God's unstopable purposes
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Can I tell you something exciting! Did you know that God has a plan and a purpose for you! He made you on purpose and with a purpose!
HE MADE YOU!
Col 1:16
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Romans 11:36
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Can I tell you some more good news! God has a real desire and calling on YOUR life!
It may be different than what you think it is but God really does have a plan for you!
Can I tell you that you were made for a reason. No accident, no mistake, but rather created, guided, and sustained by a master designer!
Is 14:27
For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it?
And his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
Proverbs 19:21
There are many devices in a man’s heart;
Nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.
Psalm 33:11
The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever,
The thoughts of his heart to all generations.
Just imagine the things we could see done in our life time for our Lord if we lived according to the idea that God really has a plan for us!
Listen to what Joshua said. I pray we can live according to this principal.
Joshua 3:5
And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you.
Live expecting God to do wonderful things
I believe that the concept of living according to the plan of God is best summed up in the life of Joseph.
We are able to observe from the incredible life of Joseph that when God sets a plan nothing can stop it!
We see him at high and low
happy and sad
free and in chains
Despised and wanted
No circumstance stopped God’s plan
At the end of Joseph’s life he was able to make a statement and it was
Genesis 50:15
And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
Some people thought they could change, alter, and stop God’s plans for this young man.
I don’t know what you may be going trough, whom you may be facing, the calling that God has put on your life, the things that you battle but I do know that NOTHING CAN STOP OUR GOD’S PLAN!
Look at Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
WE CAN TRUST HIS PLANS ALWAYS!
Trust, believe, follow, take hope
Let us examine the life of Joseph!
The life of Joseph is one of the most remarkable stories found in the Bible. His life is a mixture of sadness and glory, or pain and of success. As a result, Joseph's life contains many lessons from which modern believers can learn. One of those lessons is found in this passage.
Let me introduce you to a young man named Joseph. He is just seventeen. He is the favorite of twelve sons. His father clearly chose him as the favorite, and his father gave him a beautiful coat to show his status. Joseph was on his way to being the most influential and powerful person in his family. He had even had some dreams that God had given him. These dreams confirmed everything that was happening in his life. According to the dreams, Joseph was on his way to the place of absolute leadership in his family, Gen. 37:5-11
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
All of Joseph’s older brothers hated Joseph because he was their father’s favorite son, and because of the dreams Joseph had shared with them, Gen. 37:19.
And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
One day, Joseph’s brothers had the chance to handle him. His brother attacked him, threw him into a pit, and sold him as a slave. Joseph was sold to some Ishmaelite merchants for less than $100.00. The Ishmaelite slavers took Joseph to Egypt and sold him into slavery in that land.
So, here is a 17 year old young man.
• He is stripped of his coat.
• He is separated from his beloved father.
• He is betrayed by the very people who should have loved him most.
• He is sold as a slave and carried off to a strange land to live as a slave.
• Imagine the fear that must have filled his heart.
• Imagine the hurt that must have shattered him.
• Imagine the lies Satan must have told him.
• Imagine the disillusionment over the shattered dreams.
It is in this strange land that Joseph is sold into the house of a man name Potiphar. It is while Joseph serves in this mans home that his stellar character and God’s blessing is revealed in his life. Joseph is so favored by God that everything he touches is blessed. God grants him the favor to be promoted to chief of Potiphar’s staff.
In this place of blessing it is quickly taken from him despite him making the proper choices. See the wife of Potiphar wants to do wrong and make Joseph fall. She tempts him for weeks but he is faithful in his conviction and dedication to God. It is one day that she tries again and he flees from her leaving his coat behind. Upon facing this rejection she makes up a lie about him and has him thrown into jail.
Just imagine the frustration he must have felt. The utter loss of hope that must have washed over him.
As he lay in jail as seemingly alone Joseph remained faithful to God! He still conducts his business and even helps minister to other inmates . God had given him wisdom to understand dreams. He then helps a servants of the king who then (much later) refers Joseph to the king and Joseph helps the king and the whole nation! He would be responsible for saving the lives of thousands!
See he would have never been in the position to save the nation and his family with out what his brothers had done to him.
Let’s look a little closer at his life because there is so much here for us!
God’s Purpose
God’s Purpose
Joseph was loved of his father!
Genesis 37:3
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
His father had loved him so much that he had even blessed him with a colorful coat
Can I tell you today that you are loved by your father too?
1 John 3:1
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
God loves YOU! He likes you!
He demonstrated it!
Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
The first and greatest step to accomplish your purpose for God is to accept his gift of salvation!
John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 6:40
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joseph was given dreams and purpose from his father!
Joseph was even nick named the dreamer! God had given him dreams that seemed surreal!
How was that little brat in the coat supposed to be the one to save his family?
A dream from God often goes against our logic
God says this about it
Is 46:10
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times the things that are not yet done,
Saying, My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all my pleasure:
He can see the end result!
He sees things in you that you have yet to see!
Someone happy, someone serving him, someone holy, someone brave, someone victorious
Look at Gideon, Paul, Moses
Enemies Persecution
Enemies Persecution
What they meant for evil
Although God’s plans are unbeatable the enemy never stops trying to interfere with them. Let’s examine the strategy they tried to use.
Destroy his worth
They Sold him for $100
They Stripped him of the token of his fathers love
His worth had been attacked but had never changed!
God is the one who sets worth!
1 Cor 6:20
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
You were payed for by Jesus! That is your worth to God!
They may have taken the token of his dads love but they could never remove the Heavenly Fathers love!
Romans 8:38-39
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Temptation
The next strategy of the enemy was to try and make Joseph sin his way out of usefulness
God is with us in the midst of temptations too!
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.
Get real close to him!
Loneliness
Many times they tried to isolate this man.
Loneliness can be terrible thing
“The most terrible poverty is loneliness”- Mother Teresa
Despite seeming alone Joseph was never alone!
Genesis 39:2 “2 And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.”
And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
Genesis 39:3 “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.”
And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
Genesis 39:21 “21 But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”
But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Genesis 39:23 “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.”
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.
Acts 7:9 “9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,”
And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,
God was with Joseph! Despite all the he went through, all the places he had been taken, and the pain he endured God was with him!
God will stick with us too!
Hebrews 13:5
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.
God’s Persistence
God’s Persistence
No matter what was thrown at Joesph nothing could stop God’s plans for him.
God was always with him
God never ceased to be with him!
Can I tell you that if you are a believer we have the same promise! The Lord is with us!
Matt 28:19-20
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
You are never with out God’s help and presence
It was God’s Plan to keep
Not Josephs plan but God’s plan!
& God’s plans never fail!
We should live to trust them!
Jas 4:15
For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
We should live lives totally submitted to God’s will we can trust it. We can love it.
