God gave Joseph two dreams, and these divine dreams revealed God’s plan for his life. In these dreams, God told Joseph that he would rule over his family.
In his youthful enthusiasm, Joseph eagerly shared this revelation with his brothers.
Joseph’s brothers were not happy to hear about God’s plans. Although they should have rejoiced with Joseph for the wonderful plan God had for his life, they did not. Instead, they hated him.
His brothers hated him so much in fact, that they plotted to kill him. If they could kill Joseph, then they could kill the word of God inside him.
They wanted to squash God’s word and render it of no effect.
When a person is going to follow God, he will face resistance, for obeying God is not like a walk in the park. Often this resistance will come from our own family members. Jesus faced this resistance, for his brothers didn’t believe in him (John 7:5), and he warned that we would face this resistance too (Matthew 10:34-39).
It would be nice if people would encourage us to follow God and do radical things for him. They should rejoice with us and spur us onward in following Jesus, because that’s the best thing we can do for our lives. But they often don’t, and those close to us often want us to back down from doing the radical things God has called us to do. They want us to give up and turn back.
When we face opposition to following God’s will, it’s possible to make peace with everyone by giving up on God’s word. We can back down, change course, or go in a different way. That will often make people happy. When we back down or give up on God’s word, the resistance that was caused by the word of God is lessened, and people will like us again.
But Joseph didn’t compromise, and we shouldn’t either. It’s better to please God than be praised by people.
Stand firm on the word of God regardless of the cost, trusting in God. Joseph held onto God’s word in spite of the opposition of his family and didn’t bend. When his brothers fought with him he didn’t fight back. Neither should we.
Rather than murder him, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery.
After becoming a slave in Egypt, Joseph came into a high position.
In this high position he was tempted. He could have stolen many things and even committed adultery, but he refused. He stayed holy and held onto God’s word.
The devil tempts us to sin (1 Thessalonians 3:5), and sin can hinder the fulfillment of God’s word in our lives.
Joseph overcame temptation through the power of the Holy Spirit, and so can we! The Bible says whenever there is temptation, there will be a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Joseph fled temptation, finding the way of escape. But right after this, he was falsely accused of committing adultery.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire….
False accusations can create a lot of problems. These lies can turn people against us, because people often believe slanderous accusations, and as a result we can end up in a heap of trouble.
Slander can open the door for us to become angry and bitter, and it can fill our hearts with thoughts of revenge.
We need to forgive. Jesus forgave everyone on the cross, and he tells us to forgive too. The Holy Spirit inside us will help us to forgive our persecutors, love our enemies, and do good to those who hate us. When we are falsely accused, it’s important to remember that God determines our identity, not other people.
After being falsely accused, Joseph remained a godly man. He forgave. He didn’t become angry and bitter.
But Joseph’s obedience didn’t seem to matter.
He was condemned by the legal system and thrown into prison. Things were going from bad to worse.
For many years, Joseph’s circumstances had been opposite the word of God. Now with him rotting away in prison, it seemed impossible for God’s word to happen. God said Joseph would rule over people and be blessed, and here he was locked up. At times like this, it’s possible to doubt God, become depressed, and give up on the word of God.
“He sent a man before them – Joseph – who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, he was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him” (Psalm 105:17-19).
The word of God tested Joseph because he held onto God’s word and therefore went through many challenges. He was a slave, and now he was a prisoner in jail. These challenges tested his faith.
But Joseph came through it all like gold because he did not give up. Finally, through through a series of miraculous events, Joseph was brought out of prison and was made the Prime Minister of Egypt. The word of God finally came to pass – as it always does when we believe it. Joseph now ruled over the most powerful country in the world.
As Prime Minister, Joseph rescued his brothers when they were starving. Even though he had been through so much trouble, at the end of it all his heart was full of mercy, forgiveness, and love, just like the heart of God.
Joseph’s life shows us that following God is often not easy, especially when we are called to do something special or unique for God’s kingdom. However, God’s word contains supernatural power to bring us through all obstacles and accomplish our destiny. It’s not up to our own power, but God’s power. Let’s stay faithful to God through all the challenges we face, holding onto God’s word. When God’s word finally happens in our lives, it will be glorious.
Lincoln House Churches 