This Can Be Your Story - Part 19
Joseph’s life story depicts the heights to which God can exalt a person whom He loves and has chosen. God’s blessing was upon Joseph from his childhood days until death, but he was not always at the mountain top; he was thrown into the cistern by his brothers, but God step by step exalted him. In this fallen world, we all will face troubles. Jesus was offered a whip, a cross, a crown of thorns, insults and bloodshed. However, Jesus, our captain of faith, says that He has overcome the world and we need to take courage in Him. We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.
Genesis 42 takes us to the setting of the famine at Canaan. You reap what you sow. The famine was brought on Canaan as the people of that land refused to live in godly ways and chose to walk in the wayward path. Jacob as a desperate cry for help sends his sons to procure grains from Israel.
Genesis 42:1-2
‘When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you just keep looking at each other?" He continued, "I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die."’
Jacob encouraged his children to be men of action in this situation rather than staying idle without doing anything to improve the situation. You should all be men and women of action. Be active, get out of your indolence and do something as there are millions of possibilities around us.
On Jacob’s command, all the 10 brothers set out to meet the officials of Israel. Meanwhile, Joseph was well-settled in Israel as a governor, with a family of his own. Joseph was now in a glorious phase of his life! God has kept a glorious future for all His children while on Earth and throughout eternity.
John 1:12
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
Romans 8:17
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
The moment Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them and at that minute the fulfilment of his dream commenced.
Genesis 42:7-8
‘As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan," they replied, "to buy food."’
Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.
The message here is that God can promote a person and change the situations to such a large extent that people who were close to you once will not recognize you. It could be people in your family, your friends and relatives who’ve known you for a long time, but God can bring changes in your life that you are unrecognizable to others. God turned around Joseph’s life from misery to greatness and from loneliness to glory. Joseph was sold as a slave to an unknown land to unknown people and God turned his life around to make the governor of a powerful land.
Genesis 42: 9-11
‘Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected." "No, my lord," they answered. "Your servants have come to buy food. We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”’
What unfolds in the following verses are very dramatic events, where Joseph despite recognizing his brothers is containing his excitement and trying to collect his emotions. God can bring some unexpected and glorious twists in your lives as well!
Genesis 42:12-13
"No!" he said to them. "You have come to see where our land is unprotected." But they replied, "Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more."’
Joseph’s brothers are not completely sure if Joseph is alive, hence they say that the other son of their father is no more. Ironically it is this very man that stands in front of them in blood and flesh. This incident is very similar to what happened with Jesus. After Jesus was crucified, people said he is no more. But, he lives in his glory for eternity.
Joseph tests his brothers.
Genesis 42:15-16
And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your numbers to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!"
Genesis 42:17-20 So Joseph imprisoned them for three days, and on the third day he said to them, “I fear God. So do this and you will live: If you are honest, leave one of your brothers in custody while the rest of you go and take back grain to relieve the hunger of your households. Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, so that you may not die.”
It’s easy to interpret that Joseph did all this in spite and as a way to take revenge on his brothers. However as you read on you soon realise that it's not simply the case and that Joseph treats his brothers with love and compassion. The time hasn’t come to reveal himself and when he does this dynamic changes.
Genesis 42:21
They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us.
The events described in this chapter highlights the principle of sowing and reaping in the kingdom of God. God will forgive all our sins, even the worst of sins and ugly of sins will be forgiven by our Father. But, for the sins that were committed in flesh, you will have to reap the repercussions of it in this world. So, live well! Do not sow sins in flesh. We are all born into this world in the sinful nature and therefore we need to deliberately indulge in committing more sins; if not we’ll have to bear the consequences physically, mentally and even in the spiritual realm. These instances are detailed in the Bible as a warning so that we may never repeat them in our lives, it's God's way of showing us the sins committed by man and the repercussions of it. Do good to others, and goodness will follow you. Repent of your sins, turn to God and surrender yourselves to live for His Name.
Genesis 42 takes us to the setting of the famine at Canaan. You reap what you sow. The famine was brought on Canaan as the people of that land refused to live in godly ways and chose to walk in the wayward path. Jacob as a desperate cry for help sends his sons to procure grains from Israel.
Genesis 42:1-2
‘When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you just keep looking at each other?" He continued, "I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die."’
