Grace For Unusual Lifting Part 2.

The Lord our God is full of glory, power and majesty. Who is there like unto the Lord our God in all the heavens and the earth? To our God indeed be all the praise and the honor forever and ever.

Each time we look into the story of Joseph and his brothers, it really fascinates one how Joseph revealed himself to his brothers and suddenly went on to speak about the danger that is ahead for the next five years. The truth remains that there will be great danger ahead in the next five years from the seven years, but the revelations that Joseph just uncovered before them was too heavy for them to ignore. It was true that Joseph was concerned about how his brothers and their parents would survive the reality of the next five years, but the greater truth for them is how they would live in the presence of Joseph in the next five years. There is the African saying that went on to says, “The evil that men do lives after them,” In other words, they may have been small, great and mighty, but right from the time those things are revealed, everything changed and the story is never the same again.

When in verse 3 the word of the Lord says,

“And Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph! Is my father still alive? And his brothers could not reply, for they were distressingly disturbed and dismayed at [the startling realization that they were in] his presence.”

The most troubling statement in that verse is in the words “ I am Joseph!” Suddenly, everything became a crude shock for them. If anyone was chewing anything before that statement, everything suddenly froze. It became obvious that his brothers have been exposed by the reality of this moment and it was as though they were already pronounced dead awaiting their persecution. The word of the Lord says, “… for they were distressingly disturbed and dismayed at [the startling realization that they were in] his presence.” It was as though they were dead but yet they were still alive. There is a great need for us to be extremely careful when we are taking side with certain decisions.

Every word that came out from the mouth of Joseph looked like words spoken before their persecution. Beloved, the truth remains, once someone is exposed by the reality of their past actions, even when this person is forgiven, the evil of their past actions seem to stand against them. This became so serious that even at the point when they lost their father Jacob, the reality and the horror of their past once again hunted them and they brought themselves together before Joseph to ask for the forgiveness of the sins they committed years ago. Beloved, the wickedness of our actions even when we have been forgiven, sometimes returns to us as though we were not forgiven.

With Joseph, it was already in the past because he was able to see clearly that it was the plan of the Lord to bring him through this moment to deliver him, his parents, the huge family and the rest of humanity through this harsh period of life. But with his brothers, it became one sin that was too much. For each one of us, there are things that happened in the past that you wished you did not get involved in, but it is there in your story, but the greatest thing is to be sure you have received the forgiveness for that past. When the brothers of Joseph have to bring this up, it was for them to be sure they were truly forgiven. This story became the one each of us have to look back again to, for us to be able to grow our confidence each time the enemy is trying to play tricks on us. To our Lord Jesus all the praise and the glory for delivering us from the horror of the past and leading us to a glorious new day.

Beloved, no matter who we are and what we have done, the Lord our God in His mercy heard us when we genuinely cried to Him for help and mercy. Beloved, let the word of the Lord prevail in your life always. Shalom!

Written and edited by Igho L Y.