A New "Joseph Season"

In a dream I saw a mob running on a bank. Frightened people were emptying bank accounts, tellers were trying to calm frantic customers grabbing for their cash, fearful of economic collapse, afraid their money was losing its value, scared that it would become inaccessible. With this disturbing scene lingering vividly in my mind, there came a word from the Lord to me regarding our new season. That word is illustrated by Joseph in Egypt and the two sevens he foresaw.

I believe the Lord was indicating to me that the Body of Christ has entered another Joseph Season. A new direction of God's grace has arrived-- a shift away from only church-centered ministry to inaugurating a new marketplace apostleship.

This carries opportunities but with caveats. Many will be confounded by it while others who are listening to God will rejoice in it. We need an adjustment of our spiritual prescription for our eyes of faith, a new envisioning capacity so we who know the Lord and want to discern the times can see into this new season with Biblical hope and not react against it, since the Lord is in charge of the seasons.

Our problem is lack of discernment, which leaves us unaware of the changing seasons. A big part of the Church is still looking at new things with "old eyes," trying to describe new things with old terminology, or naively using new words to "get on board" but still vainly proceeding out of a bygone vision that worked in a former era.

A Joseph Season means we are being carried where we didn't want to go by people we may not like into circumstances we have no control over toward a destiny we don't yet fully understand. A Joseph Season means getting outside our comfort zones, outside our restricted field of view, outside our own houses, and into the realm of real world activities like government and business to touch cities and nations that need saving. A Joseph Season means an opportunity for promotion into our divine purpose, if we keep our faith in the Lord and walk with integrity through our trials.

In the Bible, Joseph was a man who in his youth was marked by divine dreams. He was taken and sold as a slave by his own brothers who misunderstood him. In captivity, he endured testing of his integrity and of his faith by false accusations, by imprisonment, by broken trust, and by years of waiting. But he still had his dream from God, a word of promise that kept putting him to the test. Nothing tests us quite like illogical delays. Nothing builds character quite like persevering during trials, or enduring false accusations, or experiencing abandonment by brothers. Joseph was now enrolled in God's preparatory school· behind bars.

The season of the "dream being delayed" is vital to our future success. It is the season of refining our motives, crucifying our flesh, and preparing us in practical ways for the "dream causing delight." The test is part of the process of our preparation. Every opportunity in God is guarded by problems. "A wide door for effective service has been opened for me," Paul wrote the Corinthians, "and there are many adversaries." (1 Corinthians 16:9 NASB) We grow strong because we have to, because adversity comes our way. We increase in faith because we are stuck in unpleasant predicaments requiring more faith.

You see, it is not enough to be called or even anointed. We also have to be qualified. King David was called as a youth, but was years away from walking in the fulfillment of his destiny. We have to be mature, responsible, and equipped in order to come into our full inheritance without wasting it.

The trial of our faith is precious for two reasons: internally, it purifies our soul in ways nothing else can, and externally, it sets up a scenario where the court of heaven can righteously render a verdict in our favor not only restoring our hopes that had been deferred, but exacting a "pain and suffering" penalty far beyond the actual losses we incurred. We will win, and in the end, we will own everything the devil has ever taken.

Joseph had prophetic sensitivity. Revelatory people, when their souls are infused with God's breath, are able to discern spiritual realities. This requires practicing God's presence, having your "discerning senses" trained by exercise, knowing the Lord's visual language and imagery, and knowing the Bible backwards and forwards. (As my friend Leon Price used to say, "The Scriptures are the Holy Spirit's alphabet.")

Joseph had to pay attention while in prison. It is often quite a challenge for praying or prophetic people to avoid distractions, to stay on track, to keep in tune with God. My favorite Bible passage is John 15. God called me to preach using this passage about the vine and the branches. It speaks of the reward of abiding in Christ and of His word abiding in us. To abide means to stay in constant union, drawing life from the relationship. Staying connected keeps the channel of revelation open, like a radio dial carefully tuned to receive the broadcast. Sometimes the signal seems weak, so we have to silence the world around us to hear clearly.

