Today we continue our series entitled, “Faith and Patience Volume IV — The Wonder Twins.” I am using Joseph as an excellent example of our need for patience. We are seeking to learn from the different phases of Joseph’s life. Let’s get into it.
(James 1:2-4 TPT)
2 My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can!
3 For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things.
4 And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.
(Ecclesiastes 3:1 ERV)
There is a right time for everything, and everything on earth will happen at the right time.
(We will cover Genesis 46:31 – 47:6)
Setting the Stage:
After Joseph’s entire family arrived in Egypt, he told them, “I must go and tell the king that you have arrived from Canaan. I will tell him that you are shepherds and that you have brought your sheep, goats, cattle, and everything else you own.” This is interesting because Joseph told his brothers to tell their father that they did not need to bring anything. It’s clear that Jacob and Joseph’s brothers did not have any confidence in Joseph’s statement. Faith is all about confidence. In other words, they did not have FAITH in what Joseph said.
Joseph went on to say, “The king will call you in and ask what you do for a living. When he does, be sure to say, “We are shepherds. Our families have always raised sheep.” If you tell him this, he will let you settle in the region of Goshen.” This is also interesting and somewhat sad. Joseph was devising a plan to obtain what the king had already promised. Joseph knew that Egyptians did not like to be around anyone who raised sheep. So his logic was that if they told the king that they were shepherds, that the king would be forced into letting them live in Goshen. Goshen was the best land in the region. The problem with his logic is that the king had already promised them the best land. Further, Joseph had even spoken, in faith, that his family would live with him in Goshen. When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, he said to them, in faith, “You will live near me in the region of Goshen.” (45:10). Further, when the king found out about Joseph’s brothers he said to Joseph, “I will give them the best land in Egypt, and they can eat and enjoy everything that grows on it.” (45:17,18).
After speaking the language of faith and after receiving a direct promise from the king that his family would live in the best land, Joseph continued with his scheme. He did not have full confidence in the king or his own statements. He was wavering. This is bad because wavering leads to faith-failures.
Joseph took five of his brothers to the king and said, “My father and my brothers have come from Canaan. They have brought their sheep, goats, cattle, and everything else they own to the region of Goshen.” He wanted to king to know that his family was already propositioned in Goshen. Once again, hedging his bet.
The king asked them, “What do you do for a living?” They said, “Sir, we are shepherds, our families have always raised sheep. But in our country, all the pastures are dried up, and our sheep have no grass to eat. So we, your servants, have come here. Please let us live in the region of Goshen.” The brothers were pleading for something the king had already said they could have. This is terrible. However, thankful, the king operated in a kingly manner. He did not get offended. He said to Joseph, “It’s good that your father and brothers have arrived. I will let them live anywhere they choose in the land of Egypt, but I suggest that they settle in Goshen, the best part of our land. I would also like for your finest shepherds to watch after my own sheep and goats.” (see Genesis 46:31 – 47:6).
So what does this mean for you today? There is a lot to deal with here. Let’s get into it.
1. Our God is our King. Like the king in the text, Pharaoh, King Jehovah has made us many great and precious promises. By His Word and His Spirit, He tells us what we can have. Our job is to believe what He has declared. When we have confidence in God’s declarations, and we live our lives in accordance with them, it is called faith. But it is not faith when we attempt to convince God to give us what He already promised. I believe God offended when we don’t take Him at His Word. As a father, if I promise something to my children and they then come to me, pleading with me to give them what I already promised them, it would be clear to me that they never believed what I said. Please don’t do this to God!
2. You don’t have to convince God to give you what he already promised to provide you with. Your job is to believe what He said!
3. Faith is not about you, convincing God. Faith is what happens when God convinces you!
4. Faith is not about you trying to get God to decide to give you something. Faith is about discovering what God already decided to do in your life before the world began.
5. God is literally incapable of lying. If He said it, He will perform it. If He promised it, He will always make His Word good.
6. You can trust God not to change His mind. Joseph came up with a scheme because he did not trust what Pharaoh had previously stated. He thought that Pharaoh might change his mind. God can be trusted not to change His mind. He will not ever say, “Well, I promised in my Word that I would do… but now I changed my mind, and I don’t feel like doing it.” The Bible says that God will not lie, and He will not change His mind (Numbers 23:19). If God said it, that settles it!
7. If you discover something that God wants to do in your life, and it is clear to you that He has promised to do this thing either FOR YOU or THROUGH YOU, then you may not know WHEN it is going to happen, but you can rest assured that it will happen. You may struggle with the timing of it, but you should never struggle with the fact that it is going to happen. You should always take God at His Word. This series is about faith and patience. The patience factor deals with God’s timing. You can question the timing, but you should never question the promise!
8. If God promised you something, then as far as He’s concerned, it is already done.
You should never beg God to give you something that he already gave you.
Faith is not about begging God for it. Faith is about believing we got already decided and then received by faith with God already provided by Grace.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I am a believer and not a doubter. I walk and live by faith and not by doubt or fear. You are my King. You are my Lord. You are my God! I trust You to be a God of Your Word. I don’t need to come up with schemes to attempt to get You to do what You have promised. I simply stand on Your Word, in faith, and I trust that You will make Your Word good in my life. This is why I keep declaring that GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
