The sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family, numbered seventy in all; Joseph was already in Egypt (Exodus 1:1). 2 Corinthians 5:20 tells us: We are Christ’s ambassadors, His representatives. Receive the Love He offers you! TLB. Yes, receive God’s Word, Who gives us understanding so we may know Him Who is true (1 John 5:20). So, we may know, as Joseph did, through experience in all things God works for the good of those who love (who honor, appreciate, respect, value, who delight in, who cherish…) Him, those who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
Those who have been called according to God’s purpose for everyone to come to repentance for He does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). The name Joseph is very rich in meaning: Let Him add, again, cease, conceive again, continue, exceed, gather together, get more, give more-over, increase, join, prolong, be stronger, yet, and yield. Just by hearing the rich meaning attached of this name, a testimony is being offered. One that witnesses to the greatness of our God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Joseph was the 12th of Jacob’s sons to be listed in Exodus 1:6, and the meaning for the number twelve: Perfect government, divine order, and the nation of Israel as a whole.
As a whole, at the time of Exodus one, the nation of Israel including Joseph and his family was only 74 in number. However, when they left Egypt, the nation numbered between 2-3 million people. Joseph was a representative of God, a type of Christ, and his life is a demonstration of divine order and perfect government. He was honest in his judgments and did not decide at a glance – superficially and by appearances – he judged fairly and righteously (John 7:24 AMP). His life is a testimony of the honor and respect and love for God, since he made those challenging choices that would glorify the Lord.
And though honest words may be painful (Job 6:25), he who gives an honest answer, gives a kiss on the lips (Proverbs 24:26 ASB). Joseph told his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God, He intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people,” Genesis 50:20 NLT.
Joseph honored God’s Word by doing as He instructs – Forgive! Yes, Forgive! Don’t carry around a list of personal grudges. Christ is with us, the Word is guiding us to forgiveness. We ought to forgive and offer comfort, so guilt and excessive sorrow does not overwhelm. A further reason for forgiveness is to keep from being outsmarted by Satan, for we know what he is trying to do (2 Corinthians 2:7).
God’s Word invites us to be yoked together with the Lord so we can learn from Him to be gentle and humble in heart, so our soul can find rest. For the Lord’s yoke is easy and His burden light (Matthew 11:29), making it possible for us to enjoy the presence of God and His goodness no matter the circumstance.
Yes, when foresight is exercised the greatness of our heavenly Father’s blessings will be what is expected. As we earnestly keep watch that no bitterness takes root for it is poisonous, causing trouble and bitter torment, hurting many in their spiritual lives, since the likes such as rancor, strife, hatred, conflict…are what may shoot forth (Hebrews 12:15 TLB) rearing harmful and self-destructive attitudes, thought patterns and behaviors.
Such heavy burdens can lead a person to become weary of living (Job 10:1 TLB); to be filled with complaints instead of praises; to speak words of anger and sorrow and resentment instead of proclaiming faith and hope and trust in God and His Word. When we are not depending on God’s Word for counsel and direction, we do exactly what the source of negativity desires – depend on what is weak and wavering, our very own thoughts and emotions.
Now Ephesians 2:2 tells us the source of negativity is at work in those who ignore, disobey or reject God and His Word. Yes, it amuses this spirit, the ruler of the kingdom of the air, to lead us into the world’s house of mirrors where confusion and anger, upset and menace overflow from the dark passages of this fear-filled maze.
People everywhere should praise the Lord, and give all glory to Him, Who goes out like a strong soldier. Like a Man going into battle full of excitement. With a loud cry He shouts and defeats His enemies. With this purpose in mind: Salvation, Deliverance and Inner Healing.
To renew, recover and restore, for the pretentious, the perverse, the excessive and vulgar like beams that brightly illuminate and enhance the darkness of this vile world. They bedazzle and charm, they hypnotize and seduce – to violate, to defame and demoralize souls – within the enemy’s dens of iniquity each and every one designed and constructed by voracious human hearts.
Yes, the world spews beams of gaudiness to incite an internal unrest with peculiar ceremonies of pomp and circumstance that celebrate not the famous – the excellent, the awesome, the divine, instead, to celebrate the infamous – the disgraceful, the unethical, the lewdness sin generates – vanity and lust and greed – to create a senseless and sightless world so Who and what is truly Good cannot be unveiled. Counterfeits are brandished, like the use of a rainbow that touts and promotes illusions, delusions, fabrications, unrealities that are conceived by the disordered perceptions and aberrant preferences of a human mind.
