Synopsis of Sermon 02/25/24

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III

Genesis 50:20 NKJV
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.

I. INTRODUCTION 

1. Nothing can derail the destiny of a child of God. Things occur in our lives and God is in control of it all. Admittedly, when we go through some situations that we would rather not go through, we kind of wish God would stop it for us.
2. There is a plan and purpose for why we go through what we go through. Perhaps God is doing it for our development. In fact, you are reading this right now, because you have matured spiritually.
3. Though spiritually maturing, you realize that for some things, if it’s got to be done, God has to be the one to do it. At this point, you have learned to depend on God.
4. What you go through is not for your demise, but instead for your Things you go through make you a little wiser. When you’ve gone through enough stuff, you know how to filter through what is authentic.
5. We come out of our situations better, not bitter! God doesn’t want us to come out bitter. Life is filled with swift transitions. Just imagine holding on to stuff and causing yourself not to live out the fullness that God has intended for your life.
6. Today we are talking about a character in the bible called Joseph means God will add, God will bless. Joseph is the great-grandson of Abraham.
7. Jacob has a son by his wife Racheal. The first one is named Joseph. This is the Joesph we will talk about today.
   1. Joseph is the 11^th son of Jacob overall, because Joseph also had kids from his other wife, Leah.
   2. Jacob loved Joseph. Jacob loved Joseph so much that at his death, he blessings over him. He said Joseph would be a fruitful bough.
   3. Joseph was a dreamer. He shared a dream with his brothers which later caused them to hate him.
   4. Joseph received a coat of many colors from his dad. This was favor. His brothers hated him for this, because he wasn’t the one that was supposed to have the birthright. He was not the oldest.

II. THEY HAD TROUBLE WITH THE FAVOR OF MY FATHER 

• When God chooses to favor us, God will skip over people to get to you.

A. Everybody Can’t Handle Your Dreams 

1. You think because people are close to you, they can handle your dreams. This is not true. You have to share your dreams at the right time and with the right people. You have to act in the right season.
2. Stay in secret until God is ready to release you.
3. Some people don’t know how to celebrate what God is doing in your life.

B. Wear Your Coat 

1. You are special. Just like Joseph, who was given the coat of many colors, you are God’s chosen child. If God gave you a coat, wear it! Don’t be afraid to show God is blessing you.

III. THEY TRIED TO FINISH ME, BUT GOD ALLOWED ME TO BE FOUND 

• Joseph’s brothers threw him in a pit and left him for dead. They made up a story to tell their father. They told their father that Joseph was killed by some animal.

A. Your Pit Is Never Permanent 

1. When you’re in a pit, it’s like being buried alive. Pits are a real thing.
2. They put Joseph in a pit, but it was on a path. God will allow bad things to happen, but at the right place. This is called Geographical Grace.
   1. Example – Jonah was thrown overboard, but there is a fish there to catch him. Had he been thrown anywhere else, then he could have drowned. Being thrown overboard was a bad thing, but it happened in the right place.
3. When they put Joseph in the pit, it was in the right place. The pit was in an area where the Ishmaelites traveled. Had it not happened at the right place and time, Joseph wouldn’t have been sold and later ended up in Potiphar’s House.
   1. God needed to put you in a pit. If it had been your choice, you would probably bypass the pit all together. The pit actually brought Joseph closer to his assignment.
4. Joseph was found in the pit. When Potiphar found him, he needed to be found, so that he could go to his assignment in Potiphar’s house.
5. Joseph is so faithful in his season; he later gets elevated. Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce him and after he rejected her, she made up a story about Joseph attacking her. This lands Joseph in prison.
6. In the prison, Joseph interpreted dreams. The Baker has the dream of a basket on head. Joseph let him know that this meant he would get his head cut off and this came true. The Butler had a dream and Joseph told him that in 3 days, he would be restored to his place as Butler. Sure, enough this is what happened, but the Butler forgot about Joseph.
7. Two years passed and Pharaoh starts having dreams. The Butler remembered that Joseph had interpreted his dream in prison, and it came true. So, the Butler told Pharaoh that he had a guy in his prison that could interpret dreams. So, the Pharaoh sent for Joseph immediately. See God puts you in the right place at the right time!
8. My rejection was always for direction. Your gift will always make room for you. Your dream will always put you before great men. God will put you in a place where your gift is needed!

B. God Always Has a Plan for Your Deliverance 

1. Pharaoh brings Joseph up from Prison and Joseph interpreted his dream. His dream meant that he would undergo 7yrs of plenty and 7yrs of famine. Joseph tells Pharaoh to store food away in the 7yrs of plenty, so that they would be able to sustain in the 7yrs of famine.
2. Egypt was the most advanced civilization around because of the Joseph principle.

IV. THE TRAJECTORY WASN’T FAIR, BUT I REMAINED FAITHFUL 

A. There Is a Reason for Every Season 

1.     If it wasn’t for Joseph being placed in prison, his gift would never have been discovered.

B. Your Gift Will Always Make Room for You 

1. Joseph was put in charge of giving out the bread.
2. During the famine, the same brothers that threw Joseph in the pit, had to come to Joseph for bread. God will prepare a table for you in the presence of your enemy!

V. THERE IS A TESTIMONY OF FORGIVENESS CONCERNING MY FUTURE 

A. Don’t Be Bitter, Pass Out the Bread 

1. Can you pass out the bread and not be bitter? Can you pass out bread to those who have done you wrong?
2. God says the same people that done you wrong, will come knocking at your door! Everything we got was because of our heart. The thing you thought evil against me, God meant it for my good.

B. God Brought Me from The Pit to The Palace

1. You can be bitter and hold on to loaves of bread or you can make people jump through hoops to get the bread. Remember though, this isn’t your bread.
2. You have to remember where God brought you from.
3. Joseph typology. This means one story is parallel to another story. There will be a generation of people who only know Joseph as second to Pharaoh. They will only know Joseph at the height of his life. They will see him at the place he is, and they will see him at that place only.
4. Some people engage you at the point where you are now. You are responsible for letting them know your Before Story.
5. Looking at an oak tree, you wonder how it became so tall. What is it about the oak tree that makes it tall and able to live through generation after generation?
   1. One day, somebody buried a seed in the earth. The seasons it went through, stimulated the seed and allowed the oak tree to push through the earth. Throughout every season, the oak tree got taller and stronger.
   2. No one knows that the oak tree started as a little seed. Your story is you were buried. Somebody broke you, but you weathered your way through many difficult seasons. You are a product of being buried and watered. You’ve endured seasons that you didn’t think you should have had to, but now you are better! You didn’t allow what you’ve gone through, make you bitter!
   3. You are better, not bitter!!