My Power is Perfected in Weakness

Introduction

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TEXT TO GIVE-GIVING SOFTWARE TRANSITION!

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 CSB

7 especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. 8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. 10 So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

RECAP OF GENESIS 41:1-36- KEY POINT- GOD IS WORKING AND GOD IS ON THE MOVE!

MUST SAY THIS:

In Genesis 41:33-36, we saw how Joseph proposed what should be done to Pharaoh. He spoke with wisdom that GOD AND GOD ALONE GAVE JOSEPH!

Joseph suggested that 1/5th of the harvest from each of the 7 years of plenty should be stored so that it can be eaten during the years of drought- after all, this famine is going to be AWFUL!

And this is an important thing- we talked about it last week for a minute but I want to remind us of this- GOD PROVIDES A WAY FOR SALVATION AND

And today we are going to see how GOD USES THE TRIALS THAT JOSEPH HAS GONE THROUGH TO EQUIP HIM FOR WHAT HE IS CALLED TO DO!.

Main Point: God uses trials in our lives to shape us.

Body

Genesis 41:37-41

As we jump into Genesis 41 again, check out verses 37-41 with me. Remember, Joseph has just given God’s WAY THROUGH THIS TRIAL!

Genesis 41:37–41 CSB

37 The proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants, 38 and he said to them, “Can we find anyone like this, a man who has God’s spirit in him?” 39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you are. 40 You will be over my house, and all my people will obey your commands. Only I, as king, will be greater than you.” 41 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “See, I am placing you over all the land of Egypt.”

Pharaoh responds to Joseph and we see that he is “PLEASED.”

He likes this plan! And he asks all of his advisors and the wise men and his servants one question- “can we find anyone like this, a man who has God’s spirit in him?”

There’s two parts to this question. First, Pharaoh is asking in general- who can help us with this?

And notice the wording- “a man who has God’s spirit in him.” That’s what Pharaoh is looking for. He’s not just looking for a random guy, or a smart man; he’s looking for someone who has the SPIRIT OF GOD!

Here’s the second part- Pharaoh is rhetorically asking if anyone else in Egypt is like Joseph- he knows the answer. THERE IS NO ONE IN EGYPT WHO WALKS WITH GOD LIKE JOSEPH!

The answer to this question is simple- NO! There is no one in Egypt LIKE JOSEPH!

ONLY JOSEPH LIVES LIKE THIS!

ONLY JOSEPH FOLLOWS GOD!

I’ve mentioned this before, but Joseph doesn’t have a temple to worship at, or a church to go to, or a Bible Study to join, yet he is still FAITHFUL!

And I’m going to be clear- we shouldn’t avoid meeting with other Christians, don’t make following God harder than it is- but also, don’t use a season without a ton of community as an excuse for sin!

It isn’t!

As Pharaoh realizes that only Joseph can fill this role, he appoints him.

Cornerstone- GOD WAS WORKING IN THAT!

God isn’t done working though!

Joseph has suffered and he has been broken and left in the PIT quite literally for YEARS, but God is working and IS FAITHFUL!

Just like we saw last week, GOD HAS A PLAN FOR THE SUFFERING THAT JOSEPH ENDURES! IT ISN’T POINTLESS!

Sometimes we can face suffering and we start to think, “Why would God let this happen to me? This is pointless. Maybe God doesn’t care about me.”

That’s not the truth though! God is at work in the MIDDLE OF THE SUFFERING THAT WE FACE!

This isn’t just a lesson we learn from Joseph. We also see it in James 1:2-4

James 1:2–4 CSB

2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

THIS IS JESUS’S BROTHER MIND YOU!

AND HE CALLS TO LIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR TESTING!

Because without going through trials we don’t grow in endurance, we don’t grow in maturity, and we will not grow in sanctification- that’s what James is referencing when he talks about being COMPLETE, LACKING NOTHING!

WE HAVE TO SUFFER AND GO THROUGH TRIALS TO GROW!

PLEASE HERE THIS- GOD WAS AT WORK THROUGHOUT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE TRIALS THAT JOSEPH FACED! NOT A SINGLE ONE WAS AN ACCIDENT!

And let’s see what God does next in Joseph’s life!

(Let me be clear- just as God works in Joseph’s trials, God works when Joseph is not being tested!)

Genesis 41:42-45

As I read this, notice how Pharaoh goes from words to actions. He’s talked about how incredible Joseph is, but now see what his ACTIONS SHOW!

Pharaoh is going to do 7 things to show Joseph’s promotion!

I don’t think it’s any coincidence that it’s 7 things. In the Bible, 7 is used to show completeness and these verses show us the COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION OF JOSEPH’S LIFE!