But God, He gives us His Word to lead the blind along paths they never knew to places where they have never been before. He changes the gaudiness of darkness into heart-warming S-O-N – Light for anyone and everyone who chooses to switch alliances. For then God’s Word, Christ Jesus and Holy Spirit will get to work to make the rough ground smooth and the crooked paths straight. Our heavenly Father does these things personally for each of His sons. He has given His all – extending His heart, His soul, His strength, the depth of His love through His Word, His Promise
“I will never abandon My people,” Isaiah 42:16 ERV. Here are a few synonyms for the word abandon: Neglect, forsake, walk out on, relinquish, ignore…to mention these things God would never do.
The Church, the people of God, are well aware of what the Lord has and is always doing for us. Acts 10:38 tell us how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with Holy Spirit and power, and all He did was good, healing everyone who came to Him, those who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.
The Amplified version of Philippians 1:28 instructs us not for a moment to be frightened or intimidated in anything by our opponents and adversaries, for such constancy and fearlessness will be a clear sign – proof and seal – to them of their impending destruction, but a sure token and evidence of our deliverance and salvation, and that from God and His Word.
The Church, the Body of Christ, readily acknowledge salvation and healing, but are reluctant to concede how essential deliverance. The reasons are many, but a major deterrent CHANGE just the thought can stir anxiety, uncertainty and discomfort. But change is absolutely necessary if we are to experience life as God has designed without the illusions – delusions, fabrications, unrealities – the distorted perceptions and aberrant preferences that get woven deeply into the fabric of our system of beliefs, a direct result of time spent wandering through the world’s house of smoke and mirrors.
Yes, what comes with change godly grief and pain that God permits to direct and produce a repentance that leads, as the Amplified version of 2 Corinthians 7:10 asserts – and contributes to salvation and deliverance from evil, and it never brings regret. Worldly grief – the hopeless sorrow characteristic of what the world generates – is deadly – breeding and ending in death.
Unfortunately, with all the knowledge and understanding we may possess about God and His Word, what accompanies the extravagance of this world – confusion and error and chaos – that overwhelm our senses – to tempt, to deceive, to manipulate – until what penetrates deep into a soul creates a liking, an appetite, a propensity, an interest, an enthusiasm, a preference, a prejudice, a partiality that gives the accuser of the brethren a stronghold, a foothold, maybe just a toe hold in our lives. Something that grabs a hold of our soul, so we do his evil bidding – to kill, to steal, to destroy every ounce of Good in our world. Sadly, that time will arrive when every ounce of Good will deliver every ounce of evil into the horrors of hell.
Praise the Lord, time and opportunity remains to recognize and acknowledge there are things about ourselves we haven’t yet delivered to the Lord. And, as a result of the lack of spiritual growth and development, there are things we have yet to receive as they are more than we could presently bear. But God, He sends His Word and Holy Spirit to guide us into all Truth (John 16:12), into all the Lord desires us to understand, to receive and experience – the Son – the Word of Truth – setting us free, because then we will know what it feels likes to be free indeed (John 8:36).
Being cut free from the need, the desire to manipulate, to control, and to deceive. Being cut free from the propensities and prejudice, the interests and preferences that a life of being Co-dependent, of living independent of the ways and will of God. Not relying on, leaning into, and depending on His Word of Truth for guidance. Being cut free from the ways of the world will bring about a godly grief, a genuine sorrow for our misjudgments and misdirected behaviors that expressed disrespect for God and others and our self.
However, this sorrow is not meant to lead us into a state of despair, self-pity or regret. No, not at all! Godly sorrow is meant to lead us into the realms of Repentance where our eyes and heart are opened, willing to receive knowledge and understanding of God and His Word for then Holy Spirit will guide us so the loving-kindness of our heavenly Father will not just be our daily experience but an eternal experience.
As a child seeking the help of their Father, we no longer need to fear punishment for the penalty of sin, for there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1), who are clothing themselves with God’s Word of Life, of peace and contentment. God doesn’t care about the way we began to run the world’s rat-race, instead, that we run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1) completing the task God has given us to believe and offer all glory to the One He has sent (John 6:29).
This race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor satisfaction to the wise, nor riches to the smart, nor favor to the learned. In the presence of evil no one can predict misfortune (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 Message). The children of God are to run this race with our eyes fixed on what is unseen, for what is seen is only temporary
(2 Corinthians 4:18), With our eyes fixed on God’s Word of Truth, Christ Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), Who assures us, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away,” Matthew 24:35.
