Sermon Cloud

Staying on the High Road: Part III

THE ROAD TO GOD‘S PROMOTION

Genesis 39:1-6

1) Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.

2) The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.

3) When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did,

4) Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.

5) From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.

6) So he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,

Genesis 39:20-23

20) Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison,

21) the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

22) So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there.

23) The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

ADVANTAGES of PROMOTION

• A promotion is a clear indication of our worth as an employee and an affirmation of our good performance.
• Often it gives us the opportunity to grow and use our talents to the greater benefit of all.
• Promotions can bring with them increased earnings at a time when you have a growing financial needs.

Psalm 75, 6-7

"No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another"

I. HIS CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD:

    - Joseph held to his faith in God's goodness in spite of his life's unbelievably painful times and circumstances.

Special Revelations through Dreams...

Genesis 15: 12-13 - God had announced to Abraham the Egyptian bondage through a dream.

Genesis 28, 12, 15 - In a dream God promised protection and prosperity for Jacob while fleeing from Esau.

Genesis 37: 5- 11 - God predicted that Joseph would rule over his family in two dreams.

Hebrews 13:5

5) Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

-A.W. Tozer

  "It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply."

II. HIS COMPETENCE AS A LABORER:

  -Joseph is committed to do his best in his situations.

• As a slave, he diligently labored until becoming the head servant.
• In prison, he rose to be the best prisoner becoming in-charge of all the prisoners.

-Abraham Lincoln

"Success is not letting dead ends kill you."

Genesis 39:2

2) The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.

Proverbs 22:29

29) Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.

I.   HIS COMMITMENT IN THE LORD:

  - Joseph was also committed in living a clean life before the Lord.

Genesis 39:6

6) So he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,

Genesis 39:10

10) And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

Joseph battled difficult temptation:

• Being a young man, he was very vulnerable to sexual temptations.
• No doubt Mrs. Potiphar was a beautiful woman being the wife of a prominent captain of the Egyptian army.
• Mrs. Potiphar was the one initiating and pursuing him.
• There was an opportunity, when no one was around, to hide the sin if he would give in.

Genesis 39:8-9

8) But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care.

9) No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?"

To Receive GOD's Promotion?

• stay on the high road commit yourself in trusting the Lord no matter what situation you're in.
• do your best, work hard.
• keep a pure life.