Stewarding Revelations and Gifts
“This is the history of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought an evil report of them to their father. 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 colors. His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn’t speak peaceably to him. Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more. He said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers said to him, “Will you indeed reign over us? Or will you indeed have dominion over us?” They hated him all the more for his dreams and for his words. He dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, “Behold, I have dreamed yet another dream: and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me.” He told it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves down to you to the earth?” His brothers envied him, but his father kept this saying in mind.” (Genesis 37:2-11 WEB)
Sometimes God reveals something that’s meant only for us and we make the mistake of telling it to others way too early out of excitement.
Joseph had a powerful gift of receiving prophetic dreams but he was too immature to steward the gift well.
Being excited about the fantastic dreams God gave to him, he blurted them out to his brothers without using proper discernment.
Sometimes there is a long gap between the time we receive a word from the Lord and the time where we’re supposed to release that word to others.
A word spoken at the right time is wonderful—like shooting an arrow straight into the bullseye, demonstrating undoubtedly that our loving God is keenly involved in our daily lives.
“Joy comes to a man with the reply of his mouth. How good is a word at the right time!” (Proverbs 15:23 WEB)
To release the word we have received at the right time, we can only do it by being led by the Holy Spirit.
Out of the countless challenges and concerns that people face every day, only God can align the right word for the right person at the right time.
Someone reading this has received new gifts from the Holy Spirit and it’s going to feel very exciting.
You feel like sharing this news and your experiences with the whole world, but remember it’s important to use discernment and have patience.
It would have been fine if Joseph only shared his prophetic dreams with Jacob who loved him dearly. It was a mistake to tell them to his brothers.
Be led by the Spirit to avoid others jealously interpreting your pure excitement as boastfulness.
Joseph at the age of seventeen was a pampered child. He was Jacob’s favorite and received preferential treatment.
People who don’t love you won’t tolerate your spoilt and willful behavior.
If you want to be a good steward of your gifts, rely on the Holy Spirit to help you speak with others from a place of love.
When you are walking in love, you will be considerate towards other people’s feelings and avoid saying things that may stumble them.
A word released at the wrong time becomes a source of dissension instead of building others up.
We mustn’t be casual with this. When we understanding what’s at stake, we will steward our words and gifts with love.
Even for this, we have to rely on the Holy Spirit.
We don’t have any true patience, love or discernment in our flesh so we have to receive these fruits from the Holy Spirit.
When you feel overcome by emotion after receiving a word from the Lord, take a moment to breath deeply and still yourself—bring yourself back to a calm state.
Then listen closely to what the indwelling Holy Spirit is saying. Is there a peace towards releasing the word now, or is it to be kept in your heart, meditated upon and released at a later time?
Child of God, be led by the Holy Spirit!
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