English Service by Rev, DR. Willy Mutiso

GOD WAS WITH JOSEPH

SERIES: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD

TEXT: GENESIS 45:9

 

We are discussing about Bible characters who had close encounters with God despite their sins, problems and failures. Today we are considering Joseph. Joseph’s life could be discussed under three headings.

  1. The dream.
  2. The nightmare.
  3. The new day.

Today we talk about superstars, music stars, movie stars, we have very many stars but very few heroes. Joseph was a hero-Gen. 37:5-11, Gen. 45:9.

When you think of the life of Joseph two things come into mind.

  1. Similarities between Joseph and Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is no mention that Joseph sinned, Jesus never sinned. Joseph was also the most beloved son of Jacob. Jesus Christ is the most beloved son of God. Matthew 3:7, “And lo a voice from heaven, saying this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Joseph was sent by his father to look for his brothers, Jesus was sent by His father to seek and save the lost.

Judah, Joseph’s brother sold Joseph for 20 pieces of silver, Judas a disciple of Jesus Christ sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

Joseph was let down in a pit and raised again, Jesus was let down in a pit of death and was raised again from the dead.

Joseph became ruler of the world and one day Jesus will rule this world from shore to shore and sea to sea.

  1. Joseph never performed a miracle.
  • He never raise the dead. He never brought mighty signs and wonders, never spoke in tongues, cast out demons-but he became the prime minister.
  • There are many people today who think unless you are casting out demons, doing miracles, you are not important in the kingdom of God.
  • But God needs all of us- teachers, accountants, engineers, doctors, lawyers etc.
  • Jesus Christ is the miracle worker, mighty God.
  • God used Joseph mightily in the land of Egypt. It all started with a dream. Let us learn:-

THE DREAM-Gen. 37:5.

“And Joseph dreamed a dream and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him……”

  • You talk about a close encounter-God gave Joseph a dream.
  • God is still giving dreams to His people.
  • As I look at you this day, I see great dreams from God.
  • We have dreams of a healthy body, a fulfilling marriage, a family, seeing your family saved.
  • Acts 2:17-“And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams.”
  • Dreaming is not day-dreaming. Day-dreaming is imagining things. Day-dreaming is when you imagine yourself winning “Shabiki.”
  • There are God-given dreams. Never think that you will never have God given dreams even of a better day, “I will never start that business, I will never have a happy marriage and home, I will never see my family saved!!”
  • The Lord is saying to you today, “It is time to dream again.”
  • When God has given you a dream it will come to pass.
  • Like Martin Luther King say “I have a dream again.”
  • Dream again, prophesy again, vision again, let God give to you your future.
  • When you dream, dream God-sized dreams not some small dreams-2nd Kings 13:14-19.
  • Don’t just strike three arrows but many.
  • Don’t minimize God’s dreams by small living, King Jehoash responded to the word of God half-heartedly.
  • God has great plans for you and me-Jer. 29:11-12; Eph. 3:20.
  • Joseph had a God-sized dream. He was going to be a ruler in a great world-it came to pass.
  • God had promised to speak to us through visions, dreams, prophesies and directly through His own son-Jesus Christ.
  • If you dream a negative dream or vision cancel it in the name of Jesus Christ.
  • Always watch out for dream killers-Joseph brothers-Eccl. 5:3. From dreams comes out business and wealth-Numb. 12:7.
  • Joseph had a dream, his brothers wanted to kill him because of dream-the dream came to pass-God was with Joseph.

THE NIGHTMARE

  • There is in Joseph’s life the dream phase and the nightmare phase.
  • The nightmare had two steps:-
  1. Joseph told his brothers his dream and they hated him for his dream.
  • It was a dream that their grain bowed to his.
  • It was a dream that the sun, the moon and eleven stars bowed to his star.
  • They did not like the implication of the dream.
  • One day Joseph’s father (Jacob) sent him to check-out on his brothers in the field.
  • When they saw Joseph coming-Gen. 37:19, “And they said to one another, behold, this dreamer cometh.”
  • They decided to kill him, so they threw him into a pit, the dreamer, the dream, the future ruler-it was a nightmare.
  • It is not going to be easy with your dream, you will have to go through the pit before the palace.
  • From the pit to slave, to a prisoner, to the palace.
  • Like in a movie, there is the producer, the star, the main character and the extras. When you are the star you will never die in the movie!!
  • 39:2, “And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.”
  1. Joseph is thrown into prison but God was with him-Gen. 39:21, “But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”
  • Joseph became the chief prisoner!! And the butler and the baker of Pharaoh were also thrown into prison-Gen. 40:7.
  • Why do you look sad-Jesus Christ is still on the throne.
  • You may be in prison, but you are headed for the throne (palace).
  • Sometime you think you are the only one in prison and in trouble only to find there are others in bigger trouble-the butler and the baker were in deep trouble.
  • When you are the star you cannot die in the movie of life.

A NEW DAY.

  • Within 24 hours everything changed! Within 24 hours Joseph was from prison to prime-minister.
  • He was broke, busted and disguised, the next day Joseph was the 2nd wealthiest man in the world.
  • This happened to us in salvation. One day a sinner headed to hell, the next day a saint, seated with Christ in heavenly places.
  • One day I was lost, but in a moment, I was found!
  • From the pit to the palace, don’t give up the dream.
  • Don’t let the devil tell you that you are forgotten-it is going to be a new day.
  • An encounter with the Loving God is coming your way.
  • See what Joseph tells his brothers, the dream killers-Gen. 50:20, “As for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant in unto good, to bring to pass as it is this day, to save much people alive.”
  • You meant this for evil, but God for good-Rom. 8:28.

CONCLUSION

  • How many of you have a dream?
  • How many of you have been hurt by family?
  • How many of you it seems you are in a nightmare?
  • You can have a close encounter with God, even today.
  • Genesis 45:9, “Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me Lord of all Egypt; come down unto me, tarry not.”
  • God has made Jesus Christ Lord, come down and get saved today and tarry not!!
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Rev, DR. Willy Mutiso

Rev, Dr. Willy Mutiso is the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Athiriver. He is widely known for his practical and dynamic teaching style which helps people apply the timeless truths of Scripture to their everyday lives.

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