Today, we continue our series entitled “Laser Focus,” emphasizing living with a Laser Focus on the Fixed Purpose God established for us before the world began.
(Proverbs 4:25 TPT)
Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions.
Scriptures for today:
(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.
(Ecc 3:1 ERV)
There is a right time for everything, and everything on earth will happen at the right time.
(Gen 42:1-14 MSG)
1-2 When Jacob learned that there was food in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you sit around here and look at one another? I’ve heard that there is food in Egypt. Go down there and buy some so that we can survive and not starve to death.”
3-5 Ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to Egypt to get food. Jacob didn’t send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with them; he was afraid that something bad might happen to him. So Israel’s sons joined everyone else that was going to Egypt to buy food, for Canaan, too, was hit hard by the famine.
6-7 Joseph was running the country; he was the one who gave out rations to all the people. When Joseph’s brothers arrived, they treated him with honor, bowing to him. Joseph recognized them immediately, but treated them as strangers and spoke roughly to them.
He said, “Where do you come from?”
“From Canaan,” they said. “We’ve come to buy food.”
8 Joseph knew who they were, but they didn’t know who he was.
9 Joseph, remembering the dreams he had dreamed of them, said, “You’re spies. You’ve come to look for our weak spots.”
10-11 “No, master,” they said. “We’ve only come to buy food. We’re all the sons of the same man; we’re honest men; we’d never think of spying.”
12 He said, “No. You’re spies. You’ve come to look for our weak spots.”
13 They said, “There were twelve of us brothers—sons of the same father in the country of Canaan. The youngest is with our father, and one is no more.”
14-16 But Joseph said, “It’s just as I said, you’re spies…
Setting the Stage.
I want to set the stage for you this morning. After the seven years of plenty, there were seven years of famine, just like Joseph said and just like God revealed. During the seven years of famine, Egypt became the most powerful nation in the region and possibly the planet. Joseph is in charge of the food distribution. Not only are Egyptians coming to buy food, but people from neighboring countries are as well. I’m sure not everyone got an audience with Joseph, but they did because they came with a lot of money (Jacob was not poor).
When the ten brothers arrived in Egypt, they got an audience with the person responsible for the food distribution. They certainly did not know that this man was their brother, nor did Joseph expect to see his ten brothers that day.
So, there they were! These were the ten men who betrayed him. The last time he saw them, he was a young, brash kid who was flaunting the favor of his father. Fast forward over 20+ years later, he’s been through a lot. Joseph has matured, and he’s no longer the same person. I’m sure he did not expect to see his brothers that day, but how he reacted exposes to me the level of maturity that he had graduated to.
Joseph wasn’t sure what to do with them yet, so he kept saying they were spies while trying to figure out what to do next. In the conversation, the brothers exposed to Joseph that his father was still alive, and so too was his younger brother, who was also his only full brother. Without knowing it, his ten brothers actually mentioned Joseph in their conversation. They said, “We have one brother who is no more.” When they said that, the words “no more” would have triggered the average person, but Joseph maintained his composure. That’s the setup for today’s message.
So, what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. Betrayal and Forgiveness.
— Joseph was betrayed by the ten brothers who stood before him, selling him into slavery 22 years prior.
— He had the power to exact revenge, but he chose a path of forgiveness and maturity.
— The last time Joseph saw his brothers, he was in a pit, but now he was in a position of authority.
— Joseph’s refusal to seek revenge demonstrates the depth of his spiritual growth.
— Walking with God for over two decades helped Joseph develop the heart and character of God.
— He did not allow the betrayal to fester into bitterness; instead, he embraced God’s plan for his life.
— I can only imagine how uncomfortable the situation was for Joseph when he saw the ten brothers who betrayed him standing in front of him. He recognized them, but they did not recognize him. These types of uncomfortable situations expose the content and quality of our hearts.
— You can say you have matured, but you won’t truly know until you are placed in a situation where that maturity has an opportunity to manifest.
