Chapter Three

"Joseph"

Joseph is the elder son of Jacob's beloved wife Rachel and has been a favorite character of many people. Much has been written concerning Joseph and his influence on the family of Jacob. In our study of Joseph we will be including his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh.

Joseph means, (let him add) or (let him continue to do a thing). There are two ways that the story of Joseph can be taught. As a type of that people who have been sent ahead of the rest of the church (Gideon's 300) for the purpose of preserving life and feeding their brethren. Joseph is a type and shadow of those who are overcomers in the church, pioneering and pressing into a realm and a walk before anyone else. In this harvest it speaks of those who are first fruits who mature early.

The other way of teaching Joseph is as a type and shadow of the Lord Jesus Christ. Rachel prophesied, "God's going to add to me another son." That other son, Benjamin, will be a full brother to Joseph. He also speaks of those people who will come to the full measure of the stature of Christ. Not a half brother, not a half message, not a half truth, not 30 fold or 60 fold but 100 fold. Not half way there but all the way. A full brother to Joseph. A full brother to the Lord Jesus Christ.In the story of Joseph you will find that Benjamin is a key, because without Benjamin the other brothers would not have been fed.

In God's plan for Joseph's life he was rejected before he was accepted. He was envied before he was honored. He was stripped before he was clothed. He was cast down before he was exalted. He was a slave before he became a master. He was imprisoned before he ruled. He was forgotten before he became well known.

In Gen 50:20 (KJV) Joseph told his brothers,

The purpose of Joseph's life and ministry was to save many people alive. Not just to save many people but to save or deliver many people from death. In the circumstances he had to go through, he could have blamed the devil. He could have blamed his father. He could have blamed himself. However, Joseph knew that it was God who was in control and had everything set up in order that he, Joseph, might become the preserver of lives.

In God's processing of Joseph there were three strippings Joseph had to experience. This speaks of the processes of God that we got through to become a mature son. These are explained by the three great feast the Jews celebrated at the command of God. Passover, Pentecost and The Feast of Taberncles. . He was stripped of his coat of many colors. His clothing was stripped away by Potiphar's wife. Then the prison clothes were stripped away and he was led to the throne. A 30-60-and 100 fold stripping.

Joseph is a type of a first fruits company of believers who come into maturity first and as a result the whole Body of Christ will come into maturity.

Joseph also refers to the "Elect of God." Principal #1 in this story is that Joseph was favored by his father. Some of you might say "But God doesn't have favorites." Yes He does. For whom He choose, He did predestinate to be formed into the image of His Son. Not everybody is going to be in this class. You will find no reason why Joseph got the coat of many colors other than the choice of his father. The seven colors in the coat are a type of the seven spirits of God. Or the full manifestation of the personality of God. It was a priestly coat. It was a coat fit for a ruler. The coat was a mark of distinction, or royalty, of birthright.

Joseph was the eleventh son and he started out in confusion. When you are a dreamer, the first thing the dream will do is confuse you. In his confusion Joseph told his half brothers and his father. He was a dreamer, he had a vision of the throne. When you tell your half brothers your dream, they will seek to do away with you and discredit you.

In light of present day truth, those of the Tribe of Joseph see beyond most Spirit filled people of their day and not only see the Feast of Tabernacles but inter into it. They can see that there are those who will rule and reign with Christ in this age. They understand that it is possible to be like Christ. Those of the Tribe of Joseph proclaim a message that there is going to be a people who will rise and put the enemy under their feet. As the world systems fall apart, they will be the only salt in the earth and they will be here to preserve it not to destroy it. They will destroy the wickedness in people but will preserve them.

There are many descriptive terms for Joseph and Benjamin's ministry. They are called a Joseph company. Sometimes a Benjamin company. Sometimes they are called a100 fold company. Sometimes they are called the Judah company. Those who are called and sent first out ahead of the rest of the Church. Sometimes a manchild company. Sometimes a first fruits company. Sometimes the elect of God.

