It's starting to happen (Genesis 41.37-57)
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The proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.
Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find anyone else like this—one in whom is the spirit of God?”
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.
You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command; only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”
And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
Removing his signet ring from his hand, Pharaoh put it on Joseph’s hand; he arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain around his neck.
He had him ride in the chariot of his second-in-command; and they cried out in front of him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.
Moreover Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”
Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as his wife. Thus Joseph gained authority over the land of Egypt.
Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went through all the land of Egypt.
During the seven plenteous years the earth produced abundantly.
He gathered up all the food of the seven years when there was plenty in the land of Egypt, and stored up food in the cities; he stored up in every city the food from the fields around it.
So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance—like the sand of the sea—that he stopped measuring it; it was beyond measure.
Before the years of famine came, Joseph had two sons, whom Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him.
Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.”
The second he named Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortunes.”
The seven years of plenty that prevailed in the land of Egypt came to an end;
and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every country, but throughout the land of Egypt there was bread.
When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do.”
And since the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.
Moreover, all the world came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine became severe throughout the world.
Intro:
Later this evening at 6pm millions will tune in to watch the Super Bowl being played by two teams.....
.......and regardless of who wins the game
.......both of these teams will go down in history as having 2 starting African American QBs to play in this game.
(pause)
One of these QBs is named Jalen Hurst......
.......he has a very interesting story as to how he has arrived to where he is now.
He lost the starting job at Alabama University in the middle of the National Championship.
He then stayed at Alabama another year as the second string qb, before transferring to Oklahoma
Fast forward to this evening........
......and you will understand that at some point
.....what God has planned
.....is bound to start happening for your life!
(pause)
And the thing about seeing the plan come together is that we have to walk out the steps of the process if anything is going to start happening!
Barrel -
And what I love about Jalens story.......and what I love about your story..
........is that........
a good plan will PUSH YOU to do something
(PAUSE)
(Optional).......even when you don't fully know the plan!
(Long pause)
You could be determined..........in your mind to just sit back and watch........
......until a "God thing"
..........starts working in your life!
(Pause)
Look at it now.......
Summarize Chapters 40 - 41 (beginning portion)
Chapter 40 - Joseph interprets the King officials dreams from the prison.
(Expound)
Chapter 41 (v.1-36) - Joseph explains the meaning of Pharoahs dreams and shows him how to prepare for the future famine..
(Pause)
Look at it now........
The proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.
Joseph's plan In verses 33-36 sounded like a superior approach to dealing with this
insurmountable issue closing in on their horizon.........
And so Pharoah responds in verse 38 by saying.....
Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find anyone else like this—one in whom is the spirit of God?”
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.
The Kings question is really tied into the conclusion that the king is drawing concerning what he observes in Joseph....
(Pause)
And because Joseph has made it clear that it is God who has revealed what the King needs to comprehend.....
(Slight pause)
The King.......recognizes.......that
Joseph........is particularly exceptional!
(Slight pause)
Meaning.....
..........Joseph is gifted with the ability to understand
.........what God is doing
(Pause)
Joseph......
How do you know what God is doing?
(pause)
And the first thing we have to clearly define and understand is Wisdom.....
(Slight pause)
Wisdom is......
.....The human quality which enables the planning and successful achievement of a desired goal.
- True wisdom includes spiritual discernment and, above all, the reverence and knowledge of God.
(pause)
Barrel -
In 1 Kings 3........
God asks Solomon in a dream,
“Ask what ever you wish, and I will give it to you!”
Solomon says......
You have positioned me to have incredible influence in my life position and purpose as King of your people.....
But God.....
I don't really know what I'm doing......
Give me Wisdom..........
Freedom,
if you're going to ever see it start happening.....
......you got to seek wisdom!
(Pause)
And watch this........
.....because that means we got to seek
A. Wisdom as instruction in practical living
1. Proverbs 6.6 says, "Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise."
2. Proverbs 10.5 says, "He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely, But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully."
