The Test of Blessings

“The Test of Blessings”

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There is no one in the Bible that experienced more ups and downs than Joseph.

One day he was his father’s favorite son, wearing the coat of many colors, destined to inherit the authority and wealth of his father.

The next day he is thrown in a pit and sold by his brothers into slavery.

He is bought by a man named Potiphar; and he gradually rose to the position of overseer in Potiphar’s house.

Then he is lied on by Potiphar’s wife and thrown in the dungeon.

One day he has hopes of being delivered by his friend the cupbearer.

But then he’s forgotten about for two long years. Then one day he was suddenly summonsed, shaved clothed and standing before the Pharaoh.

Talk about a roller coaster life, Joseph had one.

Joseph had been loved and hated, respected and lied own, treated unfairly, and forgot. But through all the up and downs Joseph stayed faithful to God!!

Joseph doesn’t become bitter, resentful, hateful, unforgiving or mean-spirited. Joseph lived a God-Centered life; he kept his eyes of God through it all.

Through all that had happened to him God was preparing Joseph to be the Prime Minister of Egypt! The dreams that God had given him as a 17-year-old young man are about to come true. Joseph is a great example of -“And we know that all things work together for the good of them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose”

God had great plans for Joseph; but he was not ready for what God had for him as a 17-year-old young man wearing the coat of many colors, spoiled by his dad. The years of testing, trials and difficulties had prepared Joseph for what God had planned for his life. Overcoming temptation, and passing test had developed Joseph into a man that God could trust with great responsibility!

· Joseph overcame sexual temptation.

When Miss Potiphar try to seduce Joseph; who was only a 17-year-old young man, Joseph said no! He said how can I sin and do this great wickedness against God! Joseph was a young man with moral character; he was determined to live his life to honor God! Joseph overcame fleshly temptation!

· Joseph passed the test of patience.

It had been 13 long years since Joseph was sold into Egyptian slavery; he had been treated unfairly in the Egyptian dungeon many of those years. Yet he faithfully served God year in and year out; God had given him a dream and promised he was going to be a ruler and Joseph believe God, and waited patiently for God to promote him.

Joseph passed the test of difficulty, adversity and patience with flying colors.

In this chapter Joseph is going to face another test; the test of blessings. What will Joseph do when he is suddenly delivered from the dungeon and becomes the most popular man in Egypt? Joseph goes from being an unknown prisoner to being the right hand man of Pharaoh. Joseph becomes a household name in Egypt, he is the guy who interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams; and developed a plan to save Egypt from famine and starvation

Joseph’s picture was on the front page of the

Egyptian newspaper, and on the cover of every magazine in Egypt.

In the evening news there he was; he was on “good morning Egypt”. He went from obscurity to popularity overnight. He went from being dirt poor; to having all the riches of Egypt.

How will Joseph handle the test of blessings?

Did you know that more people fail because of success; than fail because of sorrow? Success, blessings, and promotion have been the downfall of many people. Every area of life is filled with people who have failed the test of blessings.

In the political realm we have seen men and women rise to power, popularity, only to come tumbling down.

In the athletic arena we have seen young men rise to stardom, sign million-dollar contracts; and then make terrible mistakes that ruin their lives. They could not handle the popularity and money.

It is also true in the business world where people have risen quickly to mind – boggling business success; to only find the road down to be just as quick.

Unfortunately the same thing has happened in the church world; pastors, evangelists, and musicians find themselves being successful and because they don’t have the proper foundation they can’t handle it and they fail and dishonor the name of God.

Let me be quick to say there’s nothing wrong with success, blessings and advancement. But when the test of blessings come you must be prepared to handle it, honor God through it and use the blessings, success to point people to Jesus.

Joseph teaches us how to respond when blessings comes into our lives.

1. When Recognition Comes; Don’t take the Credit!

V:1-37.

In the first 37 verses of this chapter were given the background that brings Joseph to the place to become the Prime Minister of Egypt. The Pharaoh has two dreams, in his first dream he sees seven big, fat healthy cows feeding in the field. Then in that same dream he sees seven skinny, sickly cows come and stand beside the seven big, fat cows. And the seven skinny, sickly cows eat up the seven big, fat cows; and Pharaoh wakes up.