We see this ability to hear from God manifested in Joseph when he discerned the meaning of other peoples‚ dreams. This tells us that while in prison, when circumstances were not very pleasant, when despair and bitterness were valid options for others, Joseph kept up his walk with God and guarded his heart. He prepared himself for greatness by being faithful in the most unlikely and difficult setting. That is not an easy thing to do!

Joseph used his gifting "outside the house." This is the next phase of prophetic development in the kingdom of God, as we move outside the house with God's grace and gifts. Joseph was able to serve a "heathen," an unbelieving boss. Can you do that? Like a similar counterpart, Daniel, another Biblical prophet who served under a foreign king, Joseph also knew there was a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dream about the cattle predicting abundance followed by austerity. Then he was appointed to take action.

There are many Josephs among us. Their gifts will not shine in the congregation. They won't major in Theology or teach Sunday school. But they might save a nation. Often rejected by those bound by traditions, often feeling like misfits for sharing their daring dreams, they will be put to the test by the very word they carry from God. That calling will lead them down a trail that will be unfamiliar to religious people, but God is in it.

Eventually, we will find these Josephs (male and female) not in a pulpit wearing religious robes, but in disguise, as it were, sitting in the math class, or learning in the business school, or laboring buried among the many workers in the office building. But their gifts will cause them to rise to greater stewardship and opportunity. The favor or the Lord will enable them to rule wisely in the midst of pagans for the benefit of those pagans as well as for their own covenant brothers and sisters in the Lord. They are secret agents of God's kingdom. If we are smart, we will cultivate their gifts, appreciate them early, and when they are ready (and we are ready), include them on our team.

In this Joseph Season, we have now entered a time when many believers walking in the Spirit (those followers of Jesus who are prophetically activated) have begun serving in their secular situations, knowing their steps are ordered of the Lord and their times are in His hand in order to eventually share in the riches for the sake of God's kingdom. In the end, if we are faithful, we will be running the business and a lot of the sinners we have served along the way will be saved.

In God, all vocations are holy when our work is done as unto the Lord. One day, ordinary aspects of life will all have "holy to the Lord" stamped on them and our distinctions of sacred and profane will diminish. We make too much of being called to the ministry if we think God doesn't also call people to be teachers or politicians or entrepreneurs or accountants. This does not obscure the fact that our Lord reserves the right to set apart people or things for His use alone, and thus He properly marks them as holy, things such as the first portion of our contributions called the tithe, or people Jesus chooses as apostles or prophets. The Bible says even our marriage is holy!

Without any fanfare or notoriety, the prophetic portion of the Church is now serving marketplace leaders and civil and governmental arenas. While the leadership structures of the Church are often hide-bound by tradition, business enterprises know they have to adapt to changing times to survive. Change is not easy for those who lean heavily on tradition.

After my wife and I served as pastors of churches for thirty years, we ended that phase of life two years ago. I am convinced that religious traditions, when set against the Word of God, will more than likely prevail, apart from a miracle! Why do I say that? Because I am more of a realist than I used to be. People don't like change. But I am also an optimist because God has a believing remnant that will seek Him and listen to Him.

Areas that are open to fresh ideas are finding prophetic people to be extremely valuable. God-ideas are coming from spiritually awakened believers who are dispensing their gifts in spheres of influence and in marketplace locations once despised by religious saints who preferred to reject God's world and instead be other-worldly.

Young Joseph was rejected by his brothers, perhaps for good cause. His dreams sounded boastful. He wore the multi-colored coat given him by his father, flaunting his favor. Likewise, the charismatically sensitized portions of God's family have behaved with youthful zeal and unwise arrogance, causing reaction against it by those who are unfamiliar and uncomfortable with the gifts of the Spirit. Nevertheless, a major percentage of the Body of Christ has been energized because of Joseph in their ranks.

Meanwhile, the "deaf" section of the Church has been critical and jealous of the "hearing" section of the Church, and in one sense, has rejected it and discounted it and even lied about it to their spiritual fathers. This has all happened by God's design.

