God has given me a prophetic message for this time and season from the life of Joseph. To set up this series of prophetic words, I'd like to invite you into my prophetic journey of how I came to understand what the Lord is speaking to me ... and why this message is for you too!
"My name is Joseph!"the stranger said, introducing himself to me. I was standing in the middle of a dream coming true in an outdoor tent in Kansas City, Missouri. I had seen this stranger in two dreams two and a half years prior to this moment. What could it mean?
First, I should give you a little background. I had these two dreams about the Send Kansas City in January of 2020. I have made a habit of recording and praying over my dreams because of moments just like this. Not every dream is from God, but I knew that these two dreams were prophetic. And, after all, God used dreams in a powerful way throughout the Bible. I knew the dreams meant that the Lord was calling me to go to the Send, but it got postponed for two years. Now, here I was, and my dreams were starting to unfold ... literally ... As Joseph walked away, the rest of my first dream took place. (Keeping some details aside for now!) I wondered if my second dream would also be fulfilled—
The next dream was simple: I was in the stands of the Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City at the Send. A girl named Lisa (meaning God's promise) called me over to a group of people including the same, distinct-looking man (whose name I now knew to be Joseph) I had seen in the first dream the night before.
If the second dream were to take place, it would happen the next day at the stadium. Ah, another mystery, another adventure, another treasure hunt with God. This is what I live for. So, I waited with anticipation to see what would happen next ...
(Note: There are a few more details to the dreams and experience, but I simplified it to get to the main purpose of this blog.)
Surprise Reconciliation
If there's one thing I have learned about dreams from God, you can't make them happen. You show up where he asks you to, but God is the one who fulfills them.
So, the next day, I went to the stadium for the Send, curious about what would happen.
As the day went on, I found a table to eat at for lunch. That's when two women (who were strangers to me) joined me: one was named Annalisa. We became friends and spent most of the day together, and I put the dream aside. In a crowd of 60,000 people, it would have to be an act of God to randomly run into Joseph again. I was losing faith it would happen.
As we walked around the stadium, I realized it: "Annalisa ... Your name is like LISA! It's like my dream!" And that's when I knew: my second dream was taking place. I wondered what was going to happen!
"God has some more surprises in store!" Annalisa said. We continued walking around the stadium when suddenly, I stopped in my tracks. To my surprise, I saw a friend, a Christian brother across the hall I had not seen or spoken to in years due to an unresolved conflict. I immediately heard the Lord say to me,
"Go and reconcile with your brother." I didn't hesitate to obey. You see, I have been through some painful tests with the Lord about love and forgiveness. You learn to pass the test. The words of Jesus have been ingrained in me, etched on my heart in a way that can only come through personal experience: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." Jesus, John 15:13 Sometimes laying down your life looks like laying down your right to be offended. It looks like humbling yourself and being the first to apologize and move toward the other in love. "Love one another" (John 15) was the final and great command Jesus gave us before He went to the Cross. Those three simple words are so beautiful, yet so hard to do. After all, this kind of love is not passive; it must have action behind it. I'm not saying it's an easy choice to love—to actively forgive offenses and sacrifice to see a bridge rebuilt—no, it's not easy. But this is what love is about. And this is required on our part if we are believing for miracles of reconciliation.
So I obeyed the Lord, and a friendship that was broken was restored in a full-circle healing moment.
After the moment passed, I was a little stunned by how a short conversation could heal 2+ years of distance. I wondered if that was the reason God brought me here.
The day was almost over, and I also wondered ... would my second dream come to pass?
Annalisa and I turned a corner, and sure enough it happened. We ran into Joseph in a crowd full of 60,000 people.
And just like that, my second dream came true.