Pharaoh falls back asleep and dreams a second dream, in this dream he sees seven big fat ears of corn on one stock. Then he sees seven dried up ears of corn on one stock. Then in this dream he sees the seven dried up ears of corn, eat up the seven fat ears of corn. Pharaoh wakes up from these dreams and the Bible says in, V:8-“ Pharaoh’s spirit was troubled”.

God is speaking to the Pharaoh through these dreams, revealing what the future was for him and his nation and surrounding nations.

The word troubled means, to be greatly agitated and disturbed.

Pharaoh finds himself troubled in his heart and mind, all peace is gone from Pharaoh’s life. Here’s a man who has all the wealth of the world and yet his heart and mind is troubled because God is revealing himself to him. When your mind and heart is troubled; you need to seek help! So Pharaoh calls his magicians, soothsayers, astrologers and tells them his dream. But all of these educated, scholarly men, who studied the stars, who attended the University’s, who read Egyptian hieroglyphics could not interpret Pharaoh’s dreams.

V:8-“but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh”

They couldn’t come up with a single thing; there like Pharaoh we got nothing! We don’t know how to help you make sense of your dreams.

And can I tell you this morning, all these years later; if you’re looking to the philosophers, fortunetellers, astrologers to help you make sense of your life and this world and the future; get ready for waking up troubled!

This world does not have the answers for where you came from, why you’re here, and where you’re going when you leave this world.

The only one who can give you the interpretation, meaning for the purpose of your life and future is God!

All of Pharaoh’s wise men can’t help him one bit! Guess who God had standing right there at the right time to hear about Pharaoh’s dream? The Butler, the guy who two years earlier was in the dungeon with Joseph, and had dreamed a dream and Joseph interpreted it.

God in his sovereignty had the Butler standing there at that exact time. I can picture the Butler as he’s hearing Pharaoh’s dream, watching the wise men scratch their heads and come up with nothing.

V:9“Then spoke the chief Butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day….

I can see the Butler as he slaps his four-head and saying to himself; how dumb can you be Mr. Butler you forgot about Joseph. Then he tells the Pharaoh about this young Hebrew he met when he was in the dungeon. He tells him that Joseph had interpreted his dream and the Baker’s dream and they came to pass just like Joseph said they would.

So Pharaoh sent some men to get Joseph out of the dungeon.

V:15-READ.

In just a few verses Joseph has moved from the prison to the palace.

He has barely has time to shave and put on a change of clothes, he is quickly taken out of the smelly dungeon into the beautiful throne room of the king. And the king says, I’ve heard about you, that you can interpret dreams. Joseph is finally being recognized far the giftedness that God has given him. That could have caused Joseph to think, you know I really do have the ability to interpret dreams. Yes sir Mr. Pharaoh, I am a dream interpretation machine, tell me your dream and I am able to interpret it. But that is not what Joseph said! Listen to what Joseph said, V:16-READ.

Joseph says, I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer. God and God alone can give you peace for your troubled mind and heart.

Joseph pointed the Pharaoh away from himself to God!

When recognition comes; don’t take the credit!

Joseph wanted God to receive the glory! So the first thing that Joseph says to the most powerful man in the world; who was considered to be a God himself; was the true and living God will give you an answer for your dreams. Joseph tells Pharaoh, that God who created the stars, and the Nile River, He and He alone is the one who handles dreams. Pharaoh, it is God who can bring you shalom; peace!

Joseph use the name of God five times in his conversation with the Pharaoh. Joseph is continually giving glory to God, and pointing the Pharaoh to the true and living God.

When success comes, and God blesses you don’t take the credit; give God the glory! Many people are ruined by blessings and prosperity because they think I’ve achieved this on my own; they take all the credit and give none to God. Let me remind you of what you are without God: you are dirty, rotten, no good sinner headed for a devils hell without God’s salvation through Jesus Christ!

Let me remind us of what we can do without Christ:

-“Jesus said without me you can do nothing”.