Left to unbroken successes, spiritually energized saints would have wallowed in self-satisfying indulgence in religious safe-havens, remaining perpetually immature inside their four walls. But God's plan is larger than just "us four and no more." He is looking beyond the house where we worship to what is outside the house. God is gazing at whole cities and nations and people-groups that are in need of redemption.

Joseph had to leave his family for a season in order to be prepared to save his family in a different season. We are now on the verge of that different season.

Joseph discerned the seasons and thus advised a heathen leader how to guard his people from starvation. In our Joseph Season, we have many saints whose gifts and expressions of ministry to the Lord have no outlet inside the house. But that will change. First comes the natural, then the spiritual. We are trained to serve and we gain wisdom from our experiences of life. The same innovation that helps businesses to prosper will eventually operate inside God's house as the prophetic gift is honored in all its many dimensions. Any business that says, "But we‚ve always done it that way" will fade into history.

The church must embrace transformation of its operational ways, but not its core values. Businesses that succeed beyond one generation have values that endure but strategies that adapt. If the church were a manufacturing business, we need to examine our product and send most models back to the assembly line. If the church were a marketing business, we would need to examine our program to see why so many aren't buying what we are selling.

Prophesying to leaders our spiritual insights or words of wisdom, sometimes secretly and behind the scenes, has always been God's way of keeping leaders humble, of upholding the idea of our mutual need of one another, and of maintaining His rule by His word. God uses teams with diverse talents to take the riches of Christ to the poor of the earth. No single leader has enough wisdom to do it all. No leader can stay stable or keep upright if there is no one to speak into his life or offer him honest counsel. In fact, it appears that the more godly leaders become, the more they welcome prophetic people around them.

An example of this kingdom order is found in David's reign in the Bible. There is quite a list of prophets who touched his life. King David was anointed to lead by a prophet of Yahweh named Samuel. David was advised, sheltered, and encouraged by various prophets, including Samuel, Gad and Nathan. He surrounded himself and under-girded his administration with a praise team of singers from among the Levites who could prophesy on their musical instruments and keep watch (a prayer vigil of continuous thanksgiving) before God in the tabernacle where David had set up the Ark. Some of these prophets, like Asaph, composed Psalms and interceded in prayer for King David (Psalms 73-83). They prophesied for David and against his enemies, seeing the battle as the Lord's but also knowing their important partnership with and fellow-soldier's role in establishing an element of His kingdom on the earth. Leaders need praying people who can and will stand with them.

Identifying and then prophesying against God's enemies is a neglected area of high-level occult warfare, a technical term coined by Dr. Peter Wagner. This aspect of prophetic ministry should, in my opinion, always be reserved exclusively for those called by God to the office of the prophet or to those intercessory prayer teams closely associated with mature prophets and constantly under their watchful authority. It is not an activity for believers who engage in casual prophecy inside the church such as is described in 1 Corinthians 12-14. That kind of common or low-level prophecy is always restricted to words that edify (build up, charge, fortify, encourage) or to divine information which stirs up hope, confirms God's will, and imparts faith.

It is a principle of prophetic protocol in the Bible that prophesying inside the house is always meant to be edifying and under the pastor's supervision. God wants good food served at His table to His children. By contrast, the warfare mode of prophetic action with imprecatory prayers and pronouncements of doom must emerge only from proven prophetic voices, and preferably those allied with healthy apostolic spheres, not from isolated individuals or from independent ministries or immature saints operating on their own. This is not child's play. It is dangerous to pray against the devil's forces without proper credentials and effective covering. On the other hand, all believers may always pray intercessory prayers in behalf of themselves and any other people and in favor of God's revealed will (and Biblical) being done.

This "governmental praying" seems to affect things on earth by binding things in heaven. Prophesying authoritatively and praying aggressively under the Holy Spirit's inspiration, when done by authorized agents of the covenant, has the effect of releasing powerful angels who are thereby released to take bold action and intervene in human affairs.

