Why Allegiance Really Matters When It Comes to Your Possessions

Reading Time 3 mins –

Are you happy right now?

Or are you feeling a little grumpy, or negative, or sorry for yourself?

We’ve all been there.

Years ago, I had one of those months. (Yes, I said months, not days.)

I was negative. I was feeling sorry for myself. The weight and pressures of life and certain situations were bearing down on me.

For some reason, during that time, I went to a conference I really didn’t feel like going to, and the speaker got up and said he was going to talk about being thankful.

Great, I thought. Just what I want to hear.

What I really wanted was for someone to join me in my pity party. But that wasn’t happening. Because God knew that wasn’t what I needed; He knew I needed someone to tell me the truth.

See, I had taken my eyes off of all of the blessings God had given me, and I had stopped remembering all of the times He had come through for me.

I had taken my focus off of His promises and put it on my problems.

So that conference message was just what I needed. The Holy Spirit dealt with me right then about my heart and how I had been ungrateful. I had to repent. God set me free that day.

Here’s the thing: Studies show that when you’re thankful, you’re happier, you have more friends, you live longer, and you have less health problems like heart attacks, strokes, colds, flus, and even pain. Being grateful also strengthens your emotions, makes you more optimistic and less self-centered, improves your sleep, increases your self-esteem and your energy, helps you bounce back after a setback, reduces feelings of envy, helps your marriage, makes you look better, and makes you more productive. Who doesn’t want all of that?

It’s no surprise that Proverbs 17:22 (NIV) says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

See that? Cheerfulness… thankfulness… gratefulness are like good medicine. But discouragement sucks the life out of you.

Are you reading this and thinking, “It’s November, Gary. I know this is another blog about how I should be thankful. But you don’t know what I’m going through. I have serious problems.”

I understand.

But here’s the thing: You have a choice.

It might not be easy, but you can make the choice to be thankful no matter the circumstances.

Stop thinking you can only be thankful and cheerful when everything seems “perfect.”

Because “perfect” is really rare, and I do mean really rare. In fact, odds are there will always be something in your life that isn’t “perfect.”
The good news is, no matter what you go through or deal with in life, you can still be thankful and cheerful, because you can always trust God despite your circumstances.

Philippians 4:6 (NIV) says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Wait. Did you see what that said?

Notice it didn’t say, “Only be anxious about the big things you can’t handle on your own.” Nope. It says, “Don’t be anxious about anything.” It also says, “By prayer, and with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” That means you should be thanking Him for all He’s already done and for what He’s about to do in your situation. You should be thanking Him before your answer shows up, because He’s faithful and good.

In Judges 20:20-21, we see the nation of Israel suffering great loss after a huge battle. They had lost 22,000 men.

22,000.

Can you even imagine? I’m sure you’ll agree that that was a really, really bad day.

Then, on the second day of battle, they lost 18,000 more men.

40,000 men lost in two days.

The Bible tells us they took a day off at that point. They needed to regroup.

Then, in verse 26, we see that the entire army presented offerings of thanksgiving to God.

They stopped everything and reminded themselves that God was for them; that He is good and faithful; that He was with them.

And the next day, they went out and won the battle.

So, what about you, friend?

Do you need to stop and offer thanks to God?

Take some time to remind yourself that God is for you; that He is good and faithful; and that He is with you. Remind yourself of all you have to be grateful to God for, and watch how your cheerfulness becomes good medicine.There are answers in the Kingdom of God—answers that work the same for anyone and everyone who will take the time to learn them and apply them.

Although there are many Kingdom principles that are part of living a successful life, if I could only share ONE principle with you, it would be the power of allegiance.

Take a few minutes and look at Genesis 39 in the Bible with me. It’s one of my favorite chapters. It’s the story of Joseph.

Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery to the Ishmaelites. They took him into Egypt, and sold him to Potiphar, who was a captain in the Egyptian army.

The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.

From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So he left in Joseph’s care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. – Genesis 39:1-7

Notice that says, “The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered.” What does this mean? Isn’t God supposed to be with everyone?

No. See, Abraham’s faith and the covenant that followed gave God legal access to be with Abraham and his heirs only. God being with everyone isn’t the same as God loving everyone; He does love everyone. But for those without a legal standing before God, His hands are tied. He doesn’t have the legality or jurisdiction in the earth realm without a legal agreement, a covenant in place, with a man or woman on the earth.

