Then Pharaoh said to
Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning
and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled
according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than
you.” Genesis 41:39–40
In Genesis 41:38–41, we see
how when Pharaoh saw that the Spirit of God was in Joseph and that there was
none who was as wise and as discerning as Joseph, Pharaoh placed him in charge
of the whole of Egypt.
My friend, I want you to
note this: Joseph knew that God was the source of his wisdom.
When Pharaoh said, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret
it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to
interpret it,” Joseph immediately replied, “It is not in me; God will give
Pharaoh an answer of peace” (Gen. 41:15–16). Joseph knew that his wisdom was a
result of the Lord’s unmerited favor and would not take any credit for it.
Clearly, here was a man who understood grace, and could be trusted with
increase, promotion, and more good success.
Observe the wisdom of
Joseph in action. Joseph did not just interpret Pharaoh’s dream. He went on to
advise Pharaoh on how to take advantage of the seven years of abundance to
prepare for the seven years of famine that were revealed in his dream. Did you
notice how Joseph’s wise advice led to the creation of a position of influence
for himself? That is how the wisdom of the Lord operates. Proverbs 18:16 says,
“A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” Joseph knew
that his wisdom was a gift from the Lord. He knew that he did not earn it and
that it flowed from the Lord’s unmerited favor toward him.
The Lord’s ways are
amazing. See the extent of Joseph’s promotion in Genesis 41. In the space of
less than an hour, he rose from a lowly prisoner to the highest possible office
in all of Egypt. That, my friend, is the unmerited favor of God! No striving,
no self-effort, no compromises, and no manipulation, just pure grace and grace
alone made all the difference in Joseph’s life!
Remember that when the Lord is with you, you are a successful person. If you feel like you are in a prison now, stuck in a hopeless situation where you don’t know what to do, ask the Lord for wisdom. The Bible says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). To ask the Lord for wisdom is to say, “I can’t, Lord, but You can. I give up on my own efforts and depend entirely upon your unmerited favor and wisdom.” As you receive His wisdom, riches and honor, as well as long life, will follow after you. Run to Him right now! (Article & Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission).
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