Overcoming Adversity Is As Easy As Pie! Series

EXTRAORDINARY DREAMS #2:

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY IS AS EASY AS P.I.E.

KEY TEXT: “God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or dream, according to His power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3:20).

• God has placed within our heart hopes and dreams that He wants to fulfill for us!

WHAT IS A DREAM? A dream is a condition or achievement that is longed for; an aspiration.

THE BIG IDEA: God wants us to dream big, but every dreamer will experience troubles and trials. Overcoming adversity is as easy as P.I.E: Providence, Integrity and Endurance.

REVIEW JOSEPH’S STORY FROM LAST WEEK: (Genesis 37).

• Joseph was loved by his father, and his dad gave him a coat of many colours (v. 1-3).

• 1. God wants us to dream big dreams!

• 2. To dream extraordinary dreams, we must know the love of God.

• Joseph had a dream that God was calling him to be a great leader (v. 5-11).

• Joseph’s brothers hated him and were jealous of him and threw him in a pit (v. 12-24).

• 3. Even if our dream is from the Lord, there will be opposition.

• Then his brothers sold him into slavery to a group of Midianite traders (v. 25-35).

• “Now the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard” (v. 36).

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY TO ACHIEVE OUR DREAMS:

1. PROVIDENCE:

“1 Now when Joseph arrived in Egypt with the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, a member of the personal staff of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Potiphar was the captain of the palace guard. 2 The LORD was with Joseph and blessed him greatly as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. 3 Potiphar noticed this and realized that the LORD was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 4 So Joseph naturally became quite a favorite with him. Potiphar soon put Joseph in charge of his entire household and entrusted him with all his business dealings. 5 From the day Joseph was put in charge, the LORD began to bless Potiphar for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs began to run smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished.” (Genesis 39:1-5, NLT).

• Twice in this Scripture, Moses emphasizes one of the keys to Joseph’s success: The Lord was with Joseph. This speaks of God’s Providence.

• Providence: the foreseeing care and guidance of God over the creatures of the earth; God, omnisciently directing the universe and the affairs of humankind with wise benevolence.

• Look at our Key Scripture: “God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or dream, according to His power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3:20).

• Because of God’s hand on Joseph, the Lord blessed him, and his ‘employer’.

• APPLICATION: We need to rely on God’s gracious, powerful presence.

2. INTEGRITY:

“6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t have a worry in the world, except to decide what he wanted to eat! Now Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man. 7 And about this time, Potiphar’s wife began to desire him and invite him to sleep with her. 8 But Joseph refused. "Look," he told her, "my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. 9 No one here has more authority than I do! He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I ever do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God." 10 She kept putting pressure on him day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible.” (Genesis 39:6-10, NLT).

• Joseph is working towards His dream. God has blessed him and given him favour.

• Then – a test comes. Potiphar’s wife pressured Joseph every day to have sex with her.

• However, Joseph refused. Why? He knew it would be a sin against the Lord.

• Integrity: adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty; the quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness; ‘integer’.

• “He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known.” (Proverbs 10:9).

ILLUSTRATION: Tiger Woods was one of the greatest golf players of all time. This child prodigy began to play golf at age two, had almost 100 professional wins. He was married, rich, famous and successful… Until it was discovered that he had had about a dozen affairs. He started losing advertising endorsements, and in December of 2009 announced that he was taking an indefinite leave from professional golf.

• It’s too bad that Tiger Woods didn’t know the truth of Proverbs 10:9!