A Time of Testing

“A Time of Testing”

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In this chapter we find Joseph in the dungeon going through a time of testing. God was preparing Joseph for a greater place of responsibility. But before Joseph could assume that place of leadership and responsibility God had to prepare him. The place God chose to prepare him was this dungeon.

Before you can pass to the next grade in school you have to pass the final exams. There’s no advancing in school without passing final exams. This was Joseph’s final exam!

Story about Troy.

God wants to use me and you in greater ways; but before he can; there are some test that we must take and pass.

It is important to know the difference between temptation and testing:

Temptation does not come from God; the book of James says; God tempts no man. Temptation comes from Satan, to cause us to stumble. If you are experiencing temptation to sin it is not from God; Satan is tempting you hoping to cause you to stumble! Satan wants to destroy your life!

Testing on the other hand are sent by God to help you grow spiritually. God test us to develop us, grow us, and use us in greater ways. Joseph is experiencing a time of testing; he has been sold by his brothers into slavery in Egypt. He has been falsely accused by Mrs. Potiphar; he’s been arrested and thrown into the dungeon. Joseph has done nothing wrong. God is going to use Joseph in a mighty way; but he must pass the test in the dungeon first. You may be going through a time of testing in your life; I want to remind you that God is not trying to destroy you, he wants to develop you, grow you and use you. We learn from Joseph’s time of testing how to respond in our time of testing.

The first response to the test of life is:

1. Serve God Wherever You Are.

V:1-8.

Joseph serve God in Potiphar’s house; were told that the hand of God was on him and everything that he did as the overseer in Potiphar’s house was blessed by God. Now Joseph finds himself in the dungeon; but again were told that God was with him, and the jailer put Joseph in charge of all the other inmates. And the Lord was with Joseph and whatever Joseph did, the Lord made it to prosper. Joseph had every reason to be bitter, unforgiving, hateful and uncooperative.

Joseph continued to serve God in the dungeon. Joseph was living his life with a God-centered focus. He wasn’t controlled by his circumstances; he was controlled by God. Joseph was serving God in the prison; just like he did outside of the prison. When testing and trials came, he didn’t give up, or quit on God. Joseph was practicing what the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy “Be instant in season and out of season”.

We must consistently love God, live for God and serve God in the good times as well as the bad times.Joseph’s was focused on God; and his circumstances did not dictate how he responded to his situation; God did!

Joseph’s loved God and was serving God in that dungeon! Joseph’s whole life was God–centered.

When Ms. Potiphar tried to get him to sleep with her; Joseph did not say, we will get caught, is not a good idea, I might lose my job. He said how can I sin against God?

When he interprets the dreams of the Butler and the Baker; he said interpretations belong to God, (V:8).

When Pharaoh ask him to interpret his dream; Joseph said I cannot do it, is not in me to interpret your dream: God will give Pharaoh an answer. (41:16) Joseph’s focus was on God; God was the center of Joseph life.

It was God that sustained Joseph in the hard places of life. If you live long enough you will experience some hard places in life; and only God can sustain you in those hard places.

Joseph was living with a God-centered focus.

Joseph was also living with an outward focus.

V:4-“And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in the prison”.

The Lord was with Joseph and he was put in charge of the prisoners. Were told of two specific prisoners the butler, and the Baker.

These were two very important men in Pharaoh’s cabinet. We’re not told what they did; we’re only told that they offended the Pharaoh and he was furious with them. Maybe the Pharaoh ran out of wine one day; or the Baker burned the biscuits; whatever they did it was so bad that the Pharaoh through them in the dungeon. And since God is sovereign; they happened to land in the same dungeon with Joseph.

Joseph was put in charge of these two guys and he served them. Joseph would attend to these men’s needs and minister to them. These two guys had dreams; V:5- but they couldn’t interpret their dreams.

V:6-7“the next morning Joseph saw them, and they were sad. Joseph asked them why are you guys so sad today?

Now if anybody had a reason to be sad it was Joseph. It is remarkable how sensitive we are to others when a heart is right with God! And how selfish and self-centered we are when we’re not walking with God!

Joseph is walking with God; and has his eyes on others. Joseph is living in the dungeon; but is not feeling sorry for himself, he’s not wallowing in self-pity; he’s not blaming God and criticizing others. Don’t miss this, here’s a man falsely accused and locked up with a heart to minister to someone else. Joseph doesn’t allow what’s happened to him to cause it to be calloused, hard, and uncaring. Instead Joseph is sensitive, loving and sympathetic. He says to these guys want’s the matter with you; why are you so sad today? One of the ways to overcome injustice, heartache and difficulty is to get your eyes on others.

One of the greatest ministries you can have; is to come along besides someone else who is suffering.

2 Corinthian 1:4-“comfort others, with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God”.

Problems in our lives should make us more sensitive to the problems of others.

