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 42:9-13 ERV)
9 Then Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed about his brothers.
Joseph said to his brothers, “You have not come to buy food! You are spies. You came to learn where we are weak.”
10 But the brothers said to him, “No, sir, we come as your servants. We have come only to buy food.
11 We are all brothers—we all have the same father. We are honest men. We have come only to buy food.”
12 Then Joseph said to them, “No, you have come to spy on us!”
13 And the brothers said, “No, sir, we come as servants from Canaan. We are all brothers, sons of the same father. There were twelve brothers in our family. Our youngest brother is still at home with our father, and the other brother died a long time ago.”
So, what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. Never Settle for Any Less Than What God Said.
Yesterday, we left off with Joseph seeing his brothers for the first time in over 20 years. In our text, Joseph accused his brothers of being spies. They adamantly refuted the claim and explained that they were honest men from the same family. It is unlikely that a father would send 10 of his sons to spy on another country. But Joseph insisted that they were spies. I believe he was saying this to see how they would handle the accusation and also in hopes of them divulging more information. This is when they let out the information (I believe) Joseph was after. They let Joseph know that his father and other brother were still alive. They said, “No, sir, we come as servants from Canaan. We are all brothers, sons of the same father. There were twelve brothers in our family. Our youngest brother is still at home with our father, and the other brother died a long time ago.”
Why is this important? Because it was a reassurance to Joseph that both dreams could come to pass. The second dream involved his father and his full-blood brother, Benjamin. All Joseph needed to do at this point was not to do anything that would jeopardize the completion of the second dream.
Although his emotions were probably going crazy, Joseph had to control himself if he was going to experience the fullness of God’s blessing (the second dream). The first dream had just been completed before his eyes. But he needed to maintain his composure and hold on long enough to see the second dream come to pass.
Joseph had been through so much that it would have been understandable if he had forgotten all about the second dream and had revealed himself to his brothers at that moment. But thankfully, he didn’t. His actions give us a picture of the composure we will require to see the full manifestation of the promises.
Some people have endured so much pain while waiting on God (it’s been hard, long, and arduous for them) that they are quick to settle for anything that looks like a blessing, even if it is NOT the fullness of what God said. Don’t make that mistake. If you settle for less than what God said, you may never receive the fullness of the promise. Joseph did not settle. May the same be said for you!
How this applies to you:
— While you are believing God for the fullness of what He promised, do not compromise to any degree. God’s promises are true, and the only thing that can nullify them in your life is your unbelief. If you settle for less than the fullness of what God promised, when you get to heaven, you will find out that you missed out on God’s best.
— Remember that settling for less than God’s best means missing out on His ultimate plan for you.
— You will require faith, patience, and composure to see the full manifestation of God’s promises.
— Stay focused on God’s Word and believe it will come to pass, even when it seems easier to accept something less.
— Hold on to your faith, believing that God’s timing is perfect and His promises will come to pass in the fullness of His timing.
— When faced with accepting a quick fix or maintaining your faith long enough to see the full manifestation, some Christians take the easy way out and settle for what is quick over what is best.
— Don’t allow the pain and disappointment of waiting on God to cause you to accept a substandard substitute for His best.
— God wants you to exercise your faith for everything He promised and never settle for anything else. If you settle, God will allow it because He will not override your will.
2. The Testing of Your Faith and the Testing of Your Character Are Not the Same Thing.
For weeks, we have been studying what happens when your faith is tested. The text clearly states that the testing of one’s faith produces patience. As your patience develops and you become more mature, God will also test your character. The testing of your character will prove or expose the level of your maturity (or lack thereof).
Joseph waited 13 years for his breakthrough to come. He patiently endured the pit, Potiphar, and prison phases of his life. His patience paid off. He made it to the palace. By the time he had the run-in with his brothers, it had been over 20 years since he saw them. The last time he saw them, he was betrayed by them. They almost killed him, then sold him off as a slave and told their father that he was dead.
Over 20 years later, Joseph stood the test of his faith. He was clothed with the best linens. He was protected by a security detail. He had a wife and two children. He was financially set for life. He had supreme power. The only person in Egypt who was more powerful than him was Pharaoh. At this point in the story, after passing the test of his faith, his character was tested.
