraham’s mistake to destroy His promise.
Today, we also need to learn not to rely on our own stability, our own performance, or our own ability to never fail. We rely on the God who remains faithful even when we are weak.
When God’s faithfulness becomes our confidence, we no longer need to be trapped by shame or driven by fear.
- Stand again in grace to bless others
Genesis 20:7 “For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live.”
This verse is very special. Abraham had just allowed fear to bring the situation into danger, yet God still called him a prophet. God still allowed him to pray for Abimelech and his household.
Genesis 20:17 “So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children.”
Abraham did not remain in shame. He was not defined by his failure. In God’s grace, he stood again in the identity and position God had given him, and he became a blessing of healing and restoration to others.
Today, God also wants to lift us out of the voice of accusation:
“I am not worthy.”
“I have failed again.”
“I am still the same.”
“God cannot use me anymore.”
God does not want us to remain in old patterns. He wants us to stand again in grace and become vessels of blessing.
Summary
Genesis 20 shows us that although Abraham had a new name, a new identity, and a clear promise from God, he could still fall back into an old pattern of fear under pressure.
But God did not abandon him.
God protected Sarah. God preserved His promise. God also lifted Abraham up again and placed him back in the position of intercession, so that he could become a blessing to Abimelech’s household.
Today, God also wants to lead us from fear into blessing.
He wants us to bring our fear before Him, allow His faithfulness to become our confidence, and stand again in grace to bless others.
Response
Today, let us quiet our hearts before God and ask the Holy Spirit to show us where fear may still be affecting us.
Perhaps when pressure comes, we quickly return to old ways.
Perhaps when we feel unsafe, we try to control, escape, defend ourselves, or hide.
Perhaps we still carry many “I thought” statements in our hearts:
“I thought God would not protect me.”
“I thought I had to depend on myself.”
“I thought if I did not hold tightly, I would lose everything.”
Perhaps we have felt ashamed because of our weakness and no longer dare to stand up to bless others.
Today, let us bring these fears before God.
God’s faithfulness is greater than our weakness. His grace can lift us up again. We are not defined by our old patterns. We can walk again into His blessing.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You.
You are the God who keeps covenant and shows mercy. Even when Abraham fell back into an old pattern of fear under pressure, You did not abandon him. You intervened, protected Sarah, stopped Abimelech from sinning, and preserved the way of Your promise.
Lord, today we admit that there are still areas in our lives affected by fear. When we face pressure, uncertainty, and insecurity, we often try to protect ourselves by our own methods.
Please shine Your light upon us. Help us see the unbelief hidden behind our fear. Help us no longer be led by our “I thought,” but by Your Word, Your promise, and Your faithfulness.
Lord, thank You that Your faithfulness is greater than our weakness. Lift us out of shame and accusation. Help us stand again in grace, return to the position You have given us, and become a blessing to others.
Lead us today from fear into blessing. Let us no longer be defined by the past or bound by old patterns, but restored by Your faithfulness and established by Your grace.
In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Dear family, peace to you.
Genesis 20 shows us a very real picture of human life.
Abraham’s name had already been changed from Abram to Abraham. God had already made His covenant with him. God had already promised that Sarah would give birth to Isaac. Yet when Abraham came to Gerar and faced an unfamiliar place, unknown danger, and pressure from a local king, he returned to an old pattern.
He said that Sarah was his sister, just as he had done in Genesis 12 when he went down to Egypt.
This reminds us that our outward identity may change, and our spiritual experiences may increase, but if the fears deep inside our hearts have not truly been touched by God, those old reactions may still appear again when pressure comes.
But the most precious message in this chapter is not only that Abraham became weak again. It is that God remained faithful to His covenant.
God personally intervened. He protected Sarah. He stopped Abimelech from sinning. He preserved His promise to Abraham’s household.
God’s promise is not fulfilled because people are perfect. His promise is fulfilled because He is faithful.
- Bring your fear before God
Genesis 20:2 “Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, ‘She is my sister.’ And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.”
Abraham called Sarah his sister again because fear was still operating deep inside him. He was afraid that the people of the land did not fear God. He was afraid that he might be killed because of Sarah.
