JOSEPH’S PRIDE TEST
1 Peter 5:5-11
INTRODUCTION: The next several Sunday mornings we will be talking about how to go from our God given dreams to our God given destiny. All of us have God given dreams but most people never make it from those God given dreams to their God given destiny. The reason for this is that God only brings us into our God given destiny as we pass the tests of character that God brings into our lives. We will look at ten different tests that God brought into the life of Joseph before God brought him into his God given destiny.
I. JOSEPH’S GOD GIVEN DREAM!
When Joseph was seventeen years old he brought a bad report about his older brothers: Genesis 37:1-2. It was just after that event that Joseph had a God given dream: Genesis 37:3-7. That did not endear Joseph to his older brothers: Genesis 37:8. What is so interesting here is that Joseph got his God given dream when he was only seventeen years old but did not experience the fulfillment of that dream until he was thirty years old. Genesis 41:46. Joseph had to pass ten tests in order to come into his God given destiny and so will we have to pass tests in our own lives to enter into our God given destiny: Ephesians 2:8-10. Our God given dream is very important to our God but not as important as becoming like our Lord Jesus Christ: Romans 8:28-29; Philippians 2:13. So God is at work in us through the tests He sets out for us to make us like our Lord Jesus Christ. As we pass those tests, in His time He will fulfill the God given dream He has given to us.
II. JOSEPH’S FIRST TEST: THE PRIDE TEST!
God’s dream for your life is better than any dream you could ever come up with and God will work in you to bring about the fulfillment of His dream for you: Proverbs 19:21. The sad thing is that the dream we have for ourselves may not be the same as God’s plans for our lives. Psalm 37:4-6. The first step for anyone to come into their God given destiny is to submit ourselves to God’s will for our lives: Romans 12:1-2. When God reveals His dream for you be very careful it does not bring pride into your heart; that was Joseph’s problem here:
Genesis 37:5-7. The problem here was not the dream; it was Joseph’s pride.
III. JOSEPH’S PRIDE!
God’s purpose in giving you His dream is not to bring pride but true humility to our lives: Proverbs 16:18. Sometimes we need to just stop talking: Matthew 12:34; Genesis 37:1-4. As Joseph exposed his pride God began to deal with his pride. Luke 6:45: Our own insecurity is the root of pride in our hearts. We need to learn from the life of our Lord Jesus how to deal with our insecurity that brings forth our pride: Matthew 17:1-9. Jesus already knew Who He was and what the Father had called Him to do; there was no need to brag about it. Matthew 4:1-3. As we spend time with the Shepherd of our soul we will not need to brag or call attention to our God given dream we will call attention to the Dream Giver. 1 Corinthians 4:7. God will deal with our pride every time it comes up; but in the end we must humble ourselves or our own pride will rob us of our God given dream. 1 Peter 5:5-7. Praise the Lord, He did not give up on Joseph and his pride and He will not give up on us and our pride either. Joseph failed his first test but praise God He is the God of the second and third chance!