(Gen 37:36 ERV) The Midianite traders later sold Joseph in Egypt. They sold him to Potiphar, an officer of the king of Egypt and the captain of his palace guards.
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. Yesterday I shared with you that the attack against Joseph was actually an attack against his dream (his divine purpose). So there he was, the young dreamer, approaching his older brothers, oblivious of the fact that they wanted to kill him. Reuben was able to talk some sense into the other brothers. Reuben convinced them not to kill Joseph and to throw him into a dry well, a pit, instead.
The brothers attacked Joseph, they pulled off his fancy coat (the coat they hated), and they threw Joseph into the pit as they contemplated what to do next. As Joseph’s brothers sat down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead on their way to Egypt. Their camels were loaded with all kinds of spices. Judah came up with a bright idea. He said, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and hide his body? Let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not harm him. After all, he is our brother.” The others agreed. The sold Joseph for 20 pieces of silver. At this point it is worth noting that there are many similarities in the lives of Joseph and Jesus. Jesus was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.
Joseph’s brothers killed a goat and dipped Joseph’s fancy coat of many colors in the goat’s blood. It is also worth noting that the colors of the coat were swallowed up by the color of the blood. I often mention this when I teach about the unifying power of the blood of Jesus in the universal and culturally diverse Body of Christ. The blood of Jesus has the power to cover all our colors and unify us under His blood-stained banner! Simply put, racism in the church is ugly.
The brothers took the coat back to their father. Jacob vowed to mourn Joseph’s death until his grave. And while all of this was going on, Joseph’s captives were preparing to sell him as a slave. He could have wound up just about anywhere. But Joseph was no ordinary man. Yes, he was betrayed by his brothers. Yes, he was sold for 20 pieces of silver. Yes, he was seemingly left to the fate of the world, but the hand and grace of God was still on Joseph. He was a child of destiny. He was a child of purpose. He was a child with a dream; not just any dream, but a dream from God. No worldly attack could stop God’s plan for Joseph. Out of all the people he could have been sold to and out of all the places he could have gone, Joseph was sold in Egypt to a man named Potiphar. This was no ordinary man, he was the king’s official in charge of the palace guard. In today’s terms he would be the head of the Secret Service. Joseph did not know it, but he was on the road to his destiny. This road to him from the pit to Potiphar. It would later take him from Potiphar to prison, and from prison to Prime Minister.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God can turn it around. Joseph did not come up with the dream, he did not finagle his way to Egypt, nor did he ask to be placed in the home of the man in charge of security for the king. All of this was done by the hand and grace of God. God did not make Joseph’s brothers turn on him, but He knew they would and He already had a plan to make their evil turn out for Joseph’s good.
2. There is no such thing as luck. Some would say, “As luck would have it, Joseph wound up in Potiphar’s house as a slave.” But luck had nothing to do with this. This was the providence and grace of God.
3. It’s never too bad for God. All Joseph did was tell his brothers about his dream. The dream came from God, the naiveté came from Joseph, and the attack came from his brothers. You would think that once Joseph wound up as a slave that he was too far gone for his dream to come to pass, but never think that when God is involved. It’s not over unless God says, “It’s over.” Your situation is never too awful, your opposition is never too strong, and your outlook is never too bleak for God to move. ONE WORD from God can turn any seemingly hopeless situation around. So no matter what you are facing this morning, BELIEVE GOD. If God could promote Joseph from prisoner to Prime Minister in a moment, He can surely promote you out of your situation.
4. God is still God. When Joseph believed his God-given dream his life went haywire. He woke up one morning in Egypt, without his family or his freedom. His brothers turned on him because of his dream. But God was still God. God was still sitting on the circle of the earth, He still had all things under His feet, and He still had ALL POWER. God turned it around for Joseph and He can turn it around for you. Do you know why? Because God is still God! God still moves. He still blesses. He still performs miracles. There is still NOTHING God cannot do. So if you are facing a major challenge this morning you can find peace in know that what seems major to you is actually minor to God. Get God involved in your situation, through prayer, in faith, and expect that He will manifest His power by His grace.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my purpose. You made plans for me before the world began and I am convinced that You will see to it that Your plans come to pass. Things may not turn out the way I wanted or expected. The people I thought would be there for me might turn on me. Some of the plans I have might fall through. But no matter what happens to me or with me, one thing I know is that YOU ARE STILL GOD! You still sit on the throne. You still have all things under Your feet. There is nothing You cannot do. There is no situation You cannot turn around. When people devise dubious plans against me, to bring me harm, and to take me down, I know You can take those very same plans and turn them around for my good. So I am not afraid! What can man do to me? God is ON me, IN me, WITH me and FOR me! I have no fear. Fear has no power over me. My trust and confidence is in You and in Your dedication to me and to the plans You made for my life by Your grace. So I enter into this day with an overwhelming peace and with overflowing excitement, because my God is STILL God and He always will be! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