Jacob encouraged his children to be men of action in this situation rather than staying idle without doing anything to improve the situation. You should all be men and women of action. Be active, get out of your indolence and do something as there are millions of possibilities around us.
On Jacob’s command, all the 10 brothers set out to meet the officials of Israel. Meanwhile, Joseph was well-settled in Israel as a governor, with a family of his own. Joseph was now in a glorious phase of his life! God has kept a glorious future for all His children while on Earth and throughout eternity.
John 1:12
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
Romans 8:17
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
The moment Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them and at that minute the fulfilment of his dream commenced.
Genesis 42:7-8
‘As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan," they replied, "to buy food."’
Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.
The message here is that God can promote a person and change the situations to such a large extent that people who were close to you once will not recognize you. It could be people in your family, your friends and relatives who’ve known you for a long time, but God can bring changes in your life that you are unrecognizable to others. God turned around Joseph’s life from misery to greatness and from loneliness to glory. Joseph was sold as a slave to an unknown land to unknown people and God turned his life around to make the governor of a powerful land.
Genesis 42: 9-11
‘Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected." "No, my lord," they answered. "Your servants have come to buy food. We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”’
What unfolds in the following verses are very dramatic events, where Joseph despite recognizing his brothers is containing his excitement and trying to collect his emotions. God can bring some unexpected and glorious twists in your lives as well!
Genesis 42:12-13
"No!" he said to them. "You have come to see where our land is unprotected." But they replied, "Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more."’
Joseph’s brothers are not completely sure if Joseph is alive, hence they say that the other son of their father is no more. Ironically it is this very man that stands in front of them in blood and flesh. This incident is very similar to what happened with Jesus. After Jesus was crucified, people said he is no more. But, he lives in his glory for eternity.
Joseph tests his brothers.
Genesis 42:15-16
And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your numbers to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!"
Genesis 42:17-20 So Joseph imprisoned them for three days, and on the third day he said to them, “I fear God. So do this and you will live: If you are honest, leave one of your brothers in custody while the rest of you go and take back grain to relieve the hunger of your households. Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, so that you may not die.”
It’s easy to interpret that Joseph did all this in spite and as a way to take revenge on his brothers. However as you read on you soon realise that it's not simply the case and that Joseph treats his brothers with love and compassion. The time hasn’t come to reveal himself and when he does this dynamic changes.
Genesis 42:21
They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us.
The events described in this chapter highlights the principle of sowing and reaping in the kingdom of God. God will forgive all our sins, even the worst of sins and ugly of sins will be forgiven by our Father. But, for the sins that were committed in flesh, you will have to reap the repercussions of it in this world. So, live well! Do not sow sins in flesh. We are all born into this world in the sinful nature and therefore we need to deliberately indulge in committing more sins; if not we’ll have to bear the consequences physically, mentally and even in the spiritual realm. These instances are detailed in the Bible as a warning so that we may never repeat them in our lives, it's God's way of showing us the sins committed by man and the repercussions of it. Do good to others, and goodness will follow you. Repent of your sins, turn to God and surrender yourselves to live for His Name.
Watch the full video here:
About The Author:
Dr. Damien Antony
Born and brought up in a Christian family, Dr. Damien Antony possessed an unquenching quest for truth right from his boyhood days and eventually his relentless search led him to the Bible. He is a Revival Preacher, Bible Teacher, Leadership Trainer, Author and a Life Coach. He moves under the anointing for Prophetic, Healing, Deliverance, Inner Healing and Financial Breakthrough. God has also blessed him with an Apostolic Mandate to take the Universal Body of Christ to the next level of revelation and anointing.
Born and brought up in a Christian family, Dr. Damien Antony possessed an unquenching quest for truth right from his boyhood days and eventually his relentless search led him to the Bible. He is a Revival Preacher, Bible Teacher, Leadership Trainer, Author and a Life Coach. He moves under the anointing for Prophetic, Healing, Deliverance, Inner Healing and Financial Breakthrough. God has also blessed him with an Apostolic Mandate to take the Universal Body of Christ to the next level of revelation and anointing.
Posted in Devotional Message, Morning Glory, This Can Be Your Story
Posted in This can be your story, Dr. Damien Antony
Posted in This can be your story, Dr. Damien Antony
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