Sometimes God allows us to go through problems and difficulties so we can better minister to someone else who is going through the same problems and difficulties. That’s exactly what happened to Joseph. If you’re going through a time of testing, injustice and difficulty; find someone else that you can minister to, pray for and encourage.

Many times we fail the test that come into our life, because we cannot see past ourselves. If you really want to overcome trials, and past spiritual test; minister to others in your pain. Pour your life into someone else’s like Joseph did.

Joseph was conscious of the presence of God; and the burdens of others. Joseph was looking up; and looking out. It is truly amazing, when we are hurting, God will bring someone into our life that understands our pain. Joseph and these two men ended up in prison for different reasons, but they found themselves in the same place, sharing the same miseries. And out of his own experience, Joseph was able to minister to them. Joseph is able to minister to them because the Lord was first in Joseph’s heart and life. Joseph was free of bitterness, therefore he was a mighty instrument in the hand of God. If there had been any bitterness, resentment, hostility, or desire for a vengeance in Joseph’s heart God wouldn’t have been able to use him.

Joseph is walking with God, he has the hand of God on his life. He asked them, V:7- why are you guys so sad;

V:8, they say we have dreamed a dream, and there’s no one to interpret it for us.

Little did they know that they had the king of dreams right there with them! When Joseph heard the word “Dream” he could have thought to himself; the last time I had anything to do with dreams; it was “operation pit city”! I am here in Egypt as a slave because of dreams. He could have said; I can’t help you there! He could have thought I’m not touching that with a 10 foot pole. But that is not what Joseph does; he knows this is an opportunity to be a witness to the true and living God!

V:8-“Joseph said to them, do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, I beg you.

Joseph is taken this opportunity to point these two pagan men to the true and living God!

If were not careful; when we’re experiencing testing, trials, injustice and difficulty will miss the opportunity to be a witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. And the very reason were in that place; might be that God wants us to be a witness of the Lord Jesus Christ!

The second response to the test of life is:

2. Share the Truth Without Compromise.

V:9-19.

In these verses the butler and the Baker share their dreams; and Joseph gives them the interpretation of their dreams.

· The Butler’s dream.

V:9-11.The chief butter told Joseph; I dreamed I saw a vine and there were three branches and they butted and blossoms and there came clusters of ripe grapes. I saw the Pharaoh with this cup in his hand: I pressed the grapes into Pharaoh’s cup and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. What does that mean?

V:12-15. Here’s what this means Joseph says; the three branches or three days. And three days you will be restored to your former position as the Butler. Then he added, when that happens; notice he did not say if it happens; but when it happens, remember me, and explain what has happened to me to the Pharaoh.

This was very good news for the Butler! In three days, you’re getting out of here!!

I’m sure that Joseph enjoyed telling the Butler the good news! I’m sure the Butler was thrilled to hear that I’m not going to be executed; I am going to get out this dungeon, and I’m a get my job back.

· The Baker’s dream.

V:16-17.When the chief Baker saw that the interpretation for the Butler was good; he decided to share his dream with Joseph. He had been listening in on the conversation with the Butler; and he concluded maybe my dream is good news too.

He tells Joseph; in my dream I had three white baskets on my head, and the top basket was full of all kinds of baked goods for the Pharaoh: and birds came and ate out of the basket on my head. What does that mean?

V:18-19. Joseph tells him the three baskets are three days; in three days the Pharaoh is going to hang you in a tree: and the birds will eat your flesh from off you.

You have to respect Joseph’s integrity, he knew the dream meant that the guy was going to be killed; who wants to deliver a message like that. He could have told the Baker anything, he could have made up a lie and the Baker would have never known the difference.

He could have said to himself; this guy is going to die in three days; why mess up his last three days. But Joseph was committed to telling the truth; and he loved this baker enough to tell him the truth!

The news was bad but Joseph told the truth without compromise!

We are living in a day when you will be tested concerning the truth on a regular basis. But no matter how severe the test; or how great the consequences will be for telling the truth; we must tell the truth without compromise!

· Jesus Christ is the truth!

· The Bible is the word of truth!

· The Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth!

· The gospel is the gospel of truth!

· The church is commanded to proclaim the truth!

· And you and I must tell the truth and love!

It is Satan who is the father of lies; it is his mission to kill steal and destroy; and he does this by getting people to believe his lies.

But like Joseph; we must share the truth without compromise! You say but I’m a Christian who believes in the power of positive thinking. My heart is full of the contagious positive spirit of God and his word!

But having a positive attitude toward God; does not mean telling people whatever they want to hear even if it’s a lie!

Joseph said to this baker; the truth is in three days you’re going be hanged. Your days are numbered Sir.