The Healing Balm of Gilead
The next day, I was packing to leave Kansas City to catch my plane. I was mystified at my dreams and what they meant. It was incredible that they literally came true ... but what did it all mean? That's when I received a message from a friend named Carla. She wanted to know if we could meet before I left town. I didn't have much time to meet that morning, but I felt like I was supposed to go—so we arranged to get coffee. "Thank you for your ministry!" She said, sitting down across the table from me. She continued, "The prophetic word you shared on the balm of Gilead really spoke to me!" I paused and thought to myself: I haven't written a prophetic word on the balm of Gilead! I don't even know what that is! However, I felt not to interrupt her. I had a feeling she was about to share something with me that I needed to hear. She continued, "The first time the balm of Gilead appears in the Bible is in the story of Joseph. His brothers sell him onto a cart that is carrying the balm of Gilead. It was a balm used for healing."
(As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm, and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. Genesis 37:25) I paused. Joseph. The name of the person from my dream. God was unraveling a prophetic mystery to me...
"So, I made this for you this morning as a gift," She said, handing me a little pouch with a small vial shaped like a teardrop, with a honey-colored thick liquid inside.
"It's balm of Gilead." I took the bottle in my hands and thanked her for the beautiful gift. I had to leave to catch my plane. I didn't know what it all meant, but I did know God was inviting me to unpack the story of Joseph.
A Living Parable of the Story of Joseph
Like Nancy Drew, I started diving deeper into the story of Joseph.
I know how God speaks to me; often giving me beautiful clues, signs, wonders, and dreams ... I often live out prophetic messages with the Lord. He makes my life a message not just to speak to me, but to give a message to others.
And now, I was living out a prophetic process like Joseph.
Like Joseph, two of my dreams literally came true. Like Joseph, I reconciled with a brother. Like Joseph, I received a gift of balm of Gilead.
Here are the elements from my prophetic journey that line up with Joseph's story: - A person named Joseph -Two dreams literally fulfilled
-Joseph had a promise fulfilled (Lisa's name meaning)
- Reconciliation
-The gift of the balm of Gilead (which I will explain more in my next prophetic word!)
And the more I studied, the more I realized that Carla, unknowingly, prophesied to me. She thanked me for a prophetic word I hadn't given yet. I was supposed to release a prophetic word on Joseph, dreams, the process to a promise, and the healing balm of Gilead.
The Word of God is Timeless
The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever. Isaiah 40:6-8 The word of God is alive and active. God is still speaking through the Bible, and the story of Joseph is coming alive for his people in this time. Although the events in Joseph's life took place long, long ago, we will start seeing repeating prophetic patterns, like I have been seeing in my own life. It means God is saying something; he is getting a timely message across to us...and it's an invitation to receive what he is releasing. It's time to prepare to see your own dreams fulfilled, radical, surprise reconciliation, and receive the balm of Gilead, that healing oil, now flowing from the hands and feet of Jesus into your heart and situation.
And the good news? It's already happening. I've already been seeing God do this not only in my life but in the lives of those I know!
To read the story of Joseph, check out Genesis 37-50.
More on the Prophetic Message from Joseph
I have a series of prophetic words I will be releasing on Joseph over the next few weeks! You can read part 1 here: It's a Joseph Season Part 1. You can read part 3 here: Miracles of Restoration
P.S. Do you want to grow in hearing God and the prophetic gift from a biblical foundation with a supportive community? Want to learn more about dreams and dream interpretation? Join the waitlist for my next online Prophetic School!
About the Author: MARIEL VILLARREAL
MARIEL VILLARREAL is a writer, speaker, and prophetic mentor. Her heart is to encourage this generation with right-now prophetic words that reignite hope during the waiting between a prophetic promise and its fulfillment. Through her ministry, the Embolden Co., she holds seasonal prophetic mentorships, training programs, and retreats to empower people around the world to develop their spiritual gifts and hear God for their lives—so they can bring revival to the nations. You can follow her on social media on Instagram @Mariel_Villarreal_ and Tiktok @Mariel.Villarreal and Facebook @TheEmboldenCompany to get more prophetic encouragement!
You can get her new book, Prophetic Promises: Navigating Your Adventure to God's Promises, here on the site!
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