Don’t Let It Change You

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III

Synopsis of Sermon May 3, 2020

Genesis 50:20 NIV – “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

I.            INTRODUCTION

1. All of us must be aware that we are kingdom representatives. We are God’s ambassadors in the earth. When God allows us to walk in a particular space, it’s because he trusts us in those spaces.
   1. Often, Influence is given to us, not because we deserve it, but because it is a gratuitous gift to us.
2. We have to manage these seasons. Influence has a way of influencing our character. Our faith means nothing if we don’t properly manage our Influences and our Moments.
   1. It is Influence that puts us into these positions.
   2. How you deal with certain moments, speaks to your character and your relationship with God.
3. This season is filled with uncertainty. It is uncomfortable. You have the unique opportunity to manage this season.
4. Why did God give this word today to us? It is because God wants us to manage our Influence and our Season.
5. Look at the life of Joseph. Like Joseph, our life has a lot to do with how we manage Moments. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of his relationship with their father.

1. 1. Joseph has visions or dreams. When he shares his dreams with his brothers and they began to hate him for what the dreams said. As a result, they try and stage Joseph’s death. They place him in the pit to die.
   2. Joseph is found by Potiphar and as a result, he goes to Potiphar’s house, goes to prison, and there his gift is revealed. Joseph is then sent to Potiphar and he is elevated in the house of Potiphar. This causes him to be put into a position to save the Egyptian Nation.
   3. Joseph’s success and failures were all tied to how he managed the moment.

1. Every stage of Joseph’s life, there was success. There will be moments where you and I will get tests like Joseph and you will have to manage that moment. Whatever happens in life, don’t let it change you.

II.            DON’T BE CARELESS WITH YOUR VISION, LEARN TO EXERCISE CONFIDENTIALITY

Dreams are given to prepare you for something up the road.

Dreams were not given to you carelessly, so you can’t share them carelessly. This is why you have to value confidentiality, because without it, you’ll create problems that you least expect.

A.     Everybody Can’t Handle Your Vision

1. Joseph shared his vision with his brothers and on the surface, it seemed harmless.
   1. Often your vision will expose the insecurities of other people.
2. Insecurities of others can hurt you. Be careful not to share too much. You have to learn to keep your mouth closed.
   1. Joseph’s brothers didn’t celebrate him. They became jealous of him.

B.     Discretion Will Keep You Out Of Ditches

1. Joseph’s own bothers put him into a ditch to die. Joseph shared his dreams, too soon. You can’t share your dreams with everyone, because this will make you a target.

Proverbs 2:11 NIV – “Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.”- You can’t quote silence.

2. Loose lips sink ships. You have to learn in some moments to keep your mouth closed.

III.            DEMONSTRATE CREDIBILITY AND CHARACTER

Character is behavior on display. Potiphar sees a guy in a ditch and rescues him, then he lets him work in his house. Joseph doesn’t let his status change who he is.

A.     Serve With Excellence Regardless Of The Situation

1. Can you serve with excellence regardless of your situation? Joseph is used to having a coat with many colors and he’s used to favor, but now he’s a servant in the house of Potiphar. Joseph keeps serving with excellence.
   1. If you are faithful over a few things, God will make you ruler over much. If you can serve God during your little, He will bless you with much!

B.     No Matter The Cost Refuse To Compromise

1. The bible says why Joseph is being elevated in house of Potiphar, Potiphar’s wife shows up. She makes an advance on Joseph. Watch his character. Character is who you are when no one is looking.
   1. Joseph doesn’t allow n 1 hour thrill to mess up the destiny that God over his life. Joseph realizes that what God is doing over his life is bigger than the attack that is about to come at him.
   2. When you experience some of the things that Joseph experiences, you are going through these seasons.
2. Some of these seasons are:
   1. Conjured Up Accusations
      1. People will make up things on you.
   2. Character Assassination
      1. The devil will try to kill your character.
   3. Career Alterations
      1. The devil wants to mess up your destiny.
   4. Keep being what God called you to be. Your calling cannot be contained.

