There’s power in your story, even if you don’t see it while you’re living it. Regardless of where you are, as long as there is breath in your lungs, no one’s story is finished.
Joseph's Backstory
Joseph:
- was just a Kid (17 years old)
- he was a shepherd
- he had 11 brothers
His dad, Israel loved Joseph the most out of all of his brothers, and made him a colorful robe to show his love for him.
Genesis 37:3-4, 7, 9
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him
7 Behold, we were binding sheaves (or bundles of wheat) in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.”
9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
After that, his brothers were really mad and got jealous
to the point were they sold him into slavery.
Genesis 37:28
28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
At this point, Joseph doesn’t feel like his testimony is being written, and that God has plans for him, it just looks like it can only go downhill from here, and can only get worse.
Slavery
Genesis 39:1-2
Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.
So, even though he was scared,
God really took care of him, right?
He ended up in a house as a servant, and it says that he became a successful man. But then his boss’ wife tried to seduce him. Joseph loved God, so he wasn’t about to do something that was a sin.
Genesis 39:11-12
11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, 12 she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.
She lied to her husband and said that Joseph tried to seduce her, so he fired Joseph and sent him to prison.
Prison
Genesis 39:20-21
20 And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Even though it’s not being the best spot to be in, God was still with him and working through him. He was faithful in the prison, and God blessed him and put him in charge of all of the prisoners.
Later, Pharaoh has 2 dreams and needed help interpreting them. Someone told him that Joseph could interpret dreams, and he got called in to where Pharaoh was to interpret them. Joseph tells him what God meant by the dreams Pharaoh had, and says that there will be 7 good years of harvest, and then 7 years of famine. He also tells Pharaoh that he should
“look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.” Pharaoh loved his idea, and decided to put him in charge.
Genesis 41:37-40
37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command.
Pharaoh then makes Joseph his second in command, and he stores food to be ready for the famine, and later everything he said would happen, did happened.
Being Put in a Prominent Position
At any one moment in his story, there’s NO WAY Joseph could have guessed what was coming next. No matter what, Joseph was faithful and trusted God to write his story.
God’s prophesy came true, and famine hit Egypt, but Joseph was ready for it as the second in command of Egypt!
Then, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt looking for food during the famine, and he was able to save his entire family:
Genesis 45:4-8
4 So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Your story is still being written!
No matter where you are in your life, God is fully capable of using your circumstances for good, and when we focus on Him, and honor him with everything, God takes care of the big picture.
