PURSUED: “When God Is In The Pit”
GOD’S PURSUIT DOESN’T STOP WHEN LIFE TAKES A TURN YOU NEVER SAW COMING.
Genesis 37:18-20, “When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. 19 “Here comes the dreamer!” they said. 20 “Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”
Genesis 39:2-7, “2 The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. 3 Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 4 This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. 5 From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. 6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat! Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, 7 and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.”
Genesis 39:19-21, “Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. 20 So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden.”
Genesis 41:38-41, “38So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. 40 You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.” 41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.”
KEY VERSE: Genesis 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”
**PEOPLE CAN INTERRUPT YOUR PLANS, BUT THEY CANNOT INTERRUPT GOD’S PURPOSE.
TRUTH: GOD’S PURSUIT DOESN’T ALWAYS LOOK LIKE GOD MAKING YOUR LIFE EASIER. SOMETIMES GOD’S PURSUIT LOOKS LIKE GOD REFUSING TO LET YOUR STORY END IN THE PLACE THAT HURT YOU.
**THE PIT MAY BE PART OF YOUR STORY, BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THE END OF YOUR STORY.
THE PIT
1. THE PIT DOESN’T MEAN GOD LEFT
Genesis 37:23-24, “So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. 24 Then they grabbed him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.”
**FAITH DOESN’T DENY THE PIT. FAITH REFUSES TO BELIEVE THE PIT IS THE END.
2. GOD’S PRESENCE FOLLOWS YOU INTO PLACES YOU NEVER PLANNED TO GO
Genesis 39:2, “The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.”
**GOD’S PRESENCE IS NOT PROVEN BY YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES.
TRUTH: DOING THE RIGHT THING DOESN’T ALWAYS PRODUCE IMMEDIATE RESULTS
3. THE WAITING ROOM IS NOT A WASTED ROOM
Genesis 40:23, “Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.”
TRUTH: SOMETIMES THE HARDEST PART OF GOD’S PURSUIT IS HIS SILENCE
**GOD CAN BE PREPARING YOU FOR THE PALACE THROUGH EVERY PIT AND PRISON.
4. GOD CAN REDEEM WHEN PEOPLE MEANT TO DESTROY
Genesis 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”
TRUTH: GOD DOESN’T HAVE TO APPROVE WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU IN ORDER TO REDEEM WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU.
**REDEMPTION ISN’T GOD PRETENDING THE PAIN NEVER HAPPENED. REDEMPTION IS GOD REFUSING TO LET THE PAIN HAVE THE FINAL WORD.
WHAT DO I DO WHEN I’M IN A JOSEPH SEASON?
DON’T ABANDON GOD IN THE PIT
DON’T LET SOMEONE ELSE’S BETRAYAL DEFINE YOU
DON’T WASTE THE WAIT
TRUST GOD IN THE CHAPTER YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND
