(Gen 41:16 NIV) “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. Yesterday we saw how Joseph shaved, cleaned himself up, and put on a fresh set of clothes when he got his opportunity to stand before Pharaoh (the king). Although he was living as a prisoner he did not have to look like one when he came before the king. He was expecting a breakthrough, although he did not know what the situation was about. All he knew was that he was called for and he believed God had already graced him to handle whatever the need would be. When you walk with God you are not afraid of situations as they arise. You enter every situation with an expectation of good. Living by faith enables us to live with fearless confidence.
I am sure Joseph was mentally and spiritually preparing himself for the moment he stood before the king. He must have thought of the dream God gave him years earlier and how this might have something to do with it. When he finally stood before the king Pharaoh said, “I had a dream, yet no one can explain what it means. I am told that you can interpret dreams.” Now, watch what Joseph said. Without skipping a beat, without knowing what the dream was, without knowing the specifics of the assignment, Joseph responded, “I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” Notice the verbiage. He did not say, “God might,” or “God can;” he said, “God will!” That is strong verbiage and it comes from a man who operated in strong faith, firmly rooted in God’s grace.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. The essence of grace is that God is the one doing the work through you. This series is all about learning how to yield to God, in order to allow Him to flow through you, so that you can experience success in this world by the grace of God. Joseph said, “I cannot do it, but God will!”
a. If you can do it, then you should acknowledge the fact that God graced you to be able to do it. You can only do it because of the grace of God.
b. If you can’t do it, and it is clearly beyond human ability, then you can still believe God to do it through you, by His grace, for His glory. Where human ability runs out, God’s grace kicks in.
2. God wants maximum glory out of every situation. God makes it clear in His Word that He does not want us to put any other gods before Him. All the glory belongs to God. Never give our God’s glory to any other gods. But what applies to other gods, actually applies to people as well. God can and will bless you to do great things, but He expects the glory. Never get in the way of God’s glory. When you take God’s glory, taking credit for something He did through you, then you become your own god and the results will not be pretty.
a. God wants you to succeed, advance, get recognized and get promoted. Just don’t take God’s glory. When the accolades come, God expects you to accept the promotion, but to deflect the glory right back to Him, letting everyone know (publically) that it was only because of your God that you are getting promoted.
b. God can enable you to do anything by His grace. Just remember that He expects the credit. Joseph was clear that he could not interpret Pharaoh’s dream, but God could. The good news is that God gets the glory and He allows us to enjoy the benefits.
3. God wants you to operate in fearless confidence. Some people today would have called Joseph cocky or maybe even arrogant. Sometimes confidence is mistaken for arrogance, but God wants you to operate in confidence nonetheless. Joseph carried a holy boldness. He was standing before the king, but he knew that the King of Kings was with him.
a. Face every day and every situation with a fearless confidence; with a confidence that is rooted and grounded in God and His power.
b. When you walk in fearless confidence you are telling God that you trust Him to be bigger than your situation. When you don’t you are making your situation bigger than your God.
4. There is nothing too hard for God. Joseph did not know what the dream was about. He did not know any of the specifics, but as far as he was concerned the specifics did not matter. No matter what – Joseph believed God could handle it.
a. There are no impossibilities for God, but we must have the capacity to believe God to the point where the impossible becomes possible for us.
b. What are you facing this morning? No matter how big it may be to you, it is a small thing to God.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace. The more I study Your grace, more confidence I have in You, Your power and Your dedication towards me. When I face something I am able to handle, then I handle it, knowing that You graced me to do it. Without Your grace I would not have been able to handle it. And when I face something I clearly cannot handle, something that is bigger than me, my ability or my power, then I solely rely on You. While I cannot do it, it does not mean that it cannot be done. Your power flowing through me can enable me to do things I could never do on my own. Actually, Your power flowing through me enables me do the humanly impossible. Joseph did not have the power to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, but He knew You did and his confidence was in You. Joseph’s confidence was so strong that he said You would do it, even before he knew what the dream was. The size of the problem did not matter to Joseph, because He understood the size of His God. I am like Joseph. I know there is NOTHING You cannot do. So I give myself over to You, to be used of You for Your glory, and I face every challenge head-on, with fearless confidence in You. On my own I cannot, but by Your grace I will! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