Because God was with Joseph, helping him in life, he had success in everything he did, so much so that his unbelieving master, Potiphar, saw a huge difference in Joseph’s ability compared to the many other men he had seen.

When you prosper with God’s help, the people who are living under the earth curse system of survival notice the difference.

Potiphar was so impressed that he put Joseph in charge of his entire estate.

There are many Kingdom principles revealed in this passage of Scripture, but the key of all keys is revealed here. I call it “The Power of Allegiance,” or “The Potiphar Principle.” It’s found in Genesis 39:5:

From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.

I want you to get a clear picture of what is happening here. The blessing of the Lord came on all of Potiphar’s stuff, his entire estate. But Potiphar didn’t know the God of Joseph and wasn’t part of the nation of Israel, so how could this happen and what does it mean?

When Potiphar put his estate under the authority of Joseph, without knowing it, his estate came under the covenant that Joseph had with God.

Joseph wasn’t special. He was a believer just like you. As a believer, you have a covenant with God, and the blessing of the Lord—the covenant of God—legally supersedes the earth-cursed system. So, just like the Lord was with Joseph, He’s with YOU.

Potiphar’s possessions—his stuff, his estate, and property—all changed kingdoms

Until it came under Joseph’s care, Potiphar’s property was still tied legally to the earth curse system. When Potiphar placed his estate under the jurisdiction of Joseph’s authority, he didn’t realize he was also placing it under the influence of the blessing of God.

The Bible goes on to say that with Joseph in charge, Potiphar did not have to concern himself or worry about anything except the food he ate. He had no worries. With no worries, Potiphar only had to focus on his assignment and purpose as a captain in the Egyptian guard.

That same worry-free focus—that same rest—is available for you.

There is a lot here to see, but what Potiphar experienced, without knowing it, was what Hebrews 4 calls the Sabbath rest, and it’s available to you as a believer.

If you study the Sabbath, you will find that God didn’t allow the Israelites to do any work on that day; no sweating or painful toil took place. The Sabbath, of course, was the seventh day of the week, and it corresponded to the seventh day of creation. You might remember that the seventh day of creation was the day God declared as a day of rest. It wasn’t because God was tired; it was because He was finished. Everything was complete.

The seventh day was the day in which we were originally designed to live.

A day with no worries.

A day with everything we needed already in place before we needed it.

But of course, we know that Adam lost that rest when he rebelled against God. By rebelling against God, Adam cut off God’s ability to provide for him. He lost the place of provision God had previously supplied. Adam was forced to provide for himself, spending all his time working just to survive.

But God didn’t leave us without hope. He gave us a picture of the rest that He would someday restore—the Sabbath day.

When Potiphar tapped into the blessing of the Lord that Joseph carried through that covenant, he tapped into God’s ability to provide through Joseph and found rest. Everything was taken care of; he had no worries.

So he left in Joseph’s care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. —Genesis 39:6

But how was the Sabbath day possible when, under the earth curse system, man would toil and sweat every day just to survive? The Sabbath was made possible only because God blessed the sixth day with a double portion, or more than enough. Let that phrase roll around in your mind a bit.

More than enough.

Isn’t that what every man and woman is longing for, more than enough? When God gave man a double portion on the sixth day, He was reminding man that He was their provider, and He always provided more than enough.

More than enough provides freedom from the rat race.

More than enough takes you from being enslaved to having options.

More than enough frees you to find and prosper in your purpose and passion.

This is what Potiphar enjoyed. No worries. Every need he had was taken care of. The only thing he had to focus on was his purpose. I always say that, “Until you fix the money thing, you will never be able to find your purpose.” The great news is that you can fix your money thing and live in your God-designed purpose. The Sabbath rest is still available today, and it offers a place where your needs are met and you can prosper past survival.

