Read Genesis 42:25-33
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”, by continuing in the story of Joseph. Yesterday we dealt with the fact that Joseph’s brothers referred to him as both “the lord of the land,” and “the lord of the country.” This meant that Joseph was in control. He had the power to make decisions and his decisions impacted, for good or for bad, the lives of millions. How did Joseph get to this position? Who placed him there? In the natural someone might say that Pharaoh placed him there. Pharaoh was the one who promoted him from prisoner to Prime Minister of the country, second in command of all the land. But knowing what we know about Joseph and his purpose, it is clear that Joseph’s promotion came from God. God gave Joseph favor with Potiphar, making him a prosperous slave. God gave Joseph favor with the warden, making him a prosperous prisoner. And God gave Joseph favor with Pharaoh, bringing him before the king, and then giving him the ability to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. God’s hand was clearly all over Joseph.
This leads me to the focus of today’s message: the purpose of prosperity. When I mention prosperity most people immediately think of money. While associating money with prosperity is not necessarily incorrect, it is quite certainly incomplete. Prosperity cannot be limited to finances. There are many people with an abundance of money who do not live prosperous lives. What good is money if your health is poor? Or what good is money and good health if your relationships are in disrepair? God birthed you in the earth for a reason, He wants to use you to accomplish your divine assignment, and He is not against you prospering along the way. God had already elevated Joseph to a position of earthly prominence, financial prosperity, and governmental power. But Joseph missed his family. Part of God’s plan for Joseph included the restoration of his family unit. In the end Joseph would be spiritually strong, relationally supported, physically healthy, mentally sound, psychologically stable, and financially secure. And what did Joseph do with all of that? Joseph was used of God to BE a blessing to millions – including his own family.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. God will bless you TO BE a blessing to others. Joseph’s great-grandfather (Abraham) was called by God to make a difference. God told him, “I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation. You will become famous and be a blessing to others” (Gen 12:2). In short, God said that Abraham would BE blessed TO BE a blessing. God will grace you to advance, increase, get promoted, and excel in the earth. God will elevate you to natural positions of authority, so that once you are there, He can make a spiritual difference through you.
2. Accept the grace and the responsibility to walk in earthly prosperity. Some say, “Oh, I only want enough for me and my family,” or “All I need is enough to get by.” While statements like these seem ‘holy’ or ‘spiritual’ on the surface, they are actually selfish. You should want everything God wants to give you in order to do what He birthed you to do. You cannot feed the poor if you don’t have enough food for yourself. You can’t help pay someone else’s bills if you can’t pay your own. You can’t help put a roof over someone’s head if you don’t have a place to stay. God is a God of increase, abundance, and overflow. God is not opposed to you having ‘more than enough,’ because He wants you to be in a position to help others. But it comes with a responsibility. The more you have, the more you have to manage and the more demands their will be from others. However, the same God who gave you the grace to increase will give you the grace to manage the overflow.
3. The purpose of prosperity is evangelism. Joseph, Daniel, Nehemiah and Esther are just a few examples of people whom God favored and elevated to positions of earthly influence, and who in turn were able to tell foreigners about their God. God used their earthly prosperity as a tool for evangelism.
a) God is not opposed to His children walking in earthly prosperity. God can give you money with a mission and power with a purpose.
b) The people you are attempting to reach are NOT spiritual. The lost do not have the Holy Spirit, they don’t read the Bible and they look at life through a natural lens. Therefore, they want to see how your God is working for you!
c) If all people ever see in you is lack, frustration, defeat and despair, they will never come to your God, because they already have all of that. But if they see someone who is happy, healthy and doing well, then they will be drawn by your natural blessings and God can then reach them in a spiritual way.
d) People will come to you because of what they see in the natural, and when they do, you can tell them about Jesus!
So accept everything God wants to give you in order to fulfill His plans for your life, embrace the grace to manage the overflow, and seek TO BE a blessing in the earth as you are led of the Holy Spirit!
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 my earthly success is connected to those plans. In order to maximize my purpose and potential You require me to have a certain level of influence and also a certain amount of resources. So Father, I openly accept the responsibility that comes with using the influence You will give me and overseeing the resources You will bring into my hands. I am open to do whatever You lead me to do. I know You will give me much more than I need. You bless me abundantly and I have overflow, because You want me to be in the position to help others and to finance Kingdom projects. I am blessed TO BE a blessing. You have given me the grace to manage everything that comes along with the assignment, and by Your grace I will accomplish what I was born to do. I use my earthly authority and resources TO BE a blessing, I walk in the favor and increase You give me, and I will use my earthly prosperity to tell people about JESUS! The more You bless me, the more I can bless others, and the more people will be drawn to You because of it. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
