THE FIGHT OF FAITH: PART II–JOSEPH
1. There often is a period of time between when we accept God’s Word about something and when we see results.
a. Many Christians give up in between the time they pray and when they see results.
b. They lose the fight of faith — that time of standing until you see with your eyes what God has already promised. Eph 6:13
c. It is vital that we understand how to fight the fight of faith = what to do during this waiting period.
2. You must understand some things about timing in order to fight this fight.
a. Timing is involved in God fulfilling His Word — He fulfills it at the right time. Gen 21:2; Rom 5:6; Gal 4:4
b. You have to be able to trust God for the right time — not passively (whatever will be will be), but in faith (God is at work and at the right time I will see results).
3. There are three things you must understand about this period when you don’t yet see the fulfillment of God’s promise in your life.
a. There are / is obstacles / resistance from satan against which you must stand your ground until they go / fall.
b. God is at work behind the scenes for His glory and your good.
c. There are all kinds of behind the scenes factors unknown to us which God is taking into account and causing to serve His purposes.
4. In this lesson, we want to encourage ourselves some more from God’s Word that He is at work behind the scenes, and that the obstacles will fall, will go, and will not stop God from fulfilling His promise to you.
5. In this lesson, we want to look at a classic account of someone who had to wait at least 13 years before he saw God’s promise come to pass in his life, but when it was over, he wouldn’t have had it any other way!
6. We want to look at Joseph, the son of Jacob, and his story. Gen 37-50
a. Jacob, grandson of Abraham, had twelve sons — Joseph was his favorite.
b. Joseph had dreams of greatness. That, combined with his father’s favor, made his brother hate him.
c. His brothers sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt when he was 17.
1. Joseph was bought by Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, and put in charge of Potiphar’s whole household.
2. Joseph was then falsely accused of rape and put in prison.
d. He eventually got out of prison at age thirty by interpreting a dream of Pharaoh’s, and he was placed second in command in Egypt.
1. Pharaoh’s dream was a warning of a coming famine.
2. Joseph was put in charge of storing food before famine hit and then distributing food during 7 years of famine.
e. During the famine Joseph’s father and brothers came to Egypt for food, they were all reunited, and all survived the famine.
1. Joseph had some specific promises from God:The promised land for him and his descendants. Gen 28:13 The promise of greatness. Gen 37:5-9
2. Joseph’s brothers (hated and envied him) decided to kill Joseph, then changed their minds, and sold him into slavery. Gen 37:4,5,8,11; 20-24; 25-28
3. These brothers were opposition to God’s promises. Gen 37:20
a. They removed Joseph from the land, and demoted him to slavery.
b. That’s life in a sin – cursed earth! The earth is populated by a fallen race who will oppose you and God’s promise on purpose or by accident.
4. God knew the brothers were going to do this to Joseph. Why didn’t He stop it?
a. Men really do have free wills — and their choices produce consequences.
b. The human race, in Adam, chose the knowledge of good and evil, and God is allowing sin and the consequences to run its course. Gen 3:6
1. Man’s 6,000 years on earth will be a monument throughout eternity to what happens when men choose independence from God.
2. Sin and its consequences will not go on forever — only until Jesus returns to earth. And, in eternity, 6,000 years will seem like nothing.
c. God causes mens’ choices to serve His purposes = gather a people for Himself; bring glory to Himself and good to man — that is exactly what God is going to do in Joseph’s situation.
5. Yes, but why did God let Joseph suffer? You must realize, we ask that question strictly from a human, time vantage point.
a. First of all, God does not owe anybody anything. Matt 20:1-16
1. We tend to focus on what we don’t have and didn’t get, instead of being grateful for what God has done.
2. We think in terms of “that’s not fair” and miss the whole point.
a. Fair = everyone goes to hell; everyone gets nothing but punishment.
b. Grace = Because God is good, He chooses to give us good we don’t deserve.
b. Secondly, there is no such thing as an innocent person.
1. We are all born into a fallen race. Eph 2:1-3 — by nature = PHUSIS = lineal descent, disposition, constitution, or usage; children of wrath = people with whom God was angry. (Beck)
2. God says there is none righteous — not one. Rom 3:10-12; Isa 53:6
c. We are time oriented, but, in terms of eternity, 17 years of postponed dreams is nothing. Joseph doesn’t care today!!
1. And, God used the situation for great good = maximum good.
2. And, God was with Joseph in a demonstrable way throughout the waiting period.
6. What if God had stopped the brothers from selling Joseph?
a. Would that have solved his problems with the brothers?
b. What would have happened to all of them — including Joseph — during the famine?
c. What would have happened to Egypt during the famine? (God’s kindness allowed them to live. Ex 9:16; 8:19; 9:20,21)
7. In dealing with questions such as why does God allow suffering, why don’t we see results immediately, you’ve got to recognize and believe:
a. You don’t know everything.
b. God is good and good means good.
c. God owes you nothing; be grateful for all that He has given.
d. The God of all the universe is not, never has been, nor ever will be unfair. Gen 18:25
1. God was with Joseph in a way that Potiphar could see. v2-5
a. Joseph prospered and had favor with his owner.
b. Gen 28:15 gives a definition of what it means to have God with you in a demonstrable way.
