Are you feeling stuck, trapped in a job that doesn’t align with your dreams, and wondering if you’ll ever break free? Perhaps you long to build wealth God’s way but struggle to see the path forward. We all have moments where we dream of prospering but it feels more like we’re in a pit. The story of Joseph in the Bible offers timeless lessons on navigating disappointment, staying faithful in difficult seasons, and trusting God to guide you toward your dreams. 

In this post, we will explore 4 key wealth-building principles from Joseph’s life that can help you elevate your perspective and build a legacy of wealth and purpose. But first, who was Joseph in the Bible?

Who was Joseph in the Bible?

Joseph was the eleventh and favorite of Jacob’s twelve sons. He was born to Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife. The name Joseph means “to add” or “to increase,” which makes him a great example to study when it comes to building wealth!

Joseph and his brothers make up the twelve tribes of Israel (though Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, became separate tribes).

Jacob gifted Joseph a special coat of many colors, which made his brothers jealous. To top it off, Joseph shares dreams that suggest he will rule over his brothers one day. So, in a fit of envy, his brothers plot to kill him! However, they ultimately decide to sell him into slavery instead when he is just seventeen years old. This blog will outline the rest of his story! 

Where to Find the Story of Joseph in the Bible

You can find the story of Joseph in the Bible in Genesis 37-50. It comes right after his dad, Jacob’s story of spending years working for his tricky uncle Laban. He finally makes it back home to Canaan with his big family, plenty of livestock, and some hard-earned wealth. He is settling down to build a life for his growing family– que the story of his son, Joseph.

Joseph is a man with the favor of God. Genesis 37 – 50 sets the stage for Joseph’s eventual rise to power in Egypt and the migration of his family to Egypt, where they would grow into the nation of Israel. Joseph has a true rags to riches story, showing how hard work and faithfulness leads to wealth and influence. So, let’s dig into the wealth building lessons we can learn from him!

1. God Promotes Faithful Stewardship 

Joseph served faithfully no matter where he was. After his brothers sold him into slavery, he became a slave in Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard. He served so exceptionally that he was quickly promoted to Potiphar’s personal attendant, in charge of everything he owned. 

Genesis 39:5-6 says, 

“From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!” 

However, things got tricky when Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph of trying to sleep with her. Joseph was unjustly sent to prison, but the Bible says that the Lord was with Joseph. 

 “Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.” (Genesis 39:22-23)

Joseph was a multiplier. His spirit of excellence was not dependent on his circumstances. Maybe you are in a tough season right now, too. Perhaps you are in a job you don’t like or in a situation that makes it difficult to build wealth. Let me encourage you today. God is no respecter of persons. If you remain faithful, God will make you successful, too. His favor will rest on you in unlikely places, and you will be fruitful in situations that feel like prisons. Want to dive even deeper? Fill out the form below to download my free e-book, Touch Your Dream: How to Find, Follow, & Fulfill God’s Dreams for Your Life!

2. Keep Dreaming Despite Disappointment

Proverbs 13:12 says “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.” Many people don’t keep dreaming long enough to see the latter part of that verse come to pass. They get heart sick and stop having faith for bigger things. If anyone had a reason to stop dreaming, it was Joseph. There was no guarantee he would get out of prison. Still, with the kind of motivation he demonstrated, I’m willing to bet he never stopped dreaming of the day he’d be free. 

It’s interesting to note that dreaming is also what got him into prison in the first place. He shared his dreams with his family (albeit arrogantly), and they sold him into slavery. Yet, he didn’t despise his gift and continued to dream with God. The very gift that got him into the prison placed him in the palace. If you don’t know the story, when Joseph was in prison he correctly interpreted the dreams of two of his fellow inmates. He predicted that the king’s former cupbearer would be restored to his position, and the chief baker would be killed. 

He told the cupbearer, “Please remember me and do me a favor when things go well for you. Mention me to Pharoah, so he might let me out of this place.” (Genesis 40:14) 

The cupbearer forgot until two years later! If I was Joseph, I’d be really disappointed and without hope at this point. Yet, the cupbearer finally told Pharaoh about Joseph, and he had the opportunity to interpret dreams for the ruler of Egypt. 

Here’s the point: there is no disappointment too big or circumstance too dire to keep you from dreaming with God. Though you may not see it now, He has a plan and a purpose for your life that’s better than anything you can imagine. The waiting season won’t last forever, and you will see your vision to reality!

3. Give God the Glory 

One of the biggest lessons from Joseph in the Bible is the peace and power that comes from giving the glory to God. What is your response whenever you achieve a new financial goal or prayers are answered in your business? Is it to get on your knees and give God the glory?

I love how Joseph responds to Pharaoh’s request to interpret his dreams in Genesis 41:16 (NLT), “‘It is beyond my power to do this,’ Joseph replied. ‘But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.’” 

Can you imagine the pressure Joseph was under? He had been in prison for two years, and this was his only ticket out the door. It was either interpret the dream correctly and become a free man or interpret the dream wrongly and probably be killed. Yet, he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God was on his side.

What would it look like for you to carry that kind of confidence? When we give God the glory, we don’t carry the stress or anxiety of outcomes. Our only job is to be faithful, and God does the rest. How would your businesses, investments, and goals look different if you modeled Joseph’s confidence?

Here’s the really cool part– that kind of confidence is contagious! After Joseph interpreted his dreams, Pharaoh was confident as well. He asked his officials, “‘Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?’” (Genesis 41:38, NLT) He even gives Joseph a new name, Zaphnath-Paaneah, which means ‘God speaks and lives.’” When you give God the glory for your success in the marketplace, it ministers to people of influence. 

4. Transform Nations 

Joseph correctly interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, and he changed the course of a nation. He predicted there would be seven years of great prosperity and seven years of great famine, and told Pharaoh what he should do to prepare:

“Therefore, Pharaoh should find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh should appoint supervisors over the land and let them collect one-fifth of all the crops during the seven good years. Have them gather all the food produced in the good years that are just ahead and bring it to Pharaoh’s storehouses. Store it away, and guard it so there will be food in the cities.” (Genesis 41:33-35, NLT)

Pharaoh assigned that role to Joseph, and he saw great prosperity: “He piled up huge amounts of grain like sand on the seashore. Finally, he stopped keeping records because there was too much to measure.” (Genesis 41:49) That’s a lot of grain! 

Joseph had some wealth building wisdom. God undoubtedly gave him revelation, but Joseph had a role to play, too. He proved himself faithful and a capable steward before he ever entered the palace. So, he was ready when the moment really counted. 

As Christians, the scope of our financial goals should extend far beyond our four and no more. The story of Joseph in the Bible is a great illustration of how God can use our humble, faithful stewardship to transform nations!

If you are ready to dream with God like Joseph in the Bible, check out the free “Touch Your Dream” e-book.

You will learn:

• How to connect with a bigger, God-sized vision for your future
• Motivation to embrace change and move forward
• Keys for smashing strongholds and identifying barriers to your goals
• Encouragement to move past disappointment so you can fulfill the dream 
• Much more!