III. JOSEPH GIVEN AUTHORITY DIRECTLY
THROUGH HIS INTERPRETATION
OF PHARAOH’S DREAMS
Joseph’s speaking not only released him from prison, but also ushered him to the throne. Joseph spoke himself to the throne. He was given authority directly through his interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams (41:25-44). If I had been the one interpreting dreams for Pharaoh, I would have been very cautious, fearing that Pharaoh would ask me about my own dreams. I would have been afraid that Pharaoh might say, "You don’t have any experience. How can I listen to your interpretation? Your dreams have not been fulfilled. How then can my dreams be fulfilled? Go away from me." Joseph, however, was bold to speak, to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, and through his speaking he was given authority. Do you want to be released? Do you want to receive authority? If you do, then you need to speak. The more you speak, the more you will be released. Do not say that you are not qualified to speak, for the more you say that you are not qualified and that you are in the dungeon, the longer you will remain in the dungeon. But the more you speak, the more released you will be. Release will come through your speaking. In our experience we have found that the more we speak, the more released we are. I cannot tell you how released I am through my speaking. When I return home after speaking in the meeting, I am happy and refreshed. My speaking releases me from every kind of imprisonment. I do not care about so many things, for I speak my way out of the dungeon. Learn to speak yourself out of your dungeon. The best way to be released is to speak.
If you want authority, you need to speak. Speaking is what gave Joseph his authority. His speaking not only put him on the throne, but it secured for him authority over all the land. The more you speak, the more authority you will have. Release and authority both come through speaking. Whether you are at home, at school, or at work, you need to speak. Every time you come to the meeting, you should speak. We should be speaking all the time. The more we speak, the more release we shall enjoy, and the more authority we shall receive.
IV. JOSEPH MINISTERING FOOD TO PEOPLE
THROUGH HIS INTERPRETATION OF DREAMS
Through his speaking Joseph also became a supplier of food. He ministered food to others through his interpretation of dreams. You may say that you are poor. You are poor because you are silent. Why are you so silent at school, in your neighborhood, or in the meetings? Why do you not speak? You may say, "Oh, I don’t have enough experience to speak anything. I’ve been in the church life for many years. At the beginning, I heard that the church life would be glorious. But now I don’t feel that it is very glorious. Thus, I don’t have the assurance to speak anything about the glorious church life." However, the less you speak of the glorious church life, the less you will be in such a church life. You need to speak contrary to your feeling. Say something that is not according to your feeling, but that is according to your vision. When you declare that the church life is glorious, you will be in the glorious church life you are speaking into being. If you say, "I don’t have it," then you will not have it. But if you speak, you will supply others with food. By your speaking you will have the release, the authority, and the food. Hallelujah, this all comes through speaking!
From time to time over the years, certain ones have said, "Brother Lee, how do you get so much life? Every time I see you, you are refreshed and full of life." I answer that I am refreshed and receive life by speaking. If I were to go to a certain place and were not to speak, I would be ready for burial. However, when I speak, I am released, I receive authority, and I have the food to supply others. I can testify to all that because I do the most speaking, I am more released, I have more authority, and I have more food. Oh, we all must learn to speak! Do not speak according to your experience—speak according to your vision.
(Life-Study of Genesis, Chapter 114, by Witness Lee)
