Today, we continue our series entitled “Laser Focus,” with the point being that we should live with a Laser Focus on the Fixed Purpose God established for us before the world began.
This is the main scripture we will be looking at this year:
(Proverbs 4:25 TPT)
Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions.
We are also looking at these scriptures as we consider the life of Joseph.
(James 1:2– 4 TPT)
2 My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can!
3 For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things.
4 And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.
(Gen 39:21 ERV)
21 The Lord was with Joseph and continued to show his kindness to him, so the commander of the prison guards began to like Joseph.
Setting the stage:
Ever felt like your life’s going off course despite doing the right thing? Joseph’s story reminds us that sometimes, our toughest challenges are actually steering us toward our destiny. Stay the course! Let’s talk about it.
I want you to think about Joseph this morning and attempt to identify with him. He was at his father’s house experiencing tremendous favor, yet he didn’t know how to handle it, so he flaunted it. His brothers developed a hatred towards him and betrayed him.
His brothers didn’t know it, but they were actually propelling him into his destiny. Joseph didn’t know it either. I can only imagine the type of pain that level of betrayal can cause, especially when it’s coming from your own family.
Joseph then arrives at Potiphar’s house, and God immediately favors him. He starts to do things he has never done before, and God causes everything that he puts his hands on to prosper. He experiences supernatural favor, and things begin to go well, but then Mrs. Potiphar wants to sleep with him. It would have been very easy for him to do so, but Joseph exhibited integrity and refused to violate God’s standards. So what was the result? He winds up in prison. This drastic turn of events might seem like a deviation from God’s plan, but even here, in the depths of a prison, the stage was being set for something greater.
Picture Joseph in prison. He is confined and isolated, seemingly far from the dream God placed in his heart. Can you imagine what would have been going through his mind and his heart? Joseph did not know it at first, but God was still with him and working, and he was closer to the dream in prison than he was in Potiphar’s house.
Today, I want to tell you that no matter what you are facing and no matter how painful it seems, God has not forgotten about you or His dream for your life!
Here are two things I will share with you before we get deep into the message:
(a) God is with you everywhere you go!
— God never promised it would be easy. But He did promise to go through it with you. He will never leave, forsake, or turn His back on you!
— God was with Joseph in the prison and He is also with you during your highs and lows.
— The Bible says, “The Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him” (Gen 39:21). God’s presence brings with it His favor.
— This shows us that no matter how isolated or forgotten we may feel, God is meticulously involved in the details of our lives, working behind the scenes for our good.
(b) God is preparing you, even through painful situations.
— Joseph’s time in prison was not wasted. Here, he developed administrative skills and spiritual resilience that would be indispensable in his future role as the Prime Minister of Egypt.
— His unjust imprisonment was a divine setup for his elevation.
— This teaches us that God can use even the most painful experiences to prepare us for greater responsibilities and to fulfill His promises. Every trial we endure is shaping us for the destiny He has designed.
So, what does this mean for you today? I have already given you a great deal, but I will give you a few more things.
1. Developing Godly patience is required to walk with God for the long haul.
As a recap from Friday’s message, I feel led to drive home the point that we have to balance our knowledge of God’s future plans for us, with the reality of the things we need to do today. Developing Godly patience is about learning to manage that balance and keeping your heart open to both the greatness of God’s future for you and the focus you need to make the most of today.
Never allow the greatness of your tomorrow to cause you to lose focus today. Additionally, never allow the pain or disappointment you feel today to cause you to forget about what God said concerning your tomorrow (this is spiritual amnesia).
Joseph did not just wait on God. He worked his purpose while he waited. He may not have liked his current state (at the time), but he knew that his state was not his fate. He knew greater was coming, but he also sought to make the most of the present time. He was patient while he waited for God to do what He said He would do. This is how we are supposed to live.
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— Stay committed to God’s purpose in your life, even in the small everyday tasks, knowing each day brings you closer to fulfilling His dream for you.
— Balance heavenly vision with earthly responsibility; balance your dream with your duty. While you aim for future greatness, actively engage in present responsibilities—this balance is crucial for spiritual growth and readiness for your next season.
— Do all you can to resist spiritual amnesia. Never forget your future! Keep the vision God has placed in your heart alive, regardless of current difficulties. Don’t let current struggles erase your memory of God’s faithfulness or His commitment to His plans.