(Pause)
And so it is wise to do certain things if we expect to be successful.......
(pause)
I was at the doctor for my regular appointmen and my doctor said.....
“Excercise daily for at least 20 minutes will improve your health as you continue to age”
Now......
....if I don't take that information and turn it into action
........my expectation should not substantiate itself on the idea that I am improving my health.
(Slight pause)
And......
......it amazes me at how many of us will have high expectation
........but then turn around and live in absolute foolishness!
(pause and expound)
But in verse 39........
I hear Pharaoh in my spiritual imagination saying to Joseph....
"What impresses me about you Joseph......
is that your level of wisdom is not based on common sense that can be presupposed logically
.....But you seem to be getting your information from a different place!
(Pause)
........because you are seeing things that only God could show somebody!"
(Pause)
And that's why folk who don't have wisdom........have a hard time dealing with revelation.....
(Pause)
Because.........it's difficult to wrap our mind around how a person can put together a plan.........with limited information.......
Barrel -
Freedom when the pandemic hit in 2020..........
There was not any Pastor on the planet who already had a mapped out plan for how to deal with what was going on........
and not only that but everyone was learning what it felt like to be stuck without a clue with what to do next...
.........but what we discovered is that
.......even with our limited information
(slight pause)
God is still able........
......to provide enough revelation to get through “The Next!”
The Next..............
Second
Minute
Hour
Day
Week
Month
Year
And revelation proves Gods......
Sovereignty
Providence
and........
.....what we have to realize..........
is what Joseph tells Pharaoh.......earlier in the text......
(Slight pause)
"I did not create this plan of hopeful intentions up...........on my own.........
.......but GOD........gave it to me!"
(Pause - Expound)
[Optional - Expound question - Has anyone ever been there?]
(Pause)
And......because of what God is showing Joseph.........
.....things start happening in verse 40!
(Pause)
You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command; only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”
And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
Removing his signet ring from his hand, Pharaoh put it on Joseph’s hand; he arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain around his neck.
He had him ride in the chariot of his second-in-command; and they cried out in front of him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.
According to the text......Pharaoh puts Joseph over his entire house....
And everyone is expected to submit to Joseph's authority based on the fact that he is second in command to Pharaoh.....
(Pause)
Joseph........
"How in the world did you go...........from........being sold out of the pit........as a slave into Egypt.....
........to becoming.........second in command over every thing in Egypt?"
(pause)
And what I began to realize is this.........
- God never allowed Joseph to talk to the brothers who was putting him in the pit!
- God never allowed Joseph to talk to the folk that were selling him into Potiphar's house!
Because these were all indirect moves......
........But
- Every time Joseph is in the presence of somebody that's directly connected to his purpose........
......the biblical author shows us Joseph speaking out loud!
(Pause)
Can I help somebody......?
Some people and things in your life........…
.will be indirect motivators toward your purpose....…
Some people and things in your life........…will be indirect motivators toward your purpose.....ill be indirect motivators toward your purpose.....will be… indirect motivators toward your purpose.....se.....
I call that - Non dreamer material........
(Pause)
But then there are those people and things in your life.......
.that are directly connected to what God showed you.........in your purpose.....
I call that - Dreamer evidence.........
(Pause)
And I don't know how you move.........but whenever something in my reality........looks like something God showed me.......
(Pause)
My spiritual ears.........heighten in response..........
Because........that's my cue..........
that something supernatural..........is starting to happen......
(Pause)
And whenever God starts moving around you.........so close that you can feel that God is up to something.........
GET ready...........
......for a paramount momentum!
(Pause)
And...........verse 42 says.......
.......the "same Joseph" that was stripped of his fathers multicolored robe............
......is now being dressed with KING's attire!
(Pause)
And the more I thought about these actions of Pharaoh.........the more I saw what God is doing....
(Pause)
Notice..........
That Joseph..........is not changed......when he is being stripped by his brothers............