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Finding God’s Path for Your Life

By Gary Keesee • February 13, 2026

Reading Time 5 mins 59 secs – Most of us have asked it, sometimes out loud, sometimes in frustration: Are we there yet? Not just about a trip but about life. Calling. Direction. The future. The problem isn’t that you want clarity. The problem is thinking God will hand you the whole map up front. Proverbs instructs us to give careful thought to the paths our feet are on and to be steadfast in all our ways. This isn’t passive language. It assumes intentional movement, focused direction, and refusal to drift. Staying on the right path requires attention and discipline, not just belief. That means the focus isn’t anxiety about the destination; it’s attention to the path under your feet today. Look Straight Ahead Proverbs gives a simple instruction that’s easy to skip over: “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Do not turn to the right or the left” (Proverbs 4:25, 27a, NIV). So, what are you supposed to look at? You’re not meant to stare at fear, compare lanes, or obsess over what might happen way in the future. You’re meant to keep your gaze fixed where God is leading you now and to keep your foot from evil by refusing distractions that pull you off course. God’s Word is described as a lamp: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105, NIV). A lamp doesn’t show you everything. It shows you just enough, a few steps ahead. That’s exactly how God often leads, especially when you’re going somewhere you’ve never been before. That’s why Abraham’s story in Hebrews 11 is so relatable. Abraham obeyed and proceeded, even though he did not know where he was going. And if we’re honest, neither do we. When the Water Doesn’t Part Until Your Feet Touch It Joshua 3 shows what trusting God often looks like. The Jordan was at flood stage. It wasn’t a convenient crossing. But the instruction was still to move forward. And the river didn’t part while they stood on the bank thinking about it. It parted when the priests’ feet touched the water. God’s path often requires motion before you see the breakthrough. The same principle shows up with Peter. He didn’t walk on water; he walked on the word. When Jesus said “come,” that word carried him. You may feel like you’re facing impossible valleys, things that seem like they have no way around them, but if God said “go,” then the obstacle is not proof you missed Him. Sometimes, it’s part of the plan. Don’t Misread the Process Many believers get discouraged because they mistake the beginning for the end. They assume that if God spoke, it should happen immediately. But Scripture shows something else: God often leads with glimpses and dreams, not full explanations. He gives you enough to move and enough to hold on to. That’s why many people quit too early—not because they don’t love God, but because they don’t understand the process. Joseph: Dreams, Training, and the “Pharaoh Moment” Joseph had two dreams at 17. Then life took a hard turn: betrayal, slavery, false accusation, and prison. And yet later, Joseph said something shocking to his brothers: “It was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you” (Genesis 45:5b, NIV). That means the path, including the painful parts, was not random. It was preparation. Joseph couldn’t have gone straight to the palace. He needed training, exposure, language, protocol, and wisdom. God positioned him in the house of a high-ranking official so he could learn what he’d need later. Then came the moment everything was aimed toward: standing before Pharaoh. When that moment arrived, Joseph didn’t just interpret a dream; he had a plan. And the plan seemed good to Pharaoh. There’s a practical takeaway here: sometimes God develops you in places you don’t enjoy so you’ll have something to offer when the door opens. Your faithfulness now can become your credibility later. When You Don’t Like Your Job, You Might Be in Training It’s easy to say, “I hate my job.” But a hard season doesn’t automatically mean you’re off track. Sometimes the question is: Can God trust you where you are? Can He trust your integrity when nobody’s impressed? Can He trust your obedience when you don’t feel like it? Can He trust you to stay out of sin when it would be easier to compromise? This is the kind of training that happens before anyone knows your name. And when you consistently show up with excellence and bring solutions, your gift becomes visible. The value is sometimes found in the training season. You’re being prepared for a season to come, and everything you learned in that training season will not be wasted. Sometimes the First Step Is to Sit After a message about vision and purpose, people can get anxious: “I need to do something right now.” But sometimes wisdom says: be still and sit for a minute. Many people come to Christ carrying an “earth curse system” mindset of work, labor, perform, and strive because that’s all they’ve known. But learning the Kingdom takes time. Identity comes before assignment. Simple Ways to Stay on the Path This Week Fix your gaze. Stop demanding the full map. Stay faithful to today. Keep moving. Don’t get stuck replaying the lies of the enemy. Step in before you see it. Some waters part after your feet touch them. Honor the process. Training seasons are not wasted seasons. Write it down. Keep a record of dreams, words, and reminders from God. A Simple Prayer Father, Thank You for leading me on the right path. Help me fix my gaze straight ahead and follow You one step at a time. Give me the courage to move forward even when I can only see a few feet in front of me. Strengthen me in the process, teach me what I need to learn, guard my integrity, and keep me steady when I feel delayed or discouraged. Remind me of what You’ve spoken to me through Your Word, through dreams, and through moments you’ve marked in my life. I choose to stay on the path and trust You with the destination. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.

