The Three P’s of Provision
By Pastor John Price
Friday, March 09, 2007
Genesis 37:5-11
5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. 6 So he said to them, "Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf." 8 And his brothers said to him, "Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. 9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, "Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me." 10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?" 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
NKJV
* People will not always share the same love or enthusiasm for the dream that God has given you as you will.
**From this point on, the life of Joseph consisted of –
1. Being thrown in a pit to die
2. Sold into slavery
3. Being falsely accused
4. tossed into prison
5. Forgotten about
6. And finally exalted to Second in command over all of Egypt.
7. And Fulfillment of the Vision.
** John Maxwell said in His Book the Success Journey “A dream without a positive attitude produces a daydreamer. A positive attitude without a dream produces a pleasant person who can’t progress. A dream together with a positive attitude produces a person with unlimited possibilities and potential.
* Keep Dreaming in spite of adversity. Joseph was convinced at a young age regardless of His brother’s attitudes that God was speaking to Him toward His future.
* Where there is Vision there will be Provision.
* The most amazing thing about Joseph’s story to me is that from the beginning of time God knew the exact path that Joseph would take to release provision to Israel and the tribes of the future and in spite of all the controversy and trials that he would face, Gods focus was the end result knowing that He was more than able to deal with all that was in between.
The Three P’s of Provision---
1) Promise ( Joseph had a promise)
a) Genesis 37:5- 11 shares the promise that God established in Joseph even as a child.
b) God’s provision always starts with a promise, a seed or a vision spoke to our hearts.
2) Prison (He faced His Prison)
a) Genesis Chapter 39 shows us that there will always be prison experiences on our way to our promise or provision.
b) Genesis 39:21-23
21 But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. 23 The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper. NKJV (Even in prison the believer is still destined for greatness when in pursuit of the will of the father)
3) Provision (He received His provision)
a) Genesis 41:39-44
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you." 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt." 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, "Bow the knee!" So he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt." NKJV
Conclusion:
— John Osteen said “It’s great to be young and dream the dream, but it’s better to be old and to see that the dream is true!”
