This weekend while at work I was lead to read the story of Joseph. Joseph's story begins with the dreams GOD had given him. He decided to tell his brothers who grew jealous of him (mistake #1). Even to the point of wanting to kill him. They instead threw him in a pit and then sold him into slavery. He was sold to Potiphar who was one of Pharaoh's officers at the time. He saw the favor on Joseph's life and decided to make him overseer of everything in and around his house. Seeing how Joseph was a young, attractive and single man - Potiphar's wife felt like Joseph belong to her. She tried to get him to lay with her multiple times. He resisted the temptation. However, one day Joseph went in the house when nobody else was there except the wife (mistake #2). She tried to lay with him once again but this time Joseph resisted and ran away but left his clothes behind. Of course she lied to her husband saying that he tried to lay with her. Joseph was arrested and put in prison but it didn't take long for the prison keeper to place Joseph in charge of the prison. Once again we see GOD's favor. While in prison he interprets two prisoners' dreams. He simply asked one of them to remember him. But that prisoner forgot him after he was released. Pharaoh needed someone to interpret his dreams and the former prisoner finally remembers Joseph after two whole years have passed (GOD's timing). Joseph interprets the dream (GOD's gift) and told him what needed to be done over the next 14 years of prosperity and famine. Pharaoh was pleased and decided to make Joseph (a Hebrew) overseer of the distribution/collection of food, allowed to ride in the second chariot and made commander over everyone in the land of Egypt second to Pharaoh of course. The first seven years of prosperity passed by and the seven years of the famine began. Eventually, Joseph's brothers have to seek out help for food. Guess where they had to go? You guessed it! Egypt to see the man in charge of the distribution and selling of food. Their very own brother. At first they did not recognize him until he was able to test them before he revealed himself to him.
Mistake #1
I want to focus on Joseph revealing his dreams to his brothers. You would think he should be able to tell his brothers because that his blood. Even so GOD gave him the dream not his brothers. It wasn't meant to be shared with anyone else. I can think of dreams and visions of my purpose in life that have been revealed to me over the years but some times I messed up the process because I told it to someone who wasn't meant to hear it, didn't know how to handle it, envy or jealousy grew or they were simply not able to understand because of their mind being of the world/flesh. Have there been things placed in your spirit that you told someone and regret telling them now? As we grow in our personal relationship with GOD he will reveal things to us and only for us. It's the bond we have formed with him that he trust us enough to reveal them. We have to be careful about who we reveal things to - sometimes even family and friends unfortunately. I've learned that sometimes the ones closest to you can be the ones to hurt you the most. That's why it is important to ask for discernment about those around you. Has the Lord invited them or have we invited them into our life without even seeking GOD first in that decision?
Mistake #2
Joseph decided to still go inside the house to work even though he knew that no one else was there but Potiphar's wife. The same one who has been tempting him ever since he got to the house. He placed himself in a place of temptation or simply as bait. Can you remember a time you placed yourself in a tempting situation that could have drastically changed your life? Or have you been tempted, fell for the temptation and now living with some regrets? Well I strongly encourage you to turn that regret or guilt over to the Lord. It's the past. If you've asked for forgiveness and confessed it to GOD then you've been forgiven. So please stop allowing what has been forgiven to continue to affect your present and future. GOD has so much planned for you but the past regret and guilt can hinder that. Don't keep beating yourself up about it. He loves you. He gave his son to die for your sins. Remember that!
In Genesis 39:2, it states that the Lord was with Joseph. That means that the Lord never left him. He always provided for him. Every need was taken care of even in the mist of betrayal, imprisonment, accusations and being forgetting but GOD never forget him! At the end of the story, Joseph's dreams became reality. When his brothers had to come to Egypt and bow to him without even knowing it was their brother. The brother who they allowed hatred to separate them from and make a father believe his son was dead. The fact that the Lord was with Joseph, his family was taken care of even in spite of what they did to him.
Hopefully today you'll lay some things from the past at Jesus' feet that you've been holding against yourself. Do it today! He's waiting to give you that joy and peace that only he can give you!
Love you! Have an Awesome week!!!
