The Faithful Slave

The podcast episode discusses the story of Joseph from the book of Genesis. It focuses on the character traits of Joseph that allowed him to receive blessings from God. The three main points discussed are: staying in the right book (following God's will), staying in the right bank (being a faithful steward), and staying in the right bed (maintaining integrity). The episode encourages listeners to read the full story of Joseph and compare the blessings spoken over him by Jacob and Moses. It emphasizes the importance of aligning oneself with God's established principles in order to receive His blessings. Welcome to CCI Fellowship's podcast. Thank you for joining us. At CCI Fellowship, we are reaching God, reaching each other, and reaching our community. We pray that this week's message challenges you in your walk with the Lord, causes you to grow in your faith, and encourages you in your love for the Word of God. Open your Bibles to Genesis 39. The title of this sermon is The Faithful Slave. You all should have received in your WhatsApp, and if you haven't, let us know so that we can send it to you, our declaration for this year, 2024, the year of the anointing of Joseph. And the verse that is the basis of this declaration comes out of Deuteronomy, and it is spoken by Moses over the descendants of Joseph. And so, in all reality, based on the verse, it really doesn't have anything to do with Joseph. It has to do with his descendants. However, if it's about Joseph, then we can look back at the life of Joseph and figure out why it was that God led Moses to prophesy over the descendants of Joseph, in such a way that spoke of blessing and abundance, even in the middle of lack and seeing fruit that doesn't really develop. What is it about Joseph's character? What was it about his life? And so what I want you to do this week, and many of us already know the whole story of Joseph, and those of you who are doing reading your Bible through the year, you will have already been past this story. However, this week, I want you to go back and read the whole story of Joseph. It's found in Genesis chapter 37, and then chapters 39 to 50. That's the whole story of Joseph. Chapter 38 is an aside that has to do with one of his brothers, really not sure why God put that in there in that spot, but you can skip that part in this context. So chapter 37, and then 39 to 50. In chapter 49, verse 22 to 26, is when Jacob is blessing his sons, and he speaks a blessing over Joseph. And I want you to pay attention when you read that, and have open the declaration as well, and compare between what God spoke through Jacob as a blessing over Joseph, and what God spoke through Moses as a blessing over Joseph's descendants. It is a very interesting thing to see. And so what I want to focus on tonight is that we can make this declaration week after week. And I mean, we haven't said it many times, but we will begin to do that more and more. But we can say it week after week, and we can even agree with it, but if we don't get ourselves in position to receive from God, then it really isn't going to do us any good. If we're not walking by faith, then again, it's not going to do us any good. If we're not walking in obedience, then again, it's not going to do us any good. It doesn't have anything to do with earning it. It doesn't have anything to do with being good enough or righteous enough. But it does have to do with getting in a position or putting ourselves in a place where God is able to pour those things out on us. When we talk about his abundant blessing, we want to be sure that we're able to receive it. Malachi chapter 3, it says he'll pour out, he'll open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that there's no room to receive it. But does it say that just because God wants to? No, it talks about honoring him with the tithe and with our offerings. It talks about having our hearts submitted to him. Having everything that we have submitted to him. So it's not, again, something that is earned as if we are behaving in such a way to garner God's favor. What it is is coming into line with what he has already established so that we find ourselves in the right place at the right time to receive from him the right thing that he wants to give to us. Amen? So in Genesis 39, we find some things about Joseph's character. And of course, in 37, you'll read a specific verse. We'll talk about this next week as well. You'll read a specific verse where Joseph went to look for his brothers. And it said that a man found Joseph wandering around. He was supposed to be looking for his brothers. He was on a task. He was on a mission from his dad to go find his brothers. But this guy found him looking at the stars, listening to the birds, smelling the flowers. Joseph was somebody that was just so distracted by everything else. That's why they referred to him as a dreamer. He wasn't serious. They didn't take him as anybody that was serious. Well, between the time that his brothers threw him in a pit and sold him to the traders, and the traders then took him to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, something happened in the character of Joseph. Because what we see at the end of chapter 37 and how chapter 39 opens up, something happened to this young man. Something major happened to this young man. We find that he became, in that length of time, he grew up. And his character developed in such a manner that he was entrusted with everything in Potiphar's house, in the prison, in Pharaoh's palace. Let's just read real quick through some of these verses. So I'm going to give you the three points right now. To be in position to receive what we are declaring God will do, there are three things that we see in the