Genesis 50:20-26
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones. And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father’s household. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph’s knees. And Joseph said to his brethren, I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here. So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
John 14:12-14 (NKJV)
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
Genesis 37:23-28
So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt. So Judah said to his brothers, What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brothers listened. Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.
Genesis 39:1-4 (NKJV)
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. The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him.
Genesis 39:21-23
But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.
Psalms 119:133
Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me.
Genesis 40:1-8
It came to pass after these things that the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker. So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while. Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation. And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad. So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in the custody of his lord’s house, saying, Why do you look so sad today? And they said to him, We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. So Joseph said to them, Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.
John 12:23 (NKJV)
But Jesus answered them, saying, The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.
When God's plan begins to take place, often it seems God is not working or is at a snail's pace, how long oh God till you do what you said you would do. These are questions a lot of people ask. No one really likes to wait. But waiting isn’t so bad when you know he is going to do what he said.
There is a hour in which he is going to fulfill his will. God is in control of all things. You think you control God by your rebellion. He will get someone else if you don’t do it.
His will will be done. He is working on your need right now.
God works through people to do His will.
When God is ready to do something, He raises a man or woman who will do his will.
God never changes. It doesn't mean he won't change his mind. It doesn’t mean he won't change directions.
Jacob had thought his son Joseph was dead, yet God didn’t tell him he was alive. Because Jacob would have messed with God's timeline.
God’s plan for Joseph starts to work.
- Joseph was sold into slavery.
- Joseph was 16 years old.
- God moved for Joseph again.
- God has his hand on Joseph; but right now he’s a slave.
The devil tried to move God’s timeline, but the devil countered God's move. He brought Potiphar’s wife to trip up Joseph, but Joseph was a righteous man.
He might be a slave in Egypt but he lived for God. You may have to go to an Egyptian school. You may have to work at an Egyptian sonic or Taco Bell.
But Joseph didn’t allow culture to change his heart towards God. When Potiphar got through with Joseph he didn’t look like a Hebrew. He looked like an Egyptian. You may look like an Egyptian. You may look just like everyone else. But there was a difference in Joseph. He had the hand of God on him. He was walking in God's will. God was in control.
After Potiphar’s wife accused him of a sexual advance, he was thrown into prison. God was moving in Joseph’s Life.
Joseph went to prison. Joseph was guilty of one thing, and that was loving God.
Lots of time went by. When Joseph was 16, he came to Egypt. He was 16. Between Potiphar’s house and the prison, (say it with me between Potiphar’s house and the prison) Joseph learned to walk in obedience. He learned how to pray. He learned to wait upon God.
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