This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. Yesterday we ended off with God enabling Joseph to supernaturally interpret both of Pharaoh’s dreams. Joseph did not stop there. The power of God was flowing so mightily through Joseph that he was able to devise a plan — on the spot — for how to deal with the impending famine. This is what God said through Joseph:
“So, Pharaoh, you should choose a wise, intelligent man and put him in charge of Egypt. Then you should choose other men to collect food from the people. During the seven good years, the people must give them one-fifth of all the food they grow. In this way these men will collect all the food during the seven good years and store it in the cities until it is needed. Pharaoh, this food will be under your control. Then during the seven years of hunger, there will be food for the country of Egypt. And Egypt will not be destroyed by the famine.”
This seemed like a very good idea to Pharaoh, and all his officials agreed. Then Pharaoh told them, “I don’t think we can find anyone better than Joseph to take this job! God’s Spirit is in him, making him very wise!” So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “God showed these things to you, so you must be the wisest man. I will put you in charge of my country, and the people will obey all your commands. I will be the only one more powerful than you.” (see Gen 41:33-40)
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Your gift will make room for you. Solomon said, “A man’s gift makes room for him And brings him before great men” (Prov 18:16). While scholars have debated over whether or not Solomon was referring to a monetary gift or a spiritual gift, I believe both to be true. Your monetary gifts often open doors for you, but so do your spiritual gifts. In the the case of Joseph it was clearly a spiritual gift that made room for him and brought him before great men.
a) The gift God has placed IN you — your destiny, your purpose, your calling, your assignment — will make room for you and bring you before everyone you need to encounter in order to maximize your purpose and potential.
b) God has placed his treasure IN you and the more satan attempts to destroy you, the more God’s treasure is brought out for all the world to see (2 Cor 4:7-12). If satan knew any better he would leave you alone.
2. Divine insight can prepare you to prosper in the midst of a famine. God gave Joseph a plan and as he presented the plan to Pharaoh and his staff he said, “Then during the seven years of hunger, there will be food for the country of Egypt.” During the famine, while the rest of the region was starving, Egypt would have plenty. Egypt’s preparedness would position them to capitalize on the famine and thrust the nation into a global powerhouse.
a) We serve a God who can give you the insight that enables you to thrive while others are failing.
b) God can cause you to prosper in the middle of a recession.
3. God’s grace will cause even unbelievers to acknowledge His hand upon your life. Pharaoh did not believe in Joseph’s God, but he said, “I don’t think we can find anyone better than Joseph to take this job! God’s Spirit is in him, making him very wise!” If an Egyptian ruler who was a worshipper of the sun god Ra could see the hand of Jehovah, the true God, on Joseph, then surely God should be seen through your life today.
4. Sometimes God’s ‘SUDDENLY’ comes after a long wait. There’s no question that God can change your situation around in a moment. The problem is that many of us fail to endure long enough to experience that moment. When Joseph woke the morning he met Pharaoh he woke up a prisoner. When he went to sleep that night he was the Prime Minister of Egypt – second only to Pharaoh himself. This was Joseph’s ‘SUDDENLY’ moment, but it came after 13 years of challenges. My message to you is: Don’t give up. Your ‘SUDDENLY’ moment can come at any time!
5. Add patience to your faith. Joseph believed God for 13 years before he saw his true breakthrough. He never gave up, he never caved in and he never quit! The writer of Hebrews taught us that we ought to imitate those who have gone before us, like Joseph, who through faith AND patience obtained the promises of God (Heb 6:12). The same writer said that we have need of patience, so that AFTER we have done the will of God, we would receive the promise (Heb 10:36).
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. You made plans for me before the world began, and You made those plans by grace. You shielded and protected me for my purpose before I ever acknowledged your Son Jesus as my Lord, and that protection came by Your grace. You have prepared my breakthrough and You are ready to release it in my life in the fullness of Your timing, and when it comes, my ‘SUDDENLY’ moment will come by Your grace. You are a God of grace and You do what You do in my life because You love me and because You are so good, not because I have earned your blessing. However, while I appreciate Your grace, I also know that You did not call me to live by grace. You called me to live by faith. So while You provide the grace, I will provide the faith. By faith I believe Your promises to me. By faith I believe my divine assignment will be fulfilled before I die. By faith I believe You will bring me before great men. By faith I believe I have the grace to accomplish what I was birthed to do. By faith I stand, and I keep on standing, until I see in my hands what I have already seen in my heart. I am a believer, I live by faith, and I add patience to my faith, so I am able to believe You Father until my ‘SUDDENLY’ moment is manifested. You are a God who can change my situation around in a split-second, but I also know that it might take years for that to happen. So no matter how long it takes, my confession is that I will never give up! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
