Path to Prosper: Week 2

Key Terms

Last week we talked about some key factors and gave some key definitions for the remainder of this series.

Prosper = To make Successful.

Poverty = The state of being inferior in quality.

Poverty comes by accident but prosperity is an intentional decision.

Proverbs 24:33–34 NLT

A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

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Recap

Last week we started our journey through the life of Joseph

We began by looking at his origin story

His story is one of delay.

Rachel was the chosen bride of Jacob but she was barren.

Leah had four sons and the servants had sons as well.

BUT RACHEL WAS NOT CARRYING ON JACOB’S LINEAGE AS HE HAD HOPED.

The concept of our content last week was that our path to prosperity often starts with a story of delay.

I quickly want to fill in some gaps that I left from the content last week.

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LIttle Nugget

What’s interesting is the fact that while Rachel is jealous of Leah’s children…Leah is jealous of Rachel’s love.

No matter what season you are in…

Leah cannot celebrate the fact that she has children because she is unloved

Rachel cannot celebrate the fact that she is loved because she can’t have children.

what you lack will keep you from identifying what you have.

What are you not seeing in your life because your vision is obstructed by what you lack?

When we become obsessed with the things we don’t have we become offended by those who do.

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Only two ways to deal with delay

There are really only two ways to deal with delay.

Become jealous of those who are farther along than you

Become a celebrator of those who are further along than you.

We live in such an individualistic society that we allow jealousy to rob us of being good celebrators.

Life is harder when you’re a hater

Surplus finds celebrators

Plus! When I understand the fact that we are the body together…

I GET TO CELEBRATE YOUR WINS AS THOUGH THEY ARE MINE!

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Joseph finally shows up

Rachel stays true to Jacob in spite of not getting what she wants when she wants it…and as a result God blesses her with what she wants so desperately.

Genesis 30:22–24 NLT

Then God remembered Rachel’s plight and answered her prayers by enabling her to have children. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. “God has removed my disgrace,” she said. And she named him Joseph, for she said, “May the Lord add yet another son to my family.”

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We are going to be looking at how Joseph’s story shows the faithfulness of God to bring to pass success that seems impossible.

But we must understand that the miracle or prosperity is rarely experienced in a short time frame.

Prosperity requires patience.

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Born to a sinful father

Something that is interesting to note is the fact that Joseph is conceived while Jacob is still Jacob.

He is going to become Israel

But at this point he is still the crooked brother of Esau who has womanized himself to 11 kids by four baby mommas.

I tell you that to say that Joseph’s prosperity was not highlighted by being conceived in the context of righteousness.

His dad wasn’t saved yet when he came into the world.

Jacob still works for Laban

He is about to manipulate himself into a large nest egg of sheep.

Joseph was born into a broken situation…but God still brought prosperity into his life.

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Where you come from doesn’t determine where you’re going

It can become so easy to discount our potential based on our beginnings.

My dad was an alcoholic

I was an illegitimate child

My parents got divorced

I have learning disabilities.

We can come up with countless reasons as to why we are not eligible candidates for what God is calling us to.

But God uses the most unlikely candidates because they make for the most profound displays of glory.

If you would have been worthy…

we might give you credit…

but since you’re clearly screwed up…

when you succeed we know it has to be God!

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It didn’t start with a dream

As individuals who have the luxury of knowing the end of the story...

It can become easy to simply approach the story of Joseph from the perspective of seeing him as the dreamer.

If you were raised in Sunday school or saw the animated movie…you know that Joseph is the king of drams.

But Joseph’s dreams are not introductory aspect we are given to get to know Joe.

When we first encounter Joseph, he is not dreaming...

In fact he isn’t watching sheep, he isn’t doing anything that would speak of merit or ability.

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Afraid to see his brother…but encountering God

You’ll remember the reason Jacob is at Laban’s in the first place is the fact that he has manipulated the situation to steal the blessing from Esau.

Jacob has spent the last couple of decades avoiding the brother that he wronged.

He is anticipating that the day he sees his brother again will be the last day he is no this earth.

But he is made aware that he is about to encounter his brother and his family.

It’s within this context that Jacob ends up alone with God and they wrestle all night.

BTW: Sometimes it is at the worst moments that you have the most intimate encounters.

Don’t waste your stressful season…God might show up and change your name in the midst of your struggle.

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Apprehensive to encounter…but met with joy

Jacob has his name changed to Israel…and then the very next day he has an encounter with his brother.

He approaches him apprehensively

He approaches him with quaking knees

But when he gets there he finds out that His brother doesn’t want to kill him…

He wants to restore relationship with Him.

SN: Some of you came to church apprehensively today

You have been fearful as to how God would react to you coming in the door.

You thought the roof of the church might cave in when you walked through the door.