And.....
nor is he changed when he is being dressed by the Pharaoh......
(pause)
Because the same Joseph..........
that saw what God was doing in the PIT..........
is the same Joseph that understands God's plan in the Palace!
(Pause)
And.........so maybe..........the text is teaching us.......that.......
We have to be strong enough to let go of the robe in the pit.........
(Pause)
And we have to be strong enough to embrace Pharaoh dressing us in ROYAL attire in the palace!
(pause and expound)
Barrel -
Paul says in Pillipians 4......
“I have learned how to be abased.......
......and I have learned how to abound.
I know what it is to need.......
and I know what it is to have plenty....
and then at the end he says,
.........I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me!”
(Pause)
And for Joseph in the text..........
.the robe was how Jacob felt about him............
(slight pause)
.....And the Royal attire........is how Pharaoh feels about him......
(Pause)
But in my spiritual imagination
Joseph...........the reason you even exist
to be dressed up with anything..........
(Slight pause)
........is because of how GOD feels about you.....
(Pause)
and somebody in here needs to be reminded that......
You are so much greater.........
than how somebody else "feels about you!"
(Pause and Expound)
And you are so much greater than what you "had to let go......."
(Pause)
And NOW...........who God created you to be........
..........is starting to happen!!
(Pause)
And I wish I had some Joseph's in here......that could realize..........
NOW.............it's starting to happen........
NOW..............God is moving in your life.......
(Slight pause)
And they didn't know who you were created to be............before now..........Joseph......
.......but NOW............
........everybody is noticing........
(Pause)
......there is something..........different about JOSEPH!!!
(Pause)
look at it now........
Moreover Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”
Freedom,
Notice how Joseph's voice of influence is gaining more power!
........this is a crescendo of credibility!
and I want you to see how.......
the focus is not on impressing others, but the emphasis is on intentionally walking in our purpose!
(pause)
People don't get impressed by us when we “look like we are so strong and powerful”.....
.......what moves them is when the UNEXPECTED
...........comes out of nowhere!
BARREL - The story of Samson and the source of his strength....
(pause)
And this is what you are seeing in the text......
A Joseph who nobody saw coming!
(pause and expound)
Expound - Some of you are getting ready to show up.......and nobody saw you coming!
(pause)
As a matter of fact.......
Pharoah gives Joseph a new name!
Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as his wife. Thus Joseph gained authority over the land of Egypt.
According to the text.......
Pharoah calls Joseph.....
"Zaphenath-paneah" which means......
......The God spoke
.......and he lives!
(Pause)
And so............every time Joseph walks into a room and they call his name.........
.....the God who created Joseph for this particular purpose...........is glorified.....
(Pause)
And I don't know about you............but Freedom Church..........when I walk into a room........I don't want people to know me......
But.......I want them to know.........the God who purposed me.........for such a time as this!
(Pause)
I don't know about you.......but when I walk into the room..........I want people to know....
"God spoke.............and he lives!"
(pause)
I want that young man..........or that young woman who has lost hope........
.........to see the CHRIST in me.......
And instead of throwing in the towel.........
I want them to see the God in my life and holler with tears in their eyes......
(Pause)
"GOD spoke..........and he lives!"
(EXPOUND and WALK)
And Church family..........when we represent for Christ..........on this level.......
People begin to recognize.........
".........ITS starting to happen!!!!!"
(Pause)
- When Jesus would approach people who were in bondage........
I.e. - Blind Bartimaeus........the Lepers......the man with the withered hand......
(Slight pause)
.....They could since that FREEDOM was coming!
"I'm being.........SET FREE!"
..."ITS starting to happen!!!!!"
(Pause)
And just like Joseph.........we have to REFRAME how we see achievement!
(Pause)
And here is how we do it........
1. Realize our human limitations
- Ecclesiastes 2.11
"Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun."