IV.            OUR CALLING CANNOT BE CONTAINED

Joseph ends up in prison, though he stood on his character. Prison doesn’t have to be just a physical place. It can also be a state of mind. You can be in prison on your job, in your home, or even in your church.

A.     You Can Be Effective In A Negative Situation

1. Joseph meets the Butler and the Baker in prison. Joseph interprets their dreams.
2. Joseph realizes that he can still be positive in a negative situation. Joseph figures out how to be effective in a negative situation.
3. You can put a child of God in a negative situation and they will still give God the glory.

B.     Your Gift Will Always Make Room For You

1. God will put you into a situation where your gift is needed. God will put you where people will need what you have. All you have to do is walk in where God told you to.
2. In t
3. In this season, your gift will shine like it never has before.

V.            REMAIN CONSISTENT WITH YOUR CONVICTIONS WHEN YOUR STATUS CHANGES

1. One thing that blows our mind is when God elevates people and they change. We have to learn no matter where we are in life, it remains all about God.
2. Joseph was in an interesting place. God will place you where people need what you have.
   1. Joseph told the Butler, “Just remember me”, when they were in prison together and the Butler was about to get out. God has some stuff that is about to find you, even in this crazy season. Even in this crazy situation, God has some resources that is about to find you.
3. Pharaoh has a dream, and no one is able to figure it out. The Butler informs Pharaoh that he has someone in his prison that interprets dreams. Joseph, just like that, was brought out of prison and placed in front of Pharaoh.
   1. Joseph interprets the dream. He determines that the dream meant that this region would have 7 years of harvest and 7 years of famine. As a result, Joseph told Pharaoh that he needed to store in the time of great harvest, so that they could live off of what they had stored up during the famine.
4. Pharaoh elevates Joseph and leaves him in charge of distributing the bread or in other words, what they stored up. God is about to elevate you and you’re about to be a God is about to make you a blessing to others.

A.     God Didn’t Raise You Up To Be Bitter, He Did It For You To Be A Blessing

1. We look over the things that happen to us that was bad, but we are not supposed to be bitter.
2. Joseph’s brothers who threw him in the pit, ultimately needed him during the famine. God showed this vision to Joseph early and Joseph shared it too early. Youthfulness will make you think it is all about you, when it’s really all about God.
   1. When God showed Joseph the vision, it wasn’t about them all bowing down to Joseph. It was about everyone.
   2. God allowed Joseph to be put into the pit, to show him humility and that the vision was about God.
   3. When Joseph’s brother’s come, they were nervous. They knew that Joseph had every right to refuse bread to them during the famine.

B.     It Wasn’t Just My Work, But It Was God At Work Through Me

1. Here is a season God says he is trying to show you something. God allowed you to go through so he could teach you humility.
2. The bible says when Joseph’s brothers come, he has a right to deny them or get even. In Gen 50:20 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. – If you take the bait of bitterness and let it change you with hate and resentment, there are people that are trying to bless by what you are doing and what you’ve gone through.
   1. Joseph realized that it was never about him, it was always about God and his glory. You need to know that it is about to change for you. You’re about to walk through every season of your life.
   2. When God gives you influence, you have to manage the moment. Don’t be bitter, just pass out the bread. Don’t be bitter to the people that did you wrong.
3. Sometimes you’ve got to pass out bread to the people that did you wrong, but God will get the glory. Can God trust you when He blesses you? Don’t let it change you, when he blesses.
4. All things work together for the good of them that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose. If Joseph had never been hated on, he would have never been in pit. If he had never been in the pit, then Joseph wouldn’t have ended up in Potiphar’s house. If Joseph had never been in Potiphar’s house, then he would have never been lied on. If Joseph hadn’t been lied on, he wouldn’t have ended up in prison. If Joseph had not been put into prison, then he wouldn’t have met the people that knew Pharaoh, that when Pharaoh had a problem, his gift wouldn’t have come to the forefront. If that hadn’t happened, then you wouldn’t have gotten to this place to manage the Moment for God’s glory.