It was a surprise to me to see how often the Bible records prophets who named specific people and called out specific nations in their appeals to God for judgment upon His (and their) enemies. (This subject is too big to deal with properly in one article.) Isaiah, the Old Testament prophet who perhaps had the highest revelation of Messiah's redeeming mission (the most beautiful section in the Bible about our Suffering Savior is found in Isaiah 53), was also one of the boldest prophets in proclaiming dire judgment upon Babylon for afflicting Israel. Who was Babylon? Babylon was the land and the people to the east of Palestine known today as Syria and Iraq. In the Bible, Babylon is used as symbolic language in the Book of Revelation to picture end-time conflict.

Prophets can speak against nations and may determine their destiny by their words. Prophets go to war for God. Isaiah did this with his words and prayers. For example, Isaiah 13:1-5 came alive to me the day before U.S. armed forces invaded Iraq with troops moving northward from Kuwait. It includes the words "I have called my mighty warriors, my proud exulting ones, to execute my anger. The Lord of hosts is mustering the army for battle, from the farthest horizons." This certainly described America's armed forces.

Isaiah in his day spoke words by the Spirit that released judgment and defeat upon Babylon. If you study Jeremiah, you will also see that he was given similar authority to speak regarding nations (Jeremiah 1:5-10). Elijah also spoke words that affected kings and governments and territories and economies. Prophets (sovereign vessels called from birth by the Ascended Christ, not just enthusiastic believers with an elementary gift of prophecy) may speak words of faith that will determine the rise and fall of nations and leaders.

Prophetically-seasoned saints, those "Josephs" sent into secular arenas by God, when occupying key positions in businesses fulfilling their vocational ministry, may be allowed the privilege of stewarding vast resources for the welfare of the nation and the benefit of God's covenant people. They will then discover why God dealt with them so "terribly" and for such a long, dark night of their soul.

The Joseph Season includes both aspects of this prophetic mode of operation: the "speaking forth" in boldness by Five-Fold ministry prophets, and the "stewarding and administrating" governance wisdom and prosperity of the Joseph-type of prophetically marked individuals.

Now, back to the vision of the bank. I sensed (and I realize that interpreting a dream or a vision is much trickier than just receiving it, so I am always open to correction or further illumination) that we are presently in a season of prosperity. The double cycle of seven years did not seem to be literal to me, but symbolic. It includes a season of willingness to go to war and take action against our (spiritual) enemies. The fact is, the kingdom of God has moved to a war footing.

God will now bless those who will help finance the war effort. There will be many who will empower God's workers to go with the Gospel, to tear down Satan's strongholds and to help deliver the poor in Jesus‚ name and to help establish God's kingdom in colonies. These "Daddy Warbucks" people will prosper because of their alliance and partnership with apostolic ministry teams (such as occurred in Philippians 4.) This Joseph Season for America began with the inauguration of George Bush. His contested election was a novel event for America. His election was not determined just by the polls, but by persevering prayer. (See my previous prayer letters.) This season we are in now calls for fresh strategies. Strategies come to us as we wait on God in worship and share our revelation with each other.

The global prayer movement has been powerfully energized by wonderful prophets. I know God has used them to greatly help America. The president's election was not a fluke: it was "prayed-through." An anointing was poured out upon him like happened to young David by Samuel. Do you get the picture? I‚m not identifying George Bush as David or any prophet as Samuel, but I am saying this is illustrates what happened and why it happened. That anointing to lead which came on our president included a war-mantle. In this regard, President Bush also typifies one aspect often neglected by the "nice" church, the religious world, that is, the apostle's vital equipment for fulfilling his ministry-- an operational knowledge of spiritual warfare intended to deliver the nations.

In mercy to America and as a signal to the Church, God inaugurated a new season with a new leader, a David-like figure unafraid to confront Goliath. The world order is now rapidly changing due to catalytic events larger than any one man or nation. The end game has begun for the Church victory and for Satan's defeat.