When you think about it; that was the nicest, kindest thing that Joseph could have done for this man. Mr. Baker, you only have three days to live; let’s talk about how you can get ready to die. I’m sure Joseph told this man to turn from his false gods and sin and place his faith in the true and living God and experience forgiveness and salvation!

God was testing Joseph to see if he would tell the truth; and Joseph passed the test with flying colors. He did gloss over the truth, he didn’t evade the truth; he graciously told this man the truth.

Please understand that Joseph was talking about life and death!

And that’s what we are dealing with today; and what you are dealing with when you share the gospel of Jesus Christ! We must never compromise the truth that man is a sinner, living in a broken world, and that God sent his son who lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death, and rose in victorious power from the dead! And that through faith in him you can be saved.

That is the gospel truth!

Everything in this Bible is the truth!

We live in a world where it’s very easy to compromise the truth. Many people today are more concerned about offending an earthly friend than they are in offending a Holy God!!

God help us to be more concerned about whether or not we offend a holy God than whether or not we offend other people!

Refuse to compromise the truth in a day of confusion, lies and deception! It is never easy to tell the truth when the news is bad for other people.

To say to someone; I love you but the choice you are making is sin, and its wrong! And for me to agree with your lifestyle would be to condone what God condemns and I cannot do that. When the pressure is on it is easy to let down our guard, and go along to get along and in so doing we compromise. I pray God would give us strength to not compromise the truth even in the dungeons of life.

The third response to the test of life is:

3. Stay Faithful in the Silence.

V:20-23.

What Joseph told the Butler and the Baker happened exactly as he had predicted. The Baker was executed; and the Butler was restored to his job as the king’s cupbearer. Joseph told the Butler when you restored to your job please remember me to the Pharaoh and get me out of this dungeon. I can imagine on the day that the Butler left the dungeon; Joseph was saying don’t forget about me Mr. Butler, tell the Pharaoh about what’s happened to me, help me get out of here.

Joseph is thinking this guy has the Pharaoh’s ear; and in a few days I’ll be getting out of here. Maybe Joseph told the jailer and the other prisoners in a few days I’ am getting out of here.

The next morning Joseph woke up thinking today their coming to get me out of here; but nobody came! A day turned into a week, a week turned into a month, a month turned into a year, and a year turned into two years.

The truth is, V:23-“the Butler forgot about Joseph; and were told in 41:1-“And it came to pass at the end of two full years…

Joseph spent two more years in that damp, dark, dingy dungeon. Can you imagine the ingratitude of that cupbearer? No one came for Joseph, no keys came jingling down the corridor; no locks were opened; only silence prevailed. Joseph’s hopes were dashed. Talk about disappointment! Instead of being remembered and rewarded, he was forgotten for two more years. Don’t miss the fact that Joseph wasn’t at the Egyptian Riviera; Joseph was locked in shackles in an Egyptian prison.

-“He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.

What did Joseph do for those two long years? What did Joseph do in the silence; when God wasn’t speaking, there were no dreams to interpret; he was locked in irons being tested by the Lord. The word “tried” means to refine, to purge away like a goldsmith melts away the impurities from gold.

God was refining Joseph for the job, ministry, responsibility he had for him.

How did Joseph respond to the silence? He didn’t become bitter, he didn’t complain, or try to escape.

He didn’t say God has forgotten me; I quit.

Joseph continue to wait, to trust, to hope, and to lean on God!!

The Butler had forgotten Joseph; but God had not forgotten about Joseph; to the contrary, God was purifying and preparing Joseph to become the Prime Minister of all of Egypt.

Then this morning if it seems to you like heaven is brass, and God is silent, and you’re living in a terrible dungeon of disappointment, despair, discouragement and heartache. I want you to know that God has his eye on the sparrow and I know he’s watching me!

Joseph experienced untrue accusations, unfair treatment, unexpected disappointment, and unbelievable pain. But Joseph stayed faithful to God through it all.

There’s no doubt that Joseph was disappointed when the Butler forgot about him; but he didn’t fall apart when the Butler forgot about him.

The reason is because Joseph’s complete hope and trust was not in people; his complete hope and trust was in the living Lord!

If you put your confidence and trust in people, and put people on a pedestal when they fall and fail; you will be devastated. But when your complete trust and hope is in the living Lord Jesus Christ you will never be disappointed, disillusioned are devastated!

If you are experiencing a time of testing, trial; and you feel like you’re in a dungeon; I want you to know that God has not abandoned you, he has not forgotten you; he has promised to never leave you nor forsake you! He loves you, he understands the heartache that you’re going through; and he can use that to grow you, strengthen you, and bring you to a closer walk with him. And greater days of usefulness in the future!!

God is good, Jesus is real, and God’s not finished with you yet!

· Serve God wherever you are.

· Share the truth without Compromise.

· Stay Faithful in the Silence.