Joseph

Gen 39 1. JOSEPH'S TEST v.1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. I. HE REFUSED TO GIVE UP. v. 1 - 5 THE SUMMARY OF JOSEPH’S LIFE is found in Gen. 39:2… The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered. The LORD was with him in the pit, on the move, when falsely accused, in the prison. When we get to heaven, WE will be with the LORD in painless joy, but in the meantime, here on earth, the LORD will be with US, even in joyless pain. Heb 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. II. HE REFUSED TO GIVE IN (TO SIN.) v.6-12. Despite TIREDNESS (as slave), AVAILABILITY (of sin), and DISCOURAGEMENT (of situation) Gen 39:9 … How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? III. HE REFUSED TO GIVE WAY (TO DESPAIR) verses 20-23.

Joseph seemed to KNOW, either by faith or by instinct, or because he trusted those dreams that he had had, that there was a holy PURPOSE for the pain he was going through. Ps 105:16 - 22 16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. 17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: 18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: 19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. 20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. 21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: 22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom. Esther Fields wrote, Things don’t just HAPPEN to those who love God. They’re drawn by his own dear hand.

Then molded and shaped, and timed by HIS clock.

Things don’t just HAPPEN—they’re planned!

We don’t just GUESS in the issues of life;

We Christians just rest in our Lord.

We are directed by His sovereign will,

In the light of His holy Word.

We who love Jesus are walking by faith,

Not seeing one step that’s ahead.

Not doubting one moment what our lot might be,

But looking to Jesus, instead.

We praise our dear Savior for loving us so,

For planning each part of our life.

Then giving us faith to trust Him for all—

The blessings as well as the strife.

Things don’t just HAPPEN to us who love God,

To us who have taken our stand;

No matter the lot, or the course or the price,

Things don’t just HAPPEN—they’re planned!

In the test Joseph was: A Man of Integrity In Management, A Man of Integrity In Morality, A Man of Integrity In Mistreatment.

2. JOSEPH'S TESTIMONY V. 1-6 A. He Had A Personal Testimony -V. 2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; Heb. 11 v 22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. B. He Had A Powerful Testimony - V. 3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, 1. Men Saw God In His Walk - 2. Men Saw God In His Work - and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. C. He Had A Prosperous Testimony - V. 5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; The devil likes nothing better than to defeat, destroy and devastate real men and women of God, 1 Pet. 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 3. JOSEPH'S TEMPTATION V. 7-19 A. The Character Of The Temptation - 1. It Was Subtle - V. 7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me Gen 3 v 1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2. It Was Shocking - V. 7 she said, Lie with me 3. It Was Sustained V. 10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, 4. It Was Strategic 12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. B. The Character Of The Tempted - Joseph Refused with a : - 1. Firm Refusal - V. 8 But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Spurgeon : "Learn to say no. It will be of more use to you than to be able to read Latin." This was the strategy Daniel and the 3 Hebrews boys adopted in Babylon and it worked well and It still will!) 2. Faith-based Refusal - V. 9 how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? 3. Faithful Refusal - V. 10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. Doc is confronted by a patient who says he broke his arm in two places. Replies, "Well then, stay out of those places!") 4. Final Refusal - V. 12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. Better to lose a good coat than a good consceince 1. Temptation is never from God - James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 2. Temptation is always from within - James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Mouse & Cheese 3. Temptation Must Be Handled Properly - 1 Cor. 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. a. Deal with it Immediately - b. Deal with it Realistically - “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”, Matt. 26:41. c. Deal with it Ruthlessly - Mark 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: d. Deal with it Consistently - Learn to be consistent in your resistence. e. Deal with it Confidently - We have the Lord’s great promise in 1 Cor. 10:13.There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 4. JOSEPH'S TRIUMPH V. 20-23 A. He Triumphed In His Relationship With His Saviour - V. 21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 1 Cor. 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. B. He Triumphed In His Relationship With His Own Self -V. 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. Joseph’s integrity was intact. C. He Triumphed In His Relationship With His Sovereign -V. 23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper. with the Lord and later with Pharoah