Joseph's Secret to Overcome Setbacks

by Dr. Dave

From the pit to the palace, Joseph gives us the secret on how to respond to injustice, betrayal, and evil.  7 set-backs and 13 years of adversity (recorded in 13 chapters, Genesis 37-50) did not derail Joseph from living his life boldly for God.

7 Sovereign Set-Backs 

God sovereignly allowed Joseph to be…

(1) Born in a dysfunctional family (Genesis 37)
Joseph was born to his father when he was old.  His father’s favoritism set him up for failure.  His constant doting only encouraged his brother’s jealousy.  Joseph was the center of attention.  The Bible states, “Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children.”  This was a recipe for disaster.  One day, Jacob gave Joseph a special gift—a beautiful robe…a multi-colored coat.  By the time Joseph reached his high school years, around age 17, he often tended his father’s flocks with his half-brothers and like a tattle-tale often reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing.  As you can imagine, this didn’t make him popular with his brothers.

(2) Rejected by his siblings (Genesis 37)

(3) Abandoned to a foreign land (Genesis 37)
At age 17 (around his Junior year at Israel High School) he’s with people who speak a different language, going to a land with a different culture, in a world with different gods.

(4) Sold into slavery [in Egypt] (Genesis 39)

(5) Falsely Accused of Rape (Genesis 39)
Joseph is the Brad Pitt of his day.  He’s apparently so good looking, that Potiphar’s wife is very interested in this healthy hot hunk. Joseph is 19 and shows tremendous restraint.  Has deep convictions.

(6) Sent to Prison Unjustly (Genesis 39)

(7) Forgotten by a “Friend” [those he helped in prison] (Genesis 40)

But God had not Forgotten Joseph.

What people did to Joseph was wrong.  It was evil.  But God’s good is more powerful than any evil that can be thrown at you.  God is sovereign and He took the evil aimed at Joseph and used it for his good and then for the redemption of thousands of lives.

Joseph’s Response to Evil Circumstances…

Instead of all these matters breaking Joseph, they molded, matured, and made Joseph!

• He survived.  He learned and adapted.
• He thrived.  He used his gifts where he was.
• He resisted and refused to “bail out” on God’s agenda for his life.
• He waited on God’s timing and place.
• He grew. He faced his issues & forgave others for theirs.

13 years of Adversity Couldn’t Ruin Joseph’s Life

While people tried to wreck Joseph’s life with their little evil plans, God refashioned those attempts back into his big good plan to achieve Joseph’s highest good and His highest glory.  In other words, it was all part of God’s sovereign plan to get the right man, at the right place, at the right time, for his good. and for God’s glory.

Others Don’t have the Power to Ruin Your Life

For us, this is good news.  Joseph reminds us that…

• The person that walked out on you
• the business deal that fell through
• the father or mother who abused you
• the so-called friend who lied and betrayed you…

none of these people have the power to ruin our lives.  We are not a victim.  What others intend for evil, God will use for good.

Joseph’s Secret

Joseph believed that nothing comes into our lives by accident.  It is either decreed or allowed by an all-wise, sovereign God for our good.  As a result of this, Joseph blessed those who cursed him.  He refused to take revenge and to retaliate.  He embraced the providence of God.

Overcome Evil with Good by…

• Refusing to be a victim
• Choosing to trust God and his sovereignty
• Choosing to forgive the person(s) who have hurt you
• Choose to pray for those who have hurt you
• Choose to do an act of kindness to the person(s) who hurt you (if possible and if appropriate).

We do not have the power to change people.  But we do have the power to love people in a way that is impossible for them to understand apart from the grace of God.

The post Joseph’s Secret to Overcome Setbacks appeared first on Dr. Dave White.