Sermon on 21August 2022 by Ps Justin
Introduction
The 50:20 principle is powerful, allowing you to walk in His authority.
Message
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. – Genesis 50:20
Joseph was favoured by his father and his brothers hated him. They became even angrier when he shared his dreams with his brothers that symbolized them bowing to Joseph. Joseph’s brothers faked his death and sent him away to be a slave in Egypt. There, he was thrown into prison for a crime he did not commit. While in prison, Joseph believed God was with him, and he could interpret dreams, even interpreting accurately the dreams of Pharaoh. This led him to be promoted to run the land of Egypt. One day, his brothers came to Egypt to beg him for food as they were suffering under famine. At this point, Joseph looks back in Genesis 50:20, and told his brothers that the evil they did against him was done for good by God.
God is able to transform even the plans of your enemies into His great plan. God’s good plan can work even in the face of evil plans. This is the principle of 50:20, which should always be in motion for us.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11
God wants to give us hope. All things work for good for those who love Him. The Lord was with Joseph even in prison, and prospered whatever Joseph did. Whatever you do, do your best.
The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper. – Genesis 39:23
God is able to transform every wicked plan of the enemy into an exceedingly great plan for His glory, for His higher purpose. To be able to walk in the 50:20 principle, you have to know some fundamental points.
1. You need to know your true identity
You are the child of the maker of the Heavens and the earth. If you do not know your identity in Christ, the devil will chew and spit you out. Are we living a life according to other people’s expectations and the way they see us? Do not live in others’ opinions, because it is not you who lives, but Christ who lives in you. Every day, you live by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ who gave His life for us. It is important to understand who you are in Christ.
It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me – Galatians 2:20
Take your cues from the scripture. Do not allow yourself to succumb to the buoyancy of the world. Control your circumstances through the reading of the word. You know who you are and whose you are! You are adopted by the Heavenly Father. You are blessed. You are blameless. You are chosen. You are redeemed by Christ. You are sealed by the Holy Spirit. You are stamped with the image of God.
You are who God says you are.
2. You need to fix your focus
Your focus determines your reality. Whatever your focus on, will expand. If you focus on good, good will expand. If you focus on the bad, that bad will expand. If Joseph had focused on the bad, he might have wanted to take revenge. But he did not. Joseph saw that the bad that happened to him was made good by God. Vengeance does not belong to you, but to God. You just have to love.
Have a God’s-eye view. What we focus on will make us or break us! Focus on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. When you have peace in you, you will crush Satan under your feet. Focus on keeping a heart of gratitude. Give thanks in everything. When you give thanks, your faith rises and you feel contented. When you give thanks, you feel close to God. You will be able to live a radical life.
3. You need to change your mind
The battleground is your mind. When you are suffering, the devil wants to manipulate your mind to pull you away from God. This is spiritual warfare. You don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, but the spiritual foe. He puts doubts in your mind. Do not conform to the patterns of the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2).
Change your mind and walk in the 50:20 principle. Let God outline His agenda for us.
Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. – Luke 10:19
We have authority over unclean spirits, because of who you are in Christ. Your name is in the book of life (Luke 10:20). Let our walk with Him be a testimony of our spiritual identity. Are our lives a good translation of the truth and faith we stand?
Closing
The 50:20 principle is in all creation, and God will do all things for His glory. When you do not receive certain things that you want right now, remember that greater things are coming. We are overcomers and we stand in truth. We walk in our identity in Christ.
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