Jospeh 3

Spiritual Prosperity

Genesis 39:1–6 NKJV

1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. 5 So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field. 6 Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

Intro: As continue through Josephs life, we see a teenager, who would become a man as a slave. He could have had a bad attitude. But he stayed faithful to God.

He worked hard for his master. God blessed him. Those around him saw that God blessed him. They saw a Godly man, that stayed true to God, even when his whole life seemed ti be taken from him.

We can learn a lot from the life of Joseph.

Joseph’s life was full of spiritual prosperity.

And ours can be too.

What is Spiritual Prosperity?

It’s not money.

It’s growing in your faith.

It’s when people see you growing in you and know there is something different about you.

VS 1

Genesis 39:1 NKJV

1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there.

Josephs brothers hated him, they had a plan to kill him. They took his coat, they through him in a pit, and they sell him. They take his coat, dip it in blood from a kid goat they killed, show it to their Father.

But, the brother were happy to get rid of him.

But, it caused a lot of pain for their Father.

1. Think his trip to Egypt. He must have felt forsaken.

He is going to Egypt, he doesn’t speak the language. He has no idea what will happen to him.

a. His position on life would changed. He would from being the favorite son, to being a slave.

b. He went from wearing the cloak of many colors, to wearing the cloak of a slave.

Now he is on his way to the slave market. He didn’t know what lay ahead of him.

If anyone had a reason to be bitter it was him.

Sometimes you get angry over things we have no control over.

c. Once he arrives in Egypt he is sold at the slave market. (Elab him being at the slave market.)

d. But being in Egypt, being a slave would help develop him, it would prepare him for future service. (All in God’s plan)

Difficulties in life can help us grow in our faith. But the devil wants us to blame God, that can hurt us and those around us.

e. All that he would go through would help develop character (he already had great character, but it would grow even stronger) that would impact the lives of others for many years to come. (that’s something that we need to remember in our own lives)

2. Potiphar bought him. Joseph had no control over his life now. To be a slave meant your master had complete control over you.

Potiphar was a high official in the Egyptian government.

a. His job was to oversee the protection of Pharaoh the King of Egypt. (He would be like the Secret service)

Also to oversee punishment on anyone who showed any disfavor towards Pharaoh.

It was not a coincidence that Potiphar bought Joseph, it was all in Gods plan.

Potiphar didn’t realize that God was using him.

b. Joseph working for Potiphar would be aware of the some of the things going on in the Egyptian government. He would be in charge one day.

c. Joseph’s circumstances looked negative. But his circumstances were guided by God for Joseph’s advantage.

d. Later (years) he would be promoted to a high position in the Egyptian government. (Potiphar would working for him)

He would do this job with great efficiency.

e. This was not an accident, it was God putting him in the right place for the plan He had for his life. Not only for him, but for his family and others for years to come.

3. What happened to Joseph should encourage anyone that is going through hardship or affections because circumstances that may come your way.

a. Your situation may be like Joseph’s in the way that it was beyond his control, it could be someone else’s doings that have got you in the situation that you are in.

b. Something we cannot do. We can’t plan vengeance against them. We have to trust in God and remember that He is in charge of your situation.

VS 2

Genesis 39:2 (NKJV)

2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man;

1. Joseph did well in his service as a slave in the house of Potiphar.

Even when things seem bad, God will bless you.

a. We see two vital blessing from God during Joseph’s time as a slave.

b. The presence of God. The property of God.

2. The presence of God:

The Lord was with Joseph

Joseph didn’t have to be in the comfort of his own home for the Lord to be with him.

He didn’t have to have his fancy coat for the Lord to be with him.

Even in what seemed to be the worst days of his life, The Lord was with him.

a. Joseph had lost what man would count as being important. Position, possession, friends,family and material comforts. But he had not lost the presence of God, even in his situation.

b. The presence of God does depend on your situation of your life. It depends on the state of your heart. Do you complain, or trust God.

Joseph dealt with his situation by trusting in the Lord and the Lord was with him, and the Lord blessed him.

c. Elab the POW’s in Vietnam War. They were in a bad situation, so for 7 years. Col Dun.

The keep their faith. Elab the code. 5 rows of 5 letter c/k W 5-2 E1-5

They wrote down bible verse that they had remembered. They didn’t let their situation take advance of them. They had the presence of God.

3. The key to the presence of God, is to welcome the presence of God. Worship.

a. Since Joseph experienced the presence of God, it show the condition of his heart.

b. Now our society today, it seem to be just the opposite. People today don’t want God’s presence.