Christ Jesus, God’s Word of Life, tells not to run this race as the wise boasting of their wisdom, nor as the strong who boast of their strength, nor as the rich who boast of their great wealth and fame. The children of God are to boast about how they understand and know God and His Word, the Lord Jesus, Who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these our Lord delights (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
Yes, the children of God are to do the work of God believing in the One He has sent, seeking, trusting, leaning on the guidance of Holy Spirit, Who continually shares with us God’s Word of Truth, for there is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord (Proverbs 21:30-31).
Yes, there may be godly grief that accompanies a transformation of our mind, as we change the way we think. As we begin to accept the challenges God sets before us like admitting we were wrong. For as we gain knowledge and understanding of the ways and will of God and of His Word our efforts will not be in vain. We will be co-laboring with Holy Spirit to gain entrance into God’s rest where peace of heart and mind will be ours to possess. When we know, with all the power that comes with knowing, with understanding of God’s grace, of His kindness, His faithfulness and compassion we are no longer, OR we no longer have to live as wild waves of the sea, foaming out our own shame, wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever (Jude 13).
We can rejoice with all our perfect imperfections. We can celebrate the goodness of God in every situation that arises because our heavenly Father has given us the supernatural strength of His Word and the divine power of Holy Spirit. We don’t have to flounder in doubt, we can wait on the Lord, serving Him Who boldly proclaims, “Your heavenly Father will give you everything you need for life and to live a godly life.”
With whatever understanding we currently possess about Him Who called us by His own glory and goodness, when uncertain or unpleasant circumstances arise, we can always choose to rejoice for our heavenly Father bestows to us His glory and His goodness providing His support and encouragement through the very great and precious promises of His Word of Truth, Christ Jesus. Not just a decision, but a line must be drawn in the sand, a line we are determined not to cross. We will participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by our own evil desires (2 Peter 1:3-4).
We have been given the privilege to join those who have gone before us to run this race by doing the task God entrusts to us and testify to the Gospel of His grace (Acts 20:24). Even still, this godly grief we experience may linger a little bit, because, when we entered the house of God, only then were we made to understand the final destiny of those clothed with pride and arrogance, malice and hostility (Psalm 73).
Refusing to change – to exchange, replace, hand over, yield, surrender those things our soul absorbed as we entertained the evil spewing from this world. Holy Spirit led me through great difficulty and sorrow to paths of knowledge, for sadly this was the only way for me to learn the Truth. Truth about myself and the universal effect of Co-Dependency and emotional traumas, which are responsible for causing so many detrimental issues and unwelcomed consequences in our lives.
You may not be a full-blown codependent like I discovered I was, but its traits will be found loitering and littering your system of beliefs. The signs of Co-Dependency are vast, but these are diagnostic: The need to control, to manipulate, anger issues, the need to fix others and their problems, hurt feelings when efforts are not appreciated, feeling responsibility for others, difficulty setting or lack of boundaries, elevating the needs of others above your own, accept blame to avoid conflict…and the list goes on and on…
From the narcissist to those who deem themselves doormats, the struggle is with low self-esteem and shame, and sadly as I once did, believe the worst and expected it to occur. The website Inclusive Therapists https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/blog/codependency-denial-patterns offers this list of denial patterns that cause a codependent difficulty:
- Difficulty identifying what they are feeling
- Deny feelings by minimizing, avoiding, altering, shifting blame
- Have the perception of being completely unselfish and dedicated to the
well-being of others
- Lack empathy for the feelings and needs of others
- Often label other people with their own negative traits
- Often believe they can take care of themselves without help from others
- Often mask pain in various ways such as anger, humor or isolation
- Often express negativity or aggression in indirect or passive ways
- Often don’t recognize the unavailability of those people to whom they are attracted
Paul wrote: I myself, in my mind am a slave to God’s law, His Word, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin (Romans 7:25 NIV). Or, as the NLT version translates: There is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.
God wants us to personally know and experience those things that work to make us a slave to peace – to personally know freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin. For freedom upon which our peace – our security, safety, prosperity and happiness – depends! There are things about God and His Word and our self that are yet hidden from our eyes (Luke 19:42 AMP).
