III. LIVING THE KINGDOM LIFE
Joseph’s life under the heavenly vision was the life of the kingdom of the heavens described in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. According to the constitution of the heavenly kingdom revealed in these chapters in Matthew, our anger must be subdued and our lust conquered (Matt. 5:21-32). If we claim to be the kingdom people, yet we cannot subdue our anger or conquer our lust, we are finished. Instead of being in the kingdom, we are on the seashore. We are those giving vent to our anger and indulging in lust. But all the kingdom people subdue their anger and conquer their lust. This is the kingdom life.
In the kingdom life today, kings are being trained. We, the kingdom people in the kingdom life, are being trained to be kings, to be Josephs, to be the reigning aspect of the mature life. For this, we must subdue our anger and conquer our lust. What a wonderful picture Joseph’s life is of our experience today! Day by day, we are subduing our anger and conquering our lust. Instead of agreeing with our anger or cooperating with our lust, we reject our anger and condemn our lust, because we are the reigning aspect of the mature life. We have the constitution of Christ within us, and we are being prepared to reign as kings.
IV. ENJOYING
THE LORD’S PRESENCE
A life such as Joseph’s always has the presence of the Lord (39:2-5, 21-23). Wherever the presence of the Lord is, there is authority. If you have the presence of the Lord, the authority of the Lord will be with you. For example, in captivity Daniel had the Lord’s presence; therefore, the Lord’s authority was with him. Even a child in a family may have the Lord’s presence and therefore be the genuine authority in that family. In the case of Joseph, Potiphar, an officer in Pharaoh’s palace, was in control of things. Eventually, however, Potiphar was under Joseph’s control because Joseph had the Lord’s presence. Also consider Joseph’s experience in prison. Although there was a ruler over the prison, eventually this ruler was not the actual ruler. Instead, Joseph, a prisoner who had the presence of God, became the ruler. Both in Potiphar’s house and in the prison Joseph became king.
Wherever the constitution of Christ goes with the presence of God, there will be the reigning part. In the coming kingdom it will be this part that will be the co-kings with Christ in the kingdom of the heavens. Thus, the reigning aspect of the mature life is a life that always enjoys the presence of the Lord. The authority in this universe is the Lord Himself. Wherever His presence is, there is authority, the ruling power. As long as we have the Lord’s presence, we have authority, even if we are in prison. Although we may be prisoners, we shall eventually become rulers. We shall rule wherever we are. This indicates that we are the reigning aspect of the mature life.
A. Prospered by the Lord
In the presence of the Lord, Joseph was prospered by Him (39:2-3, 23). Where the presence of the Lord is, there is not only the Lord’s authority, but also prosperity brought about by the Lord’s sovereignty. While Joseph was undergoing ill-treatment, he enjoyed the prosperity that came to him under the Lord’s sovereignty.
B. The Favor with the Lord’s Blessing
In the Lord’s presence, Joseph was favored with the Lord’s blessing wherever he was. The Lord’s blessing always accompanies prosperity under His sovereignty. When Joseph enjoyed prosperity, he and those who were involved with him were blessed (39:4-5, 22-23).
(Life-Study of Genesis, Chapter 111, by Witness Lee)
