Waking Up From the Dream – Part II

“This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?” But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant.” Genesis 37:10-11 (NLT)

Continuing with the story of Joseph, we see Joseph told the dream to his father and brothers and his brothers became very jealous of Joseph. As the younger brother – the only reason they would be jealous of him, was if he possessed something they didn’t have – or stood in a place they wanted to stand in.

“Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!” Genesis 37:20 (NLT)

Joseph had received a coat of many colors from his father – symbolizing both his love for Joseph, and the favor he had on his life. In verses 10 & 11 Joseph states to his brother that he does have favor from God – for in his dream both his father and mother and brothers bowed to him – something that would never come to pass with birth order, it could only come to pass with supernatural favor. When Joseph’s brothers devised a plan which sought to take his life, they felt that if they could kill him, they could also kill his dreams – signifying that they felt that as long as Joseph was alive, it was possible that his dream could come true.

Joseph stands as a type of Christ – in that the religious zealots of His day felt that if they crucified Him – they would also kill any possibility that He might be the “anointed one.” Failing to understand scripture – and not really knowing God – they determined through logical means that killing the Christ would kill the redeemer!

This is true in our lives as well. Satan continuously tries to abort our dreams and purpose by killing our spirit, our determination, and our fight. In so doing, He is convinced that the plans and purposes of God will go unfulfilled in the earth realm.

“And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;” Genesis 37:23 (KJV)

Joseph’s brothers thought the favor on Joseph’s life was in the coat of many colors given to him by his father. If they stripped him of his coat, even if they didn’t kill him, they would strip him of the favor of God that was upon his life – and in so doing gain their Father’s love and favored position.

Fast forward to your life – what has Satan stripped you of? what has he taken from you that was precious? Your virtue, your stand, your testimony? Or maybe you have faced the ridicule and slander of vicious lies by those who hated you for your testimony? Joseph’s brothers didn’t know:

“The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned.From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!” Genesis 39: 2-6 (NLT)

Joseph’s brothers did not know that favor comes from God and does not depend upon an external coat or title or job or circumstance – so too is it in your life – you are not validated by what you do, or by approval, or lack of it, for it is not because of WHO you are, but WHOSE you are – more on tomorrow.

God Bless You,
Maria