It is obvious that Joseph's half brothers did not like the vision that Joseph told them. In fact they hated him, envied him, persecuted him, and they conspired against him. They wanted to kill him, strip him and throw him in a pit and finally sell him. If you have the courage to speak forth today what the Lord is saying to you in your prayer time, you will be ostracized; you will be maligned, you will be slandered, you will be talked about, you will be hated, you will be envied, you will be persecuted, but mostly, you will be misunderstood.

The first thing to be leveled against you is this: "You are being exclusive and you think you are better than everyone else." "Why can't you be like everyone else?" "Who do you think you are?" There is a lesson to be learned in all this. Don't tell your dreams to a half brother. Who is a half brother? Those who are deceived and set in their ways and are not teachable.

In the processes of Joseph's life God had everything under control. On the surface or from our standpoint, Joseph had to endure a lot of hardships and trails before he was entrusted with the keys to the throne. Not only was he betrayed by his own brothers and sold into slavery but he was also thrown into prison for something he did not do. Just because you are honest and truthful doesn't mean everyone is going to bless you.

James said in James 1:2-3,

Paul said in Rom 8:28,

When Joseph was in prison God gave him grace and favor and he was put in charge of the prison house. While there, God gave him the knowledge of what the dreams of the butler and baker meant. Sometime later Pharaoh had a dream and it was called to his attention that there was someone in his prison that had all the answers.

God is raising up a ministry today that has all the answers. Jesus said in John 16:13-14,

Joseph did not hesitate for a minute to tell Pharaoh the answer to this dream. What the world is looking for right now, is the answer. No one has the answers, except those who are a part of the Joseph company. You say: "Well, where are they now?" In a prison house waiting for the timing of the Lord. They are a king and keeper of all the prisoners. They are waiting for the One who is the ruler to send a word to the prison house calling them forth and to be made manifest. Then they will give the answer before all.

When Joseph came out of prison and was revealed to the king, he came out to reign. He was exalted to second place in the kingdom and given rule over all of Egypt. Egypt is a type of all that is evil. This Joseph company are destined to rule over all evil. After Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dream and was given charge over all of Eygpt, God prepared a famine that covered the then known world.

There is a famine that is coming upon God's people even as I speak. Yesterday's anointing is being dried up and is causing a famine. This famine of His anointing is to cause His people to once again hunger and thirst for Him. Instead, though, most Pentecostals are hungering and thirsting for His gifts and not for the giver. Preachers everywhere are trying by their own effort to bring back the anointing of yesterday.

In this day of spiritual famine God has prepared a Joseph company of called out ones who are beginning to be revealed who will lead His people to a complete revelation of Him. The very ministers in your local area that think you and I are a bunch of false prophets and heretics, are the very people God had on His heart when He started dealing with you and me. He chose us to be sent ahead in order to preserve them in the time of trouble.

The day will come when the very people that have come against you and have thrown you in a pit, (if you are a part of this Joseph company), will come back to you. They won't be able to recognize you, but you will know who they are. They will come to you for corn, and you will be the only one who can feed them.

God is strategically placing local churches all over this great country of ours, as a hub of a wheel. These local churches are going to reveal the glory of God in their area. In this time of famine, God is going to bring people from all denominations into these Joseph churches.

The day will come when there is no corn: Absolutely no Word at all in the harlot system. Do you know how Babylon fell? The people sent of God diverted the flow of the river. The same thing is happening today. The rivers of the harlot system are drying up because the cloud of His presence has lifted and they have refused to move on with Him.

There are churches in this valley that are in deep trouble. There are even Spirit filled churches who continue to live in the past of yesterday's anointing. Their pastors do not know what to do because the system is no longer working. They are trying with everything within them to produce yesterday's anointing. But the river is drying up and yesterday's manna has worms in it. Those who have refuse to go on with the leading of the Holy Spirit into all truth and have bought into the Harlot System are going to be without food.

