Sermon Central
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Favor
Contributed by Ronnie Smith on Oct 21, 2014 (message contributor)
Summary: Isaiah 53 1Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? The Doctor says, “You are going to die.” Isaiah 53:5 ….and with his stripes we are healed. The enemy says, “I will destroy you.” Isaiah 54: 17No weapon that is formed
THE FAVOR OF GOD – Challenging the circumstances
Proverbs 8: 35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
Joseph
He began with favor from his father from a young age.
He found himself thrown in a pit.
Then sold to the Midianites – Strife.
Then to Potifhar in Egypt.
Genesis 39: 2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
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; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.
We remember how Potiphers wife caught an eye for Joseph and he found himself tossed in prison for a crime he did not commit.
20 And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
The Chief Baker remembers a time when a young Hebrew boy CHALLENGED THE CIRCUMSTANCE and through a gift from God interrupted the outcome of that situation while he was in prison.
Remember – he was in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.
I don’t know about you, but I would have probably been having me a pity party.
I would have been crying and wining wondering way God did this to me. Yet Joseph, CHALLENGED THE CIRCUMSTANCE when he had NOTHING TO LOSE AND NOTHING TO GAIN.
The later he interpreted the dream of Pharaoh and he stood before an angry, confused man, who was one word away from killing a herd of people, YET IN ALL THIS DISTRESS:
42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot, which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
The next verse tells us Joseph was 30 years old when this was accomplished.
Remember he was 17 when his brothers sold him. It took 13 years of hell to receive what God had for him.
But everywhere this young man went, he was blessed.
Every time Satan tried to destroy him, God gave him favor.
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
Daniel knew he was Blessed of God and HE CHALLENGED THE CIRCUMSTANCE
12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.
19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