When I saw the vision of the bank, I saw stored up wealth. Wealth is not itself wicked, but the rust on riches of un-used wealth simply hoarded away is wicked. Joseph in Eqypt accumulated wealth to serve his purpose in God by serving Pharaoh, but also to (unknowingly at the time) save his family from the coming famine. The spiritual corollary is this: the wealth of this world has been plundered by Satan. We have to go get it back! Those possessions (the souls of men and women, stored up wealth, human and material resources to relieve poverty and to bless the nations) all belong to God. A battle is engaged to deliver the kingdoms (realms of rule, spheres of influence, governmental territories) of this world to Jesus.

Read Luke 11:21-22 and see the invisible war behind the visible conflict. The "someone stronger than he" is Jesus, and you and I by and faith are in Him! One necessary key to success is to have Josephs in the right place at the right time to serve their purpose in God by helping to steward the wealth God is releasing to the church.

Jesus spoke about binding the strong man and carrying off his property. (Matthew 12:29) Jesus paid the price for the re-distribution of wealth from the wicked to His family (Isaiah 53). God wants our faith stirred up and our prayers on target so that plunder is returned to the Owner, the Lord (read Psalms 1 and 2). In Iraq, a headline last week said $768 million dollars in U.S. currency (cash by the bus-load) was found hidden by Saddam's leaders, abandoned as they fled the country. When you bind (contain, corral, tie up, restraint, shut in) the strong man (by prayer, by proclamation, by asserting Jesus‚ right of ownership), you can then spoil his goods. Are you willing to go to war?

How should we pray? First, let me ask you this: How much faith do you have? How sure are you of your position in Christ? Faith can do exploits! Pray for God's Word to prevail, for good men to be raised into leadership, for freedom for the gospel to do its work, for evil to be uprooted, for miracles to break out, and for Godly people to prosper.

When we see disturbances among the nations, God says, "The kingdom of God is getting closer!" (Luke 21:31) Don't be like people who have no foundation, whose hearts fail them for fear when shaking comes. (Luke 21:25-26) Know that you have a Living Redeemer and He's coming back to earth to establish His kingdom! (Luke 21:27-28)

Listen to me: It is not enough that Saddam Hussein has fallen, nor would it be sufficient or totally satisfying if the evil principality over your region were to topple. There is more work to do: The captives must be released and the plunder returned to the Lord and into the hands of Lord's people. New institutions based on God's truth and God's ways must be built into families and into society so that the Gospel can penetrate the culture and deliver the people into the next generation.

Powerful princes of darkness (whose judgment in hell awaits them) have kept people-groups imprisoned in ignorance and have amassed riches which were robbed from the righteous. God is decreeing a release of prosperity to those who love His Son and will honor Him from their wealth. God loves the poor and honors their faith. Even more than material wealth, God wants the riches of grace to be lavished on humanity, uncorking a fountain of healing and saving power through His followers. The age of exploits of faith is beginning anew!

With this insight about entering a Joseph Season also comes a new word of wisdom for us all: Get hold of your purpose in God, and get rid of every weight that hinders your full obedience. Practically speaking, GET OUT OF DEBT. (That was a shout from the Spirit!) Plus, break free from controlling spirits, shake off the need for men's approval, stop being intimidated by fear, and begin the process of walking in integrity now!

How do you do shake off shackles? Well, you can't get free if the devil has easy access to your stuff. And he has a free ticket in and out of your territory if there are gaps and holes in your fence. I believe the best insurance for our well-being is to build a barrier against the devil based on our obedience to God's Word. According to Malachi in the Bible, we do that by righteous living and by bringing our offerings to the Lord. Do that act of obedience first, do it faithfully and systematically, and then begin to use additional economic wisdom to manage your family financial affairs and to increase in opportunity and power to bless others.

Systematically honor God, be generous with your family, meet your personal obligations, pay your bills on time, and save for the future so you that can capitalize on the shaking that is coming down the road. Treat those you employee right, too. God watches you and will judge you if you don‚t. Some people came out of the Great Depression well-off because they had liquid assets and large reserves that carried them through and also empowered them to buy up depressed stocks or properties.