They don’t want God taught in school, (you can teach evolution, but not creation) some are even teaching about Islam, but teaching about Christianity in not allowed)

c. They don’t want God’s presence in government, in the court rooms, at graduation

So many places today, God presence is not welcome. Even in some homes. And people wonder why we are in the miss that we are in.

d. There is nothing more important and valuable then the presence of God.

Moses in Ex 33:15

Exodus 33:15 NKJV

15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.

He was seeking God after the people made the golden calf and Moses broke the tablets. “Lord if you don’t go with me, don’t lead us up from here” Speaking of into the Promised Land.

e. Anything we do here at Pine Grove, we need the presence of God with us, or not do it whatever it may be.

“The presence of Go can make a prison a palace. But the absence of God can make a palace a prison.”

e. God’s presence made Josephs time as a slave better than his time with brother as a free man.

1. The prosperity of God.

and he was a successful man;

a. Looking Josephs situation (Elab) it make hard to think of him as being prosperous. (Successful)

b. God views on prosperity is different then ours. Prosperity in human eyes; money, cars, homes, good job, earthly positions.

c. God views property from a spiritual stand point.

d. A man that is CEO $500.000 plus bonuses and other perks. But God is not with him. (View man).

e. A man that works on a porta potty truck making $13.00 hr. But has God with him. (View of God)

VS 2 lets us know that lets us know that prosperity is not necessarily related to one’s material possessions and position. True prosperity of when God is with you and helping you do your duty with excellence.

f. No matter what your duty is (Elab) God can still give you a good day on the job.

g. God helped Joseph in so many ways in his slave work.

If Joseph was going to be a slave, he was going to be a blessed slave.

No matter what situation you may find yourself in, look for Gods blessings.

As a slave, Joseph was a servant. But its wasn’t something he choose to do. It was forced on him.

Jesus came as a servant. It wasn’t forced on Him, He choose to come as servant.

Matthew 20:28 NKJV

28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

He washed His disciples feet.

We are to be servants.

“ he was in the house of his master the Egyptian”

Joseph was a slave in Potiphars house. So Potiphars, so he watched Joseph. And he was a difference in him and his other slaves.

VS 3-4

Genesis 39:3–4 NKJV

3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.

And his master saw that the Lord was with him:

Potiphar saw that God was real in the life of Joseph.

Do people see that God is real in your life?

When the world, those who are without Jesus, when they see the presence of God in your life, it easier to reach them with the gospel of Jesus.

1. Even though Joseph was a slave, he had an excellent witness for the Lord before Potiphar. He saw that the Lord was with him.

a. The excellent witness was in the work that he did. That is a great way to be a witness for the Lord in the work that you do.

b. Part of giving a good witness for the Lord and evidence of him being with us and helping, means not slacking in our duties.

c. If God is with us we have to be good stewards of is presence and His power, or we will not prosper (in Gods view)

d. If Joseph would have had a complaining spirit, and had done his was half heartily, his work would not have propertied and would not have been a good witness.

e. He may have told Potiphar about his God, but would not have been impressed if he didn’t do good work.

f. As Christians we should always do the best on the job, no matter how bad the situations is. It’s a witness for who you for, and work with.

Faith without works is dead: James 2:20

James 2:20 NKJV

20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

And he saw that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

1. Even though Joseph was a slave (Had nothing, he was poor) but he was rich.

Revelation 3:17 NKJV

17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—

(the church that thought they were rich, but were poor)

Revelation 2:9 NKJV

9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

(the church in property, but they were rich)

a. Joseph was in slavery, but he was prosperous.

VS 5

Genesis 39:5 NKJV

5 So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field.

1. Were not told how long it was, but over time Joseph became the overseer of Potiphar’s house, and everything that he owned. He saw still a slave, but he was the salve in charge. Potiphar trusted him.

This was in Gods plan, preparing Joseph for one day he would rule over Egypt.

a. Joseph continued to be faithful, the presence Lord continued to be with him, Joseph was blessed and so was Potiphar.

I bet Potiphar was thinking, I got my moneys wroth.

b. Potiphar’s house was blessed for Joseph’s sake. A worldly boss, a Godly (worker) slave.

c. Elab on that in the working place today.

1. He was now the man in charge of all that Potiphar had.

a. All because he stayed faithful. He was a Godly man. Tha’ts the way we as Christians live our lives will make an impact on the lives of others that we are around.

Genesis 39:6 (NKJV)

6 Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

If Joseph had one bad thing in his life. It was his looks.

Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

Potiphar didn’t have to worry about anything, Joseph took care of everything.

He trusted Joseph with everything. Elab.

Here he is a slave, sold by his own brothers, in a land far away from his own. But, he is blesses by God. Elab why?

What is Joseph would been a slave with a bad attitude?

That tells me, even I am treated bad, if people hate me, talk bad about me, I have to be faith to God first.