The city of Babylon is going to fall. Rev 18:10 says,

In Gen. 37:3 it says,

Joseph is a son for the last days. He was born at the end of Israel's life. Just as he was a son of Israel's old age, even so God is raising up a people for these last days. The age of grace is in the process of passing away and the Joseph Company is being brought forth bringing in the new age of His Kingdom.

In the first days of this age, there is coming a Joseph ministry who is wearing a coat of many colors. This coat speaks of royalty and is for a ruler or priest. Right now there is a Joseph people all over the world wearing a coat of many colors. The coat of many colors speaks of the seven spirits of God which are around the throne, and the fifth chapter of Revelation says they are going to be sent into all the earth.

It was prophesied of Benjamin that he would raven as a wolf. The word raven means to tear up. Tearing up people in their thinking, is exactly what we are doing. Those who are going to be the son of the right hand will be found tearing up religious traditions of false teaching.

Jesus went through the temple and cleansed it and chased out money changers. He did not announce he was coming, and he did not apologize. God is producing a ministry in this area that is going to tear the religious systems apart. People are going to be crying out: "Tell us the truth."

In Gen 41:9-13 (NIV) it says,

Notice that Joseph prophesied and it came to pass exactly as prophesied. God has a ministry in the earth that you can try to lock up with your wagging tongues in a small church and you can entice them, you can try to buy them and do to them anything you want, but everything they speak is going to happen, and there is nothing you can do about it.

Notice he interpreted that God would restored one man and humble another. No man has this kind of authority. However, Joseph did, because he was God's mouthpiece. Elijah walked into Ahab's court and said, "It's not going to rain in this land until I say so." and then he walked out. Ahab called for his doctor of divinity and asked him, "Who was that nut?" He said, "Oh, you know those old prophets!" "They come in off the desert every once in a while." But a year later, when it had not rained, Ahab said, "WHERE IS THAT MAN OF GOD?"

God is raising up prophetic ministry that will speak a creative word which will bring a brand new kingdom into existence. This Kingdom will arise and control the affairs and destinies, not only of men, but of nations. God called Jeremiah and said, "I have ordained you to be a prophet to the nations. You can tear them down and pull them up."

Today, this is the mission of the Tribe of Benjamin. History is nothing more than God's story as dictated through the mouth of his prophets. Every age that has ever come into being was spoken into existence by the Word of God. Many are sitting around waiting for this Kingdom to come and God is saying, "Get up from where you are sitting and start speaking it into existence." Many are sitting around waiting for God to come and change them all at once yet God's word tells us that life and death are in the power of the tongue. Joseph controlled the affairs of an entire nation, and if you will, the entire earth.

In Gen 41:39-41 it says,

Can you hear Jesus saying to a ministry, "According to your word shall all my people be ruled and only in respect to the throne will I be greater than you?" This is exactly what will be said to those who mature in the Feast of Tabernacles.

In John 14:12 Jesus says,

And again in Rev. 3:21,

What happens in your city will be dictated entirely by what is declared by you. If you don't like the sin and corruption going on in your city, prophesy against it. Most people are afraid to speak the message of the Kingdom of God, because their half brothers will raise up and say, "Well, just who do you think you are?" "Who gave you the authority to speak and prophesy like that?" Your answer will be, "My Father gave me that right the day He gave me a coat of many colors."

In Gen. 41:41-46 Joseph told them how to plant, how to harvest, and he told them how to store it up. God, even today, is sending out a ministry to all who will receive them, to every church in this great land, saying this is what you plant, this is how you plant it, this is how you harvest it, and this is how you store it up.

From all over this nation people are going to come to those ministries that are preaching the Word and walking in it. People will request that you come and teach them the Word of God. Through out this nations will go teams of Apostolic ministries. They will tell them how to declare the Word of God and walk in it and how to harvest the souls and how to preserve them and teach them to reproduce. Most Christians do not know how to reproduce. They have fished all night and caught nothing, because they were fishing in darkness. And what they have been reproducing is not the Son of His right hand.