Become a good steward of what God has entrusted to you, whether time, or talent, or faith, or gifts, or even your experience in financial areas. Don't put your trust in uncertain riches. Don't let greed or covetousness become the basis for any action or feelings in your life. It is always wrong to be motivated by envy! True Godliness is characterized by real contentment. You can't be holy and greedy at the same time. Don't measure yourself by how much you make or what you drive or where your home is. That isn't a good test of your quality of life or of heaven's opinion of you, anyway. Don't chase this world's toys and treasures, but invest in that which will not fade away, like quality family time (that's the Sabbath principle and it hasn't changed), fellowship and fun with friends, worshipping God with others, learning His ways from His Word, and sending the full gospel to the ends of the earth for the poor to be saved.

Position yourself to be debt free and faith filled. Don't let the shackles of credit-abuse and endless obligations or bills keep you anxious or keep you bound to the wrong location or the wrong job. Take firm and decisive action so that you will be comfortable even if uncertainty overtakes your life. Find true riches in the knowledge of Christ, in covenant friendships, and in enduring riches stored up in heaven because of your actions.

What actions make deposits for us in heaven? Give to the poor, partner with ministry teams and missions of mercy and invest in healthy full-gospel churches that are blessing their cities. Lay up in store riches that won't fade away. Establish a pattern of good works and a lifestyle of mercy, and God promises you that you will never go lacking for anything. Whoever gives to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay!

The end of the first Joseph Season came with his reunion with his brothers. God is leading us toward the maturing and uniting of the fractured Body of Christ. The greater goal is living in the land of our inheritance, a land purchased for us by our Savior on the cross. It is worth an investment of our time and our diligent effort to make God's dream come true for His family. We need millions of modern Josephs to hold on to their dreams and then come out of their prisons ready to help us all in our hour of need.

Recently, our Heavenly Father awoke me with comforting thoughts. He coached me to say words of affirmation about my calling and identity. I have often made a habit of saying aloud my profession of faith-- things I know to be true regardless of how I feel-- that Christ Jesus is the Son of God, the Scriptures are the Word of God, my sins are covered by the blood of Jesus, etc. But often the devil attacks our identity and confidence by thwarting or delaying our purpose, to tempt us to doubt God. So our fight is a fight of faith, isn't it? Perhaps this little exchange between me and the Lord will encourage you in your faith walk.

My spirit was in a dialogue with the Lord in which He asked me, "Do you remember what P.I.T. stands for?" I said, "Yes, it stands for Prophet in Training." (They‚re always winding up in a pit, figuratively or literally!)

"That's right," the Lord said, "and when Joseph was in a pit, he was still a prophet, wasn't he?"

"Yes," I said.

"Then I want you to say, ŒI may be in a pit right now, but I am still a prophet of the Lord.‚"

God said, "Do you remember when Elijah was in a cave?" "Yes," I said, "he was in a cave and he was depressed and exhausted after he battled Jezebel."

God said, "Yes, he was in a cave, but he could still wrap his mantle around his face and talk with Me."

"That's right, he did," I said.

"Then I want you to say, ŒI may be in a cave right now, but I still have my anointing wrapped around me from God.‚"

God said, "Do you remember Daniel in the lions‚ den?"

"Yes, I do, Lord. He was there because of his integrity,"

God said, "He was in danger of being torn apart and eaten alive, but he was saved because he kept his eyes on Me and I sent angels to shut the lions‚ mouths."

"Yes, that‚ right," I said.

"Then I want you to say, ŒI may feel surrounded by lions, but my face is turned toward the Lord and I know He will save me.‚"

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"A New Joseph Season" April, 2003, by Ron Wood. This article may be copied and shared freely. As you forward it, please keep byline information intact. The author is Ron Wood, president of Touched by Grace, an equipping ministry and missionary organization based in Wilmington, North Carolina. Ron and his wife, Lana, were pastors together for thirty years in various churches before founding Touched by Grace. For a list of books, articles, and brochures, or to obtain ministry information, visit our website at www.touchedbygrace.org. Please write to us at Touched by Grace Inc., P. O. Box 12749, Wilmington, NC 28405 USA. Please pray for us, that doors into developing nations will be opened for the gospel and that God will give us grace to speak His word boldly.

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