character of Joseph that we need to have in our life. And number one is stay in the right book. Stay in the right book. Number two is stay in the right bank. Stay in the right bank. And number three is stay in the right bed. Stay in the right bed. And of course we'll discuss this. Genesis 39 verse 2 through 4 says, The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight and served him. Then he made him overseer in his house and all that he had put under his authority. There was an encounter that Joseph had, whether it was in the pit or on the way to Egypt or whatever. But Joseph had an encounter with God that he knew in his spirit what was right and what was wrong. That he knew what was going to please his God and what was going to grieve his God. And so when it came time for him to serve, he served in such a way not just to please the one who had authority over him on the earth, but he served in such a way to please the one from heaven who was his ultimate authority. And so when I say stay in the right book, I mean Joseph didn't have the Bible to go by. He didn't even have the law to go by. He had what God later describes in the prophets in the Old Testament, that he would write his law in our hearts, that we would be his children and he would be our God. This happened with Joseph. How do we know? Because of his behavior. His actions showed that God's law was written on his heart. And so stay in the right book is stay with your behavior, with your actions, with your decisions, with everything according to the will of God. It sounds like something simple and something like, well, duh, we all serve God. We know we're supposed to do what the Bible says. But it is amazing, especially as we see the world around us and the world of the church around us, how many people are trying to discredit the word of God, how many people are trying to change the word of God, how many people are trying to adjust the standard of the word of God so that it fits whatever they want to do. And they aren't actually convicted when they do things that are contrary to God's word. Stay in the right book. John chapter 119, 105 says your word is a lamp to my feet and a light unto my path. Everything can be measured by the word. Hebrews 4 says that the word of God is quick and active and sharper than any two edged sword to the dividing asunder a soul and spirit to the joint marrow of the bone and as a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. God, why am I doing this? Why do I want this? Why am I going after this? Because in the word, the word exposes our hearts and exposes our desires. Psalm 119 verse 11 says your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you. Stay in the right book. Stay in the right bank. Verse six and then verse 22 and 23. Thus 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. In another version it says that Potiphar had no idea what was going on basically and he didn't worry about anything but what was going to be on his plate three times a day. He had no concern except for what he was going to eat. That is how much he placed faith and trust in Joseph's hands. In verse 22 it says and the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever they did there it was his doing. The Lord was with him and whatever he did the Lord made it prosper. The key here in regard to this simple phrase the Lord was with him. When we walk in disobedience, when we walk in bad stewardship, when we walk in our own desires and our own wisdom we find that though we cry out for God to do amazing things and to lead us and guide us the desire of our heart really is to be led and guided by our own understanding and our own wisdom. There was something about Joseph that he laid all of that down and he said whatever God I just want to glorify you and he became somebody who couldn't be trusted with anything when he was with his family. They didn't trust him to be a shepherd. They didn't trust him with responsibilities. His dad was going out on a limb in the first place sending him to go find his brothers. His brothers had no faith in him whatsoever that he had any capability of being responsible. But yet we find here that he surrendered all of that to God and he became somebody that outshined his brothers. He became somebody that even in the midst of the prison his stewardship level, his integrity spoke at such volumes that even those who were above him had no need to worry or think about anything that was under his responsibility. You see God had a plan to use Joseph. We know the end of the story. We know that God took him to Pharaoh's house that he interpreted the dreams that he led the whole campaign through the seven fat years and the seven lean years and all of that to save thousands of people. If we go back to the prophetic declaration, if we go back to the dream in the first place, it had to do with reconciliation of his family. It had not just to do with saving a whole nation, not just to do with thousands and hundreds of thousands and a million people, however many people, being fed throughout the seven lean years and what God wanted to do in the hearts of the people in Egypt. But it had to do with bringing a family together. And in the midst of all the unknown, Joseph said, I'm going to be a man of integrity. I'm going to be a man that stewards well. Some people look at others in the church who are very blessed, who find that God, you know, they find themselves asking this question, God, why do you bless that person so much? And really what it boils down to is a bit of a jealousy. God, why are you blessing that person and you don't bless me? Why does that person have so much money and I don't have any? And God would look down and say, because that person's a good steward, because I