Joseph is getting ready to go through the land and show churches how to do everything according to God's plan. Not man's plan. He will teach them how to get people saved. Teach them why it is necessary to baptize them in water. How to get people filled with the Holy Spirit. He will teach them to enter into the Feast of Tabernacles. His ministry is an Elijah ministry as well, because he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers.

Now, let's look at what Jacob prophesied over Joseph. Gen. 49:22, says,

The word 'archer' represents ministries in scriptures. The other ministries have taken aim at Joseph and they shot at him with anger and wagged their tongues. But do you see what is going to happen?

Verse 24-25 says,

When Joseph shoots, the other ministries don't like him. A Joseph ministry has a word that will pierce your heart. There is a tremendous anointing behind the words of Joseph that will draw you to want to know Jesus. It has been my experience in the ministry that whenever this Joseph ministry is flowing through me, I never miss.

Verse 26 says,

The Joseph Company has the seven spirits of the Lord fully manifested through them. All of these blessing of the Father rest on their heads. Are you willing to be separated from your brothers, in order that the Lord may use you to preserve them?

In Deut 33:13-17 Moses said of Joseph,

The precious dew from heaven speaks of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The deep waters the quietness that comes from the deep relationship with the Father and the deep knowledge this reveals. Still waters run deep. The very best that the Son brings forth in Joseph and the best that his relationship with the Church can reflect. The very best that the earth can offer will be given to Joseph.

The Joseph company will receive the favor of the Lord who dwells in the burning bush. Those in the Joseph company are indwelled by the fire of the burning bush which is the all consuming fire of God. All who come in contact with them will be consumed in their fiery presence. They will experience the all consuming fire of God when in the presence of the people of the Joseph company. All of these blessing will rest on the head of Joseph which is Jesus Christ and since Joseph is joined to Him they will rest on him.

The Joseph company will gore the nations. Their spirit will penetrate all nations and bring about the purpose of the Lord. In the body of Christ Joseph is the neck which is joined to the head Jesus and the shoulders Benjamin.

The Apostle Paul said in 2 Cor. 3:18 (NIV),

Transformation is a process that we go through as we continue in His Word learning and becoming what is revealed to us by His Spirit. The ultimate goal of the Spirit is to transform us into the likeness or image of the Lord. As we progress in this transformation process we increase in our ability to praise and worship the Father, from glory to glory. The Spirit of the Lord is changing us into His image and likeness but I fear that the majority of the body of Christ has little conception of what that really is. As long as we still struggle with accepting each other without condemnation, how can we possibly have any idea what the image of Christ is.

John had a problem with this and wrote in 1 John 3:2 (NIV),

One reason we are at such a loss of clarity on how to describe the form of this new man, has to do with the complex subject matter. After all, this is God we are talking about! Who can fully describe His form? He has so many features and dimensions only a fool could say with confidence His form is this or that. John understood this more than any of us and he admitted that he didn't know. However, one thing John seemed very sure of is that whatever the form is that we become, when we are finished, we will be LIKE Him!

How, then, shall we become like Him? Only by seeing Him as He really IS. Paul said in 1 Cor. 13:12 (NIV),

Since God is Spirit, if we are to see Him we must look through the eyes of our spirit.

Let me bring all of this into focus in the light of our walk in God today. While it is true that we are becoming something, what happens after we become? What is God's purpose for us becoming like Him? Are we just going to be or are we going to be doing something? There is life after arrival! The Feast of Tabernacles the final stage in our becoming like Him, however, there is more to God's plan for us than just that. Now that we are like Him, what is there for us to do?

I believe nothing has ever been created out of chance or fate, but everything has been created with a divine design. Everything in the earth and the heavens were created by our Father with a designed form and function.