Your life is not your own, you are bought with a price. God can snatch your life away anytime he wants to. Isaiah says, your breath is in God’s hand. The book of James says what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. When you put that tea kettle on the stove to boil some water, and the steam goes up several inches and then disappears. The Bible says that is what our life is like.

Joseph shares God with the most powerful man on the earth!

It’s a great day in your life when you stop living for yourself and your reputation and recognition and live solely for the glory of God!

Joseph tells the Pharaoh God is the one who will give you the interpretation; and then Joseph listens to Pharaoh’s dreams and says, V:25-Read.

God has showed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

The dreams mean there will be seven years of plenty in the land of Egypt; followed by seven years of extreme drought and famine Then Joseph after interpreting the dreams gives Pharaoh some wise counsel in V:33-36. Pharaoh find you a wise and discerning man and put him in charge of gathering and storing food during the seven plenteous years, so when the seven years of famine come you will have food stored up to survive.

Joseph teaches us how to respond to the blessings of life.

2. When Promotion comes; Don’t get the Big Head!

V:38-45.

Pharaoh liked the Counsel that Joseph gave him and he responded by saying where am I going to find anyone more qualified for this job then you? I’m going to promote you to Prime Minister, overseer over all the gathering and distribution of the food for the land of Egypt. You know the thing that stuck out about Joseph to the Pharaoh more than anything else?

V:38-“And the Pharaoh said unto his servants, can we find such a one as this man, a man and who the spirit of God is?

Here is this Idol-worshiping, godless king of Egypt recognizing that Joseph was filled with the spirit of God! Joseph didn’t walk in and announce to the Pharaoh, I am spirit-filled. It was Joseph’s obedience, and witness to God that caused this unsaved man to see the Spirit of God on him. A life of faithful obedience is what shows that a person is filled with the spirit of God. Joseph was like John the Baptist; when John the Baptist emerged from the wilderness and began to preach the gospel of repentance; multitudes walked to the Jordan Valley to listen to him preach. He rose to amazing popularity, baptizing thousands; but listen to what John the Baptist said, “Jesus must increase, and I must decrease”.

John the Baptist didn’t have a big head; John the Baptist had a burning heart to preach the gospel of Jesus. You can’t have a big head, and a burning heart at the same time!

You can’t be Spirit-filled and filled with ride at the same time!!

The Pharaoh also noticed that Joseph had discernment and wisdom, V:39.

Being filled with the spirit of God gave Joseph discernment, understanding and wisdom. These were great accolades from the king of Egypt. All those other so-called wise men of Egpyt had intelligence, education, credentials but they did not know God therefore they did not have wisdom for living.

There are an awful lot of educated fools in our world! The wisdom of this world, and the wisdom of God are not the same.

-“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

What separated Joseph from the other so-called wise men of Egypt was his relationship with God!

It was not Joseph’s gray-matter, abilities, and administrative talent that made him the man that he was; it was his relationship with God that made him the man that he was.

And when the whole world was at the point of crisis it was a young man with the spirit of God, the discernment and wisdom of God in his life that had a word from God for his times.

I pray we will be more concerned about our children having godly wisdom that we are about them just having human intellect!

Because only the wisdom from above can answer the real questions of life!

The Pharaoh says to Joseph, V:40-41-READ.

Joseph is given a great promotion; he is made the number two man in the government of Egypt; second only to Pharaoh. Pharaoh tells him I’ve set you over all the land of Egypt. But we know that’s not exactly true; it is God that had been working behind the scenes to set Joseph over all the land of Egypt. It was God that controlled the economy of Egypt to bring Joseph to power and to bring the family of Israel to Egypt.

The Pharaoh gives Joseph his ring; this means that Joseph had the authority of the Pharaoh.

This ring could get him anywhere or anything; this ring was the platinum credit card of Egypt.

Joseph is given a clothing allowance, a car allowance, a gold chain around his neck and servants, he is given a new name of authority, and a wing in the White House, and a wife.

Joseph goes from being a nobody to a somebody.