— You may think you have grown, but you won’t ever really know until you are in a situation that requires the level of growth you claim to possess.
— Forgiveness is one of the greatest signs of spiritual maturity. Our walk with God should lead us to a place where we can forgive those who have wronged us, reflecting the love of Christ. I’m not saying you have to allow them back into your life to the same level they were before, but you are commanded to forgive.
2. Growth Through Trials.
— The trials Joseph faced refined him, preparing him for the moment when he would confront his brothers.
— Instead of reacting in anger, Joseph chose to test his brothers to see if they had changed. He knew he had changed. He wanted to know if they did.
— This restraint showed the maturity and wisdom he had gained through his experiences.
— Just as gold is refined in the fire, our character is developed through the challenges we endure.
— Spiritual maturity means responding to hurt with grace and wisdom, not retaliation.
— Joseph’s journey illustrates that God can use trials to develop resilience and depth of character in us. I am not saying that God causes the trials, but He can certainly use them to mature us.
— Our reactions in difficult times should reflect the growth and maturity we have gained from our walk with God. If you react the wrong way, it exposes to you, and everyone else, where you truly are in your walk with God.
— You may think you have grown, but you won’t actually know how much you have grown until you are confronted with a situation that can trigger the pain of your past.
3. The Importance of Emotional Healing.
— Joseph’s ability to interact with his brothers without bitterness shows he had healed from his past wounds.
— Holding on to past hurts can poison our present and future, hindering our spiritual growth.
— Emotional healing is essential for maintaining a healthy relationship with God and others. God wants you to be healthy, inside and out.
— Joseph’s story teaches us the importance of confronting our pain and allowing God to heal our hearts.
— True healing enables us to forgive and move forward, unburdened by the past.
— God wants us to be emotionally whole so we can fulfill our purpose with a clear and joyful heart.
— Letting go of pain and embracing God’s healing allows us to operate from a place of strength and wholeness.
— Once again, I am not saying that you have to embrace the people who wronged you and give them access to the same level of your heart that they had before they wronged you. The Holy Spirit will help you to discern what role, if any, they should play in your life moving forward. But you don’t need discernment to know that you have to forgive. That is a commandment, not a suggestion.
— Once you grow to the place where you can truly forgive, you will be healthy enough to do whatever the Holy Spirit leads you to do (as it relates to the people who have done you wrong). But until you are healthy, when you see those people, you may not even hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. Your pain will block your discernment.
4. Developing the Heart and Character of God.
— Joseph’s reaction to his brothers’ arrival shows the heart of God, full of forgiveness and grace.
— Spiritual maturity is evidenced by our ability to forgive those who have wronged us deeply.
— We are called to develop Christ-like character, responding to an offense with love, grace, and understanding.
— Joseph’s journey teaches us that maturity involves seeing God’s bigger plan, even in our pain.
— Our spiritual walk should transform us to the point where we can love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.
— True maturity is displayed when we act in love and forgiveness, even when it is difficult.
— The ultimate goal of our spiritual growth is to reflect the heart and character of Christ in all we do, and uncomfortable situations help us to see if we are ready to do so.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I commit to forgiving those who have wronged me, just as Joseph forgave his brothers.
I choose to let go of bitterness and embrace Your plan for my life.
I trust that You are using my trials to refine and mature me.
I seek Your wisdom and grace in every difficult situation.
I release past pain and allow You to heal my heart completely.
I refuse to let unresolved pain hinder my spiritual growth.
I strive to develop Christ-like character, responding to offenses with love and grace.
I recognize Your bigger plan in my life, even in moments of pain.
I aim to reflect Your heart and character in all I do.
I declare that when the pressure is on for me, what will be exposed is a heart full of love, grace, and compassion.
I mature to the points where I can bless those who curse me and do good to those who despitefully use me. I know their poison cannot stop my purpose.
Living this way, I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
