The Power Of Meekness

By Adenuga Sunday Joseph

The Bible says that the meek shall inherit the earth (Psalm 37:11 and Mathew 5:5). Meekness was the magic wand that made Moses to be very successful in his chosen career. If you want to have good success, you must be meek and if you are not, pray for it.

Have you ever considered the reason God picked on Joseph to be the earthy caretaker of our Lord Jesus Christ?
On the 28th of September 1996, I was ministering alongside with Evangelist Gboyega Ajadi in Iree Polytechnic Gospel Student Fellowship and the Lord ministered to me and asked me this question, “have you wondered why I saw it fit to use Joseph to take care of the formative years of Jesus Christ on earth?
The Lord revealed a lot of qualities found in Joseph that qualified him for this privileged position, I will share some of them with you in this book.
In Mathew 1:18 – 25
18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise when as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

Joseph suddenly discovered that though he had not known Mary, yet she was pregnant. This means, he had not have deep intimate relationship with Mary that may have led to sexual intercourse. He did not know what had happened, we know today because we have read it, and we have learnt about the life of Christ; but back then, Joseph did not know what we know today. He did not know that the child in Mary’s womb was of the Holy Ghost. How many men today will be able to bear that?

19.Then Joseph her husband being a just man

(The Bible says that Joseph was a just man, he was meek and cool- headed and was open to sound reasoning.) and not willing to make her a public example was minded to put her away privily. Some men today would be so angry, they could cut off her head, but as Joseph was thinking about it, an Angel appeared to him in a dream to warn him. He did not seek a confirmation, he just believed, he did not despise the dream, he did not demand to hear an audible voice or to see the angel physically in real life like Manoah the father of Samson. He just believed God –it was a simple faith. He did not quote scriptures that, “out of two or three witnesses every word shall be confirmed” He simply believed and obeyed the word or voice of God which happened to be the perfect will of God.

How many people today are led (through dreams) but rejected the dream as a mere thought of their mind. Joseph was obedient to God, it didn’t matter whether God spoke through dream, audible voice, inner still small voice prophecy, a visitation of an Angel, or anyhow else, he just obeyed. He obeyed the angel that God sent to him in the dream – this is meekness. No wonder, God choose to use him to bring up and nurture our Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh.
Joseph acted God, by becoming the father of God’s Son, he was good enough to teach Jesus some basic things of life (humanity).
When they went to Jerusalem the time Jesus was twelve years old, Jesus went to the temple, ‘to be about my father’s business’. They looked for him sorrowing for three days. When he was found, Joseph did not lift up his hand to beat or cane Jesus, many men today would be so angry that the first thing they’ll do would be to slap that child. It was Mary that spoke and said,

“Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing”.

It was never recorded that Joseph was ever angry (or loose his temper), he never over reacted to the situation, He was a man full of wisdom and understanding. Wisdom is believing God even when you do not understand what He is doing, saying or planning. In Luke 2:50, the bible says

And they understood not the saying (of Jesus) which he spake unto them.

Joseph may not understand but he believed God, yet he did not maltreat Jesus, he loved Jesus for who he was – what a father, much like unto the Almighty God. In the same vein we are not called to understand everything about God or His Word, we are called to believe Him and His word and that is real wisdom. In Mathew 1:25, we read

And knew her not till she had brought forth her first born son; and he called his name Jesus.

Joseph was disciplined enough not to have sex with Mary, they lived together, slept together in the same house yet he did not do it. Everybody knows that it is O.k to have sex with your pregnant wife but Joseph did not. What kind of reward do you think Joseph will receive? Think about the father of Jesus, who had the responsibility of taking care of the Lord, he lived an exemplary life, he did not go about getting drunk, sleeping with girls, lying, cheating etc. He was meek and disciplined that even God (I mean Jesus Christ) could learn from him how to be a good carpenter, he taught ‘God’ so many things in the flesh. He protected our Lord Jesus Christ, took him to Egypt when Herod sought the life of the Saviour. Meekness is the word that described the totality of Joseph’s life.

If you can make yourself a meek man/woman, heaven and earth will see you and recognize you and reward with a sounding success in all your endeavour.
If you study your Bible very well, you will understand that Joseph was a very successful carpenter. As the fame of Jesus spread abroad, people wondered as recorded in Mathew 13:55

“Is not this THE CARPENTER’S son? ….”

Joseph was the carpenter of his city, meaning he was the foremost, the most popular, the most successful carpenter. Joseph through meekness was so successful, people traced Jesus back to him, why? This is because Joseph was conspicuously successful, he could not but be noticed.
Some people are so successful today that nobody remembers or recognizes their fathers, because they do not have successful fathers. The father of Jesus was a successful father because of meekness, be meek. A meek man is too gentle to fight, he doesn't know how to argue, he is too pre occupied by his purpose that nothing else mattered. So because of this 'weakness', God Himself have to fight all his battles. A meek man cannot fight: God fights for him. If you can fight and avenge yourself of your enemies, God did not need to fight for you. Moses didn't fight with any man who rose up against him in rebellion, God did. Even when his senior sister Miriam misbehaved to him, God had to teach her a lesson for seven days that you don't toil with a meek man. When you see a meek man be afraid because God Himself is the One fighting for him. So, why not pray for the spirit of meekness now?