A New Year, A New Alignment

By Gary Keesee • January 19, 2026

Reading Time 3 mins 59 secs – A new year isn’t just a change on the calendar; it is an opportunity for alignment. God is always moving, always advancing His Kingdom, and always inviting His people to come into agreement with what He’s already established. Scripture tells us that God’s throne is established in heaven and His Kingdom rules over all. That means heaven is not distant, theoretical, or reserved for later. The Kingdom of God is active, present, and meant to be experienced now. When you understand that you are a citizen of God’s Kingdom—not someday, but today—it changes how you think, how you pray, and how you live. You stop reacting to life from the outside and start governing from the inside. This is how heaven touches Earth. You Were Created to Rule, Not Struggle From the beginning, God gave humanity authority. He didn’t create people to survive on Earth; He created them to steward it. Dominion was always part of God’s design. Genesis tells us that mankind was created in God’s image and crowned with glory and honor. That crown wasn’t symbolic. It represented authority backed by heaven itself: authority to subdue, to bring order, and to enforce God’s will in the earth. Although that authority was lost through rebellion, Jesus legally restored it. Colossians reminds us that we were rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into the Kingdom of God’s Son. You are not waiting to enter the Kingdom. You are living in it now. Citizenship Changes Everything Citizenship isn’t just identity. It’s access. When you were born again, you didn’t just receive forgiveness; you received legal standing in God’s Kingdom. Ephesians tells us plainly that we are no longer strangers or outsiders but citizens and members of God’s household. That means the benefits of the Kingdom belong to you now, not later. As a citizen, you have: A right to provision. A right to healing. A right to wisdom and direction. A right to peace and freedom. You don’t approach God as a beggar hoping for mercy. You approach Him as a son or daughter who understands covenant. That perspective alone will change how you pray. Stop Running. Start Seeking. Jesus told us not to run after provision the way the world does. Anxiety-driven effort is not Kingdom living. Instead, He instructed us to seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness. Seeking the Kingdom doesn’t mean begging God to do something He already said yes. It means learning how the Kingdom operates and aligning your life with its laws. In God’s system: Seed produces harvest. Faith releases authority. Agreement allows heaven to move. Truth drives out fear. Everything you need already exists within the Kingdom structure. The issue is rarely whether God is willing; it’s whether we understand how to receive. Understanding Produces Confidence Many believers love God deeply but live unsure of their rights. That uncertainty shows up in prayer filled with desperation instead of confidence. Scripture tells us that when we ask according to God’s will, He hears us, and if He hears us, we already have what we’ve asked. That’s not hope; that’s assurance. Confidence grows when you stop allowing vague ideas about God to shape your thinking and start grounding your life in what His Word actually says. You are not disconnected from heaven. You are not powerless. You are not at the mercy of circumstances. You are a citizen with authority. Agreement Unlocks Heaven on Earth Jesus demonstrated how the Kingdom works everywhere He went. He didn’t plead with the Father to act. He acted in agreement with the Father’s will. When people received healing, freedom, or restoration, it wasn’t because God suddenly decided to intervene. It was because someone came into agreement with what heaven had already established. Heaven moves when faith agrees. Heaven advances when truth is believed. Heaven manifests when authority is exercised. Disagreement—whether through fear, doubt, or false teaching—blocks what God desires to release. Agreement opens the door. Simple Ways to Align with the Kingdom This Year If you want to experience heaven on Earth more fully, start with these practical steps: Renew your thinking daily. Keep God’s Word in front of you morning and night. Truth recalibrates faith. Pray with confidence, not panic. Stop begging. Start agreeing. Expect God’s direction. He knows what you need and how to lead you there. Guard what you believe. Don’t entertain ideas that contradict God’s character or promises. Act on what you know. Authority works when it’s exercised. A Simple Prayer Father, Thank You that I am a citizen of Your Kingdom and a member of your household. I choose to align my thinking, my words, and my actions with what You have already established. I release every old mindset that limits Your work in my life. Teach me how Your Kingdom operates. Lead me by Your Spirit. Let this be a year of clarity, confidence, and forward movement. I receive what You have already given and step into the life You’ve prepared for me. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.

