Joseph Ministries Part 1

Joseph Ministries Part 1
In 1998 seven years ago I had a dream in which a calendar was ticking over in years and it stopped at the fourteenth year. Recently the Lord repeated this dream to me again. I pondered this at the same time asking the Lord what it was all about.
The Lord then gave me a new 14 year mandate for my life pointing out to me that I had been in fulltime ministry for 5 x7 years 35 years and that he was commissioning me to a special period of 2 x 7 years, 14 years. The next 14 years will be the most important years for the church since the birth of Jesus.
 It is very clear in scripture that God designates times and seasons and moves accordingly within these time frames.

Deuteronomy 15:1	At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.
2	And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD'S release.
3	Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;
4	Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it:

Every seven years in Israel there was a release, a new beginning.

The number 7 in scripture is an important number it signifies completion.
Likewise the number 14 is very significant in scripture; 2 x 7 = 14 which is the number of completeness, the fullness of time, a major new beginning.
Matthew 1:17  So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
The law if first mention is an important law, simply put, it indicates the following. Where a truth, number, incident, etc occurs for the first time in scripture it contains all the basic truths regarding that subject.
This law is clear in regard to the book of Genesis; Genesis is the first book in the bible and in it can be found all the basic truths that the rest of scripture deals with. The seeds of all truth are to be found in the book of Genesis.
While pondering the number 14 the Lord led me to the first mention of this number.

Genesis 31:41

Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle:

Jacob served Laban 14 years: And real change was now eminent in Jacobs’s life this change was triggered by the birth of Joseph.

Genesis 30:25	And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
26	Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.

The time was now drawing close for Jacob to leave and begin to enter into his destiny more fully. Laban asks him to stay on which Jacob reluctantly agrees to, and during this time God blessed him greatly increasing his wealth in the form of cattle, then he leaves.
When Joseph was born a new era for Jacob (or Israel a type of the church began)
This is of great significance for us today
Joseph was a type of Christ, he took a bride from Egypt, a type of this word and brought in the greatest harvest the world had ever seen.
Likewise Jesus took a bride from this world and will reap the greatest end-time harvest the church has ever seen.
It is time for the Joseph’s to be manifest
There has been much teaching and prophetic words regarding the Josephs, but we must remember that between the call and the commissioning there is always a testing and qualifying time.

Psalms 105:17	He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:
18	Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:
19	Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.

It is time for the commissioning of the Joseph ministries
Joseph was sent ahead to preserve much life, he was called, tested, proven, commissioned, and positioned in the right place at the right time.

Genesis 50:20	But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Joseph was sent ahead of the others; He was a pathfinder a pioneer, sent ahead of Jacob (the church) Joseph came forth when Jacob was an old man, likewise Josephs today come forth in the churches old age, the end-time church.

Genesis 37:3

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

The Name Joseph:  means, let him add Increase, Fruitfulness.
Later Pharaoh added a name calling him Zaph-nath-paanea, this was an Egyptian name which appears to have the meaning, Abundance of fruit or harvest. However, some translators tell us that in another tongue or dialect that was in use at the time the meaning of the name Joseph as, Savior of the age.

Joseph dreamed of the coming harvest and the coming famine
Joseph saw something his brothers did not see, this tended to isolate him somewhat and of course his bothers persecuted him, people who don’t share your vision or understand your vision will tend to turn against you or isolate you.

Genesis 49:26

The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

Joseph dwelt alone separate from his brethren until God revealed him. There are many hidden ones out there who have a vision who see something most of the others don’t see. These Josephs has been relatively hidden up to now but God is about to reveal them. Joseph was hidden until the time that his word came forth,  Psalms 105:19.
We have a picture of this in the life of Jesus: Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be hidden until His time came.

Isaiah 49:1	Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
2	And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;
3	And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

We have a glimpse of Jesus at His birth and another glimpse when He was 12 years old but God hid him until His time came.
He was put into Gods quiver as an arrow, so that when the time came he could be taken out fired and He would hit the mark for which He came, the cross.
The analogy used here has much meaning; Jesus was ready when He as an arrow was put into Gods Quiver, but He had to wait the fullness of time.

Galatians 4:4	But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5	To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

The quality of the arrow determined whether it would hit the mark or not. The arrow is described as a polished shaft, an arrow has to be dead strait if it isn’t the aerodynamics, or the wind against the arrow would take it off course. The arrow had to be polished if there was the tiniest flaw or nick in the arrow the wind would deflect it from its course.
This speaks of character; a flaw in your character will take you off course
That it why the major work of the Holy Spirit is to, conform you to the image of Jesus
The feathers of the arrow speak of stability. We have to be really grounded in the Word of God and the Nature of God. Isa 33:6  And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.
And finally the tip of the Arrow speaks of the word Rhema of God in out mouths

Isaiah 49:2

And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;

It is time for the Josephs to start to be commissioned, take heart if you have been in the quiver for a long time, your time is coming.

Genesis 41:14

Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.

God Bless you
James N Johnson © 2005