2. God is still with you.
When bad things happen to good people, it is understandable if they question whether or not God is still with them, especially when you consider the fact that the devil will do all he can to cause you to question His presence. I have been in ministry long enough and have ministered to enough people to hear many stories and develop a Godly perspective. When someone goes through a painful divorce, satan will tell them that God is no longer with them. Or they will even question God’s presence themselves. The same happens when someone has great plans for their business but has to file for bankruptcy. Or (and this one is really painful), when you are praying for someone who is sick, someone you love, and you know God has used you to release healing into countless people, but then your loved one dies right in front of you. It’s easy to question whether or not God is there.
Joseph received a dream from God when he was a teenager. He got excited about the dream. But ever since he shared the dream with his family, his life went haywire. He was betrayed by his brothers, he was sold into slavery, and he was then falsely accused of sexual assault. I am sure Joseph felt like he had done nothing wrong because, in many regards, he had not. His greatest fault, you could say, was that he believed God. He believed in God’s dream. He believed that what God said would come to pass. But that did not stop him from waking up one morning in prison.
So there he was, in prison, without committing any crime or doing anything wrong. The very first thing the Bible says about Joseph in prison is: “The Lord was with Joseph and continued to show his kindness to him, so the commander of the prison guards began to like Joseph.” God was still there, and His favor was still flowing.
The point I am making here is that God is still with you. He will never leave you. He will never forsake you. He will never turn His back on you. He will never relax the grip that He has on you. While you are waiting on Him to do what He said He would do in your life, you may go through painful situations. You may experience things you did not plan, and you certainly do not want. However, one of the primary reasons why you can be patient is that you know that God is still with you. He never left you, and He never will. God’s presence does NOT mean you will automatically bypass opposition or pain. God’s presence and His call on your life may actually attract more problems than you wanted (like it did with Joseph).
— When you ask for LESS PROBLEMS, what God does is give you MORE GRACE! Instead of bringing your problems DOWN, He brings you grace UP! God is with you. His grace is on you. His favor is going before you. You may not like the situation you are in, but just know that God is with you. He has not left you, and this, too, shall pass. The problem will ultimately change, but God will not. He will be with you today, tomorrow, and the day after that. His presence brings with it His peace, His power, and His grace. If you understand this, you can be patient while you remain in faith!
— Discern God’s presence in troubling times! Train your spiritual eyes to recognize evidence of God’s favor and kindness, even amidst trials. His presence often manifests in unexpected ways.
— Maintain integrity under pressure. Like Joseph, hold fast to your principles, knowing that God is with you to strengthen and uphold your moral and spiritual commitments.
— Trust in God’s behind-the-scenes activity. Know that God is working even when it is not evident to you. God is always at work, orchestrating circumstances for your ultimate good and His glory.
3. God will never forget about you or your purpose.
When something bad happens, the devil will do all he can to cause you to question God’s commitment to you. The devil will tell you that God has forgotten about you or that He is no longer committed to the plans He made for you. But the truth is that God already knew everything that would ever happen to you (good, bad, or indifferent) when He called you. So nothing you do, or nothing that happens to you, can cause God to change His mind. He said it, and He will perform it. He promised it, and He shall make it good. God is more committed to you and the plans He made for you (before the world began) than you are.
The Bible says, “Even when we are faithless towards Him, God remains faithful towards us– for He cannot deny himself.” (2 Tim 2:13). The point here is that every time satan looks at us, he sees sin. Every time God looks at us, He sees His Son and He sees the plans He made for us before the world began. For God to deny us, He would have to deny Himself and He is not willing to do that!
God has not forgotten you, and He never will!
— Rejoice in God’s unwavering commitment to you, which is rooted in His character and not subject to your performance.
— Reflect on God’s track record. Regularly reflect on instances of God’s past faithfulness in your life as a reminder that He will not start failing you now. Look back so you can look forward with confidence!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, You have not forgotten me; Your plans for me are always in motion.
In every season, Your presence sustains me; I am never abandoned.
Your promises are my strength and shield; I stand firm in the certainty of Your Word and Your commitment to me.
I am patient and steadfast, knowing Your timing is perfect and precise.
Even in the prison of my challenges, I am being prepared for Your purpose.
No opposition can deter me; Your favor and grace elevate me.
I embrace each trial as preparation for the greatness You have set before me.
Your presence in my life brings peace, power, and perseverance, sustaining me through all circumstances.
I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME, because You have promised to be with me everywhere I go!
I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
