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

I've admired Jennifer's work for some time now, so when I was asked to be a guest speaker in a private mastermind group, I was honored.

For those who ask for episodes that are “all about copy”, this fits the bill. Jennifer and her group asked some great questions and I think you'll find value in my answers.

If you'd like to know more about Jennifer Allwood and her new program, Better Way, check out the Links section below.