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
Setting the Stage: (We will cover Genesis 46:31 – 47:6)
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 noteworthy because Joseph told his brothers to tell their father that they did not need to bring anything. It’s obvious that Jacob and Joseph’s brothers had no 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 noteworthy and somewhat sad. Joseph was devising a plan to obtain what the king had already promised. Joseph knew Egyptians did not like being around anyone who raised sheep. So his logic was that if they told the king they were shepherds, Pharoah would be forced to let 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 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 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 the 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. They showed the king they did not believe what he had promised. However, thankfully, 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 likens Himself to a King.
Like the king in the text, Pharaoh, King Jehovah has made us many great and precious promises. God tells us what we can have by His Word and His Spirit. Our job is to believe what He has declared. When we have confidence in God’s promises and live our lives according to them, it is called faith. But it is not faith when we attempt to convince God to give us what He has already promised. I believe God is offended when we don’t take Him at His Word. As a father, if I promised something to my children and they then came to me, pleading with me to give them what I had already promised them, it would be clear to me that they never believed what I said. Please don’t do this to God!
How this applies to you:
— Believe in God’s promises and live confidently, knowing He will do what He said.
— Trust that God has already provided for your needs, and stop pleading for what He has already promised.
— Strengthen your faith by taking God at His Word and avoiding unnecessary schemes or doubt.
— You don’t have to attempt to convince God to give you what He promised. Faith is the opposite. Faith is what happens when God convinces you!
2. You don’t have to convince God to give you what He promised.
Your job is to believe what God said! Faith is about trusting that what God has declared is true and that it will come to pass. When God promises something, He means it. There is no need to strive, struggle, or plead for what is already yours by divine promise. Instead, focus on believing and aligning your life with God’s Word, trusting that He will bring it to fruition.
How this applies to you:
— Focus on believing and aligning your actions with God’s promises rather than trying to convince Him.
— Rest assured that God’s promises are reliable and will come to pass.
— Develop a deeper faith by trusting God’s provision without fear, doubt, or unbelief.
3. Faith is not about you convincing God.
Many Christians see faith as their attempt to convince God. However, faith is what happens when God convinces you! Faith begins with a revelation from God that convinces you of His will. It is God’s job to reveal His will to you, and it’s your job to believe it. Joseph’s family did not need to convince Pharaoh to give them the best land in Egypt; they only needed to believe and receive what had already been promised. Similarly, our faith should be based on God’s revelation, and our role is to accept and act on that revelation without wavering.
How this applies to you:
— Allow God to reveal His will to you through His Word and Spirit, then accept it with unwavering faith.
— Base your faith on God’s promises and not on your efforts to convince Him.
— Cultivate a faith that is responsive to God’s revelation and confident in His ability to fulfill His promises.
4. Divine revelation is the authorization for your faith. Faith begins where the will of God is known.
Faith is not about you trying to get God to decide to give you something. Faith is discovering what God already decided for your life before the world began and then taking actions to align with it, without any sense-realm evidence to support it and even in the face of sense-realm evidence against it.
Faith is not about persuading God to act on your behalf; it’s about discovering His eternal plans for you. Before you were born, God had already mapped out your life. Every promise, every blessing, and every purpose was set in place. Faith is your response to God’s revelation, aligning yourself with His preordained will. When you understand that God has already decided to bless you, you can rest in His promises and live with confidence, knowing that your faith activates and taps into what God has already established.
How this applies to you:
— Seek God’s will through prayer and His Word, discovering what He has already planned for your life.
— Trust that God’s blessings and promises are already yours, waiting to be activated by your faith.
— Live confidently, knowing that your faith is not about convincing God but aligning with His eternal plans.
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.
God’s nature is truth, and He cannot lie. Every word He speaks is a commitment that will be fulfilled. Unlike humans, God does not waver or change His mind. God’s promises are rock-solid, and His declarations are guaranteed. When you hold onto God’s Word, you can be assured that He will bring it to pass. This unwavering trust in God’s integrity is the foundation of your faith.
How this applies to you:
— Build your faith on the assurance that God’s Word is true and unchanging.
— Meditate on God’s promises, knowing that He will fulfill them.
— Let the truth of God’s immutability (He will not change His mind) strengthen your confidence in His promises.
6. You can trust God not to change His mind.
Joseph doubted Pharaoh’s promise, fearing a change of heart, but God is not like man. He doesn’t make promises lightly or retract them on a whim. Numbers 23:19 assures us that God will not lie or change His mind. Once He has declared something, it is settled. You can have absolute confidence in God’s consistency. His promises are dependable, and His plans are steadfast.
How this applies to you:
— Rest in the certainty that God’s promises to you are irrevocable.
— Avoid the temptation to doubt God’s Word or His commitment to you.
— Strengthen your faith by remembering that God’s nature is unchanging and trustworthy.
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.
God’s promises come with His perfect timing. While you may be certain of what God has promised, the timing of its fulfillment may remain uncertain. This is where patience comes into play. Trust that God will fulfill His promises at the right time. You may struggle with when it will happen (because God did not tell you when), but never doubt that it will happen (because God did tell you that).
How this applies to you:
— Embrace patience as part of your faith journey, trusting God’s timing.
— Stay firm in your belief that God’s promises will be fulfilled, even if the timing is unclear.
— Keep your faith strong, knowing that God’s timing is always perfect.
8. If God promised you something, then as far as He’s concerned, it’s already done.
When God makes a promise, it’s as good as done. From His perspective, your blessings are already secured. Faith is not about begging God to fulfill His promises but believing they are already granted. Embrace this mindset, knowing that God’s promises are already in place and that your faith is the vehicle that brings them into your reality. Your faith taps into God’s grace.
How this applies to you:
— Believe that God’s promises are already fulfilled in the spiritual realm (in eternity), and you simply await their manifestation (in time).
— Shift your prayers from begging to thanksgiving, acknowledging that God’s promises are already yours.
— Strengthen your faith by living as if God’s promises are already realized, trusting in His provision.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I trust in Your eternal plans and rest in the assurance that they are already established in heaven. It is only a matter of time before they manifest on the earth.
I believe that Your promises are irrevocable, and I stand firm in the certainty of Your Word.
I acknowledge that You are incapable of lying; every Word You speak is truth and will come to pass.
I embrace the patience required to see Your promises fulfilled, confident in Your perfect timing.
I reject all doubt and fully trust that what You have declared will manifest in my life.
I celebrate Your unchanging nature, knowing that You will never go back on Your Word.
I align my faith with Your eternal decisions, trusting that Your plans for me are finished (in eternity). Your plans for me are settled. I build up my faith so my heart can be settled as well.
Father, I know You will always make Your Word good. Your Word will never return to You void.
Therefore, I boldly declare that GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
