Creating New Strongholds - Part 4 Series

This is the fourth message in my series on Creating New Strongholds. We are continuing our look at ways of thinking the Apostle Paul describes as “strongholds” in 2 Corinthians 10:4. However, instead of examining strongholds from the viewpoint of tearing them down, like the previous three teachings, we're going to look at strongholds Christians need to affirm, confirm and walk out in their daily lives.

When we make the decision to change what we think and what we believe to agree with God’s Word and then make that our daily confession, we will create strongholds in our minds that will impose truth on areas of untruth.

What I have just described is a deliberate process. It's something we must do on purpose. It goes hand in hand with what we read in Ephesians and Colossians about putting on the new man. It also dovetails nicely with the instruction we receive in Romans 12:2 about renewing our minds.

If I were to give this message a subtitle, it would be "If I commit sin, I am committing sin against God." And for those of you who know this record, you should have just had an "Ah ha" moment :-)

We’re going to identify Godly strongholds in the life of Joseph, the son of Abraham who was sold into slavery by his brothers. The value Joseph placed on his relationship with God formed the foundation for how he responded to both Potiphar and to his wife. Let’s look at the definition of Godly strongholds once again.

"Godly strongholds are ways of thinking about God, based on His Word, that have been so engrained in our minds and belief systems that we know and confess that they are true."

Now, let's look at the record about Joseph and Potiphar’s wife in Genesis 39.

(1) And Joseph was brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.

(2) And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man, and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

As I thought about the definition of strongholds, the first part of verse 2 leaped off of the page. It says “And the Lord was with Joseph.” Immediately my mind went to Amos 3:3, which says “Can two walk together except they be agreed?” Scripture doesn’t say much about Joseph’s upbringing other than the two prophetic dreams the Lord gave him when he was 17 years old. But you have to know that his reverence for God was at the heart of the things he did.

The first godly stronghold that we see in Joseph's life: "A heart that beats with the Lord’s heart produces godly strongholds."

The interesting thing about the first part of this verse, "And the Lord was with Joseph," is that it’s repeated in verses 3, 21 and 23. Could the Lord have been with Joseph if Joseph did not want to be with the Lord? Let me bring it home. Can the Lord be with us if we don’t want to be with Him? Of course not.

A heart that beats with the Lord’s heart will produce godly strongholds. And most of the time, you’ll see the person’s heart long before you see the strongholds.

(3) And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

The word “saw” in this verse means “to inspect.” Potiphar observed Joseph, I’m sure, to the point of “having him under a microscope” so that he could determine his trustworthiness. Now let me ask you a question. Do you believe that when it comes to serving God, that He will not also “inspect” the motivations of a person’s heart?

Ladies and gentlemen, if you want to more and more of the kingdom of God at your disposal, trust me when I say this, your inspection is coming. And it's not a one-time thing. The motivations of your heart will always be under "God's microscope."

(4) And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

Before moving on, I want to point something out that’s critical. Joseph found grace, or favor, in Potiphar’s sight after he passed the inspection. And when he did pass Potiphar's inspection, Joseph was “given the keys” to his master’s house. Today, we would say Joseph was promoted.

I hope you are seeing here the type and shadow of "promotion" in the kingdom of God. Now think about that for a moment. Do you not think God deals with us in a similar fashion? Do you not think we have to prove ourselves – pass an “inspection” – before He will “put all that He has into our hands?