Sermon Tone Analysis

Dream to Destiny

Week 3

Passing the Palace Test

Robert Morris

Debbie had a birthday this week!

I kid her about it!

• I said, “You know many people don’t make it to your age!”

• She said, “You’re not going to make it if you don’t shut up!”

Genesis 39:1

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt.

And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there.

Genesis 39:2

The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

Genesis 39:3

And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand.

Genesis 39:4

So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him.

Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.

Genesis 39:5

So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field.

Genesis 39:6

So he left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate.

And Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

Genesis 39:23

The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.

How would you like the Lord to make prosper whatever you do?

Potiphar was a polytheist; He believed in multiple gods

•But he recognized God’s favor on Joseph!

1.

The key to prospering is the presence of the Lord.

Many people have a negative connotation of the word prosper.

(prosperity)

• Don’t let hyper prosperity teaching keep you from Biblical prosperity.

• The Blessed Life!

We don’t GIVE TO GET!

We GET TO GIVE!

Genesis 26:12

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him.

Genesis 26:13

The man began to prosper, and continued prosperinguntil he became very prosperous

It doesn’t look like God has a problem with the word prosper

•This is Joseph’s grandfather!

Deuteronomy 29:9

“Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosperin all that you do.”

2 Kings 18:7

The LORD was with him; he prospered wherever he went.

3 John 2

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

God desires that you prosper!

What does “prosper” mean?

• The Hebrew word for prosper, means to push forward.

• It’s used when it talks about the Spirit of the Lord coming on Samson!

God came on him and pushed him forward.

• Would you like God to push your career forward?

• Would you like Him to push your marriage/family forward?

Even an unbeliever recognized that the Lord was with him.

• Can people we work with, and for, recognize that God is with us?

• Does your employer believe that God is blessing him because of you?

The Greek word for prospering literally means “to help on the road”

(Illustration of God pushing me across the platform)

The Lord was with him, so he prospered!

• If the key to prospering is the presence of the Lord

• Then what’s the key to the presence of the Lord?

2. The key to the presence of the Lord is obedience.

2 Chronicles 17:3

Now the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the former ways of his father David; he did not seek the Baals

1 Samuel 18:14

And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the LORD was withhim.

1 Samuel 18:12

Now Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was withhim, but had departedfrom Saul.

Why was the Lord with David?

Because he was walking in obedience?

• David wasn’t perfect.

I’m not talking about perfection!

• Why had He departed from Saul?

Because he had disobeyed!

Deuteronomy 11:26

"Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse:

Deuteronomy 11:27

the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you today;

Deuteronomy 11:28

and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God”

A blessing is a reward; A curse is a consequence!

Job 36:11

“If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

Job 36:12

But if they do not obey, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.”

We don’t earn our salvation but the Bible is clear on this!

If we obey, we will be blessed!

And if we don’t, we won’t!

This isn’t a works doctrine!

It’s an obedience doctrine!

Proverbs 28:13

He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

Genesis 4:16

Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden.

The Lord doesn’t leave us!

I will never leave you!

• But we leave Him not when we make mistakes

• But when we won’t repent!

God came to Cain and gave him a chance to repent!