I can picture Joseph in his designer clothes, with alligator skin shoes, a big bling bling ring on his hand, with a big gold rapper chain around his neck, ridding in this fine chariot with a license plate- chariot 2. And everywhere Joseph went there were heralds out in front of his chariot saying bow the knee, bow the knee, bow the knee to the Prime Minister Joseph. To be honest, if I were Joseph the first place I would tell my driver to take me would be to Potiphar’s house. Where I would have Potiphar and his wife come outside and bowed down in the dirt before me. But that’s not what Joseph does! Joseph is promoted but it doesn’t get a big head and become prideful and forget God; who had told him when he was a 17-year-old young man that one day the sun and the moon and the stars would bow down to him. It was not Joseph, or the Pharaoh that orchestrated this; it was God Almighty who had done this, God was in control!

Whether Joseph was in the jail are in the palace he had a humble heart.

Let’s not be guilty of when things go bad we turn to God; and when things go good we forget God. Things went good for Joseph and God was still the center of his life!

All that we are, and everything we have has come from the good hand of God! And if God has given it to us; why would we take credit for it?

-“What is man, that thou art mindful of him?

That verse of Scripture is carved in stone across the front of Emerson Hall, the home of the Department of philosophy at Harvard University. When Emerson Hall was being constructed; the brick mason was instructed by philosopher William James to put the words “man is a measure of all things”. But when they came back from summer vacation they found this inscription on the front of Emerson Hall, which is there today, “what is man that thou art mindful of him”. It seems that the stone-mason was a Christian, and said I don’t care what they do to me on the front of this building.

And this morning those two lines are the two worldviews that exist today. You either believe that man is a measure of all things; are that man was created by God for his glory.

And whichever these views you espouse will control your life and determine what you think about yourself. When promotion, blessings and good things come into your life don’t become arrogant and prideful all you are and all you have comes from God.

There’s a third way to respond to the blessings of life.

3. When Success Comes; Don’t stop Working!

V:46-57.

Joseph is 30 years old when it becomes the Prime Minister of Egypt and receives this promotion and all these blessings and recognition. What does Joseph do when all this success lands in his lap?

· V:46-“Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

· V:48-“He gathered up all the food of the seven years”

· V:48_He laid up the food in the city’s”

· V:49-“ Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea”

Joseph did not sit down in his lazy boy and turn on Fox News and bask in his great success! When God blesses some people, they become good for nothing.

Whether in your marriage, parenting, on your job or in ministry at church; when success, blessings come; and things are going great don’t put it in neutral! Assume responsibility, work harder, and engage like never before! Many people fail at the point of success because they don’t understand this principle! The apostle Paul said, I’m not arrived, I’m not attained, forgetting those things which are behind I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Joseph had reached phenomenal success for a young man of 30 years old. What would he do? Sit back, take it easy and say to himself I have arrived? No, he assumed greater responsibility; to whom much is given, much is required. You and I cannot rest on pass accomplishments, we can never think for one moment that we have arrived as children of God, are as a church! People all around us are headed to a devils hell. And we have the answer for the spiritual starvation and famine in the hearts of men and; his name is Jesus! The most dangerous time in a Christian’s life is when they are experiencing great success. Jericho and Ai…Elijah on Mount caramel, and then under the juniper tree.

Joseph had experienced great success but he didn’t sit down and stop working he assumed responsibility and work harder. For seven years Joseph worked hard and managed the growing and gathering and storing of corn and grain in Egypt. And then just like Joseph had said the seven years of plenty ended; and the seven years of famine began.

V:55-56“The people cried out to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, going to Joseph; what he says to you do. The famine was over the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses…

Joseph was the savior of Egypt, he saved the people from physical starvation and death. He alone could provide the people with what must have to live and not die. Nobody else in the land could open the storehouse of food but Joseph. There was enough in the storehouses for Joseph, his family, the Egyptians and all the countries it came to Joseph for food. Joseph never sent anyone away empty.

Jesus opened the storehouse of God’s grace and salvation on the cross! Jesus has provided for your souls hunger; Jesus alone can feel the hungry longing in your heart!

I want to tell you this morning the same thing the Pharaoh told the Egyptians; go to Jesus, go to Jesus and Jesus Christ will save your soul and fill your heart with peace purpose and everlasting life! The storehouse of salvation is open this morning!!

Come to Jesus today!