Genesis 41:42–45 CSB

42 Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, clothed him with fine linen garments, and placed a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, and servants called out before him, “Make way!” So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh and no one will be able to raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt without your permission.” 45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah and gave him a wife, Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest at On. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.

Let’s look at those 7 things:

1. Pharaoh gives Joseph his signet ring and PLACES IT ON JOSEPH’S HANDS SHOWING THAT JOSEPH HAS COMPLETE AUTHORITY IN EGYPT!

2. Pharaoh gives Joseph FINE LINEN GARMENTS! THESE ARE THE GARMENTS THAT PHARAOH WOULD WEAR! JOSEPH LOOKS LIKE EGYPTIAN ROYALTY NOW!

3. Pharaoh takes Joseph and puts a gold chain around his neck which was a marker of WEALTH AND AUTHORITY!

4. Pharaoh has Joseph ride in his second chariot- this is like Air Force two and has his servants yell to people, “Make way” which was something that was done for PHARAOH HIMSELF!

5. Joseph is put in charge of the land in EVERY WAY!

Joseph sees the land and he is told that NO ONE CAN “RAISE THEIR HAND OR FOOT IN ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION.”

Literally this is Pharaoh showing that ALL OF EGYPT IS IN THE HANDS OF PHARAOH!

6. Pharaoh gives Joseph a new name.

This really matters. There’s two parts to this- first, Pharaoh does this because Joseph has a “new identity” of sorts. No longer is he a Hebrew in the eyes of Pharaoh, now he is AN EGYPTIAN!

But- and this is going to become really clear later on in this chapter and throughout the rest of his life- you can give a man of God a new name, but you can’t change their character.

Even with new wealth and position and influence, JOSEPH STAYS TRUE TO GOD! Friends, identity can be such an issue for us.

So often it’s because we seek to identify ourselves how we think that other people want us to.

But that’s not what we are called to do. Instead, we are called to identify ourselves by what GOD SAYS! THAT IDENTITY- the identity that we find in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 will never change!

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 CSB

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come! 18 Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” 21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Here’s the second significant part of this new name. The name- Zaphenath Paneah has meaning. To be totally honest, scholars are not quite sure what Zaphenath means, but we know that Paneah has to do with LIFE, or SUPPORTING LIFE.

The rough translation that most scholars give to this name is either “He cares about life” or “He has the Spirit of Life in him” with SPIRIT referring to having GOD WITH HIM!

7. Pharaoh gives Joseph a wife.

This is part of his NEW IDENTITY AS AN EGYPTIAN, but it’s also a DEEP HONOR!

Her father after all is a priest which was the second highest class in Egypt behind the Pharaoh and his advisors!

And with these 7 honors given to him, Joseph begins to DO HIS JOB!

In verse 45 we see that he TRAVELS THROUGH EGYPT AND HE BEGINS TO WORK HARD!

Listen, he’s come through his trial and he doesn’t just sit back and say, “Ok, whatever,” instead, he GLORIFIES GOD WITH HIS WORK!

Verse 46 is a transition verse and it gives some more information about HOW LONG JOSEPH ENDURED THIS TRIAL!

Genesis 41:46

Genesis 41:46 CSB

46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt.

In Genesis 37 we read that Joseph was 17! It has been 13 years of a trial for Joseph!

13 years! THIRTEEN YEARS! How often do we get tired of a trial after 2 hours, 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months; let alone 2 years!

But don’t miss this- God was working for 13 years! For 13 years Joseph learned what it was to persevere. For 13 years JOSEPH ENDURED AND GREW INTO BEING A MATURE MAN OF GOD!

And I want to challenge us today- perseverance isn’t just standing strong for a week or a month. Perseverance is standing strong for as long as that trial takes- a week, a month, or 13 years, or the rest of your life like what Paul experienced!

2 Corinthians 12:9 CSB

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

Friends, our trials teach us! Don’t try to skip them; learn from them and DRAW CLOSE TO GOD!

Don’t miss the opportunity for growth that trials give you!

Let’s take a look at how Joseph’s first 7 years of working with Pharaoh go.

Genesis 41:47-49

Genesis 41:47–49 CSB

47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced outstanding harvests. 48 Joseph gathered all the excess food in the land of Egypt during the seven years and put it in the cities. He put the food in every city from the fields around it. 49 So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance—like the sand of the sea—that he stopped measuring it because it was beyond measure.

From verses 47-49, we see 7 years summarized! Joseph is in charge of the food supply and agricultural production in Egypt and these 7 years of abundance are ABUNDANT!