can trust that person with this amount, because that person is a giver, because that person is not attached to material blessings, because I can trust them, God says. And we don't want to hear that. We just want to hear God say, yeah, that's just not right. They shouldn't have that much money. We want God to be on our side. And that's just not how it works. We're on his side or we're not on his side. So we either be good stewards if we want to see these things happen, if we want to not just focus on the words in the declaration that say things like, when you get to the end of the month, it won't be lack, but you'll have enough to make it through the end of the month. I remember one guy that used to attend here, he would always say there was more month left than there was money. There was more month than money. We want more money than month. We want to get to the last day of the month and have something to look forward into the next month with. And those are the things that we're declaring, that God will provide in such a way. But let me tell you, if we're not good stewards, if we're not walking with integrity, it's a little hard for God to pour out those blessings to us. In fact, in James, it says something very direct. In James, I think, 1 verse 7, yep, 1 verse 7 says, let not that man think that he will receive anything from God. I'm reminded of the part in the declaration where it says it's not about where we are, it's about who is with us. And you see, from the pit to Potiphar's house, to the jail, to the palace, it was always because God was with Joseph. But you see, Joseph stayed in the right book, and Joseph stayed in the right bank. He didn't touch what wasn't his. He was a faithful steward of all of these riches that were put into his charge. Would you think that if he was pulling a little off the side for himself, that scripture would have let us know that? But it doesn't. So we take it that Joseph had the utmost integrity in everything that he did. Luke 16, verse 10 to 12 says, he who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much. And he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous man, then who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own? How can we anticipate God blessing us, not just with things here on earth, that's like the trivial things. Oh, you don't know my bank account, Pastor. That's not trivial. Yes, it is. Because he's our source, and he is the giver of life, and he is the good father from whom all blessings flow. Every good thing comes down from the Father of light, in whom there is no shadow of turning. There is no doubt in him. So if he says, you are my children, and I am your father, and I'm going to provide for you, then why do we ever doubt? I'm not exempt from that, but the truth of the matter is that there's no reason to doubt because he is never unfaithful. So we must be faithful. You say, oh, if I had a better job, I'd be more blessed. Or if I had a better boss, I'd be more committed to my work. I just really hate going to work. It's just a toxic work environment. So that's not the point. The point is, have we stayed in the right book? Because in the right book, it says, do everything as unto the Lord, not with lip service, but as pleasing God. I don't want to do what pleases my boss. Well then, I mean, when you're unfaithful in what God has already given you, how can you expect him to give you something else? If it's his will to deliver you from that and move you somewhere else, that's one thing. Praise God for deliverance. But don't sit there and say, I'd do better if. If my condition changed, then I would be more faithful. If I wasn't under such a bad boss, then I would be a better steward of his things. No. Lack of stewardship follows you wherever you go. Lack of character follows you wherever you go. You may find that dream job and you get in it. Oh, this is the place that I want. I know this is where God wants me. And your same lack of character follows you there. And pretty soon that dream job is no longer a dream, it's a nightmare. Why? Well, one, God might have not moved you there in the first place. And two, you haven't surrendered your own desires to him and you haven't surrendered your character to him. I believe that this declaration is for us. I believe that the things of this declaration God wants to do, but we need to allow him to mold and shape our character so that we are able to receive the things that he wants to give us, so that we are faithful in what is another man, so that God makes us profitable in the things that he has for us. The third point in three minutes, stay in the right bed. Verse eight and nine in Genesis 39 says, but he refused and said to his master's wife, look, my master does not know what is with me in the house and he has committed all that he has to my hand. There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me, but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? Joseph behaved himself like a son of God. He was a faithful servant in our first point, he was a faithful steward in our second point, and here we find him as a faithful son. How can I dishonor my father in this way? How can I dishonor my God in this manner? He didn't behave himself like a person of the world, and truthfully he could have said, well, I'm a slave, I'm not my own, I have to do what I'm told, so let's go. He didn't. He didn't compromise his own beliefs and he didn't compromise his integrity by succumbing to the desires of someone who was ungodly. First Corinthians 6 verse 11 it says, And such were some of you, in other words, children of the world, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Joseph was not willing to give up everything that the Lord had given him, just simply to give