Pursuing Victory

Based on Genesis 37:12-28; 50:19-21

JOSEPH WAS YOUNG AND FAITHFUL -- LOVED BY HIS FATHER BUT DESPISED BY HIS BROTHERS. THE LOVE JOSEPH’S FATHER GAVE TO HIM PROVIDED A RICH ENVIRONMENT WHERE HE COULD GROW PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY.

HOWEVER, THE PEACE AND REASSURANCE HE FELT IN HIS YOUNGER YEARS DID NOT LAST. JOSEPH HAD A PROBLEM OR SHOULD I SAY HIS BROTHERS HAD A PROBLEM!

FLAMES OF JEALOUSY BURNED DEEP WITHIN THE HEARTS OF HIS BROTHERS SO WHEN OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED ITSELF, THEY SET OUT TO END JOSEPH’S LIFE.

THE ACCOUNT OF JOSEPH WE FIND IN GENESIS 37-50 IS A STORY THAT MOVES FROM OVERWHELMING SORROW AND DEFEAT TO TRIUMPH AND MONUMENTAL BLESSING.

JOSEPH’S LIFE IS A REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF HOW GOD

WORKS WITHIN SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES TO BRING HOPE AND VICTORY.

ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE WONDERED IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO OVERCOME THE STRUGGLES OF LIFE, THE LIFE OF JOSEPH IS MORE THAN PROOF THAT YOU CAN!

ONE OF THE LESSONS WE SEE IS THAT JOSEPH REFUSED TO BE ENGULFED BY FEELINGS OF FEAR, ANGER, BITTERNESS, AND RESENTMENT. HIS FAITH IN GOD WAS AN ANCHOR TO HIS SOUL EVEN WHEN HIS HOPES WERE CRUSHED REPEATEDLY.

DESPITE THESE CRUSHING BLOWS IN HIS LIFE JOSEPH COULD HAVE BECOME RESENTFUL, BUT HE CHOSE NOT TO YIELD TO THIS TEMPTATION. HE DID NOT BECOME BITTER.

BECAUSE JOSEPH HAD A DEEP, ABIDING LOVE AND CONFIDENCE IN GOD, HE KNEW THAT THE LORD WOULD NOT FORGET HIM ALTHOUGH THE OUTLOOK FOR HIS LIFE STILL APPEARED TO BE VERY DISMAL.

SO WE CAN TAKE THE LESSONS JOSEPH LEARNED AND APPLY THEM TO OUR LIVES BECAUSE THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN WE WON’T UNDERSTAND WHY GOD ALLOWS TRAGEDY, SORROW, HEARTACHE OR DEFEAT TO TOUCH OUR LIVES. SO, LIKE JOSEPH, WE CAN REST IN THE FACT THAT NO MATTER WHAT WE FACE, GOD IS IN IT WITH US AND GOD HAS A PLAN FOR THE DIFFICULTY.

THE LORD WASTES NOTHING. HE TAKES THE DARK TIMES OF LIFE AND BRINGS LIGHT AND HOPE. EACH ADVERSITY IS USED TO TEACH US MORE ABOUT HIS LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS. JUST THINK…IF WE NEVER FACED DIFFICULTY, WE WOULD NEVER UNDERSTAND THE DEPTH OF GOD’S PERSONAL LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS.

ALTHOUGH THE TRIALS OF JOSEPH WERE ENORMOUS, THERE WAS NO HINT OF PERSONAL DISCOURAGEMENT WITHIN HIS LIFE -- ONLY A PERSONAL DECISION THAT GOD WOULD DELIVER HIM.

THE SECRET TO VICTORY IN SUFFERING, SORROW, AND HEARTACHE IS TO STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND START FOCUSING ON THE INTERNAL FACT THAT CHRIST IS WITH YOU AND IN YOU AT ALL TIMES.

WHATEVER YOU MAY BE FACING GOD WANTS YOU TO TALK TO HIM CONCERNING YOUR SUFFERING, BUT HE ALSO WANTS YOU TO REALIZE THAT THE DEEPER WORK HE IS DOING IN YOUR LIFE GOES BEYOND THE PHYSICAL.

PAIN, SUFFERING, HEARTACHE, DISAPPOINTMENT, AND BETRAYALS ALL BECOME TOOLS IN HIS HAND. EACH ONE HAS TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL TO DRAW YOU INTO A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SAVIOR.

WHENEVER YOU FACE TRIALS OF ANY KIND, ASK THE LORD TO SHOW YOU WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO LEARN IN AND THROUGH THE DIFFICULTY. WHEN YOU DO THIS YOU WILL QUICKLY FIND THAT GOD HAS NOT LEFT YOU.

GOD UNDERSTANDS YOUR FEELINGS OF UNCERTAINTY, BUT HE ALSO WANTS YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT HE IS AN ACTIVE, LOVING, HOLY, PASSIONATE GOD WHO HAS WITHIN HIS POWER THE ABILITY TO DELIVER YOU FROM ALL BONDAGE TO SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.

SO WHEN TROUBLE COMES RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO RELY ON YOUR OWN ABILITIES. DON’T JUMP THE GUN AND RUSH AHEAD OF GOD TO DEVISE A PLAN TO OVERCOME THE DIFFICULTY, TO ESCAPE THE PRESSURE, OR TO GET OUT OF THE PAINFUL SITUATION.

JUMPING AHEAD OF GOD OR INTERFERING BEFORE GOD HAS FINISHED HIS PERFECT WORK IN YOUR LIFE WILL CAUSE YOU TO MISS OR DELAY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR BLESSING.

IN STUDYING THE LIFE OF JOSEPH, WE FIND THAT HE WAS NOT AFRAID TO TRUST GOD, EVEN WHEN IT APPEARED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO END TO HIS SUFFERING AND DISAPPOINTMENTS.

JOSEPH KNEW GOD WAS BESIDE HIM JUST AS THE LORD IS WITH YOU NOW. TAKE HEART IN THE FACT THAT GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE. IF HARDSHIPS HAVE TROUBLED YOUR LIFE, KNOW THAT THERE IS AN END TO THE SUFFERING.

GOD WILL NEVER TEST YOU BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR. GOD STRETCHES OUR FAITH SO THAT WE WILL GROW SPIRITUALLY AND LEARN TO SEEK HIM ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE. HE IS OUR FAITHFUL LORD IN EVERY SITUATION OF LIFE.

SO WHAT ARE SOME LESSONS THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THE LIFE OF JOSEPH? I THINK THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO LESSONS WE CAN LEARN IN ORDER TO HAVE VICTORY IN OUR LIVES!

THE FIRST LESSON IS THAT GOD WILL BE YOUR STRONGHOLD AND VICTORIOUS DELIVERER WHEN YOU BATTLE AGAINST YOUR OWN FLESH.