How to overcome

John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
 1 John 4:4
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

We all know the story of Joseph. If you need a refresher read Genesis 37:3, and it will trigger your memory, or fill you in. For today, allow me to highlight for you that Joseph was loved by his father. He was loved more than all of his other brothers, and this made the his brothers jealous. He had many dreams, and when he shared them with his brothers, it made them hate him all the more. They conspired to sale him into slavery. 

His circumstances had changed, but the favor on his life had not. Here is where I want your attention. You are God's favorite. Don't worry about everyone else. God is God. Don't ask me how, but He can have many favorites. Our surroundings, the people, the places, the job, the bosses, everything we know may change, but the favor on our life will not. We are more than over-comers. 

There is another story in the Bible about a son who finds himself in a pigpen. The story can be found in Luke 15:16. We can find ourselves in different surroundings, with different people, in different places, working different jobs or no job, with a new boss or no boss, everything we know my change, but we still have a father that loves us. When our appetites and instinct are no longer aligning with the reality that we are chosen, loved, freed, children of the King, we are where we don't belong. We are either physically or mentally in a pig pen. We are wallowing in sin. 

Some things we go through, because of our own choices. Other things we experience, or go through, are due to other peoples choices. Wherever, you find yourself, in whatever, state you might find yourself, get up and brush yourself off. Forgive those that have wronged you, and if need be forgive yourself, for your bad decisions. Your Father still loves you and wants you to come home. Your brothers, though they may never admit it until forced, are still responsible for how they treated you. God has a way of dealing with everyone individually, so leave that up to Him. Get yourself right. God will take care of everything else.

Psalm 103:3
Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heal all your diseases.

ACTION STEP: Remind yourself of who you are, and whose you are. Get into the Word of God, and let that Word, get inside you. He is waiting for you to either come home, or reveal your true identity to your brothers. Joseph's brothers had a change of heart only when they realized who their brother was, and then confronted what they had done to him. Your unveiling of who you are, changes who others are and how they see themselves. So, go ahead turn around and go back to the Father's House or set a table and invite those brothers and see what God can do.

We overcome by repenting and being who God has called us to be. Forgive and forge ahead. You are still God's favorite.