THE POWER OF THE SPIRITUAL THINGS

Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons and said who are these? Joseph said to his father, they are my sons, whom God has given me in this place. And he said, please bring them to me and I will bless them. Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him and he kissed them and embraced them. And Israel said to Joseph, I had not thought to see your face, but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring – Genesis 48 : 8 – 11.

The scripture says that Israel saw Joseph’s sons and it went further to say that the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. How was it possible that his eyes were dim and could not see and he saw Joseph’s sons? The word of God is not to confuse us but rather to enlighten us. Despite the fact that Israel was blind physically, it does not mean that he was blind spiritually. When our mind is opened to God and we obey Him, He will always reveal to us the secret things which He has kept for His children.

So Joseph brought them from beside his knees and he bowed down with his face to the earth. And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand and brought them near him. Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger and his left hand on Manasseh’s head guiding his hand knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph and said, God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads, let my name be named upon them and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth – Genesis 48 : 12 – 16.

Joseph place the senior son on the right hand of his father and the junior son on the left hand of his father because the right hand is the hand of authority. Israel  crossed his hand when he prayed for them.

Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. And Joseph said to his father, not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head. But his father refused and said, I know my son, I know. He also shall become a people and he also shall be great, but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations – Genesis 48 : 17 – 19.

Joseph tried to stop his father from crossing his hand and praying for his children but what does his father say – I know my son. There has been an existing system which has been going on in his ancestry from generation to generation – that is the senior son always serves the junior son even right from the time of Abraham. At times we have to be very watchful of things happening in our families. If there are things that has been happening in your family from generation to generation and it keep on repeating itself, you need to rise up and put an end to it if not, it will pass on to your children because with God nothing is impossible.

Abraham’s first son was Ishmael but was sent away and Isaac the junior brother was more recognized as Abraham’s first son. Isaac gave birth to Esau and Jacob. And Jacob took the blessing of  his senior brother thereby taking the place of the first son. Jacob’s first son was Reuben and his father said to him ”unstable as water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, then you defied it – he went up to my couch – Genesis 49 : 4′‘. But he told Joseph, ”I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and my bow – Genesis 48 : 22”.

The question is what pushed Reuben to go and defy his father’s bed? To me personally, I believe it is the same spirit of diversion that has been fighting every first son in his ancestry that pushed him to go and commit such atrocity. Spiritual things has to be handle or taken care of with s spiritual fight.

Father Lord, help us not to be robbed of any blessing You destined for us by any demonic spirit operating in our environment in Jesus name.