2. Keep in mind, all of this good happened to him while he was waiting = in the fight of faith to hold onto God and His promises.
3. Notice: Potiphar could see God was with Joseph, Joseph was promoted, and God blessed others — all while Joseph was waiting. v3-6
a. God is being glorified.
b. Behind the scenes, God is weaving this all into a plan to bring great good.
c. And, God has not abandoned Joseph just because there is a waiting period.
4. 39:7-20 — Joseph was falsely accused of rape. He had trouble on top of trouble, opposition on top of opposition. Why? That’s life in a sin – cursed earth!!
a. Opposition from the world = Potiphar’s wife.
b. Opposition from his flesh = physical / sexual desires.
c. Opposition from his own mind and emotions = I’ve got a right to do this; no one will know; etc.
d. 39:10 — Notice, the wife came after Joseph day after day.
e. Yet, Joseph kept standing, stood his ground. 39:9,12
f. He did the right thing and got lied about!! Why? That’s life!! 39:14
5. Why didn’t God expose this woman at that point?
a. Remember, God owes no one — including Joseph or you or me — anything!
b. And, God was with Joseph in a demonstrable way in prison, causing it all to serve His purposes = His glory and the greatest good.
c. And, the truth has come out!! Here it is in the Bible!! And, no doubt, the truth came out when Pharaoh finally released Joseph from prison.
6. You must understand this principle in the kingdom = putting off short term pleasure for long term good and eventual lasting pleasure. Heb 11:24-27
7. In Joseph’s case, God — because of His all knowingness — could see where all this would lead, and how He could use all of the choices in the situation for great good.
8. Joseph went to prison falsely, but he prospered in prison. Gen 39:21-23
1. Joseph met Pharaoh’s butler and baker and interpreted their dreams. 40:1-23
a. Notice, Joseph is still trusting God, looking to God. 40:8
b. 40:14 — Joseph still has hopes of getting out; hasn’t abandoned his dreams.
1. Hasn’t given in to “I guess prison must be God’s will for me”.
2. Part of standing is holding on to God’s Word despite what you see.
2. 40:23 — But, the butler forgot Joseph. Why? That’s life!!
a. Could God have reminded the butler? Of course He could!! But, He has something more spectacular in mind.
b. If Joseph’s case would have come to Pharaoh at that point, he may well have been released, but there would have been nothing about him which would have caused Pharaoh to promote him.
3. Two years later, Pharaoh had his dream. 41:1-7
a. 41:8 — The wise men and magicians of Egypt couldn’t interpret it.
b. The butler remembered Joseph, and he was brought before Pharaoh. 41:9
c. Joseph immediately gave God glory for dream interpretations; he has not lost his confidence in God, despite being surrounded by unbelievers. 41:16
d. Joseph interprets the dream and tells Pharaoh: God is speaking to you.
e. God cares about Pharaoh. He is showing Himself to Pharaoh as God Almighty. 41:25,28,32
f. Remember, God is always working to draw a family to Himself.
4. Pharaoh realized he needed a man in charge with the wisdom of God to handle the famine program, and Joseph was promoted. 41:38-45
a. Joseph carried out a plan to gather food during the years of plenty and distribute it during the years of lack. 41:46-49; 53-56.
b. All countries came to Egypt for food. How many pagans do you think heard Joseph’s story, heard about Joseph’s God who provided all this food for them? 41:57
5. Joseph’s own family will come to Egypt for food — he will be reunited with them, and they will be saved from death — all because Joseph was in the position he was in.
6. Sometimes, because we live in a sin – cursed earth, the only way to Oregon is by the rough, dangerous Oregon trail — but it’s worth the trip!!
1. God has a will and a plan for our lives. Rom 8:28
a. His will = blessing, sonship, conformity to the image of Christ.
b. His plan = what He does with our free will choices; how He uses those choices to accomplish His will.
c. We see this clearly in Joseph’s life.
1. God’s will = the promised land and greatness.
2. God’s plan = how He used the choices made to bring His will to pass.
2. God is able to bring maximum good out of peoples’ choices.
a. Look what has happened up to this point in Joseph’s story as God uses peoples’ free will choices.
1. Many idol worshippers have been exposed to the true God through Joseph’s life in the waiting period.
2. Joseph has gotten to a position where he can save the lives of his family and thousands of other people.
b. To fight the fight of faith, to stand until you see, you must know and believe that God is at work behind the scenes for His maximum glory and your maximum good, and He will fulfill His promises.
6. More next week!!