This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. For the past few messages we have been walking our way through the following passage:
As it turned out, God was with Joseph and things went very well with him. He ended up living in the home of his Egyptian master. His master recognized that God was with him, saw that God was working for good in everything he did. He became very fond of Joseph and made him his personal aide. He put him in charge of all his personal affairs, turning everything over to him. From that moment on, God blessed the home of the Egyptian—all because of Joseph. The blessing of God spread over everything he owned, at home and in the fields, and all Potiphar had to concern himself with was eating three meals a day. (Gen 39:2-6 MSG)
So what does this mean to you today? Let’s seek to glean a few more nuggets from this passage before we move on.
1. Getting bitter or getting better is a choice. When Joseph lost his family and his freedom he could have chosen to get bitter. When it dawned on him that he was a slave and no longer his own man he could have chosen to get bitter. When he thought about what his older brothers did to him and how he might never see his father and little brother again he could have chosen to get bitter. But Joseph chose to get better instead of bitter and God was able to use him to be a blessing in a foreign land. Have you allowed yourself to get bitter instead of better? Be careful, your bitterness can become a blessing-blocker.
2. The world does not need to worship your God to acknowledge His hand upon your life. Potiphar was an Egyptian who more-than-likely worshipped the sun god Ra, but it was clear to Potiphar that Joseph’s God was blessing the young Israelite and all he touched. When you embrace God’s grace and you begin to flow as a conduit of His light and love in the earth, people who do not even worship your God will acknowledge Him and His work in your life. I am a witness.
3. Leaders give increased responsibility to those who make their lives easier. Joseph had the right attitude, he worked diligently in someone else’s home, for someone else’s benefit, and God blessed the work of his hands, because he was not really working for Potiphar; Joseph was working for God. In the New Testament Paul said, “Do your work, and be happy to do it. Work as though it is the Lord you are serving, not just an earthly master” (Eph 6:7). When you work this way God will bless the work of your hands, you will become a great asset to your organization, and you will surely get promoted. So do everything your boss requires of you and much more, because you are not really working for him/her, you are working for the Lord.
4. God can allow His blessing on your life to spill over to your entire workplace. The Bible says, “God blessed the home of the Egyptian—all because of Joseph. The blessing of God spread over everything he owned, at home and in the fields.” Potiphar was an Egyptian, he worshipped a false god, but the true and living God allowed His blessing to flow over the home of a pagan, just because one of his children was living there. If God could do that for Joseph and Potiphar, then what do you think God can do for your and your workplace? The blessing on you is supposed to spill over and impact all you are associated with. So as you enter this day, expect the blessing of the Lord to be all over your workplace, because YOU are there, and because of GOD’s amazing grace.
5. The Blessing on your life becomes a tool for evangelism. Potiphar noticed the natural blessings Joseph experienced because of His Supernatural God. The same should be said of you. God wants you to be successful in this world so unspiritual, unrepentant, pagan and secular people can ask you about your God and His blessing. This becomes an opportunity for evangelism. But they will never come to you if all they see in you is failure, stress, struggle, strain, frustration and bitterness. They have that already. They need to see something IN you and ON you that they do not have.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my purpose. You love me with an everlasting love. You made plans for me — good plans, plans to bless me richly — all because You love me. You knew I would endure challenges on the road to the fulfillment of my divine purpose, but You have graced me to resist bitterness along the way. Instead of getting bitter with people and with life, because of bad things that have happened to me, I choose to get better. I know You can bless me, by Your grace, in the middle of a seemingly terrible situation. So I submit and surrender to You. I become a conduit of Your light and Your love. I want people to SEE YOU when they LOOK AT ME. I die to self and I allow You to flow through me. I put my hands to work and You bless the work of my hands. I know I am not working for my boss, I am not working for any organization, I am working for You and You are able to bless my entire workplace because I am there. So Father, I speak blessings over my workplace. I declare that we are successful, that Your favor rests upon us, and that people are able to SEE Your hand in operation in my life. I get noticed and promoted because of Your blessing; and when I do, I am always quick to give You the glory. People who do not know You will come to me and ask me about You, because they can see how blessed You have made me. And when they do, I will get to tell them about Your Son, my Lord, Jesus the Christ. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
