The Lord says:
"As a beloved of Mine, know that your future is secured! Not just eternal future, but your future here on earth! Be assured that even to your old age, I am He, and I will lead you, carry you, and sustain you. Keep receiving My wisdom. Keep receiving My power. Flow with My Spirit."
It's a simple and pastoral message today, but the Lord says someone needs to hear this. So I just want to be faithful to release this message today.
Isaiah 46:4 (NIV) says, 'Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.'
Isaiah 46:4 (Amplified Bible) says, 'Even to your old age I am He, and even to your advanced old age I will carry you! I have made you, and I will carry you; Be assured I will carry you and I will save you.'
Notice the word 'carry' here. The Lord says here: "I will carry you! I will carry you! I will carry you!" The word 'carry' here is interesting. It is 'sabal' in Hebrew. It can mean 'to carry all your burdens, to be strong for you, to work things out for you'. You see here? To work things out for you!
So beloved, whatever situation you may be going through at the moment, let go of all your burdens or worries to the Lord. He will know how to carry you. He will know how to carry all your cares and burdens. He will be strong for you. And He will know how to work things out for you.
In cross-reference, Romans 8:28 (NKJV) says, 'And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.'
Let's look at the Amplified Bible for this verse. 'And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.'
See? He causes all things to work together for good in your life. He knows His plan and purpose for your life. And as long as you continue to look to Him and put your trust in Him, He will know how to carry you and sustain you all the way. Why? Because He loves you and He deeply cares for you. Therefore, knowing this, you can be assured that your future is secured, as the Lord has spoken today.
Look now at Joseph's life in the Book of Genesis. Joseph's brothers meant evil for him, but God meant it for good.
Let me ask you some questions. Can you say Joseph being thrown into the pit by his brothers as a good thing? Can you say Joseph being sold as a slave in Egypt as a good thing? Can you say Joseph being thrown into the prison in Egypt as a good thing?
I think no one in their right mind would say that's a good thing. In fact, these are terrible things in our minds. But you know what? God allowed all this to happen. Why? Because God sees further, and it was meant for his good eventually, and in order to save his whole family during the famine.
So beloved, if you are going through a situation that you don't like to happen in your life, in a time like this, the Lord wants to assure you. Do not allow yourself to doubt. Keep trusting the Lord that all things will eventually work out for good. Today, the Lord wants to assure you that no matter what you are going through, He loves you, He is here with you, and He is walking through all this with you.
And remember this. He will know how to turn things around and work things together for good for you. He sees your future better than anyone else on earth. It's just like a painter. He may be painting a beautiful portrait. Initially, you cannot figure out what he is drawing. But in the end, at the completion of the painting, is a beautiful picture. It's a masterpiece. The same it is with God being the painter or artist in your life.
Let's look at Genesis 45 now. During a time of severe famine those days, Joseph's brothers had no choice but to come to Egypt to look for food supplies. They didn't know that Joseph was there. In fact, at that time, Joseph had become a powerful man in Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh. To cut the story short, Joseph then revealed himself to them. Joseph said, "I am Joseph; does my father still live?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were utterly shocked and afraid. Joseph then said, "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life."
In Genesis 45:6-8, Joseph said further, "For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth (it means a future secured!) and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God..." Here, Joseph acknowledged that it was not the brothers who sent him there, but it was God who sent him there.
In Genesis 45:9-11, Joseph then said to his brothers to tell their father (Jacob), "God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry. You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children's children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine."
'Goshen' here represents 'a safe land of plenty'. Physically, it's a safe area in Egypt those days that was allocated for the Israelites to stay and dwell.
As you can see here, what happened to Joseph is a clear representation of what's written in Romans 8:28, that 'All things will work together for good to those who love God'.
So beloved, no matter what situation you are going through at the moment, or what issue you are having now, be rest assured that God will know how to carry you and help you. God will know how to work things together for good for you.
Interestingly, the name 'Joseph' or 'Yosef' in Hebrew can mean any of these: God will add. God will increase. God will do it again.
So, if you have been going through a time like Joseph, God wants to assure you that He will see to it that He will add to you many more good in your life, despite what is happening in your life, or despite what you have been going through recently. He will know how to increase many more good in your life. He has done it before. And He will do it again.
So beloved, take heart, if you are in a situation in your life that you don't like. It may be a retrenchment. It may be a failure in something. It may be a certain mistake that you have made. It may be anything that seems unpleasant to you. Different people, different situation. But whatever it is, the Lord loves you. He sees it all, and He understands exactly what you are going through.
Hang on there! Hang on strong, my friend! Hang on strong to the Lord! The Lord who sees all these will know how to work things out for good for you. Yes, even in ways you cannot imagine yet. Like what happened to Joseph.
To summarize our message today, had Joseph not been sold by his brothers to Egypt, and then thrown into the prison in Egypt, he would not have the opportunity to interpret a dream for Pharaoh's chief butler. And when Pharaoh needed someone to interpret his dreams, and no one in Egypt could do it, that time and chance came for Joseph. Joseph interpreted the dreams successfully, and the Pharaoh was pleased. The rest, you know it, is history.
I want to declare upon you, my friend, that God will know how to add good things to you, God will know how to increase good things to you, and God will know how to turn things around for good for you. Amen!
Prayer:
"O Lord God, we thank You for the assurance that no matter what we are going through at the moment, You will know how to take over and work things out together for our good. You have spoken that as Your beloved, our future is firmly secured, no matter what happens around us in the world. You have done it before for Joseph those days. You will do it again in our lives. We want to keep looking to You and putting our trust in You. We keep receiving Your wisdom. We keep receiving Your strength. We keep walking with You and be led by Your Spirit. We receive Your anointing for a breakthrough. We receive Your love, joy, peace, and strength. Put your oil of joy on us. And we'll be sure that You will continue to add many more good in our lives. In the name of Jesus. Amen."
