Holding on & Standing on

Joseph was a 17-year-old when he had 2 truly amazing dreams (Gen 37:5-9) about being exalted to a high position and his were bowing before him. However, his circumstances started to go in exactly the opposite direction.

First, his BROTHERS opposed the word that was given to Joseph and hated him even more for this Gen 37:5-8.

Next, his own FATHER who loved him more than all the other brothers, rebuked him, when Joseph shared the second dream.

Then, CIRCUMSTANCES: His brothers plotted to kill him (Gen 37:20) but they sold him off to slave traders (Gen 37:28) who sold him off to be a slave for his life. Then he was falsely accused for doing the right thing and sent to jail.

If I was in Joseph’s place, I would’ve been filled with discouragement, hurt, and doubt. "Did I hear correctly? Did my pride invent these dreams? Could my brothers have been right? Maybe all these things are happening to me as discipline for some kind of a selfish desire.”

Anything that causes you to doubt God’s Word is not of God but of the enemy.

Those are the devil’s voices - In the garden Satan asked the same thing of Eve: “Did God really say?” Gen 3:1.

Here’s what the bible says was happening to Joseph. Psalm 105:18 They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him.

We need to understand that after we receive and believe, the Word will test us in our lives. So, how can we stand firm in spite of everything going in the opposite direction?

By exercising our faith in His Word because the just shall live by faith (Heb 11:1).

Example: When the Bible says that we’re becoming like Jesus (1 Cor 15:48-49), we need to believe and hold fast to it, even though we see our weaknesses (1 John 2:15-16, Joshua 1:14-15, 1 John 1:7-9, 2 Pet 1:3, Rom 6:1-2). Sadly, a lot of us have been taught to use faith only to get material things like a job, a visa, a car etc. It’s not taking a verse we like, applying it to our situation and holding onto to it, even though everything is going against. Many, many children of God ignorantly do this and are deeply disappointed.

Abiding in the Word is about God’s will being done in our lives not our desires being fulfilled. Joseph becoming a successful man is NOT the point. God taking him to the top to provide for His people is the real purpose. (Gen 45:7-9).

Let us set our hearts upon seeking to learn to listen to God’s voice. Let us make a strong commitment with God’s help to position ourselves to listen to His Word. Let us believe His Word and exercise our faith in it. Let us hold fast to His Word knowing that it will accomplish what it has been sent out to do.

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Prayer Points – pray the below and anything else that comes out in direct relation to Abiding in God’s Word by listening, believing & holding fast to His Word.

1. Pray that we will seek to learn to hear his voice as we seek Him. Pray that we may become true sheep of the great shepherd as we hear His voice and follow Him. Living to do His will at any cost.

John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Isaiah 30:21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it.

2. Pray that God will give us a revelation from His Word that He speaks today. Pray that in His mercy, He will remove all doubt and wrong seeds that have been planted in us about listening to His voice.

Ephesians 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints

Mark 9:23-24 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

3. Pray that we will hear His voice and exercise our faith, standing firm on His Word, no matter what. Pray that we will not crumble and take the easy route out and miss God’s will being done in our lives.

II-Thessalonian 2:15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

Romans 4:20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

4. Pray that God’s Word will accomplish God’s will in our lives. That we will desire only His will and we will be patient and wait on Him to accomplish His will in our lives.

Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Psalm 40:1-2 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet upon a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.