THERE IS SO MUCH FOOD IN FACT THAT IT CANNOT BE COUNTED!

This would be like if the stock market went up 4,000% in the next week!

THIS IS WILD STUFF! TRULY, IT IS A MIRACLE!

In fact, there’s so much grain that it’s compared to the SAND OF THE SEA- notice, that’s not just the beaches, that’s the sand UNDER THE SEA! This is a tremendous amount!

And in all of this, Joseph is WORKING HARD TO GLORIFY GOD! Consider this- everyone around Joseph knows that he got this position BECAUSE OF GOD!

So everything that he does is a DIRECT REPRESENTATION OF GOD; but he isn’t alone in that! If you follow Jesus, then YOUR WORK is a direct representation of GOD AND WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU!

Don’t ever miss that- the way that we work, the way that we act, the way that we INTERACT with people is a DIRECT REPRESENTATION OF THE GOD THAT WE PROCLAIM!

Genesis 41:50-52

Next we see a bit about Joseph’s personal life. Genesis 41:50-52

Genesis 41:50–52 CSB

50 Two sons were born to Joseph before the years of famine arrived. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest at On, bore them to him. 51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh and said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and my whole family.” 52 And the second son he named Ephraim and said, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

Joseph has two sons before the famine with his wife Asenath. His first son is Manasseh and his younger son is Ephraim .(You might recognize those as tribes of Israel.)

There’s something super important- look at the meaning of these names!

But before we look at the meaning of the names; notice- Joseph married an EGYPTIAN WOMAN, but that doesn’t stop Joseph from naming his children after things that GOD HAS DONE. It shows his faith, and in fact, Jewish extra-biblical writings actually record Asenath having converted and worshipping God ALONGSIDE JOSEPH!

Not only is he faithful to glorify God, he’s faithful to REACH PEOPLE FOR GOD!

That stands in blunt contrast to Judah. Judah marries a Canaanite woman and adopts her culture in Genesis 38, going so far as to have sex with a shrine prostitute to worship an idol.

Joseph on the other hand marries a woman in a foreign land and leads her and their children to God!

Here’s the meanings- Manasseh means “GOD HAS MADE ME FORGET ALL MY HARDSHIP AND MY WHOLE FAMILY.”

JOSEPH HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH A NEW HOME AND A NEW FAMILY BY GOD! HE HAS FOUND CONTENTEDNESS THROUGH GOD! (that doesn’t mean everything is perfect; it means that HE TRUSTS GOD WITH IT!)

Then Joseph names his younger son Ephraim, which means “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

Here’s the big takeaway I want you to see- Joseph doesn’t try to pretend that his suffering didn’t happen. Instead, he FOCUSES ON HOW GOD HAS PROVIDED FOR HIM THROUGH HIS SUFFERING

And in fact, to go one step further; JOSEPH HAS EMBRACED HIS SUFFERING! HE HAS EMBRACED WHAT HE LEARNED AND HOW GOD HAS BEEN WITH HIM THROUGHOUT HIS SUFFERING!

To say this one other way, Joseph has USED HIS TRIALS TO DRAW CLOSER TO GOD!

Genesis 41:53-57

Check out these last few verses with me.

Genesis 41:53–57 CSB

53 Then the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every land, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. 55 When the whole land of Egypt was stricken with famine, the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh told all Egypt, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.” 56 Now the famine had spread across the whole region, so Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Every land came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, for the famine was severe in every land.

Right on cue, the 7 years of abundance- God’s COMPLETE PROVISON- end and they are replaced by 7 years of famine.

Notice- there’s famine in EVERY LAND, not just in Egypt, but the Egyptians have food because of what God has done through Joseph!

As the famine gets worse, Pharaoh sends everyone to Joseph and they are provided for, but it isn’t just Egyptians who buy grain from Joseph- it’s people from “every land!” It’s people from ALL OVER!

Hear this- God uses Joseph in a MASSIVE WAY! Joseph didn’t imagine this when he was in his jail cell.

DON’T LIMIT WHAT GOD CAN DO IN AND THROUGH YOUR LIFE! GOD’S PLANS ARE SO MUCH BIGGER THAN WE CAN SEE!

Application

Christ Shapes Our Identity

SALVATION!

GET SAVED!

2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:21 CSB

21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

THIS IS THE GOSPEL IN ONE SENTENCE!

JESUS- WHO NEVER SINNED- TOOK ON THE WEIGHT OF OUR SIN- (BECAME SIN)- GIVING HIS LIFE FOR US!

JESUS DIED.

JESUS PAID THE PRICE THAT WE NEEDED (OUR LIVES) SO THAT WE CAN BE SAVED!

