Joel Osteen's wife Victoria loves the story of Jacob's son Joseph from the Bible because it best exemplifies what it means for people to live out the life God has intended for them.
"Joseph was a young boy dearly loved by his father. His father distinguished him from his eleven brothers with a beautiful, luxurious coat of many colors. That coat set Joseph apart and symbolized the favor and affection of his father. It also represented God's mantle and anointing on his life. In essence, that beautiful coat displayed Joseph's identity," Victoria writes in her blog.
Because of this, Joseph's brothers grew jealous of him. They were so consumed with anger and jealousy that they all plotted to kill him. When they found the perfect opportunity, they ambushed him, stripped him of his coat, then threw him in a pit. One of his brothers pleaded on behalf of Joseph, so the others agreed to sell him into slavery instead.
"I find it interesting that the first thing they did was strip him of his coat. It symbolized that they were trying to strip him of his identity, favor and anointing," noted Victoria.
But Joseph's story does not end there. He was taken to Egypt and sold to a high-ranking official named Potiphar. Joseph was a hard worker and soon earned Potiphar's favor. Even though he was stripped of his coat, no one else can strip him of his identity as God's son. But even in Potiphar's household, someone still tried to rob him of his identity.
Potiphar's wife tried to seduce Joseph but he would not be swayed. Out of frustration, she framed Joseph and her husband believed her, and Joseph was sent to prison.
"Now, that's not the end of the story. Even though Joseph was knocked down many times, he rose again in great victory. He stayed faithful to God, and God blessed him beyond his wildest dreams," said Victoria.
She said that Joseph's journey is a powerful reminder that different people in life will try to strip Christians of their identity, but what is important is that they stay on guard and remain faithful to the Lord.
"Do you ever find that you try to adjust who you are in order to be accepted by others?" she asked. "You may not be like everyone else, but that's okay. Be who God made you to be. You may get knocked down sometimes, but just like Joseph, you will rise again! Stand strong in faith and don't let the world strip you of your robe!"
