THE POISONOUS GLORY ~ Precious Victor Akah

While reading Genesis chapter 40 and chapter 41, the Holy Spirit taught me a useful lesson from the life of Joseph that anyone who wants to go up and stay up, and anyone who desires for God to use them and continue using them to manifest His power, glory and the supernatural must be conscious of and continually practice. The lesson is in Genesis 40:6-8 and Genesis 41:15-16.

It reads respectively: Genesis 40:6-8:

[6]When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected.

[7]So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”

[8]“We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”

Genesis 41:15-16:

[15]Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”

[16]“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”

In the first Bible reading (Genesis 40:6-8), we observe something very humbling in the life of Joseph. Joseph had the gift of interpretation of dreams. However, he knew the Source of that gift (GOD ALMIGHTY), and understood that without him staying connected to the Giver of the gift and always ascribing ALL the glory and honor to Him by pointing men back to Him, he CANNOT give interpretation of dreams. In other words, he cannot interpret dreams without God giving him the interpretation. So the interpretation he gives does not come directly from him, but from God; he simply hears from God and then delivers the interpretation to men. He is simply the middle man.

So the day he stops pointing men back to the actual Giver of the dream interpretations (GOD ALMIGHTY) and giving ALL the glory and honor to Him is the day God stops working through him and starts working through another vessel who will continously bring back ALL the glory to God. 

Joseph told Pharaoh's officials: "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.” This is Joseph informing Pharaoh's officials that even though he can give them the interpretation of their dreams, he would want them to know first of all that it is God Almighty who gives interpretation of dreams - he (Joseph) is just the 'delivery man' (the messenger, the middleman). This is what all gifted children of God who are working in the miraculous and the supernatural are expected of God to always do: point men back to God; give all the glory to God.

In the second Bible reading (Genesis 41:15-16), because Joseph never attributed the ability to interpret dreams to himself but to God, God used him again to give Pharaoh the interpretation of his dreams in order to elevate Joseph and bring him to his place of destiny. When we faithfully attribute ALL glory to God (never taking some of the glory to ourselves), it wouldn't take long for God to bring us to our place of destiny. 

Joseph boldly said to Pharaoh: "I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” Joseph pointed Pharaoh back to God with all boldness. He told him he cannot give interpretation of dreams except God first gives it to him; so the glory of interpretation of dreams belongs to God alone. How many of us do this today? How many of us can boldly tell the world (from our heart) on our social media platforms that the wisdom we have, the facial beauty, the intelligence, the god job, good marriage, good spouse, good grades, good voice, beautiful figure, nice skin, job promotion and all our life's achievements that people admire and praise us for is from GOD ALMIGHTY and actually mean it, and not the shallow, casual and common cliche, "Na God o!" or "It is God oh!"

How many of us show publicly and privately through our statements, reactions, actions and inactions that these good things we have all came from GOD and constantly give God ALL the glory? I see my husband constantly do this each time I tell him after his ministration that he ministered powerfully and he replies with all sincerity of heart, "I did nothing; the Holy Spirit did everything. I give ALL the glory to Him." This also is a display of humility. No wonder God exalted Joseph because the Scripture says, "... those who humble themselves will be exalted." Matthew 23:12

No matter the gift, talent, skill, ability, endowment you have received from God, always point men back to the One who gave you the gift - God Almighty, if you want God to continue manifesting His power through you and for you to remain useful and usable by God. We must borrow a leaf from Joseph.

Lesson: Never take the glory due to God, it is very poisonous. Always ascribe the glory due to God to Him. It is a dangerous thing to take God's glory. When you take God's glory, you will be brought down from your exalted and enviable position. The moment a Christian takes God's glory - the next thing that follows is shame. One can be reduced to zero level by taking God's glory; beware!

NEVER TAKE GOD'S GLORY! IT IS POISONOUS! 

Stay blessed.