It is always an honor to be able to bring the word of God and share with you what God spoke to me. Today I want to talk to you about a sovereign God who sees and knows all things and intervenes as He did in Joseph’s life.

As we continue in the series “Avenue of the Giants”, we will take a look at that giant, our mentor today called Joseph. If you’ve been reading through Genesis you will recall that Joseph lived through some serious hardships. However, despite his hardships, Joseph lived beyond himself and beyond his own comfort zone for a greater purpose than his own life. Joseph allowed God to use him for the good of others.

In Gen. 50:20 Joseph said,

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”

What does “It” refer to in this passage? Harm? Evil? But God intended “it” for good. The “it” in that quote refers to the hardship Joseph’s brothers imposed upon him. The “its” in our lives are our hardships.

A faith that “LIVES BEYOND YOURSELF” is a FAITH TO GOD’S PLAN.

I venture to say that some of you are struggling to even understand God's plan for your life, maybe because you're caught up so much in your own plan for your own life that you're neglecting the heart and plan of God. I don't say that to condemn anyone, but I pray by the Holy Spirit that any one of us would have this sense of inner conviction to say, “God, I don't want my plan. I want your plan. I want the kind of faith to fulfill your plan for the life you've given me.”

1. TO LIVE BEYOND OURSELVES, WE MUST TRUST GOD’S UNSEEN PLAN.

Joseph said to his brothers, “But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.” (Gen. 45:5 NLT)

But could it be that there is something you're going through that God is using because He's ahead of the game?

Jesus was sent ahead of us, and He still knows and He still cares and He still loves and He's still in the midst of our “its”. He was sent. He still exists. Jesus is still involved in our lives including knowing yours and my “its”. From the littlest “It” to the humongous overbearing, overwhelming weighty “it” that is on you right now, God’s intention is all good.

2. A FAITH THAT FULFILLS GOD’S PLAN “SAYS YES” TO:

A. REJECTION:

Joseph’s brother, Judah, said of him, “Let’s sell him to the Ishmaelite’s, but let’s not kill him—he is, after all, our brother, our own flesh and blood.’ His brothers agreed.” (Gen. 37:27 MSG)

Joseph was in the pit. He pleaded for his life. But when we’re not in control, when others, especially family, rejects us, we say yes to rejection with a heart of faith. We need to believe that God intends good to come from this rejection.

B. INTEGRITY:

Joseph told his master’s wife when she tried to seduce him, “He treats me as an equal. The only thing he hasn’t turned over to me is you. You’re his wife, after all! How could I violate his trust and sin against God?” (Gen.39:9 MSG)

When we’re experiencing temptations, in whatever area, consider this: that God is sending us ahead. He’s developing our faith to fulfill His greater plan.

C. FORGOTTEN:

Joseph was forgotten by the head cup bearer who was supposed to help free Joseph from prison.  As the Bible says,  “But the head cupbearer never gave Joseph another thought; he forgot all about him. Two years passed and Pharaoh had a dream.” (Gen. 40:23-41:1a MSG)

Have you ever been forgotten? Sometimes people will come to you, suck the life, energy and resources out of you, use you, and then they forget about you. Cynicism just knocks at my door when I feel forgotten or left out or rejected. But God will never leave us or forsake us.

D. MERCY:

Do you become hardened because of the wrongs that people did to you? Do you have this vengeful revenge attitude? Some people do deal with that and it’s sickening. On the other hand, Joseph, with all the wrongs his brothers did to him, showed forgiveness and mercy.

The letter from Joseph’s father read,

“‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly. So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.’ When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. ‘Look, we are your slaves!’ they said. But Joseph replied, ‘Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you?’” (Gen. 50:17-19 NLT)

The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 105:16-17, “He called down famine on the land
and destroyed all their supplies of food; and he sent a man before them—
Joseph, sold as a slave.”

The story line continued in David's time and it still does. And let me pose to you, God the Father has sent the man, the man Christ Jesus ahead of all of us in the midst of any one of these yeses that we need to grow in saying yes to, you remember God has sent a man, His one and only son, far ahead of us, and He knows and He loves and He cares for each and every one of us.

Questions:

1. What difficult situations in your life is God using to grow your faith and trust in Him?

2. What Biblical characters/qualities (under #2) can you relate to?

3. What is God asking you to do or adjust in your heart or life?

4. What part of God’s character are you holding on to?