HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN A BAD SITUATION

TEXT: Genesis 39:1–6 (AV)

1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. 2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous 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 that he did to prosper in his hand. 4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. 5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. 6 And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.

ILL: Someone once asked Paul Harvey, the journalist and radio commentator, to reveal the secret of his success. "I get up when I fall down," said Harvey.

Bits & Pieces, March 3, 1994, p. 16.

- How many know that, success in the K.O.G. is to be able to walk with God in a bad situation?

I want to preach on “How to be successful in a bad situation.

I. A BAD SITUATION

A. BAD CIRCUMSTANCES

1. Now here’s Joseph in a bad situation and the bible says, “The LORD was with him...

2. Because the LORD was with him, he was a successful man in a bad circumstance.

a.) How many know, when God is with you, you can be successful in any circumstance? Romans 8:28 (AV)

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:35 (AV)

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

1. It was a bad situation , Joseph had been sold as a slave to a foreigner in a foreign land.

2. Have you ever considered that God can take a bad situation and cause you to prosper in it? Now not talking about a bad situation because of sin and disobedience although God can deliver you if you’ll repent

and get it right. No talking about being placed in a bad situation not because of anything bad you’ve done but because God has a plan and destiny for your life.

3. let’s face it Church the reason Joseph is in a bad situation is because god allowed it in his life to prepare him to be a type of deliverer for his people. Genesis 50:20 (AV)

20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

b.) Joseph realizes at the end that God orchestrated the whole matter so that people would be saved.

1. You see Church God saved you with a purpose in mind, to use your life to reach others for Jesus Christ! Ephesians 2:10 (AV)

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Jeremiah 1:5 (AV)

5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Jeremiah 29:11 (AV)

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

II. WHAT MADE JOSEPH SUCCESSFUL

A. JOSEPH HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

1. The scripture doesn’t tell us but we know he did because God was with him. The reason Joseph was a successful man is because God was with him!

2. Listen Church the Bible tells us that God is with us in the toughest times of life even when it seems He isn’t there. Romans 8:35–39 (AV)

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

a.) This is talking about God being with you trough every trial and trouble. Think about how difficult it is to be able to see God involved in the midst of what looks like a bad situation?

1. Take Abraham , God said he would be a father of many nations but after 20 plus years he and Sarah hadn’t had a child.

2. Jacob spent 20 years working for a crook uncle. Thought his bro was going to kill him.

3. David was taken by king Saul never to return home again, experienced trial after trial . All of these went through some terrible situations but all the time God was at work in their lives preparing them for the destiny He had for them.

b.) When we are going through bad situations, God is preparing us for destiny, He’s molding and shaping us into His image.

Jeremiah 18:3–6 (AV)

3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. 4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. 5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

1. God is making us fit to be a blessing.

B. JOSEPH WAS A SUCCESSFUL MAN ALSO BECAUSE HE DIDN’T COMPLAIN ABOUT HIS CIRCUMSTANCES

1. Think about it, he is sold as a slave, he’s falsely accused of violating Potiphar’s wife and thrown into prison. Not once did he complain. He continued to serve God and men. Genesis 39:20–21 (AV)

20 And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. 21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

2. Ps. says the hurt his feet with stocks.

3. Every bad situation we experience God causes it to work together for good. Romans 8:28 (AV)

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

C. TWO THINGS WE LEARN FROM JOSEPH’S STORY:

#1. We must stay connected to God and trust in His promise.

#2. Guard our heart by not allowing a complaining spirit in.

III. GOD’S END PURPOSE

A. TO SAVE MANY SOULS

1. Everything Joseph went through was to save many people, his family, Egyptians, and surrounding lands. Genesis 41:56–57 (AV)

56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. 57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

2. Joseph recognizes that God was involved the entire time. Genesis 50:20 (AV)

20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

3. He even named his son’s Manaseh and Ephraim meaning, Genesis 41:51–52 (AV)

51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house. 52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

4. In the end Joseph was able to see the hand of God throughout his bad situation.

a.) Whatever you’re going through, know that god is with you orchestrating events to save much people alive.

B. JOSEPH IS A TYPE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

1. The Lord Jesus suffered and died so that you and i could live. 1 Peter 3:18 (AV)

18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

2. The Lord Jesus didn’t only die for our sins but He also rose again from the dead that we might be declared righteous before Him.