City Life Starter

Written by Scott Fiddler

The Word

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it; and I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” 17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile; 18 and seven cows, fat and sleek, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass; 19 and seven other cows came up after them, poor and very gaunt and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. 20 And the thin and gaunt cows ate up the first seven fat cows, 21 but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as gaunt as at the beginning. Then I awoke. 22 I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good; 23 and seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them, 24 and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.” 25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dream of Pharaoh is one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dream is one. 27 The seven lean and gaunt cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. 28 It is as I told Pharaoh, God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, 30 but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; the famine will consume the land, 31 and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of that famine which will follow, for it will be very grievous. 32 And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. 33 Now therefore let Pharaoh select a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land, and take the fifth part of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plenteous years. 35 And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and lay up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36 That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine which are to befall the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”

Genesis 41:14-36

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

Reflection

This is a remarkable passage of scripture. Joseph, by the power of God, interprets two of Pharaoh’s dreams. This is what Joseph means by, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer” (see Genesis 41:16).

In the Old Testament, the Lord would anoint or empower people from time-to-time, but the Holy Spirit did not continually indwell people. It is different for Christians.

As good Charismatics, we are familiar with the gifts of the Spirit that follow the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The prophet Joel promised that when the Holy Spirit was poured out, prophetic dreams, both inspired and interpreted by the power of God, would be one of the ways the indwelling Holy Spirit would manifest in Christians’ lives (See Joel 2:28). But if you are like me, you were either taught or you caught that the gifts of the Spirit were for ministry purposes only.

Joseph interpreting Pharaoh’s dream, though, is notably not an act of ministry. In fact, it is almost, if not entirely, work-related. Joseph was a trustee in jail. He was called upon because he had interpreted the dreams of two other inmates in the jail, and he was called upon by his boss’s (Potiphar), boss (Pharaoh). Also, the message in the dream was not intended to minister inner healing and deliverance to Pharaoh; it was a message on how to best manage the Egyptian economy. It’s a message more relevant to Jerome Powell than Joel Osteen.

Application

So, here’s the question then: Why, as Christians today, do we think the Lord is interested in inspiring or empowering us in ministry but not in our work? Do we really believe He has reserved his inspiration and power in us for 90 minutes on Sunday morning but not 40 hours during the week? The Apostle Paul told the Philippians, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). “All things,” by definition, includes work things.

So, today at work, when you are facing a difficult problem or task, stop for a moment and pray, and ask the Lord for inspiration in solving the problem or for power in performing the task. You might be surprised at what happens.

Prayer

Lord, please remind me to stop today and seek Your inspiration and empowerment in my work, and I pray that when I stop and pray today, You will respond by helping me perform my work above and beyond what I could do in my own strength. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.