BUT JESUS DIDN’T STAY DEAD! JESUS ROSE AGAIN ON THE THIRD DAY! (THIS SEALED OUR SALVATION AND DEFEATED DEATH FOREVER!)

AND JESUS DID THIS ALL SO THAT WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS- THE PERFECTION- OF GOD!

Let that sink in. God who was perfect loves us so much that HE WANTS US TO BE HIS SIGN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS TO THE WORLD!

Today, Jesus has made that possible.

CALL FOR RESPONSE!

And if you HAVE accepted Jesus as your savior, then I have another challenge for you- I need us to HUMBLY look in the mirror and EVALUATE- am I living out of THE IDENTITY THAT GOD GAVE ME, or am I living out of what I WANT MY IDENTITY TO BE?

These next two applications are more truths that WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND INTERNALIZE! THESE ARE TRUTHS THAT WE NEED TO CLING TO WHEN WE ARE STRUGGLING!

Trials Shape Us

Your trials are unique and they are different. Just consider Joseph for a minute- none of his other brothers were sold into slavery! But they had challenges- albeit most were self-inflicted!

Or consider Paul- in the NT, he talks about everything that he endured- those were things he endured and were NOT the same as what Timothy, or Titus, or Peter, or John endured!

And the same is true for us. Our trials are unique, but they all are hard.

I heard a great example of this a few years ago at a conference. A songwriter was talking about how he was convicted when writing a song that his first grade daughter had hard things in her life.

To us if someone steals a swing at school it’s like, “well, that’s a bummer. It’ll be ok.” But to that child, it feels like the WORLD IS CAVING IN!

To us, it is terrifying when your boss says, “Hey, we need to talk at 3 today.” To the husband who’s wife is battling the end stages of breast cancer that doesn’t sound as hard.

BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT ANY OF THESE THINGS ARE EASY.

And here’s the point- your trials are unique. What that means is that the lessons that we learn from our trials will be UNIQUE!

That’s where Christian Community is SO COOL!

Galatians 6:2 CSB

2 Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

FRIENDS, WE GET TO WALK TOGETHER AND TO HELP ONE ANOTHER WALK CLOSER TO CHRIST!

And as we come out the other side of our trials, we will find that we have LEARNED SO MUCH!

Joseph is a great example of that! (JOSEPH MATURED IN HIS TRIALS AND NOW IS AN INCREDIBLE LEADER!

So while you’re going through your trial LEAN ON GOD, which we’ll talk more about in a minute, and LEAN ON YOUR COMMUNITY AROUND YOU!

Friends, hang in there and I promise you that you will grow so much, just like James 1:2-4 says!

James 1:2–4 CSB

2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

Don’t run from your trial- make the most of your trial!

PREACH FROM THE HEART- PERSEVERE AND GROW IN ENDURANCE!

There is an end to your Trial

PREACH THIS FROM YOUR HEART. IGNORE THE NOTES; JUST ENCOURAGE!

I just want to be honest, heart-to-heart. If you are suffering, let me speak to you. If you will suffer, let me speak to you. And I’m speaking this to me also.

I promise, there’s an end to your trial.

Right now you can’t see it. Right now it feels so far away! Right now you just want to give up.

And as you hear that you think, “I’m exhausted and spent.”

DON’T QUIT! YOUR TRIAL WILL END!

Devo story- new song, it’s not even out yet and the words just caught my ear and have been on my mind. It’s inspired by Isaiah 40:28-31

Here’s some of the lyrics:

I will wait on the Lord/ He’ll renew all my strength/ I will mount up with wings like eagles

I will run and not grow weary/ I will walk and never faint/ for the LORD, HE will uphold me/ Glory glory I will wait

I will lift my eyes in sorrow/ finding strength to face today/ For I know You hold tomorrow/ Glory glory I will wait

LISTEN TO THIS LAST VERSE:

I will sing my way to victory/ Till I see HIM face to face/ For the Lord will not forsake me/ Glory glory I will wait

“Yes the Lord will surely take me home to glory, I will wait.”

Friends, you’re suffering and you don’t see the end. But listen, let me just encourage you- that is the GOD THAT WE WORSHIP AND THAT LAST STATEMENT IS TRUTH! (LET THE EMOTION FLOW)

THE LORD WILL SURELY TAKE ME HOME TO GLORY, I WILL WAIT!

WAIT FOR THE LORD AND REST KNOWING THAT THIS TRIAL WILL NOT DEFEAT YOU!

This trial will end. God has not abandoned you, just as God did not abandon Joseph. HANG IN THERE!