Bible Reading: Genesis 37:1-36

Genesis 37

1. And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
2. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
3. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
4. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
5. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
6. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
7. For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
8. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
9. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
10. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
11. And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
12. And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.
13. And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.
14. And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
15. And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?
16. And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.
17. And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.
18. And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
19. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
20. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
21. And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.
22. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.
23. And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;
24. And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
25. And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
26. And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
27. Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
28. Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
29. And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
30. And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?
31. And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;
32. And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no.
33. And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.
34. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
35. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
36. And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.

Memory Verse: Colossians 2:14 Having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Growing up we go to farm work till night and sleep over. Each night we gather round fire to tell stories. One of such nights my father told us a story of a quite village called Eden’s Gate, where a young man called David lived, from birth, the elders whispered that David was marked for greatness. His grandfather often told him, “The Lord has set you apart for something the world has never seen.” David was gifted and wise beyond his age, strong in his hands, gentle in his heart. He could fix a faulty radio, calm an angry crowd, and sing songs that made the hardest men cry. People loved him. He had a destiny to fulfil. A destiny to lead the village into a new season of prosperity.

But in the hills beyond Eden’s Gate, there was a strange market known only to the wicked, The Market of Shadows. It was not a place of fruit or fabric, but of futures. There, destinies could be bought, sold, or traded. One’s purpose could be stolen through deceit, greed, or carelessness.

One day, after a long day in the fields, David wandered toward the hills to make some research. He met a charming trader named Zerach, who spoke of shortcuts to success. “Why wait years for influence,” Zerach smiled, “when you can have it today? Sign this pledge, and you’ll feast like kings by morning.”

David restrained himself but the smell of roasted meat and the sparkle of gold on Zerach’s table weakened him. He signed. That night, David dreamed. He saw himself standing before a great throne, but every time he stepped forward, a dark shadow hand pulled a scroll from his heart his destiny. He saw another man, a stranger, wearing his crown, speaking to crowds that should have been his. He woke up trembling. Over the months, David’s strength faded. His songs lost their power. The villagers forgot the prophecies. The man who was to lead now followed.

One day, an old prophet came to Eden’s Gate. Looking deep into David’s eyes, he said, “Your crown is in the Market of Shadows. Go take it back. Repent, break the pledge, and fight for what was yours before birth.” David fasted, prayed, and confronted Zerach. In a moment of holy fury, he tore the pledge and declared, “My destiny belongs to the Lord!” A rushing wind filled the hills, and the scroll flew back into his chest.

David returned home changed. His voice carried power again. His steps were ordered. And in time, he became the leader God had promised, because he learned that destiny must be guarded, or it will be traded away.

Your destiny is God’s divine plan and purpose for your life, the reason you were born, the assignments you are meant to fulfil, and the blessings assigned to your journey. In Jeremiah 1:5, God says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…” That means destinies are designed before birth.

But destinies can be traded, sold, stolen, or exchanged, sometimes by ignorance, sometimes by deception, and sometimes by outright betrayal. The question is: Has someone traded your destiny away? If yes, hope is not lost, you can reclaim it and theses next seven days, as you fast and pray to God, restoration is coming in Jesus’ name. Amen.

COVENANT GATE HYMNALS 129 “GOD, GIVE ME BACK MY DESTINY”

By Apostle James Abache

WARFARE PRAYERS:

1. Father, expose anybody, group of  persons, spirit, or system trading with my destiny in secret. Ephesians 5:11 “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them” By Your fire, destroy their works now in Jesus’ name.

• Every covenant, pledge, or agreement entered into knowingly or unknowingly by me or my parents that has exchanged my glory, I break you now by the blood of Jesus. Colossians 2:14 Having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
  15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

• Lord, return to me every scroll, crown, or mantle that belongs to me in Your divine plan. Isaiah 62:3 “You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God”

• Powers that want me to settle for less than God’s plan, be silenced now in Jesus’ name. Psalm 33:10 “The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples”

• Father, restore the strength, gifts, and opportunities I have lost through carelessness or compromise. Joel 2:25–26 “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten, the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm, my great army that I sent among you. 26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed.”

• Every spiritual market where my name, future, or blessings are being traded catch fire now in Jesus’ name. Nahum 1:9 “Whatever they plot against the LORD he will bring to an end; trouble will not come a second time”

• O Lord, close the gates of access that the enemy uses to steal from my life. Isaiah 22:22 “What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”

• I reject every temporary pleasures that rob me of eternal purpose, in Jesus’ name. Hebrews 12:16 “See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.”

• Lord, open my eyes to discern those who come with bait to trade away my destiny. 1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.”

1. Every strange hand holding what belongs to me, release it now by the power of the Holy Spirit. Psalm 18:17“He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.”
2. Father, restore the honor, influence, and authority that were assigned to me before birth. Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.”

1. Let every satanic handwriting against my future be erased by the blood of Jesus. Colossians 2:14“He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”

1. Lord, align me with my destiny helpers and disconnect me from destiny destroyers in Jesus’ name. Amen. Proverbs 13:20“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm”
2. Father, seal my life with Your fire so that my destiny can never again be traded away in Jesus’ name. Amen. Zechariah 2:5 “And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,” declares the Lord, “and I will be its glory within.”

Declarations

In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, I speak over you today: your life, your future, and your destiny is safe in God’s hands. No person, no spirit, and no power will be able to secretly trade away what God has planned for you. The Bible says, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Right now, I declare that every hidden work of darkness against your life is exposed and destroyed by the fire of the Holy Ghost in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Every covenant, pledge, or agreement made, whether by you, your family, or on your behalf, that is against God’s plan for your life is broken by the blood of Jesus. The Bible says, “He took it away, nailing it to the cross.” That means your freedom is complete, your victory is certain, and your destiny is restored.

I declare over you that every blessing, opportunity, and year that you have lost will be given back in full. God has promised, “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten.” You will not be like Esau, who gave up his inheritance for a short moment of pleasure.

The Lord will be a wall of fire around you and His glory will be in you. Your eyes will be open to see every trap, your spirit will be alert to avoid every bait, and your steps will be ordered by the Lord. Destiny helpers will find you, and destiny destroyers will be far from you.

From today going forward,and this year 2026 specially, your life will fulfill every good plan God designed for you. Your glory will shine, your honour will be restored, and your destiny will never again be stollen in Jesus’ precious name.  Amen.

For All our Partners:

In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, I speak blessings over every partner of this ministry. You who have faithfully prayed, given, shared, and supported the work of God, your labour will not be in vain. The Word says, “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten.” Every opportunity, resource, and blessing you have poured out for the Kingdom will return to you in greater measure.

I declare that no person, spirit, or system will secretly trade away your destiny. The Bible says, “He forgave us all our sins… nailing it to the cross.” Every covenant against your progress is broken by the blood of Jesus.

Your finances, businesses, and careers will flourish. You will not be like Esau, who lost his inheritance for temporary gain. Instead, you will walk in wisdom, patience, and divine favour.

The Lord Himself will be “a wall of fire around you.” Your name will open doors, and your hands will never lack the resources needed for good works.

From today, may your honour, influence, and divine assignments be restored fully. You will rise, prosper, and fulfill your God-given destiny in Jesus’ name. Amen.