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Favor comes from this!

While it is true that Joseph went through great difficulty in his life, wherever he landed, he ultimately prospered. When he was sold into slavery, Potiphar saw the wisdom of God within Joseph, and eventually promoted him to be in charge of his entire household. When Joseph landed in prison although he was innocent, he was eventually promoted to be in charge of all the prisoners and everything that was done within the prison. We know that eventually his wisdom brought him before Pharoah. When Pharoah heard his good understanding and wisdom, he promoted him to be the second in command of all of Egypt. Proverbs 13:15  says: “Good understanding gains favor, But the way of the unfaithful is hard.” Good understanding comes from daily meditation on God’s word, time with God in prayer, consistent study and preparation in the field where you work, or the business you own. Also, spending time with quality mentors who have great depth of understanding and experience in the field where you desire to work in. Acquiring this level of good understanding takes time and ongoing work, but the results will be worthy of the investment. Question: when you open your mouth and people hear what you have to say, are they uplifted and enlightened, or do they quickly run out the door to avoid any further conversation with you? Good understanding will bring you favor with others, but ignorant conversation and excuses will bring you nothing but poverty and unfulfilled dreams.

Proverbs 13:15 “Good understanding gains favor, But the way of the unfaithful is hard.”

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God sent you to preserve life!

Our problems are not ultimately what will bring us down or give us victory! Many use their problems as excuses to give up and justify their lack of results or actions. However, it is actually the way we respond to problems and challenges that determine our victories or defeats. Consider Joseph in the Old Testament. He was hated by his brothers so they sold him into slavery. He was then falsely accused of rape and ended up in prison. He then correctly interpreted a troublesome dream that a butler had, and the butler was restored to his service to the Pharaoh. But even that butler forgot Joseph. He spent two more years before he interpreted Pharoah’s dream, and found great favor with Pharoah. The Pharaoh promoted Joseph to the highest position in the land just second to Pharoah. But consider this: Joseph remained faithful to God in the midst of the pit and the prison, so God prospered him even as a slave and as a prisoner. Ultimately, God raised him up as a lord and ruler over all of the land of Egypt. So once again I repeat, our problems are not ultimately what will bring us down or give us victory! Re-assess the way you have been responding to problems, and ensure that you are staying faithful to God and His promises. The time is soon coming when God will shift you into your “promotion,” and all those that have written you off will marvel at what God’s goodness in your life. Restoration is on its way!

Genesis 45: 4-5, 8  “And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.”