(Gen 41:52 MSG) He named his second son Ephraim (Double Prosperity), saying, “God has prospered me in the land of my sorrow.”
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”, by continuing on with the story of Joseph. I will provide you a brief recap to remind you of where we are in the story of Joseph’s life. Joseph had been promoted from prisoner to Prime Minister. The Lord gave him the wisdom to establish a decentralized network of storage locations that would later serve as regional distribution centers. The Bible says that there was so much grain that they stopped keeping record, because it was like counting the sands of the seashore. And during this time, during the seven years of plenty for the nation, the Lord also prospered Joseph in his personal life. Joseph and his wife had two sons before the famine began. They named their first son Manasseh, which means, “God has let me forget all my troubles and my family back home.” His second son was named Ephraim, which means both “Double prosperity”, and “God has made me a success in the land where I suffered.” Another translation of Genesis 41:52 tells us that Joseph named the second son Ephraim because he said, “I had great troubles, but God has made me successful in everything.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
- God is not against personal prosperity. In this series we have already covered the fact that prosperity is not limited to money. What good is money if your family is falling apart or your children are running astray? God wants us to prosper in every area of our lives as we seek to fulfill His divine assignment. It is already very clear that God prospered Joseph’s work. But I feel led to point out the fact that God also prospered him in his personal life. Why do I bring this up? One reason is because some believers today want God to use their Pastor to prosper the church in the ministry of the Word, financially as an organization, in attendance, to do Kingdom projects, and etc., but they have a problem when the Pastor is prospering personally. This should not be the case. The same God who will bless you to fulfill your assignments at work will bless you to enjoy a thriving personal life. God wants you to have a great marriage, to be a great parent, with great kids, and to enjoy a long and grace-filled life. Egypt was being blessed because of Joseph and there was nothing wrong with Joseph enjoying the blessing as well.
- It’s not always going to be easy. While I believe God wants us to prosper, I also believe He wants us to accept His grace to endure the challenges we will face as we pursue our divine assignment. God never promised us an easy road, He just promised us the grace to overcome whatever we face along the way. Joseph said, “God has prospered me in the land of my sorrow.” That means that there were times when he was sorrowful in Egypt, while he was waiting on his breakthrough. He said, “I had great troubles, but God has made me successful in everything.” Joseph was not overlooking the troubles, but he did acknowledge that they were in his past. He endured the challenges and he was in a position to enjoy The Blessing. God gave Joseph to the grace to endure and overcome the PIT, POTIPHAR and PRISON phases of his life in order to enjoy the PALACE phase. God will do the same for you!
- Your blessing place. Last week we covered the fact that Joseph had to LET GO the pain of his past. He was betrayed by his own blood, sold as a slave, falsely accused of rape, and forced to spend years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Even though he was clearly walking in the favor of God, Joseph had suffered a great deal. But he named his first child Manasseh as a testimony of the fact that God helped him forget his troubles and let go of his past. After having LET GO of the past, Joseph was ready to LAY HOLD of his future. After having his “Manasseh” experience Joseph was ready for his “Ephraim”. Ephraim means double prosperity and he was a testimony of the goodness of God in his land of sorrow. Ephraim is a reminder that God can use the same place that used to be a place of sorrow and turn it around for you! God can cause your place of sorrow to become your place of Blessing. Let go the pain of the past so God can turn your place of sorrow into your Blessing Place! You may have been asking God for a new job or a new environment, because you have been struggling where you are. God may give you a new place, but then again, He may also turn your place of sorrow into YOUR BLESSING PLACE!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. As I seek to live by faith that accesses Your grace for my divine assignment, I know it will not always be easy. It is Your will that I prosper in my assignment, but that does not mean I will not come up against opposition. The enemy is going to do all he can to get me to give up, cave in and quit. But no matter how much pressure satan puts on me, I believe You have already give me the grace to face whatever I am facing, so I will not quit. After overcoming challenges I may feel the pressure to hold on to bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness and the pain caused by the challenges and by people. But by faith I declare that I won’t. I LET GO the pain of my past in order to LAY HOLD of Your best for my future. I release the pain and I release the people. I will not allow bitterness to keep me from Your best. I want all You want me to have. By faith I declare that I am physically, spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, professionally, relationally, socially and financially blessed. You lead me where I need to go. You may lead me to a new place, and if You do, I am ready to move. But then again, You may keep me where I am and simply turn my place of sorrow and challenge into my place of Blessing and prosperity. However You want to do it is alright with me. One thing I know is that I am determined to arrive at Your desired destination for my life and nothing can stop me, because of Your grace. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