Joseph had the power to snap his fingers and have his brothers killed. He had the power to get revenge if he wanted it. But just because you can get revenge does not mean you should. God is love. Because He is love, He will lead you to do things that overrule your emotions and your flesh. If you can obey God in a moment like this, when your emotions are going wild, and you clearly have the opportunity to get someone back for what they did to you, it is a true test of your character. If you pass this type of test, it indicates that you are maturing in Christ.
Pause for a moment and place yourself in Joseph’s shoes. Would you pass the love test at that moment? Do you have enough character to contain yourself and do what God was leading Joseph to do, or would you lash out in anger and pain? That is a test of your character, and it is much different from a test of your faith.At that moment, Joseph’s character was judged by the internal jury of his soul. Would you pass such a test?
How this applies to you:
— Recognize that trials refine your faith and character in different ways.
— God allows tests and trials to refine your character and reveal your true heart.
— Your response to adversity reveals the depth of your faith and the strength of your character.
— Understand that God is more interested in your character development than your comfort.
— Choose to respond with love and integrity, even when your emotions are challenged.
— Reflect on how you handle difficult situations to gauge your level of spiritual maturity.
— God uses challenges to mold you into the image of His Son, Jesus.
— Testing your faith reveals the level of confidence you have in God and His Word. Testing your character reveals the level of maturity and inner strength you have to reflect God in your actions. God will test both.
3. You Can Destroy Years of Work In A Few Seconds of Uncontrolled Anger.
While your faith is being tested, your character will be tested as well. Joseph stood before the ten brothers who had once nearly killed him and sold him into slavery. Despite this, Joseph maintained his composure, resisting the urge to reveal his identity. His character was being judged by the internal jury of his soul.
If he still harbored resentment and hatred towards his brothers, it would come out. Or if he had truly developed into a man of God, he would have the ability to love them despite their treatment. Joseph had the power to have them all executed, but it is clear that Joseph was more interested in seeing the promises of God manifested than in exacting revegne. Had he operated in hatred and bitterness and had his brothers killed, he would have canceled out the manifestation of the second dream. This is very important. If he did not control his emotions, he could have forfeited God’s best with just a few seconds of anger.
Many today forfeit God’s best for just a few seconds of uncontrolled action. Some lose their families over a few seconds of unchecked passion. Some lose their careers over a few seconds of uncontrolled anger. Joseph remained in control of himself (spirit, soul, and body), remained in character, and calmly expected the manifestation of the second dream.
How this applies to you:
— Be mindful that a moment of uncontrolled emotion can undo years of hard work.
— Uncontrolled anger can have devastating consequences, derailing your destiny and damaging relationships.
— Allow the Holy Spirit to guide your actions and reactions.
— Practice self-control and discipline to maintain your integrity and witness.
— Remember that your actions reflect your relationship with God, especially in challenging times.
— Spend time with the Holy Spirit. He will empower you to respond with grace rather than reacting impulsively.
— Keep in mind that maintaining your composure is key to fulfilling God’s promises in your life.
— God will lead you to choose forgiveness and reconciliation over revenge and bitterness.
Here are a few closing thoughts for today:
— God wants to fulfill every promise He has made to you before you die.
— Your expectation should be to see God’s best in every area of your life, and you should never settle for anything less.
— Discipline is the ability to make the decisions that will take you towards an expected end. Joseph exercised discipline. If you want God’s best, you must do the same.
— Your decisions will either bring you closer to or further from God’s best.
— If you do not master your emotions, you can abort God’s dream for your life with just a few minutes of unbridled action.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I will never settle for anything less than what You have spoken over me.
I open my heart to Your dream and I walk in faith in order to see the dream come to pass.
As my faith is tested, I am developing patient endurance.
Along the way, my character will be tested as well. I will have moments when my emotions are going crazy and when Your Spirit will lead me to choose love over selfishness, peace over revenge, and calm over anger.
Your Spirit will remind me that YOU ARE LOVE and that since You live IN ME, I am to walk in LOVE as well. I will pass those tests.
I walk by faith, I add patience to my faith, and I walk in LOVE every day. I refuse to abort Your best for a few seconds of uncontrolled action.
Your vision for my life RESTRAINS me and I maintain my peace.
Living this way I know that GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