in to the desires of somebody else. Oh, well, they want me to do this, they want me to do that. What does God want? How quickly everything that God had done in Joseph would have crumbled had he chosen to enter into that relationship. You say, well, he ended up in prison anyway. Yes, but God was still with him. It's not about where we are, it's about who's with us. And so, you know, yes, stay in the right bed. We can't pass over that this has a lot to do with sexual integrity and the right relationships that we have, the right interactions that we have with members of the opposite gender and everything that we honor God, that we honor if we're married, our spouses, that we honor ourselves by having right relationship. First Corinthians 6 verse 18 to 20 says, Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. For do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. People say, well, God knows my heart. I know I did this, but God knows my heart. Well, our actions proceed out of our heart. That should be the most terrifying statement that ever crosses your lips. God knows my heart. It's not a defense. Don't judge me. God knows my heart. That's scary because he knows our heart better than we do. He knows our motives better than we do. So we must stay and let me amplify this point a little more and let's say it this way. We need to stay in the right relationships, whether that's friendships, whether that's business relationships, whether that's interactions with our coworkers, whether that's interactions with somebody that we meet in life, a person at a grocery store, whatever. In all types of relationships and interactions, we need to remember that we are not our own. We've been bought with a price, a much higher price than Potiphar bought Joseph, a much higher price. Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are the Lord's. Not just glorify him in your spirit, in your intention, when you're praying or when you're doing your devotions, but after that moment, after that time that you're seeking God and you're talking to him and the spirit is talking with you and you go about the rest of your day. Glorify God in your actions. And in that way, throughout this year, we will find ourselves many times unaware, unexpected, where God pours his blessing out on us, where God pours out the things that we're believing for and declaring, where those come upon us, even without realizing it. Why? Because our focus is on his word, and our focus is on being a good steward of the things that he has entrusted to our hands, and our focus is on having right relationships at all levels and right interactions, so that what we are portraying is, even as Joseph portrayed to Potiphar's wife, I will not sin this great sin against my God. If we want to be in the right position, as the worship team comes, stay in the right book, stay in the right bank, and stay in the right relationships. The enemy would love nothing more than to derail you from God's plan for your life. He would want, he wants nothing more than to sabotage the faith that you are walking in now throughout the year. You may say of this declaration and of the things that God has put in your heart these first couple weeks of the year, I believe that. I'm with you God, I'm focused. I hear what Pastor John is saying, there's some adjustments I need to make, I want to make sure that I'm staying in the right book, I'm staying in the right bank, I'm staying in the right relationships, and we get two months down the road, and we get careless. And we stop focusing on these things, and you know, well, the fast is over, so maybe I'm not praying as much, and I'm not getting up as early, because the fast is over, so I don't have to get up at 5 a.m. anymore. Why quit? Stay vigilant, stay attentive, because we have a very real enemy that really wants to sabotage and derail everything that God has promised for this year. And we make it easier for Him when we give in to temptation, when we start trusting in our own understanding, and when we start allowing ourselves these little concessions by saying, well, there's grace. Praise God that there's grace, because we are never not in need of God's grace. We can never get to the end of the day and say, I behaved so righteously today, God, that I don't need your grace today. It won't happen. We need His grace and mercy every day. But don't make it easy on the enemy by giving in to his tricks and his distractions and his divisions and his temptations. Keep your focus on God. Stay in the right book. Stay in the right bank. Stay in the right relationships. Let's stand together. Father, we worship you and we bless your name. May we be people this year who live at a level of faithfulness greater than we ever have before. May we be a people this year whose focus is glorifying you in every aspect of our lives. May we not waste anything that you have given us. May we not waste your anointing. May we not waste, Lord, the gifts that you have given us. May we not waste, Father, the things that you have put in our hands to steward. May we not waste, Father, the blessings that come from you. May we be people of integrity, of love, of compassion, of integrity. May we be willing to allow you to mold and shape our character, to make changes that need to be made. May we recognize them, Lord God, and be willing to be proactive toward that change, to bring things in order. To bring things in order and in submission to you. And have your way in us, Father, in the name of Jesus. Just off Boulevard Suyapa, near Una. If you'd like prayer or more information about our church, contact us at fellowship.cci at gmail.com. That's fellowship.cci at gmail.com. Or follow us on social media. We hope to see you or hear from you soon. Blessings.