The important thing to understand is that whatever God creates has a design that reveals Him. The scripture says that Christ is the Head and the Church is the Body. The head is the seat of government in the body. It receives information from the body via the nervous and circulatory systems and sends vital information back to the body through the same means.

We have heard it preached for years that we are destined for a headship ministry. After all, it is the Head that symbolizes the Throne of God and it is there where all power is. The Head speaks of kingship, ruling and reigning, decision making, policy keeping, etc.. Recently, however, I have become aware of the importance of the neck in relation to the various parts of this spiritual body.

If you were to ask me what I think is being constructed by God at this time in the Body of Christ, I would have to say that I believe it is the neck ministry. I want to show you why I believe this.

In our lives, today, we need to hear from God Himself and not man. We need communication from God that is pure and undefiled. This communication will come from a group of saints that the Lord is raising up today that will bridge the gap between the paralyzed lifeless Body and the alive, functioning Head. This is the function of the NECK MINISTRY.

The neck is a part of the body that belongs to both Head and body. Its function is to provide a protected passage of communication and supplies between the Head and Body. It is literally a tunnel through which every nerve fiber and blood vessel must pass unimpeded to the Head in order to have a FUNCTIONING organism.

Every command that the Head sends to the Body must go through the neck. If the Head wants the finger to scratch the nose, it sends a message via the spinal cord to the finger and activates the arm and hand to reach the nose and scratch it. This rather simple task is only simple because most of us have a functioning neck.

To understand the importance of the function of the neck in the Corporate Spiritual Body of Christ let me put it this way. The Body can only benefit from the Head as much as the neck will allow. God is looking for men and women to express Himself through. It is time to bridge the gap of communication between man and God with a Neck Ministry that will not tell God what to do but, instead, will listen to what the Lord has to say.

You can be this man or woman if you will rise up and allow the Lord to cleanse you from having been stiff-necked in the past. From not having been willing to walk by the leadership of His Spirit. All He wants out of you is a yielding Spirit and obedient heart. If you give Him all that you are He will do the rest and speak for Himself.

Did you know that you are a pattern of the mount of transfiguration. You are the temple of the Holy Ghost, made without hands, and fashioned by the Hands of the Lord, to be used as He sees fit. The Lord has chosen you, not man! How long are you going to let the things of this world keep you from fulfilling your destiny in the plan of Redemption?

I want to use the anatomy of the human neck to reveal to you an understanding of the importance of the Corporate Spiritual Neck. The neck is supported by seven vertebrae. The top two vertebrae of the neck are given specialized terms because they are different from the other five in form and function.

The first vertebrae in the neck is situated at the base of the skull and acts as a seat upon which the head rests. The medical field has chosen to call this vertebrae by a special name, which is 'ATLAS'. This is evidently taken from the Greek mythology that has to do with Zeus banishing Atlas to the task of bearing the world upon his shoulders.

This can be likened to the ministry of the King and Priest. There is a definite distinction between the King and Priest ministry and the ministry of the apostle, prophet, pastor, teacher and evangelist. Neither does away with the other but there is a distinct difference in the form and function of each of them.

I don't want you to have any false ideas about what this Word is requiring out of you so let me say this. If you are not burdened in your Spirit, and carrying the world on your shoulders, then you are not as far along in God as you may think.

Obidiah 1:21 says (NKJV),

When the Scripture says that Saviors will come from Zion to cut off the house of Esau, we must understand what a Savior is. A saviors is not some angelic being tiptoeing through the tulips! Neither is it some free Spirit unmindful of anything else except its own happiness and well-being. A Savior is one that takes on the burden of the corruption of creation and gives his life to redeem it. This is a sacrificial order of the highest degree.

A Savior is never satisfied with his singular resurrection. He does not rest until everyone from the least to the greatest shares in his victory. And if he must walk through hell to give it to them, then so be it! We are becoming the seat of mercy and salvation to the world. We need a ministry that will hold the Head up from the earth so that He may draw all men unto Himself!

