God knew what each of us would go through to bring us to this point today. He knew what we would endure and He knew that we would continue on the path and would not give up.

I look at the great sacrifice it takes for the intercessors to come to our conferences and pray for the nation. I look at that. I look at the intercessors—our Joel’s Army members that we have lost even this year—who fought for this nation because they came from other nations and knew the danger our nation was in, and could not bear to see our Nation succumb to what their nation did. They could not bear to see this nation that they loved so much fall victim to a communist rule, so they prayed and they prayed with all that they had.

No matter what our suffering is, if we will maintain a life of integrity, if we will submit to God in the affliction, the greatest of all suffering and the greatest of all injustices done to us, and accusations made against us—if we will press through all of that and still submit to God in it, He will use us for His plans and purposes. But, if we do not submit to him in the affliction, we step out from underneath the Psalm 91 protection and He cannot protect us.

You think, well, was He really protecting Joseph? Yes, He was! Potiphar could have killed him. Pharaoh did not have to bring him forth, but he was desperate to save his people. His brothers tried to kill him. Were it not for the pleas of his brother Reuben, he would have been killed. Adding insult to injury, they saw an opportunity to profit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver…but he was on the path God set before him. Joseph allowed God to refine him. He never cursed God. Look at Job: he never cursed God, even though his own wife was saying, “Just curse God and die, Job!”

Daniel lived in a heathen nation himself, never knowing if Nebuchadnezzar was going to throw him in the lion’s den, but he never ever ceased to worship God because he feared God more than man. Joseph feared God more than man. Living a life of one who understands the sovereignty of God allows us to be the Romans 8:28 believers. “All things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.” Remember when we studied that? This is bringing forth God’s heavenly will, down here on earth. God’s will. “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” That is the will we are birthing here in our nation. This is what we are called to do. That is the Romans 8:28 and 29 calling—submitting to God and recognizing His sovereignty.

Recognizing His sovereignty in our lives helps us to submit to God in our affliction. It helps us to press into Him in the midst of the greatest tragedy. He never said it was going to be easy, but He did say, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke [is] easy, and My burden is light.” Matt 11:29-20. He places His yolk upon us and then what does He do? He shoulders the rest of the yolk. Why? Because He carries our burdens. He never said, “I want you to go at it alone.” He said, “I am with You, call upon My name; I am with You. See My presence in your life today and I am with you; you are not alone.”

Paul spent half his life in prison. What did he do while he was in prison? He wrote half of the New Testament. Thirteen books. Paul used his time wisely because he had a passion and a burden for the people to understand who God was and to help them know that no matter what they were going through, God was in control. He understood the sovereignty of God and knew that no matter where or what he personally was going through, God was still on the throne and Paul’s responsibility was to ensure the Gospel message got out! In prison or in a pulpit Paul was going to fulfill His calling. If a large portion had not been written in prison, we wouldn’t have the scriptures we cling to today. The message is the same, He is the same God that sent His Son to die for us. He is the same God that will give us the strength to endure the battles.

This is the same God we serve today and we are here to birth His will on earth, His heavenly will here on earth. What is His greatest desire? That His children will know Him and grow in intimacy with Him. We need to hunger for intimacy with our God. Those who learn to submit to Him in affliction, who never forget to call upon the name of God, and never forget who God is in their lives, those are the ones who experience that level of intimacy. Few have. We have to come to a point where no matter what happens and no matter where God puts us, we do not let go of our hunger for God. No matter what, we cannot let go of how much He loves us, or what His greatest call is for our lives. In ministry, we forget that so often. I think that is why so many ministers fall. They get so busy about the work of ministry that they forget about the relationship with God. They forget the true call is intimacy with Him.

We have been tasked with saving a nation. Let us not forget the true call. The call that should reign first and foremost in our lives is to achieve intimacy with Him.

Heavenly Father I want to thank You for Your Word. I want to thank You for giving us the opportunity to study Joseph’s life, to see this young boy raised up in such a way as to never forget who You were and what You meant to him—the power of the one true God. He stayed faithful to you. We saw the plans and purposes. You granted him wisdom after he sought after you. You granted him knowledge and understanding, prudence—all the traits that we need to seek after You granted Joseph because he followed after You. His heart followed after You in the midst of a sinful and dark nation.

You never let go, You never lost sight. I thank You Lord, for giving us a living example that we, too, might follow hard after You no matter what our circumstances might be, no matter the trials that we experience, that we witness with our children, with our grandchildren, with our family members, but we remember that You are on the throne. I thank You Lord for driving Your Word home in our hearts, helping us see the love and the tenderness of who You are and having to see the power and authority that is You, dear God. I thank you Lord. In Your precious and holy name. Amen

Blessings & Love,
Ricci Wilson