But God hasn’t been waiting to strike you down…He has been waiting to welcome you home!

As long as there is breath in your body there is hope for your soul.

As long as there is breath in the body of your family member…there is hope for their soul.

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We don’t meet Joseph as a dreamer

We aren’t talking about Jacob and Esau during this series…we are talking about Joseph.

Remember the context that Joseph’s story is one of delay

Jacob and Rachel have to wait and pray and wait and pray…and finally she has Joseph.

So when Jacob is sending his family ahead to meet Esau…He puts the maid’s, Leah, and their kids in front.

If something starts to go down he wants to be able to help Rachel and Joseph escape.

But when everything is proven to be safe with Esau…look at our first introduction to Joseph after his birth story.

Genesis 33:1–7 NLT

Then Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming with his 400 men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and his two servant wives. He put the servant wives and their children at the front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. Then Jacob went on ahead. As he approached his brother, he bowed to the ground seven times before him. Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept. Then Esau looked at the women and children and asked, “Who are these people with you?” “These are the children God has graciously given to me, your servant,” Jacob replied. Then the servant wives came forward with their children and bowed before him. Next came Leah with her children, and they bowed before him. Finally, Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed before him.

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Prosperity starts with submission

As we look at Joseph as the prototype of prosperity...

It’s important to know that we aren’t introduced to him as a dreamer

We aren’t introduced to him as a king

We aren’t introduced to him as a spoiled kid

We are introduced to the prototype of prosperity by seeing him walk in an act of submission.

Prosperity doesn’t start with surplus…it starts with submission.

1 Peter 5:6 NKJV

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

WE ARE TRYING TO CLIMB IN A KINGDOM THAT CALLS TO KNEEL.

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Prosperity doesn’t start on the platform

Contextualize the ease of gaining a platform in 2023.

We think that our prosperity season…our season of success is going to start with a platform...

But true prosperity cannot start on a platform because true prosperity requires process.

It doesn’t matter how gifted you are…if you only have a gift you won’t make it very far.

Un-submitted gifts produce misplaced glory...

Greatness is the result of gifting going through the grind.

One of the greatest dangers to your prosperity is the potential of a premature platform.

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Most Valuable Player not Most Skilled Player

I find it interesting that in major sports they don’t give out awards for the most skilled players.

The highest award in major sports is not the most skilled individual always.

The award that is recognized and sought after on a personal level is Most Valuable Player.

Last week we focused in on the concept of success as a pursuit.

Today I want us to focus in on the concept of value as a pursuit.

You don’t have to be impressive to be valuable.

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My value didn’t happen when I was visible

I went to school in Kentucky and I loved basketball.

But I wasn’t very good.

I wanted to be good…so bad

I tried to show off what I could do in front of the coach…but it never worked.

I WAS 5’11, 250 pounds

But the summer before my Senior year…I played hard all summer.

I worked on my game…I dieted

I came back to school 6’1”, 208 pounds

I dominated that season…but my value was not developed in front of anyone...

Rarely will you develop value in seasons where you’re visible

Chinese Bamboo Illustration

POSSIBLE ENDING…CHECK TIME

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Serving someone else’s dream

Genesis 37:1–2 NLT

So Jacob settled again in the land of Canaan, where his father had lived as a foreigner. This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father’s flocks. He worked for his half brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing.

Joseph is introduced to us first by bowing in submission..

Our next introduction to this kid shows him watching his fathers flocks.

Joseph’s path to prosperity was laced with submission that in this case is shown by him investing his time and energy into someone else’s wealth.

Jacob’s flock was indicative of Jacob’s wealth.

Joseph was tasked with maintaining and growing the wealth of someone else.

ALL OF THIS PREDATES JOSEPH’S DREAM.

God will never give a dream to anyone who is not willing to serve someone else’s.

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Greatness isn’t always celebrated

We are going to later discover that Joseph’s brothers betray him in a significant way.

We are led to believe that his dream is what caused his brothers to hate him!

But the truth is their hatred goes deeper and is more complex than that.

Genesis 37:2 NLT

This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father’s flocks. He worked for his half brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing.

Joseph brothers hated him because he was not satisfied to watch them mismanage the wealth of their father.

Understand when you start pursuing prosperity…some people won’t like it.

Being around success does one of two things.

Inspires you or infuriates you.

My prayer is that we will become motivated to pursue more.

We weren’t made for poverty = inferior quality of living

We were made for prosperity = to make successful

But the first step to living in prosperity is developing through submission.

_________ Closing

Submission to God = I say yes to what he’s calling me to

Submission to authority = Wives I submit to my husband…husbands I submit to my God

Submission to earthly authority = It’s not your job to fix your boss...

Multiplication is often a product of submission.