Many entrepreneurs and business people whose ministry is in the marketplace relate to the story of Joseph in the Old Testament. We often like to quote Genesis 39:2, “and the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man.”
But Joseph's prosperity did not come without a price…
He was sold into slavery by his brothers, who were jealous of him. His father assumed he was dead. He rose to a place of prominence as a slave in the house of Potiphar, but when he refused the sexual advances of Potiphar’s wife, she accused him of attacking her. He was thrown right back into prison.
There he would remain for years, until Pharaoh began having disturbing dreams. Sensing that they were supernatural in origin, Pharaoh sent out word to all of his psychics and magicians But none of them could interpret the dream.
One of the king’s court, who had for a time been imprisoned alongside Joseph, remembered the young Israelite had a gift of interpreting dreams. Joseph was brought before Pharaoh.
The king said to him, “I have had a dream, and no one can explain it. I have been told that you can interpret dreams.”
Joseph answered, “I cannot, Your Majesty, but God will give a favorable interpretation.”
The king said, “I dreamed that I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when seven cows, fat and sleek, came up out of the river and began feeding on the grass. Then seven other cows came up which were thin and bony. They were the poorest cows I have ever seen anywhere in Egypt. The thin cows ate up the fat ones, but no one would have known it, because they looked just as bad as before. Then I woke up. I also dreamed that I saw seven heads of grain which were full and ripe, growing on one stalk. Then seven heads of grain sprouted, thin and scorched by the desert wind, and the thin heads of grain swallowed the full ones. I told the dreams to the magicians, but none of them could explain them to me.”
Joseph said to the king, “The two dreams mean the same thing; God has told you what he is going to do. The seven fat cows are seven years, and the seven full heads of grain are also seven years; they have the same meaning. The seven thin cows which came up later and the seven thin heads of grain scorched by the desert wind are seven years of famine. It is just as I told you—God has shown you what he is going to do. There will be seven years of great plenty in all the land of Egypt. After that, there will be seven years of famine, and all the good years will be forgotten, because the famine will ruin the country. The time of plenty will be entirely forgotten, because the famine which follows will be so terrible. The repetition of your dream means that the matter is fixed by God and that he will make it happen in the near future.“Now you should choose some man with wisdom and insight and put him in charge of the country. You must also appoint other officials and take a fifth of the crops during the seven years of plenty. Order them to collect all the food during the good years that are coming, and give them authority to store up grain in the cities and guard it. The food will be a reserve supply for the country during the seven years of famine which are going to come on Egypt. In this way the people will not starve.”
Joseph Is Made Governor over Egypt
The king and his officials approved this plan, and he said to them, “We will never find a better man than Joseph, a man who has God's spirit in him.” The king said to Joseph, “God has shown you all this, so it is obvious that you have greater wisdom and insight than anyone else. I will put you in charge of my country, and all my people will obey your orders. Your authority will be second only to mine. I now appoint you governor over all Egypt.”Genesis [41:15]-41
It’s worth noting that Joseph served the king of Egypt well, even though Pharaoh did not share Joseph’s beliefs about God. But when Joseph demonstrated the supernatural power of prophecy, Pharaoh responded. He granted Joseph the governorship of Egypt.
If you haven’t read the story of Joseph in a while, it’s worth revisiting. You will see that he continued to serve the king of Egypt well, and was honored by all of the Egyptian people. In fact, when Joseph's father Jacob died, Pharaoh sent all of his servants, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt to attend the funeral.
Kris Vallotton is the first person I heard speak the phrase, “Pharaoh is dreaming again.”
Meaning, the kingdoms of the world are open and seeking supernatural input. I believe this includes not only rulers of nations, but rulers of businesses as well. There is a hunger for the prophetic spiritual insight that we as Christians carry.
The doors are open for us to minister and to serve. It is not necessary for us to “convert” people to accept our doctrines or our creeds. We, like Joseph, can remain faithful to the Lord, and let his spirit which lives within us minister to the needs of people.
I have seen this firsthand, as God has granted me the privilege of speaking prophetically to leaders in the business field. To CEOs and entrepreneurs, to market influencers, and to policymakers.
I’ve had the privilege of praying with these people, and in some cases delivering a word from the Lord for them.
Kris Vallotton and other prophets of our day are advising the rulers of nations behind-the-scenes.
The beauty of what God is doing here is that we don’t have to convince people that we are “right” about God, or that the Bible is his word, or that Jesus is his son. That is the work of the Holy Spirit.
But when we can walk into a room and deliver a word of knowledge, or a spirit empowered prophecy that changes the course of a business (or of a nation), that saves jobs, or even lives… When we do those things, trust me. People are open to hear what we have to say about who God is and what he is capable of.
When we deliver the gospel of grace, without the trappings of religion, without the burden of guilt and condemnation, and when we accompany it by the signs that follow believers, people open the doors to the Lord Jesus.
So. Pharaoh is dreaming again. Perhaps a Pharaoh within your sphere of influence. Will you step up and show him the meaning of his dreams?