We can be the same. When we fear losing something, we begin to hold tightly. When we fear being hurt, we begin to defend ourselves. When we fear things going out of control, we try to arrange everything by our own methods.
God is not asking us to pretend that we have no fear. He is inviting us to bring our fear honestly before Him.
When fear is brought into the light of God, it can no longer secretly control us.
- Let God’s faithfulness become your confidence
Genesis 20:6 “For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.”
In this whole situation, God was the One who took the initiative.
Abraham did not handle the situation well. Sarah was placed in danger. Abimelech did not know that he was walking into serious trouble. But God intervened. God stopped him. God protected Sarah.
This shows us that God’s faithfulness is greater than human weakness. Although Abraham returned to an old pattern, God did not allow Abraham’s mistake to destroy His promise.
Today, we also need to learn not to rely on our own stability, our own performance, or our own ability to never fail. We rely on the God who remains faithful even when we are weak.
When God’s faithfulness becomes our confidence, we no longer need to be trapped by shame or driven by fear.
- Stand again in grace to bless others
Genesis 20:7 “For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live.”
This verse is very special. Abraham had just allowed fear to bring the situation into danger, yet God still called him a prophet. God still allowed him to pray for Abimelech and his household.
Genesis 20:17 “So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children.”
Abraham did not remain in shame. He was not defined by his failure. In God’s grace, he stood again in the identity and position God had given him, and he became a blessing of healing and restoration to others.
Today, God also wants to lift us out of the voice of accusation:
“I am not worthy.”
“I have failed again.”
“I am still the same.”
“God cannot use me anymore.”
God does not want us to remain in old patterns. He wants us to stand again in grace and become vessels of blessing.
Summary
Genesis 20 shows us that although Abraham had a new name, a new identity, and a clear promise from God, he could still fall back into an old pattern of fear under pressure.
But God did not abandon him.
God protected Sarah. God preserved His promise. God also lifted Abraham up again and placed him back in the position of intercession, so that he could become a blessing to Abimelech’s household.
Today, God also wants to lead us from fear into blessing.
He wants us to bring our fear before Him, allow His faithfulness to become our confidence, and stand again in grace to bless others.
Response
Today, let us quiet our hearts before God and ask the Holy Spirit to show us where fear may still be affecting us.
Perhaps when pressure comes, we quickly return to old ways.
Perhaps when we feel unsafe, we try to control, escape, defend ourselves, or hide.
Perhaps we still carry many “I thought” statements in our hearts:
“I thought God would not protect me.”
“I thought I had to depend on myself.”
“I thought if I did not hold tightly, I would lose everything.”
Perhaps we have felt ashamed because of our weakness and no longer dare to stand up to bless others.
Today, let us bring these fears before God.
God’s faithfulness is greater than our weakness. His grace can lift us up again. We are not defined by our old patterns. We can walk again into His blessing.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You.
You are the God who keeps covenant and shows mercy. Even when Abraham fell back into an old pattern of fear under pressure, You did not abandon him. You intervened, protected Sarah, stopped Abimelech from sinning, and preserved the way of Your promise.
Lord, today we admit that there are still areas in our lives affected by fear. When we face pressure, uncertainty, and insecurity, we often try to protect ourselves by our own methods.
Please shine Your light upon us. Help us see the unbelief hidden behind our fear. Help us no longer be led by our “I thought,” but by Your Word, Your promise, and Your faithfulness.
Lord, thank You that Your faithfulness is greater than our weakness. Lift us out of shame and accusation. Help us stand again in grace, return to the position You have given us, and become a blessing to others.
Lead us today from fear into blessing. Let us no longer be defined by the past or bound by old patterns, but restored by Your faithfulness and established by Your grace.
In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Genesis 20
1 And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. 2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”
4 But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? 5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.”
6 And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
8 So Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very much afraid. 9 And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done.” 10 Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?”
11 And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife. 12 But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is your kindness that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ”
14 Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelech said, “See, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” 16 Then to Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; indeed this vindicates you before all who are with you and before everybody.” Thus she was rebuked.
17 So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children; 18 for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
Zion Bread of Life Christian Church 
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