(Gen 45:28 ERV) Israel said, “Now I believe you. My son Joseph is still alive! I am going to see him before I die!”
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. The point of this series is to get you to the point where you embrace the grace of God for your success in life. God has already made a plan for you and your success is connected to His plan. God’s plan was made by grace (unearned) and it must be accessed by faith. However, you will never exercise faith for something you do not believe.
If I can help you to expand your capacity to believe, then you will be more prone to operate in faith and you will therefore will be in a better position to become the person God called you to be, and to make the He birthed you to make. In today’s portion of the story (verses 20-28), we see a good example of this. Joseph and Pharaoh had both promised Joseph’s family the best land in Egypt and all they had to do was to go home to get their father and their families. Although the brothers came to Egypt on donkeys, Joseph and Pharaoh sent them home on royal wagons and chariots. The brothers were also given new clothes. As an example, Benjamin was given five new outfits and 300 pieces of silver. Joseph also sent 10 donkeys loaded with the best things in Egypt as a gift to his father and another 10 donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other food for the return trip.
When the caravan arrived in Canaan they told their father that Joseph was still alive and that he was actually the ruler of Egypt. Their father was so surprised that he could not believe them (v.26). Once again, the Word says that “he could not believe.” Jacob’s favorite son, the one he thought was dead, the one that he had not seen in 22 years, the firstborn of the woman he loved the most… Joseph, was still alive. This seemed to be a blessing TOO BIG for Jacob to receive. This was too awesome to believe. To make the story even more incredible, his sons were telling him that Joseph was not only alive, but that he was now the ruler of Egypt. It was all too much for Jacob to process and too much for him to believe. Unfortunately, many believers are the same way with God today. When the Lord speaks a Word to them, and promises to give them a profuse blessing completely by grace, it seems too much to believe. Many believers have a hard time believing that God would WANT TO BE so good to them – by grace, completely unearned. The sad part is that while they remain in unbelief, God is not free to do what He wants to do in their lives. God is looking for their faith to access His grace.
When Jacob went outside and saw the wagons, chariots, animals and food Joseph had sent for him, he was then able to expand his capacity to believe. He said, “Now I believe you. My son Joseph is still alive! I am going to see him before I die!.” My prayer is that these messages have the same affect on you. As you read what God did for others, my desire is that you expand your capacity to believe and that you say, “Now I can believe God and I will use my faith to access His grace for me!”
So what does this mean to you today? A few quick things:
1. God’s does not think like you. His thoughts for you are based on His grace and the plans He made for you before the world began. In order to accept His plans and His blessings, you must believe in His grace and access His best with your faith.
2. God’s plans for your life are bigger than what you could ask, think or imagine (Eph 3:20). Which is why God allows you to experience whatever you need to experience in order to expand your capacity to believe Him, so you can access His grace with your faith.
3. What seems impossible for you is easily doable for God. That’s why your belief and faith must be rooted and grounded in God’s grace and power.
4. If you can’t believe it, you won’t receive it, because you will never exercise faith for something you don’t believe.
5. Reading (in the Bible) or hearing testimonies (today) of what God did for others should help you expand your capacity to believe what He will do for you.
6. When God reveals something to you that He planned to give you from the foundations of the world, completely by His grace, your job is to believe it and to exercise faith for it. Your faith accesses God’s grace for His best to be manifested in your life.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. I understand that I will never exercise faith for something I don’t believe. I also know Your Word teaches that ALL THINGS are possible to him who believers. I am a believer and not a doubter. I live by faith and not by fear. I expand my capacity to believe You to the point where I remove every artificial limit I have ever placed on my limitless God. I no longer make statements like, “I cannot believe that,” or “That’s too good to be true.” I know there is nothing impossible for You. There is nothing You cannot do. You made plans for me before the world began and You made those plans by grace. You love me with an everlasting love and You love me by grace. When You look at me You are not looking for me to earn or work for Your blessing. You are simply looking for me to believe and to access Your grace with my faith. That’s exactly what I will do. I seek Your face and as I do, You reveal Your plans for my life to me. I believe those plans (no matter How big or good they are), I receive them in my heart, I exercise faith for them to come pass, and I know it is only a matter of time before I see in my hands (physically) what I have already seen in my heart (spiritually). Nothing is impossible for me because I believe God! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