(Pause)
2. Remember that God's purposes are always accomplished
- Isaiah 14.24
The Lord of Hosts has sworn saying, "Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand,"
(Pause)
Freedom......
.........this is where we must deal with the tension between working within our limitations and partnering with a miraculous God.
(pause)
In verses 47-49 the Bible says,
In the 7 years of plenty.....
.....,the earth brought forth by the handfuls!
.....in other words they had piles and piles of “PLENTY!”
(pause)
Now watch verse 48......
He gathered up all the food of the seven years when there was plenty in the land of Egypt, and stored up food in the cities; he stored up in every city the food from the fields around it.
Freedom.......
When things start happening........
.......our limitations are not the main focus!
(pause)
In other words......
You don't focus on what you can't do when you're standing in the middle of a Miraculous moment!
(pause)
Freedom......
.......what we do instead is we,
WORK........within the limits!
(Preach Baker!)
The Bible says,
Joseph Focused on the PLeNTy...........and started GATHERING!
(Pause and expound)
Now watch this......verse 49
So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance—like the sand of the sea—that he stopped measuring it; it was beyond measure.
Heres the next one.......
3. Line up our human achievement with God's purpose
- 2 Samuel 22.30
"For by You I can run upon a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall."
- John 15.5
"I am the vine, you are the branches, he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."
- Acts 1.8
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth."
- 1 Corinthians 3.6
"I Paul planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the increase"
(Pause)
The text says.....
Joseph got to a point that he just stopped counting................
(slight pause)
Freedom.......
.......it ain't starting to happen until you get to the point where,
Gods purpose......is lining up with your life so perfectly ....
.......that you can't count high enough to keep up!
(pause and expound)
But watch this Freedom......
It never starts happening......
........if he never starts “Gathering!”
(pause)
This is why Pastor is pushing each one of you to come on Tuesday night
......and then go hand out door hangers on Sunday
(Pause)
Because when we start doing the work of “Gathering!”........
........our lives will arrive to a place where our purpose OUTLIVES our WORK!
(Pauseand expound)
Freedom....
When Joseph looks around.......
And when Joseph looked inside of himself.......
In my spiritual imagination
He starts realizing.........
"IT's STARTING to happen!"
(Pause)
Because in verses 50 - 53.......the text says.....
"Two sons were born to Joseph before the years of famine came....
....And one he named Manasseh........
.....And one he named Ephraim......
Manasseh means -
"For God, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house"
Get ready to forget about the stuff that has you feeling broken inside
(Pause)
And.........
Ephraim means -
"For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction."
Get ready to produce outcomes that have meaningful effects
(Pause)
In other words......
'It's STARTING to HAPPEN!"
And it's happening right here where you are..........
(Pause)
FREEDOM CHURCH............
watch the text.......
The seven years of plenty that prevailed in the land of Egypt came to an end;
and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every country, but throughout the land of Egypt there was bread.
The text says.......
Everything Joseph said............
“started to happen!”
(pause)
But don't miss this.....
because the last line of the verse says!
............ “But in all the land of Egypt there was bread!”
(pause)
And the only reason Egypt has bread.....
......is because God told Joseph “what was coming!”
.......and they did the work of “GATHERING!”
(pause)
Freedom isn't it wonderful.......
.......that God will bring a Joseph into our lives
....who will show us what's getting ready to happen!!
(pause and celebrate)
Watch this......
When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do.”
When it started happening........
Pharoah says...
“Don't come to me.......
(pause)
Go and see Joseph!”
(Pause)
And all I came this morning to tell somebody is......
“It's starting to happen!”
(Pause)
And so FREEDOM.........
The last thing I got to tell you is that.....
The Bible says.....
in Galatians 6.9
“And let us not.......
.......be weary
........in well doing
....for in “DUE SEASON”
(pause)
Look at somebody and say........
Its STARTING TO HAPPEN!”
(Pause)
The Bible says.....
.........We shall reap
.....if we faint not!
EXPOUND here.........
..........CONCLUSION........