The sin, whether it be fear or an inner vow, shame or unforgiveness, if it continues to dwell within our soul, a wounded and vengeful heart will take advantage of the weaknesses in our flesh – those thoughts and feelings which we nurture – that have the propensity, the inclination, the tendency to lead us into what is unyielding, perverse or merciless – that state of addiction.
Now, when a person hears addiction, a natural conclusion would suggest a problem with drugs or alcohol, and they would have no need to experience let alone celebrate recovery.
The sin that dwells within us – vanity, egotism, self-centeredness – gives a reason to infer the world revolves around self. Self-satisfaction breeds addiction to what we think and feel. Self-sufficiency, self-reliance, independent-thinking breeds pretense, presumption, conceit, smugness, a hubris that stimulates self-love, not the love of self we need in order to be able to properly love God and others and yes, our-self.
Hubris that incites addiction to what looks good, what feels good, what tastes good so evil is proliferated in our lives and in the world. So many addictive propensities and tendencies that harm us physically, emotionally, sexually, financially, socially, relationally, intellectually. We assist and further the advance of evil to kill, to steal and destroy by our participation in wrongdoing.
But God, He has given us the supernatural strength of His Word and the divine power of His Holy Spirit, so we can receive everything that belongs to the Lord, so we can live a life devoted to honoring and respecting the only One Who is Good
(2 Peter 1:3). And no one is good – except God (Mark 18:10). Who invites us into a covenant relationship, one of commitment, devotion and faithfulness, one that reveals to us perfect Love. So, we can love God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – with all our heart and all our soul and all our strength. And to love others as we are learning to properly love ourselves.
God’s Word teaches us to be kind and compassionate, humble and gentle, patient, faithful and respectful to ourselves because this is how we learn to love-well, which as 2 Peter 1:5-9 explains is an ongoing process of faith to which goodness is added, then knowledge. I was prompted to seek knowledge about people-pleasing, setting boundaries, codependency, patterns of deception and denial, and the stages of recovery. On the website ForGodForeHisGlory.com there are booklets and lessons filled with information that will strengthen and support our spiritual growth, our walk in love (2 John 6).
Whatever knowledge Holy Spirit is prompting you to acquire will assist in the development of what needs to be added to your faith, along with self-control and perseverance. And to perseverance – the resolve, confidence and certainty – it offers those who are born again, so we realize by experience, godliness improves the connection a contrite and humble spirit shares with their heavenly Father, when “Self” no longer completely blocks spiritual awareness, which enables us to add brotherly kindness to our faith. Faith that embodies thoughtfulness, empathy and grace.
For as we grow in grace we shall bring forth fruit into old age; We shall be full of sap – vigor, stability, spiritual vitality – and be made rich in the verdure, the wholesomeness that godliness bestows – trust and confidence, contentment and rest (Psalm 92:14 AMP) in God’s unconditional love for us.
A perfect love! No more fear! No more condemnation! No more regret! No more worry! Hebrews 2:10 tells us before God could fit His people into His plan and purpose to bring us to glory, the Author of our salvation had to be made perfect through suffering. The meaning of this word “Perfect” is to complete, accomplish or consummate in character; to consecrate, finish, fulfill, make perfect.
Jesus asked His Father to close the door to the suffering that laid before Him. It is natural for a person to want to avoid what evil generates, pain and suffering, abuse and torment, brutality and violence. Jesus said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force,” Matthew 11:12.
Jesus suffered the world’s form of violence – its malice, Its bigotry, its hostility – so the world could witness a godly form of violence – the sword of the Spirit, the Word, the Truth bestowing inner healing; the weapons of Righteousness, the Way leading to deliverance; the shield of Faith, the Life where Victory rests; the helmet of salvation, the Resurrection with power and authority revealing God’s kindness, His thoughtfulness, His empathy and His amazing gift of grace to and for the world.
Jesus walked across that door’s threshold of violence, of hatred, of jealousy, and willingly laid His life down so everyone, everywhere could take the Kingdom of Heaven by force – with the power of Holy Spirit, with a sound mind guided and guarded by the Word of Truth, and with the zeal, the supra-natural passion of God, whose banner over us is Love (SS 2:4).
We can co-labor with God and be as devoted and faithful to Him as Jesus by doing as His Word commands, “Arise, My people! Let your light shine for all the nations to see! For the glory of the Lord is streaming from in you,” Isaiah 60:1 TLB.
Lord, stretch out Your hand to heal
And perform miraculous signs and wonders
Through the name of Your holy servant Jesus
Acts 4:29-30