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Today, I conclude my message in Glory House of Redeemed Christian Church of God in Dallas, US. Please, read on: There is always the time for us to labour and also the time of harvest. If I do not sow, there will be no harvest for me. Joseph started sowing – walking with God – at the age of seventeen. He refused to join his brothers in their evil deeds and God was watching. The same God sees the wrong things we do in darkness and we still expect harvest from Him.
The labour time is not always an easy period of time. Sweating is often not far away. Returning late from the office or from the place of business, may be an everyday affair. Someone was told that his lunch had been served but was he could not go for it immediately because of pressure of work. His friend visited him and saw the food and ate it. When Uncle had satisfied himself in what he was doing, he came out for the food. Seeing that it had been eaten, he went back to his work, thinking that he might have eaten it! Hard work! Armed robbers, kidnappers and evil men, are mainly people who do not want to labour before making harvest, but are delighted in reaping the sweat of other people. The more we labour, the more is the fruit that we reap.
Joseph laboured in Potiphar’s house and could have diverted some of his resources into his pocket but he did not. After labouring, gestation period follows normally. It may be long if the expected return will be very juicy. Some people are impatient in waiting during this hard period. They want immediate result. For two years, help did not come to Joseph from anywhere, forcing him into the ‘Bible College of Patience!’ He waited because the highest hill ends in a valley. A man, devoid of patience committed suicide, when he went to the wrong source to enquire about his PhD result and was told that he failed, when he did not! People, like Joseph, who walk with God, dream about their tomorrow and under God, they make wise decisions for it, though the journey to success may be long. They hardly remember their pains during the time of harvest. Sowing in pains and harvesting in joy!
Joseph’s interpretations of the dreams for Pharaoh’s servants happened that way. The chief butler, who was restored to his office, forgot him, when things were okay with him. God, however, did not! It is interesting to know how God did it. He caused Pharaoh to dream and nobody in the realm could interpret it, not his magicians and wise men – Gen 41:1-8. I hereby compel, in the name of our Lord Jesus, all people owing you, anywhere in the world, to pay you immediately! I hereby, compel you also, to pay various individuals that you owe, in Jesus’ name. I compel various governments, individuals, organizations, companies, et cetera, that should favour you, to do so now, in Jesus name.
Pharaoh could not sleep and if he did not, who then would sleep in Egypt? The officer was therefore, compelled to remember Joseph, the youth, who helped him in prison. He went and confessed it to Pharaoh. “Go and bring him,” Pharaoh ordered his officers. I decree that the Governments, organizations, individuals, et cetera, will send for you now for consultancy, in Jesus name. Who would move an inch if Pharaoh was standing at attention waiting for Joseph? Imaginations would have run riot about his age, height, complexion, et cetera, at that time. When he was coming, as everybody stood at attention waiting for him, Potiphar might have fainted ten times, when he saw that it was Joseph.
It was time for Joseph to realize his fruitfulness. It is also time for you to realize yours. It is also time for me to realize mine. That singular ministry of his that started in his father’s house, which had extended to interpretation in prison, was what brought him to the Palace of Pharaoh. One of my books, Prison to the Palace, was written after Uncle Mandela left prison to be the President in South Africa and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo left prison to be the President in Nigeria. It is your turn to leave any ugly situation around you for your fruitfulness. May we never give up that responsibility God has committed into our hands. May we not look down on our calling, though it is menial, for it will bring us before God.
With hindsight, can we once again, appreciate the solid stand of Joseph against sin? May we appreciate his glorious choice of doing what would please God, against the immoral offer of Potiphar’s wife to him! Yes, he was not ignorant of the benefits to derive from the immoral relationship, such as deeper intimacy with her, increase of his pay, improvement of the food being served, et cetera. There was the blessing of unlimited prosperity God reserved for him, for insisting on his faithfulness to Him. However, God did not disclose it to him. It was time now for his payback – God’s reward!
Seeing Joseph, Pharaoh called him an expert in interpreting dreams, but he gave God the glory, assuring Pharaoh that God would give him the interpretation. And He did! Pharaoh and his officers were satisfied with it. He handed Egypt over to Joseph, a youth of 30 years, to be the Prime Minister! The difference between what Satan, through Potisphar’s wife, had offered him and what God had given him is like comparing a dime with trillions and trillions of US Dollars! Imagine Joseph to be the Prime Minister of the most powerful nation, which was also, the cradle of civilization!
As the Prime Minister in Egypt, Potiphar was not qualified to shake his hands. His wife was not qualified to cook his food. He had the power to hire and to fire. Unlimited fruitfulness! Through Joseph, Egypt was saved from the global famine that ravaged the world. Through him, Egypt fed also other nations. His father and his brethren that sold him were also catered for, and were given a place to settle.
That brother I told you that I met in Houston, who said that Jesus should not come until they returned to Nigeria, may be here this morning, or his likes are here. Potiphar’s wife might have confused them. It is time to make amends! The Prodigal son, after reviewing his ugly lifestyle said, “I will arise and go to my father and say to him, I have sinned against Heaven and before you,” Luke 15:18. This is hope, and is good, but it leads to nowhere until he goes. “And he arose and came to his father,” v.20! This is faith. He went and was restored! Fruitfulness! May we go to God, our Father, now and confess our ugly state and be restored to our position as His children, so that we will have our fruitfulness, in Jesus name!
For further comment, Please contact: Osondu Anyalechi: 0802 3002-471; [email protected]
