Book 4 of Musings Joseph

If you have been called to be a deliverer you probably will pass through experiences similar to those of Joseph.

Remember one thing: though you may languish in God's prison, do not become a prisoner in your heart. Your vision finally will come true.

Joseph's first mistake was to describe to other people the visions God gave him.

Joseph was too young to realize he would cause jealousy by telling of the great things God had said to him. Sometimes it is best not to tell what God has shown us until God impresses us that this is what He wishes us to do.

His first trial was that of being cast out by his loved ones. The world no longer wore the friendly face he had been accustomed to.

This can happen to us. Something may occur to cause us pain and fear. Perhaps we never before had experienced pain and fear. We were a happy Christian. All of a sudden there is a dark cloud on our life. Our environment no longer wears a happy face. There is dread on the horizon. In this case we have to endure hardness as a good soldier of Christ.

The next trial involved the lusts of the flesh. Satan used Potiphar's wife to tempt Joseph to sin. This was a difficult test for a young unmarried man.

How many potential deliverers have succumbed to the pull of physical lust? A number of strong candidates have fallen. Adultery, fornication, yielding to the lure of pornography, have destroyed the moral strength and testimony of many otherwise excellent people. Lust is a vicious, powerful force-not easily overcome.

Joseph, the deliverer, was sold into slavery by his brothers. Joseph, the deliverer, was handed the opportunity to satiate himself with lust.

These same situations may befall you on your way to becoming a member of the royal priesthood. Are you strong enough and determined enough to stand?

Joseph's reward for behaving honorably was to be thrown into prison. This is a somewhat different kind of test.

Joseph's imprisonment was exceedingly unjust. He had done nothing wrong. But the Word of the Lord was testing him in preparation for his future role as a deliverer.

Joseph very well could have become bitter: angry with his brothers; angry with Potiphar and his wife; angry with the willingness of the Egyptian officials to imprison him without hearing his side or believing him; angry with God.

How many Christians today are bitter because of injustices that have befallen them? I would say the number of bitter Christians is legion.

We simply cannot serve God satisfactorily while we are nursing bitterness.

What are we to do when we are treated unjustly? We are to go to the Lord until that dark spirit has been removed from our personality. We are not to stop praying until it is gone completely. If we are determined to be rid of bitterness, the Lord Jesus will remove it and give us His body and blood to build up our inward nature.

Joseph was in prison, but he never became a prisoner in spirit.

Just as soon as God was satisfied with Joseph's response to continued unjust treatment, God put it in Pharaoh's heart to elevate Joseph until he was in charge of Egypt.

From the prison cell to the throne in one moment.

So it will be true of us. God may have promised us great things, but we may not have seen these promises fulfilled. We may have suffered much injustice, becoming nothing of importance while others around us have prospered.

We may have grown old, waiting for the Christ, like Anna and Simeon.

Suddenly there He is. The One who promised is utterly faithful. The vision is fulfilled, and God has added no sorrow with it.

And he sent a man before them-Joseph, sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons, Till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the LORD proved him true. The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples set him free. He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed, (Psalms 105:17-21)