PRESERVED TO PRESERVE OTHERS
By Rev. Samuel Arimoro
Main Text: Genesis 45:5-8
Key Verse: “God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.” (Genesis 45:7)
Supporting Texts: Genesis 50:20; Esther 4:14; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Psalm 66:9
INTRODUCTION
There are moments in life when survival itself is a miracle. What could have destroyed you did not succeed. What should have ended your journey became a testimony instead. Such preservation is rarely accidental, it is purposeful.
Joseph endured betrayal, slavery, false accusation, and imprisonment. Yet through every trial, God preserved him. Later, he understood why: his survival was connected to the survival of others.
When God preserves a life, it is often because that life carries a solution for many.
1. DIVINE PRESERVATION THROUGH ADVERSITY
God’s protection does not always prevent trials, but it ensures purpose within them.
a) Sustained in Betrayal (Genesis 37:28)
Joseph was sold, yet not abandoned.
b) Protected in False Accusation (Genesis 39:20-21)
Even in prison, the Lord was with him.
c) Kept Alive for Purpose (Psalm 66:9)
God preserves our souls and prevents our feet from slipping.
d) Survival as Strategy
What looked like misfortune was divine positioning.
Biblical Example: Moses was preserved as a child during Pharaoh’s decree, destined to deliver Israel (Exodus 2:1-10).
2. PRESERVATION REVEALS PURPOSE
Understanding why you were preserved brings clarity to your calling.
a) Sent Ahead by God (Genesis 45:5)
Joseph recognized divine orchestration behind painful events.
b) Redemptive Perspective (Genesis 50:20)
What others meant for evil, God used for good.
c) Positioned for Impact (Genesis 45:7-8)
Preservation placed Joseph in authority to save many lives.
d) Seeing Beyond Self
Purpose matures when one recognizes the broader picture.
Biblical Example: Esther realized she was positioned “for such a time as this,” understanding that her preservation in the palace was for national deliverance (Esther 4:14).
3. PRESERVED PEOPLE BECOME CHANNELS OF COMFORT
Those who survive trials are equipped to strengthen others.
a) Comfort to Comfort Others (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
God comforts us so we can comfort others.
b) Empathy Through Experience
Personal survival creates compassion for struggling souls.
c) Authority in Testimony
Your story becomes evidence of God’s sustaining power.
d) Restoration Over Revenge
Joseph chose reconciliation instead of retaliation.
Biblical Example: Peter, restored after failure, became a pillar in the early Church (John 21:15-17; Acts 2:14).
4. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRESERVED
Preservation carries accountability.
a) Serving with Gratitude
Gratitude fuels service and humility.
b) Guarding the Gift of Life
Life preserved must be lived intentionally.
c) Extending Mercy
Those who have received mercy should extend it.
d) Multiplying the Blessing
Preservation becomes powerful when it leads to transformation in others.
Biblical Example: Paul, preserved from persecution and danger, dedicated his life to spreading the Gospel across nations (Acts 9:15-16).
CONCLUSION
To be preserved is to be entrusted. Survival is often a sign of assignment. Joseph’s life teaches that God preserves individuals not only for their own restoration but for generational impact.
If you are still standing after adversity, it is because your life carries value beyond personal survival. You are preserved to preserve others: to save, to comfort, to guide, and to bless.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Father, thank You for preserving my life in Jesus name.
2. Lord, reveal the purpose behind my preservation in Jesus name.
3. Father, help me see trials from a redemptive perspective in Jesus name.
4. Lord, position me to be a blessing to many in Jesus name.
5. Father, remove bitterness from my heart in Jesus name.
6. Lord, turn every past pain into a platform for impact in Jesus name.
7. Father, use my testimony to strengthen others in Jesus name.
8. Lord, grant me grace to extend mercy as I have received mercy in Jesus name.
9. Father, align my life with divine purpose in Jesus name.
10. Lord, let my preservation result in the preservation of many in Jesus name.
