He was fashioned by God to fulfill destiny.
He had these features which we can identify:-
1. Stature to represent God.
What is stature?
Stature is the position of favor obtained in God.
Can stature be measured? Yes! We can grow and progress in our stature. Luke 2:52 & Eph 4:13
How to obtained stature?
We need to yield to the dealings of God in our lives until He finds us a trustworthy steward who will represent Him fully, and be bestowed with the necessary grace, provision and wisdom to finish Kingdom purposes here on the earth.
Joseph went through the many dealings(testings/trials) of God in his lives.
1. He was rebuked by his father of his dreams yet he did not answer back or retaliate. Gen 37:10This can be seen as a circumcision whereby God has placed people i.e. spiritual father around us to deal with things in our hearts and lives.
God wants to circumcise our hearts. He will use anything sharp to cut off unwanted flesh in our lives . It is the father who can circumcise his son according to the practice of the patriarchs in the Old Testament.
God as our Father wants to circumcise us but He will use our spiritual fathers to do it. Joseph's father rebuking him could be seen as a form of cutting off unwanted flesh. *This has sparked within me another topic :"circumcision" :D
How true! because when we are young and have not arrived to the fullness of maturity in God, our hearts are filled with pride. It's about what we can accomplish through our own achievement.
All Joseph had was just dreams, he had not arrived there and his head was big already! haha! That's why God placed his dad there to keep him level headed and so that he could find the true purpose of the very dream that God gave him.
Which is why we should be thankful that we have spiritual fathers i.e pastors who have walked before us to lead and correct us so that we won't walk in the wrong path thinking that we did it on our own achievement. They are placed over our lives to lead us to the very purpose of God and in extending His kingdom. God always uses the right kind of people to fashion us and make us better so that we could be the very person God wants us to be. We need to know that this life that we live is not about us but about Him and the many lives out there.
2. He was obedient and ready to his father instructions to look for his brothers in the field.
Gen 37: 13
3. He was thrown into the pit. Gen 37: 24
4. He was sold off. Gen 37:28,36
5. He served as a slave in Potiphar's house. Gen 39:2
In all these he did not murmur of his fate and resign to fate, but he set his heart to give and do the best in difficult/restricted circumstances. (A prevailing mentality)
6. He was made as an overseer in Pothiphar. Gen 39:4
(See under label "Joseph - "serving qualities")
I liken Joseph to a professional butler as he was made an overseer of his master's house.
He must be very good at serving as in his master's house there are plenty of servants and some of them are there longer with many years of experienced too. He clearly had the most coveted job in household as he gets to serve his master.
Joseph learned to "served" his master well.
The meaning of "serve"in its root word is "attend" or "wait on".
He learned to "serve" i.e. "wait on/attend to" the people he was placed in close range with.
7. He make himself useful(hardworking) in the house and in his assign field in the market place. He was useful in and out of Pothiphar house because Pothiphar made him overseer in his house and over all he had.
It shows that he had been tried and tested and knows how to do the job, for God blessed all that Pothiphar had in the house and in the field (outside) Gen 39:5
8. He was tempted and pressured to compromise.
9. He was falsely accused and jailed yet he was not bitter/vengeful and had prejudice over Egyptians.
10. He was not bound by past hurts/bitterness/unforgiveness.
He did not curse God by justifying his righteousness to God or sinned through his mouth and etc. He kept himself pure and clean in the physical, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. In every one of the dealings he proven himself a trustworthy steward of God.
That's why at every juncture of his lives, we can see he grew in stature to represent God because people around him could see he was bestowed with the necessary grace, provision and wisdom. All these was so that he could finish Kingdom purposes here on the earth.
That's why he knew God sent him ahead. Gen 45:7
To be continued....................
Note:
Addition of notes is from Ps. Mike Maimele. Thanks alot! :D
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