Three Declarations In A Season Of Trouble

Can you believe that this crazy year of 2020 is almost over. We now have just a little over sixty days left in this turbulent year. While the struggle is not over, we can start to look beyond our present moment and attempt to bring some meaning out of it.

In the stories of Genesis, we get the historic account of the life of Joseph. Betrayed. Delayed. Falsely accused. Misunderstood. Forgotten. But eventually redeemed and elevated for God’s purpose. Any of those words sound familiar!?! Here’s what Joseph declared.

When he had his two sons - he named them strategically, Manasseh and Ephraim:

#1 - God has made me forget my past trouble!

This was the meaning of the name of his son Manasseh! We need to believe for this. We need to declare this. What has happened to you doesn’t have to define you! God has more for you than that. You are more than just a product of your bad experiences in life. God can help you forgive it. God can help you forget it.

It’s not that you will become an amnesiac who truly can’t remember. It’s that you will remember without pain. It’s a scar without a sting. God’s grace can help us all to forget the pain of this past year and of our past moments of hurt, betrayal or abuse.

#2 - God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering!

This was the meaning of the name of his son Ephraim. We need to believe for this! We need to declare this. This year does not have to be a year of loss. Yes, it may be a year of pruning. in the end, pruning is not loss. Dead or fruitless branches are cut off and thrown away. But the good that remains becomes explosively fruitful.

This is what I am believing and declaring out of this painful year. That God will make us even more fruitful than we were before it all occurred.

#3 - God can take what was meant for evil and redeem it for good and for the saving of many lives.

This is what Joseph declares to his offenders (his brothers) at the end of the book. It’s contained in Genesis 50:20 - ‘you intended it for harm - but God used it for good, for the saving of many lives’.

God does not cause bad things to happen. Most often they are the will of the devil or the choices of flawed or selfish people around us. Sometimes it’s a result of our own bad choices. What God does is redeem it all. He takes it and uses it. Actually, He saw it coming and was working on a plan to transform it for good even before the first moment of pain occurred.

God saw 2020 coming! He did not wait for things to happen to start working on a plan to redeem these experiences for your good and the good of those you lead.