Those of us being drawn into this ministry will gladly bear the burden of the sick and afflicted until they arrive at their appointed visitation. We have the spirit of the Shepherd who declares, "For this reason I am come into the world!" "COME unto me all ye who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest".

Jesus said that the foxes have holes and the birds have nests but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head. Well, now he has a Neck Ministry that will bear His head to the world and they are not ashamed to be called His Son-Servants. The part of the seven-fold ministry that the Atlas represents is the Priest.The priest bears the sins of the world and esteems each man perfect in the Lord until each is processed into that reality. They remit sins rather than retaining them. They love the loveless and pray for their enemies.

They awake in the middle of the night and minister for the needs that the Lord presents before them. They hold back nothing, but give their all. They are the Atlas of the Corporate Man.

The second vertebrae that is specialized in the neck is called the Axis. It is situated directly under the Atlas. The dictionary says the Axis is a straight line about which a body or geometrical object rotates or may be conceived to rotate". The word "axle" comes from this word.

The reason this term is used for this particular vertebrae is because it is used to nod the head and give mobility to it. As a result it dictates how far the head can swivel and nod. The word Axis speaks of stability and symmetry. The line it represents is the absolute center of an object around which everything else revolves.

This is the Kingship of the seven-fold ministry. Remember, Kingship isn't just power in the natural, as Saul found out. A King is at his best when he represents stability and security. The kingdom revolves around the throne of the King. As the King is, so is the kingdom. What we need in this day, is leadership who can walk into our midst and immediately we are covered with an atmosphere of safety and well-being.

Many preachers are great at screaming out the themes of revelation but they have such a negative attitude toward the Body of Christ that it gives you a feeling of uneasiness when you are around them. I see a ministry that is BOTH King and Priest who bear the burden of the Lord with a dignity and assurance that causes men's hearts to turn to the Lord.

Another aspect of the Neck Ministry is that it is within the neck that the vocal chords are located. Without the vocal chords you can articulate with your mouth perfectly but it will not edify anyone, since the sound is missing. Sound is created when air is forced through the vocal chords which causes them to vibrate creating what we know to be our voice.

The Lord wants a voice to be heard in the Land.. A sound of many waters, thunderings, roarings and such has been heard throughout the ages, but now the Lord wants a clear, articulate VOICE.

Joel 2:11(KJV) says,

The Tribe of Joseph is such a ministry. In God's plan for Joseph's life he was rejected before he was accepted. He was envied before he was honored. He was stripped before he was clothed. He was cast down before he was exalted. He was a slave before he became a master. He was imprisoned before he ruled. He was forgotten before he became well known.

In Gen 50:20 (KJV) Joseph told his brothers,

The purpose of Joseph's life and ministry was to save many people alive. Not just to save many people but to save or deliver many people from death. In the circumstances he had to go through, he could have blamed the devil. He could have blamed his father. He could have blamed himself. However, Joseph knew that it was God who was in control and had everything set up in order that he, Joseph, might become the preserver of lives.

In light of present day truth, those of the Tribe of Joseph see beyond most Spirit filled people of their day and not only see the Feast of Tabernacles but inter into it. They can see that there are those who will rule and reign with Christ in this age. They understand that it is possible to be like Christ.

Those of the Tribe of Joseph proclaim a message that there is going to be a people who will rise and put the enemy under their feet. As the world systems fall apart, they will be the only salt in the earth and they will be here to preserve it not to destroy it. They will destroy the wickedness in people but will preserve them.

In Gen. 37:3 it says,

Joseph is a son for the last days. He was born at the end of Israel's life. Just as he was a son of Israel's old age, even so God is raising up a people for these last days. The age of grace is in the process of passing away and the Joseph Company is being brought forth bringing in the new age of His Kingdom.

In the body of Christ Joseph is the neck, which is joined to the head Jesus and the shoulders Benjamin.