Thankful Hearts and Victorious Lives

By Gary Keesee • December 8, 2025

Reading Time 4 mins 6 secs – Thankfulness isn’t just good manners; it’s a spiritual posture. It’s how your faith stays strong, your heart stays aligned, and your life stays connected to what God is doing. In a world that constantly pulls on your emotions, drains your joy, and fills the air with fear and pressure, thanksgiving becomes how you stay connected to the victory Jesus has already won for you. Second Corinthians 2:14 reminds us that God always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through our lives, He spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere we go. That’s not just poetic language. That’s a description of your life in the Kingdom. You were designed to walk in victory, carry the fragrance of heaven into every room, walk in faith and not fear, and bring evidence of God’s goodness wherever you go. And the doorway into that life? A thankful heart. Thankfulness Is Your Position of Strength You don’t wait until you see victory to thank God. In the Kingdom of God, thankfulness comes before the breakthrough. First Corinthians 15:57 reminds us that God gives us victory through Jesus. Not someday, not eventually, but as a present, active reality. When you say, “Thank You, Lord, for leading me into victory in this situation,” you are aligning your heart with what God has already spoken. You are: Agreeing with His Word. Positioning yourself to receive. Stepping into alignment with His promises. Philippians 4:6 tells us to bring every request to God with thanksgiving. Gratitude is not the result of answered prayer; it’s part of how we pray. If someone handed you a check and you said, “I’ll see if it clears, and then I’ll thank you,” how eager would they be to bless you again? In the same way, when we approach God with “Father, thank You that You always lead me into victory,” we’re not pretending. We’re trusting His character before we see the outcome. That is faith. Gratitude Changes the Atmosphere You don’t just walk into a room; you carry an atmosphere. We’ve all stepped into places that felt heavy, tense, or anxious without anyone saying a word. But God designed you to carry something different: Peace instead of pressure Freedom instead of fear Victory instead of defeat A sound mind instead of anxiety When you adopt a posture of thanksgiving rather than one of complaint, your home changes, your conversations change. Psalm 100 reminds us that we enter God’s presence with thanksgiving and praise. Gratitude isn’t just something we do; it’s how we step into His presence and shift the atmosphere around us. How We Limit God When We Forget to Say “Thank You” Psalm 78 tells us that the people of Israel limited God not because His power failed but because they refused to agree with Him. God wanted to bless them. He had good plans for them. But instead of aligning with His promises, they complained, focused on what they saw instead of what He said, and talked more about giants than about God. Grumbling doesn’t just make you miserable; it closes your hands. Thankfulness opens them. The same is true for every promise in your life—provision, wisdom, direction, breakthrough, and peace. Ask yourself: Am I agreeing with God or resisting Him with my words? Do I talk more about the problem or about His promise? Have I been limiting God by withholding my thankfulness? Simple Ways to Practice Thankfulness Every Day You don’t have to wait for Sunday to live a thankful life. You can practice gratitude right where you are. Start with these 5 simple rhythms: Thank Him before you see the answer. When you pray, don’t just ask. Take time to thank the Lord that the answer to your promise is already yes. Guard the atmosphere of your home. If voices, media, or conversations are feeding fear and heaviness, turn them off. Make room for worship, the Word, and encouragement. Say “thank you” out loud. To God. To people. For big things and small things. Train your heart to respond with gratitude instead of suspicion or resistance. Worship on purpose. You don’t need a worship team to praise. Turn on worship in your car, your kitchen, your living room. Lift your voice. Let His presence fill your space. Check your heart often. If thankfulness and gratitude haven’t been on your heart much, don’t condemn yourself; just correct your course. Let God restore your joy. A Simple Prayer Father, Thank You that in Christ You always lead me into victory. I repent for every time I’ve complained, drifted, or agreed more with fear than with your Word. Today, I choose to be thankful. I say “yes” and “thank You” to Your promises, Your plans, and Your goodness. Restore to me the joy of my salvation. Lift off all heaviness. Fill me fresh with Your Spirit. Let my life carry peace instead of pressure, praise instead of complaining, faith instead of fear. I receive Your wisdom, Your strength, and Your direction for every situation I’m facing. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.