Pit, Potiphar, Prison, Palace

Genesis 37:5-9 (NKJV)

Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him even more. 6 So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. 9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”

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When God gives you a dream, when He puts a promise in your heart, it doesn’t mean it’s going to come to pass with no opposition. There will be things you don’t understand. In those tough times, you have to remember your dream. ~Joel Olsteen

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When God gives you a dream it is…

Larger than what you can imagine
It will not be easily obtained
It has a duel purpose, to give an expected end and build your faith

Reflect:

What is God’s Dream for you? If you do not know, ask God and wait patiently for him to reveal his plan for you.

Joseph: Lessons from the pit

<aside> <img src="/icons/book_blue.svg" alt="/icons/book_blue.svg" width="40px" /> Genesis 37:23-27 (NKJV) ****The Story pg. 30

23 So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. 24 Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it. 25 And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt. 26 So Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened.

God’s plan rarely unfolds the way we think or want it to unfold. </aside>

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV)

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

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God will use those closest to you and your enemies to push you toward your destiny.

Enemy: one that is antagonistic to another, especially one seeking to injure, overthrow, or confound an opponent

1 Samuel 17:8-11, 26 (NKJV)

Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” 10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

26 Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

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Reflect:

Who are your anointed enemies? How have they driven you closer to the will of God for your life?

Your Anointed Enemy: Bishop K. O'Neal

Joseph: Lessons from Potiphar’s House

Genesis 39:6-12 (NKJV) The Story pg. 30

6 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. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. 7 And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” 8 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. 9 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?” 10 So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her. 11 But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, 12 that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.

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