Trust God To Meet All Our Needs

Joseph Governor of Egypt selling grain

Philippians 4:19- And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Psalms 27:14- Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

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When waiting for the Lord, we are to be very active spiritually; praying, studying God’s Word, attending church. God will work in our lives. In the beginning, it is often behind the scenes where we cannot see or are not aware. Keep being active spiritually.

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In the Old Testament, Joseph lived in Canaan; a young man of seventeen years of age. Joseph’s father, Israel(Jacob) loved Joseph more than his other siblings because he was born of his old age. Israel made his prized son a richly ornamented robe. This made the brothers very jealous.

Joseph had a dream. They were binding sheaths of grain. Joseph’s sheath stood up and his brothers sheath’s of grain bowed down to his. When he told his brothers, they hated him even more.

Joseph had a second dream in which the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to him. His brothers were jealous. His father and mother did not know what to do with this information.

Later in the desert, Joseph’s brothers took his robe and tossed him into a cistern. (A place for storing water. It was empty) They pulled him out of the cistern and sold Joseph to a band of Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They in turn took him to Egypt. Joseph was sold in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s captain of the guards.

The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered. He lived in the house of the Egyptian master. Potiphar placed Joseph in charge of the household, because he saw God’s anointing on Joseph. Potiphar prospered because of Joseph’s anointing by the Lord.

Joseph was a well—built man—alluring, attractive. Potiphar’s wife took notice of him. She said, “Come to bed with me!” He refused. Stating, that would be a sin against my master and my God.

She persisted greatly, day after day, but Joseph refused. He chose the righteous path.

Out of anger and revenge, she lied and reported Joseph to her husband. Potiphar had Joseph thrown into prison. In prison, the Lord was with Joseph. Joseph was placed in charge of all the inmates under the warden. In prison God gave him the ability to interpret dreams.

Two years passed for Joseph in prison. Pharaoh had two dreams. The cup bearer from prison remembered Joseph. He explained how Joseph had interpreted dreams in the dungeon. Pharaoh sent for Joseph. Pharaoh told Joseph the dreams and he explained. (The Lord gave Joseph the answer to the dreams)There will be seven years of great prosperity followed by seven years of severe famine such as the land has never seen before. You must store up the harvest in storehouses during the years of fat to feed your kingdom during the years of famine.

Pharaoh placed Joseph in charge of all Egypt to oversee this operation. Pharaoh put his signet ring from his finger on Joseph’s finger. Dressed him in fine linen. A gold chain around his neck. A chariot to ride in for his second-in –command and men shouted before him, “Make way!” Joseph was placed in charge of the whole land of Egypt. He was thirty years old. Pharaoh gave him the name Zaphenath-Paneah.

Over the next seven years, the food Joseph stored in every town and city and all over Egypt was beyond counting or measure.

During this time, Joseph was happily married to Potiphar’s daughter. They had two sons. He forgot about his past pain.

The seven years of prosperity quickly ended. Famine spread throughout Egypt. Joseph opened the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians. Jacob, Joseph’s father, sent his sons to Egypt to purchase grain for their survival; all but the youngest brother Benjamin.

Upon their arrival, Joseph recognized his brothers and ordered, he would keep one of them in prison while the rest went back for the younger brother. They also could purchase grain to take with them. Their bags were filled with grain and unknown to them, their silver was also placed in their bags—returned to them. They left for the return journey to Canaan.

Later, the brothers returned to Egypt with Benjamin to purchase more grain. They were taken to Joseph’s home. When Joseph arrived home, they bowed down in respect—still not knowing the identity of the ruler.

After some trickery, Joseph orders them to go and get their father, Jacob. The entire family was to move to the region of Goshen and be near Joseph. They were to bring their flocks, herds, and all they have. Joseph would see to their care in their new land in Egypt.

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Joseph was seventeen when he was sold into slavery, to the Ishmaelites, by his jealous brothers. When Joseph saw his brothers again, he was the Governor of Egypt, he was forty years of age. Joseph trusted God and was patient. Through Joseph’s faith and patience, God raised him to prominence.

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Isaiah 30:18- Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of Justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

Isaiah 40:31- but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

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Be patient in the Lord. He will meet our needs. He promises us.

Our Faith pleases God, obedience pleases him. A reward is coming on earth and in heaven; he promises.

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2 Thessalonians 3:10 – For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule; “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”

God will give us work, but we must be willing to do it. Often times, God meets our needs through working. He blesses us with work. Good health. Good decision making. Stamina at work. Good jobs. Protects us from bad bosses; gives us his grace to deal with them.

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Deuteronomy 8:17-18-You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18- But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

Deuteronomy 8- Do Not Forget The Lord- When we have a comfortable life, when we are content, do not forget who got us there. It was the power of the Lord. It is the Lord who gives you the ability to produce wealth.

Deuteronomy 19- 20-If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other Gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. 20- Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.

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It is very important, when all our needs are being met by the Lord and we are comfortable, remember to give him praise daily. Do not become complacent. Remain strong in the faith. Continue to pray daily, study God’s Word and attend church frequently. Make sure not to fall into the sin by putting other things in your life before the Lord; idols.

God will meet all our needs if we trust him and wait,

Gary The Tested