Freedom From Your Egypt

We all have a past, whether we all like it or not. And oftentimes our past can either help us grow or hinder our growth in whatever form, shape, species or size it comes in. The American Christian Church is good at explaining forgiveness from your sins comes from Jesus dying on the cross. But often we are left behind having knowledge of being forgiven, but not fully freed from our past.

This weekend at church, one of our favorite guest speakers, Chris Brown spoke on Genesis 42. Well, he recapped the story of "Joey" who could interpret dreams. And one day he told his eleven older brothers about this dream where they would reign over them. That didn't fare well with the older brothers, so they were planning to kill him. Well, the other plan was to sell him into slavery, but cover up the deed by faking his death to their father, Jacob. You've probably heard the story of his multicolored coat, which was given to Joe because he was the father's favorite son from his favorite wife. They tore up his multicolored coat and put blood of a goat all over it, making it look like Joe was killed by a wild beast.

In Egypt, Joey had his own set of problems. The Pharaoh's second-hand man's wife has the hots for this young Jewish boy. Joey refuses, but because of her position, she accuses him of rape and is thrown in prison. His dream interpreting helps him get out of his mess as he could tell Pharaoh that there would be seven years of a bumper crop and seven years of famine by a drought. This put Joey in the second in command position over Egypt because no one else had a plan to prosper Egypt through these times.

Okay, meanwhile back in the land of Canaan, where Jacob and his other sons lived, the drought struck also. So when Jacob heard there were grain in Egypt, he told his sons to go down. Uh oh.

22 years of a lie to be exposed? The brothers knew what they had done. They couldn't tell dad the truth now?! Could they?

"Why do you just keep on looking at each other?" Jacob demanded. "Go down to Egypt and buy some grain for us, so that we may live and not die!"

So ten of the brothers went down there, but Benji stayed behind back at the ranch.

In Egypt, Joseph knew who they were when they arrived. But because he was in charge of the land of Egypt, and he was dressed in his Egyptian garb, and speaking through an interpreter, they didn't recognize him. Ha! Just like Joe's dream when he was only seventeen.

Joseph knew what they had done to him, but he wasn't sure if they had done to Benji what they did to him, he wanted proof he was indeed alive. So he sent nine of them back to get Benji with the surplus grain. He threw Simeon in the prison he once lived in as collateral. He wanted to make sure his brothers weren't lying again.

What? Going back to father Jacob with one less brother? Jacob was a mess when he heard Joey his favorite son was dead. Now he'll think they killed Simeon, too? This lie just keeps on getting more complicated!

They were racked with guilt, blaming each other (like Reuben did) and blaming themselves for the mess they were in. Would father allow Benji to come to Egypt?

As they were emptying their sacks, there was in each brother's sack, his pouch of silver used to buy the grain. You would think they'd be thrilled, right? But instead they were frightened.

"You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin? Everything is against me!" exclaimed Jacob.

Really?

See what lies and deceit does? How about a cover-up of something you've done that you're not proud of? Something you don't want other people to know about you?

Offer it up to Jesus. Quit lugging around all that guilt, shame and pain. Lay it at the feet of Jesus.

Oh, but I've been forgiven of my sin, right?

If you accepted Jesus in your heart as Lord and Savior, your sins are no more. Clean slate.

But as humans, we carry along the guilt, blame others, blame ourselves. And what happened two years ago, 22 years ago... still has you imprisoned in Egypt. If you want freedom from the load of your past, give it ALL to Him. Confess it, share it, and make it a weapon against Satan, not a tool to privately destroy your own life.

Yes, the tool that Satan uses to hold you back in the past could be God's best weapon to overcoming your past. Tell people about your Egypt, and Satan won't ever hold it over you like He has in the past.

Blessings,
Garret